The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-04-11

the early spring Of IS7s. ostensihly for
whaling voyage. The real object OF tbs
vessels mission however vas to pay
visit 20 the Swan river. IN Australia.
where are situated some q the oli-time
convict stations 20 which many ne;oriSus
Irish political prisoners had been tram
sported fer penal seryftuas by Great
Britain. IL WAS the determination Of
Capt Anthony 70 eudeavor efecting
means % escape for some prominent men,
eers 81 the FenIan brotherhood who were
confined there. Rich. influential Irishmen
IN New York city had contributed large
sums OF money 70 carry CUT the plan af
the expedition. and they were very comb
dent Of its successful accomplishment.
The undertaking. was kept close secret.
none OF the officers or crew having any
know ledge Of the real aurp0rt Of the veS-
age until the arrival % the vessel az Swan
river.
Five OF the Fenlaas--aa prominent lead
ers OF their party were successfully takea
aboard the Catalpa one dark nlght. and
swiftly carried beyond the reach Of the
colonial authorities. They were ticket-of-
leave men. prisoners allowed outside free
dem until o ei0ck in the evening. When
they were missed by the wsrderz. and
search failed 10 establish their where
ahouts, suspicion was at once directed to-
ward the whaler VINO had been lowering
OF the mouth OF the river for number Of
out tn pursuit Of her; the daring Catalpa.
however, managed TO make her escape. un-
der cover Of the darkness The Fenians ar
rived safely in New York. and when the
Catalpa returned 10 New Bedford a perfect
ovation was rendered Capt Anthony and
he. his officers. and all members OF the crew
reaped golden harvest from the daring
enterprise. arrived home from three
years whaling voyage shortly after the
incident. and ali New Bedford was still
aeog over the affair, one evening ut va.
riety theater Ia the city heard one OF the
footlight favorites tender song TO the en-
thusiastic whalemen. who filed the ha1
the chorus OF which ran In the following
strain:
Look out, says John Bull 10 his jailers,
And listen 10 what say:
Keep an eve on those willy Fenians
The id Yankees viii steal them awayr'
As whaling voyages usually lasted sew
eral years. and the captains authority
was as absolute as hts responsibility was
great, the whaling industry. with SIS many
perils. naturally developed men who SEEM
ed born 70 command-strong. active and
fnil OF strategic resources. and never hest
tsting 10 enforce their rights. A better
illustration Of their proud spirit cannot
be given than the encounter tn Halifax
between Greene. the mate OF Nantucket
vessel and the Duke Of Clarence. nd
mirai OF the British feet and afterwara
William ". The dispute arose over tho
dukes attentions TO girl. and reached It's
climax In the Nantucket mates seixing
tho future king of England and hurting
him downstairs An eyewitness az the
affair was wont I'm after years to add as n
decorative detail that the click OF the
dukes sword hit was heard on every
stair. Greene at once went aboard his
ship and refused TO obey a summons from
the admiral. who. Il afterward TRANSFERRED
hal ArfI ~ kA In LU
tucket man officer in the English navy.
The male population OF the old whaling
ports was divided into those who were
away on a whaling voyage. those just re-
turning from one and those who were pre-
pairing TO start on one. The youth who
had not doubled the Cape was consid-
cred a nonentity. and had no more chance
with the bellies OF Nantucket and New
Bedford than a non-combaiant has With
those OF a garrison town. Many bride
stepped from her homo aboard her hus-
bands whalsr for honeymoon on three
years voyage "'round Cape Horn" and
then north 10 the Arctic ocean; TO return
perhaps with ioddiekln or two born at
sea. For a whaler's wife tn have been
"'round the Cape half a dozen times.
or even more. Was nothing extraordinary.
A woman who hsd no children TO Keep her
at home considered 81 her duty 20 share
the perils of her husbands calling.
In the vernacular of the old whaling
ports even among the younger generations
are stii found deightful relics OF tho
whaler's iiiomN. The railroad train tiles
M" wagon Is a "siie-wheei craft" and
YOU are requested TO shift 90 windward
or ''ieeward," according as the sides need
trimming. Where are YOU heading fory
is the question invariably asked Of you II
you are met out walking. you learn that
your veteran whaieman neighbor or last
summer died during the winter in hnr-
ry:' the farmer lands his produce at
your quarter galleries" tmeaning the rear
kitehen); you are instructed 10 fdouse the
gllm" on retiring for the night directed.
IN you cannot open the postoffice door. TO
try turning the knob 10 the westward,
and II the door still refuses 10 yield ara
informed that probably the postmis,ress
has battended down the matches" and
gone canning
Alas whaling IL almost but dream OF
the past. and modern appliances for kill
ing the cetacean have robbed II OF most
OF It's perilous and romantic features.
What has become OF the vast fleet OF ves-
sells whose keeis once vexed the waters
OF every known scar With the advent
Of cheap lubricatirg oils whaling rapidly
declined and a number Of the old blubbcr
hunters were sold by their owners. Some
were subsequently, employed in coastwfse
srase. while others were sent " round
the Horn" and disposed of IN different
ports Of Chile and Peru, 70 be again EN-
ployed IN whaling In the Pacific. small
fleet sails yearly from San Francisco
to the Arctic ovehn. and few ancient
vessels are stlli fitted out by the
ssCornpania Cnileno de Isailenerof' OF Vail
uarafso. chiefly for humpbaehng-nean-
Ing the capture OF the humpbaek whale
in the gulf ~ Panama and along the
coast Of Ecuador. During the California
gold fever hundreds Of them entered the
harbor OF San Francisco never 20 sci SAIL
again; n goodly number lie with the Ia
mons stone feet" at the bottom OF
Charleston harbor. others were destroyed
bv the Confederate cruisers Alabama and
Shenandoah. and. aaAdest Of all. many lie
rostlng in rows along the wharves OF our
old whaling ports -