The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-12-12
SURPRISED THE WHALERS.
THEY DID NOT KNOW THAT Wan
HAD BEEN DECLARED.

Yankee Sailors on Their way Home In nsl0
supposed They Were FtEhtiug Pirates, bat
After CapturinE the Gang Fouud They Had
Fought with british suaa-o,-VNar's Wen.
In these days, when even the whalers that go
to the Arctic Ocean beyond the northern shores
OF Alaska in search Of blubber are within reach
of mails and the news of the world gets to them
only a couple OF months or 30 old at worst, as
they cruise to and fro, 1t il interesting to read
OF some of the doings Of the old-time sailors to
show what changes have como over the world
afoat, as well as that ashore, through the
progress OF modern arts. Perhaps none of Tho
yarns told Of tho sea can better Illustrate this
than one told by James Barnes in his Yankee
Ships and Yankee Sailors" under the title Of
Tho Men Behind the Times"
1t appears that the New Bedford feet OF
whalers In the Pacific Ocean. after cruising for
q long time without greasing q kettle, had tho
luck late In the year 1871 and early In 1912 to
strike so many schools of whales on the favorite
cruising grounds that all, without exception.
were filled to the hatch cosmings, and all sailed
away together for home. And what is moro
remarkable still, after they had rounded the
Horn and were climbing along northward in the
Atlantic they were not separated, 30 that In
what looked like q great convoy they entered
the blue waters Of the Gulf Stream together.
So 1t happened on q certain day In October.
1872, that, the weather being fine, Capt. Ezra
Steele Of the ship Blazing Star was able to In
vito Capt. Samuel Tobin Dewey OF the Elijah
Mason to come over and help breach o bottle Of
Medford rum that. because of the care taken in
the original distilation and. tho m%ellowing prop
critics Of q three years cruise at sea, was in a
condition that any experienced tar like Capt. Sam
would call prime. There was. of course. Q dinner
as well as q bottle, and while the two old cronies
1vera eatipr n thu cabin how hrouuht thu netya
that a strange sail had been seen AVA 70 the
northw est on the lee bow.
One must have been q long time away from
home without hearing from loved ones to fully
appreciate the feelings Of these men as they
heard what the boy said, for they had been three
years gone and never a line had either received
from New Bedford, while here was q sail-pos.
sibly q ship not q week from port. What
might not her Captain be able to tell these two
waytarers II only he might be brought along.
side for a timei
Going on deck, Capt. Ezra looked long at
the stranger. while Capt. Sans fingers twitched,
he was SO eager to get hold OF the glass.
"What dye make out, Capt Ezrai" no said,
after a minute.
"Man.o'war brig" said Capt. Ezra. passing
over the glass.
you're Jest right" said Capt. Sam the m o
ment he got his eye on the stranger; "Irl bel
she's mad SEEM us carrying this breeze an she
in the doldrums. Wen pass her in three mile,
1 reckon. she hangin' on there-it may DO all day
long an never get q slant Of 1t. Wonder what
Ihe's dom down here, anyhow"
At the end of ten minutes Of speculation, dur
ing which the whalers held to their course lest
they lose the wind that was carrying them
home, the chance Of their learning the object o
the man-o.war's cruise seemed to be good. for
| boat yvoa 1nyraraA and ~ r,1li,- 100000. ~