The Press., 1898-02-10

broke water within half a mile of the two craft. We got him aboard of his ship as soon as possible, but long enough before he reached her his mates had lowered and were away The hour was ? o'clock in the afternoon, and we knocked of work to see the fun.
 There were those aboard of the Rain bow who said it was the same whale which had killed two men and smashed boat to the north of St Helena. Be that as it may, he had a harpoon stick ing in him and was badly tangled up in a whale line. He was rolling on the surface when both boats came up and made fast at the same moment For l5 seconds the monster did not move a fin. Then he started of with a rush and made a complete circle about both ships, leaving such a wake behind him that there were times when we lost sight of the boats in the foam. Having con- pleted the circle the monster slowed about until he was head on to the first mate's boat He lay for 8 moment swinging his lower jaw to right and left and then made a rush. The boat at tempted to shoot ahead and avoid him, but he caught her with 8 swing of that terrible jaw and left only fragments be- hind as he came down between the two ships and went of to the south. The second mates boat was obliged to cut loose to pick up the other crew. but three men, one of whom was the first mate, had lost their lives. When the extent of the calamity became known. open mutiny resulted
 The men demanded that the Rainbow be headed for Bristol. and two hours later she lad her course for that port and left us Never did a more dis gruntled crew reach port The owners at once removed Captain Travers from command. The men scattered, and it was three months before the bark start ed out for another cruise. She had lost prestige, but she was still looked upon as lucky craft and there was no lack of applicants when she was ready for sea. On this, which proved to be her last cruise. she was commanded by Gap tain Thorndyke, who wes 8 whaler of l5 years experience and had command ed some of the best vessels Ill the feet On leaving Bristol he told the owners he would come back with a hold full of oil or not at all
 We in the Nancy Lee had meanwhile I worked our way down to Cape Horn and 200 miles south of 1t We were cruising east and west, taking a whale occasionally. when the Rainbow came down on us for the third time This was some nine or ten months after her last adventure, and she had made the trip from Bristol without sighting 8 spout She came down to us at 10 o'clock one morning. remained hove to until m the afternoon and then head ed away to the east
 We came about, and two days later sighted the Rainbow again Neither craft had sighted a spout, but at ! o'clock in the afternoon, as they lay within quarter of a mile of each other whale broke water within a cable $ length of the bark He was so close tc her that we had no show and dld not lower It was a lone whale and bis one. and we no soouer had him under our glasses than we saw that he was z fighter There were half 8 dozen scars on his head, and the way he rolled about showed hls temper AS he was head or to us he must have seen both ships anC the two boats lowered for him, but hs made no move until the mate 6 boa was close upon him and ready for { dart. She had made 8 half circle to ge out of hls line of vision and approach him broadslde on. but he heard the ap proach and indulged III strange ma neuver
 Few men ever saw a whale back wa ter. and there are plenty of whalers tha contend that he cannot This whale however backed distance of 100 feet and with amazing swlftness. too. anl striking the boat with his f1ukes b, killed four men and reduced her tt matchwood. Then he started stralgh for the Rainbow and hls rush was tha of an avalanche Every man of us hat our eyes on him when he struck her ol the port bow. and we plainly heard tn crash of blanks and tlmbers After tn , shock he started of and settled dowl , and was seen no more. but Tn ten mn utes the Rainbow was at the bottom 0 the sea Not man saved even an extr; jacket There was scarce time for then , to lower their boats when the bari , pitched forward and went to her grave We. of course. took them aboard. an' after 8 few weeks they were landed a Bahia