The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1899-12-29
Up-coUNTRY WHALE STORY.
with which the stockbridge valley
On Madison County IL Com
mected.

~~@N@~~O~~ -
nected.
In 1896 a colony of six runaway slaves
came to the Stockbridge valley, the
first of that race ever seen in Madison
county. The history of these six slaves
is full of romance, for they were no
common men. They had seen all parts
of the world where ship could ride at
anchor in harbor. All could speak
several languages, but none could read
or write. All were slaves from Virginia,
and had been bound out by their mas
ters for 81 years on whaling vessel
that was owned by company in New
Bedford, Mass. The ship had started
for the South sea, to be gone on cruise
of three years. When about so miles
out at sea from Bedford the lookout dis
covered large whale and ordered
these six sailors to 60 in small boat
and follow the whale. When he came to
the surface one of the sailors, who was
an expert, threw a harpoon at the
whale. Instead Of striking him just
back of the head, which is the usual
way, the harpoon struck the whale
about ten feet from the end of the tail,
which is of a fbrous nature, and caused
no loss of blood to the whale. Then the
great monster shot off with wonderful
rapfdity toward the middle of the ocean,
carrying the boat, and that was the last
the captain of the whaler ever saw of his
six sailors.
%Sryn nIo< nd hxy or1v
Cuff, the sailor who threw the harpoon,
reads like big fish story, but the cir
cumstances connected with it after
ward proved it's truthfulness, as it was
corroborated in full by all the other
sailors. After this whale had gone
about so miles in straight course at
sea, carrying the sailors behind it in a
small boat, and some of the time going
at the rate of 40 miles an hour, it turned
its course back toward the shore, and
then turned again back to sea. Some.
times the whale would dive down 500
feet and rise with great fury and thrash
the ocean to a white foam. At times he
would squirt a volume of water 200 feet
in the air. "All this time," said Paul
Cuff, tive were riding over the sea in
great splendor, harnessed to the biggest
fish in the world, and making the fast
est time on record" They saw and
passed great merchant ships bearing
their country's flag, but they had no
flag, no country, no home. They passed
an English man-of-war that gazed with
amazement at the singular sight. They
thought 1t was the devil incarnate
hitched to q dragon, and attempted TO
fire broadside, but their cannon balls
passed mile behind the sailors, SO
rapid was their course. On they went
like comet shooting its fiery flames
across the sky.
three days up and down the ocean,
hitched to whales tail by slender
cord, the great fish took a singular turn
and a lucky one for the six sailors. He
steered his course southwest, and by
accident struck the bay and outlet Of
the Raritan river on the coast of New
Jersey. The water was deep and he fol-
lowed its course for two miles. His
nose struck against the piers Of one
bridge that cost $1,000 and 1t fell with
a crash in the river. The whale then
struck an oyster sloop and shivered that
to atoms, drowning three sailors. On
he went, but the water soon became SO
shallow that he landed on the shore,
and in three hours he was dead. By
this singular accident the. six negroes
became owners of the whale. They
sold it to an English oil merchant in
New York city for 900 in gold, who
did not know that they were slaves
bound out in the marine service, and not
entitled to the whale under the laws.
His title, however, proved good, for the
company In New Bedford never heard
Of the transaction in 20 years. The
whale was really worth about $4,000,
and was the largest ever found on the
Atlantic coast.
After receiving their money the
slaves made an equal division, which
gave them $4,000 each, and through the
advice of their leader, Paul Cuff, they set
their faces toward the western wilds of
the state of New York. When they
reached Albany they met Pequod In.
dian who was returning from piloting
some missionaries to, the Stockbridge
valley. The Indian gave them fine de.
scription of the country, and they in
duced him. to return with them for q
stipulated price. He did SO, and lived
with them in this locality until he died
They bought on contract with the One.
ida Indians about 200 acres of land foI
each at a nominal sum. Afterward the
titles were confirmed by the state Of
New York. They all lived to fine old
age, and all were highly respected. All
of them died here except one, who re.
turned to New Bedford after lapse OF
so years. and died there about 40 years
ago. The remains of the others are
laid to rest side by side in the old In
dian graveyard Mt Valley Mills, and
there is nothing whatever to mark their
graves. There was once a small slab
at the head of one grave. of rude form
and chiseled by an unskilled hand. The
inscription read as follows: Jack Nor
gan, runaway slave. who chased the
whale" Then followed age and date,
but the slab has long since moldered
away.-Utica Daily Press,
--------
Was q Sad Case.