The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1897-09-28
A PESKY WHALE.


up Boring sea way two years ago-old
Liz was my ship, her full name bein
Elizabeth j. Barker-an we'd had a
pretty good season. September we put
around the Horn, an as things happen
ed didn't see another whale till we
struck into the forties. Then, sir, long
II O'Clock one fine mornin, we dom
about six knots, we raised a whale that
was whale. -
big, bet, F" said the doctor.
No, not so terrible big,'' said the
captain, "but pesky. / was standin
about 'midships when one of the men
sings out, Hi, cap, look at i'm blow.
Sure 'nough, half rile off an dead
abeam to starboard he was BLOWN. He
sent up a good spout an then seemed
to kinder settle himself, like he was
nappin, shown a good bit of his length.
hove old Liz to, an we put over
couple Of boats. Rowin in the small
boat was Dutchman named Frank.
mention him, cause he comes into the
yarn pretty prominent. Frank was a
good sailor, but one of them fellers that
has dreadful little to say. He tended
right to business an kept his hatch
battened close. Well, as it turned out.
the little boat licked the big one an
got the first whack at the whale They
put harpoon into him just over his
port fin, an down he went
g | stood a-watching things through
glass. waited an waited for the boat
to start off in tow, but she didn't do
nothin but set still, which was puzzlin.
In about five minutes somethin big an
black broke water tween US an the
boat, an there was old blower not
more'n 200 yards from the place he
went down. He warn't up long, but
enough to get his bearin s, l guess, fur
down he went again, an I could see the
bow man gettin ready to give him all
the rope he'd take. Then the boat start
ed, slowed bit an come dead for the
ship at 40 mile clip. I never see
boat travel so. We watched 'em, an
when she got within quarter of mile
l thinks to myself: This is gittin
blamed interestin. l wonder is that
whale goin to sheer off, or is he goin
to give us ram? That boat, sir trav-
eled for us as true as a hair, AN l could
see the men in her gettin excited. On
she came, THROWN spray like a liner,
and / calkilated if she held her course
she'd hit us SO near 'midship it wouldn't
be worth measurin the difference. Then
see the man in the bow make pass
for the rope with the Ratchet, but be
was nervous like an missed it, for the
Ratchet went overheard, an he, losin his
balance, along with it. The rest of the
men warn't long decidin what they'd
do. 1t was go overheard or git smashed
to flinders, an when they got within 90
yards of us they all went over but
Frank.
Jump, you idiot' yells I. Do you
want to git stove?' Mebbe he didn't
hear, but l reckon it wouldn't made no
difference, for as I'm Twin, doc, that
Dutchman lay himself out on his stom-
ach in the bottom of the boat, grabbed
foot cleat with both hands an hung
on for dear life. Well, old whale kept
steam on. could see the boat go down
little by the head as she got close to
us, an knew the rope was serapin the
ships keel We was all holding breath
an waitin to see Frank splatter his
brains against the ships side, when the
boat went nose down, starn up an I'M
der water with kerchug She missed
reachin us by about five yard
All hands aboard ship leant over
to see Frank an the spIinters come up,
for the boat would sure fetch again the
keel an go to kindlin wood. We wait
ed an waited an waited, but, by gum,
there warn't no splinters an there
warn't no Frank All of a sidden one
of the men sings out, By the holy po-
ker, lookp Whipped round, an there,
20 fathom off our port, was the little
whale boat, full of water to the gun
mel, an Frank standin up in her, waist
deep, holding onto rowlock for dear
life So help me, doc, that boat was
towed clean snder old Liz, the Dutch
man in her, an come up sound ON the
other side.
Yes, sir, under the ship slick as a
whistle, an the Dutchman in her That
whale was scientist, sir. He calki-
lated right to lose the boat, but, bless
you, it's bigger job than any one
wanted to tackle to stave that craft, an
as for floatin, she was boxed at each
end an couldn't sink. But that ain t the
end of the story. We remen. bered the
fellers that jumped, an we seen the big
boat would pick EN- up before we could
put another over, so we turned to look
at Frank again. There warn't anything
left in the boat to bail with, AN he
couldn't do nothin but wait ON the
pleasure of that whale. He travelled
hway from the ship as fast as he come
q it, an be must a. gone third of q
mile before the boat Stacked. Then we
seen her slow down an come to dead
stop. Line busted, says l. Man
boat an fetch in the Dutchman.'
hadn't no more'n spoke the words when
a big wave seemed to rise up near the
boat an old whale blowed 80 feet high.
Then he got old Liz in range. Up his
tail goes, an he under water again. /
could see Frank wade forrard in the
boat an try to pay out line, but 1t was
JdIuucug Ill bGAOlC NO NOuAA AndAp AZ
loose the boat give jerk round, almost
a. THROWN him out, an come at us again.
What I'm sayin is truth, doc That
boat struck another bee line for us.
suppose, more properly speakin, the
whale did. GOSH How she did come
kitinl Frank quit foolin with the line
an just hung on. reckoned the boat
was movin Eastern ever, only she didn't
throw so much water, cause she set
down almost to her rowlooks. We stood
speechless while she was drivin for us.
When she got within 100 yards the
mate took a big breath an let fly.
Jump, you - Dutch lubber, or
you're dead man.
"But he didn't jump an 1 see him
gittin ready for another dive under old
Liz.
II grabbed up bucket, climbed on
the rail an when the boat came near
enough I let drive at Frank, hopin to
knock him overheard if hit him. He
seen it comm, lodged an just as the
boat went tail up again yelled:
! al can't swimP
down went the boat like soundin
lead, an this time we Ell slid over to
starboard to see her come up. Seven or
eight seconds passed, maybe, an then
4 about 10 fathoms off our beam up come