The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1899-09-02
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cSulse, If there are no signs of whales
near. the exchange of visits always
takes place. The two captains fore
gather on board one ship. tho two chief
mates on board the other. While the
officers are thus enjoying themselves, 1t
is usual for the boats crews to so for
ward, and while away the time as best
they can, such visitors being always
welcome. This practice is called gam
ming" and Is fruitful Of some Of the
Qusfcst yarns Imaginable, as these sea-
wanderers ransaek their memories for
tales wherewIth to make the time pass
pleasantly.
on the occasion Of which am writ
ing our ship had met the Coral of Mar
tha's Vineyard, OF NIeuwe, and gam
ming had set in Immediately. One Of
the group among whom sat was a
sturdy little native of Guam, in the La
drone Islands, the picture of good hui
NOR, but as ugly as Joss Being CALI
ed upon for q song, he iaughtngiy ex-
cused himself on the ground that his
songs were calculated to give a white
man collywobbles; but II we didn't mind
he would spin a "cufrer' (yarn) In
stead. Carried unanimously-and we
III fresh pipes as ne composed our
selves to hear of ''The Calling Of Capt.
Ramirez" I reproduce the story in a
slightly more ineligible form than I
heard II, the mixture Of Spanish, Kan
aka, etc. being a gibbsrish, not to be
understood by any but those who have
lived among the polyglOt crowd in a
whaler.
About fifteen years ago now, as near
as can reckon (for we don't keep much
account Of time, except we're on
monthly wagel, was cruising the
Kingsmills in the old Salem. Capt, Ra-
nlreH They told me her name meant
peace" and that may be-; but II 50,
all I can say is that never was a ship
worse named, Why. there wasn't even
any peace aboard OF her. Quiet there
was when the old man was asleep, for
nobody wanted him wakenedi but
peace-well, tell We, boys, she was Jest
hell ahoat. I've been fishing now for
agood many Year, In Yankee spOuters,
and there's some blood-boats umong
'em, but never was 1 so uniucky as
when first set foot aboard the Salem.
Skipper was a Portugee from Flores,
come over to the states as nIppsr and
brung up In Rhode Island. Don't
know and don't care how he got to be
skipper; but guess Jenny sauarefOos
was his schoolmaster, for some Of his
tricks wouldn't, couldn't. have been
thought Of anywheres else but down be-
low. 1 amt goln' to make We all mis-
cradle by telling you how he hazed us
round and starved US and tortured US,
but you can let your Imagination loose
Il you want to and then you won't over
haul the facts of his daily amuse-
mcnts.
well. I'd been with him about q
year. when, as I said at first, we was
cruising the Hingsmills, never going too
close in. because at that time the ma
tiyes were very savage, always fighting
with each other. but very glad OF the
chance to go for a ship and kill and
eat all hands. Then again we had
some Kanakas aboard, and the skipper
knew II they got half a chance
they would be overheard and OF to the
shore.
Sperm VIII seswere very plentiful. II
fact, they had been so all the cruise
which was another proof to all Of Us
who the skipper was in confidence
with, for nearly every ship We gam
med the crowd was heartbroken al
their bad luck. However, we'd beer
only a few days on the ground wher
ono morning we lowered 10 laundering
hiE school of mIddllng-siEed whales, We
called in full butt, and all, boats got
fnst. But no sooner was strain pui
on the lines than they all parted like
as II they was burnt. Nobody there
ever seen such thing before. It fair
~ scared US all for We thought It was
3itchcraft, and some Of EN- said the
nlippers time was up. and his boss was
rounding on him. Wen, We bent OF
again, second irons, as the whales
were all running anyhow, not trying t.
yet away, and we all got fast again
Twas no good; all parted Just as be-
fore. Well, we was about the worst
CALLED lot Of men you ever saw. We
was that close to the ship that we knew
the old man could see with his glasse'
everything that was going on. Every
one Of US knew Just about how he was
bearing 1t, but what could we do? Well
boys, We didn't have much time fer tc
serquillze for before you could say
"KnIfe" here he comes, jumping
bowling med. Right In among Us he
busted. and oh, he did look like his old
father Satan on the rampage. He was
in the bow Of the boat, and he let drive
at the first whale he ran up against
Down went the hsh. and pop went the
line same as before. Wen. I've seer
folks get mad more tran a little, but
never in all my fishing days did ever
see anything like h. showed US then.
thought he'd a splodcd into little
pieces. He snatched on his hat and
tore II into ribbons with his teeth; the
rattle OF Portuguese blasphcmy tie"
from between his teeth like cascades.
"sudienly he cooled down all In a
minute IKE. and said. very quiet: Al