New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-01-01
A FIGHT WITH A WHALE.
HOW MATE DULLEN'S LIFE "Ao 'N'"''
from "rbe Cruise of the Cachalot."

From THE Cruise or the Cachaio'
We sped along at a good rate toward ou'
prospective victim, who was. IN MS leisureiy VII
iovment Of life calmly lolling on the surface
occasionally lifting his enormous TAN ou' Vi t
water and letting il fall fiat upon the surl"Cc
with a boom audible for inlies' w. onno %
usual first boat; but, much to the mate annoy
ance VIXEN we were a short hat-mile from tic
whale our mainsheet parted 1t became I'M
mediately necessary to roll the sail up. lest itS
6apping should alarm the watchful monster,
and this delayed us sufficiently TO allow the
other boats to shoot ahead OF us. mus Tue SCI
ond mate got fast some SECONDS peiore We a.
rived on the scene. seeing which we furieu SAIL
unshipped the mast, and went in on MN WITH
the oars only. AT first the proceedings were
quite of the usual character our chie1 Wleiuih6
his lance in most brilliant fashion, wniie not
being fast TO the animal allowed us much
greater freedom in our evolutions; put Una.
fatal habit Of the mates-of allowing MS poat
to take care of herself 50 long as ne was settins
in some good home-thrusts- more aSSerleu
itself Although the whale was exceedingly
vigorous churning the sea into yeasty roam
over an enormous area, there we WaiioWeu CLOSE
70 him right In the middle of the turmoil. actu-
ally counting disaster. He had just settled down
for a moment, when. glancing over the gum
whale, / saw his tail. like vast shadow sweep
ing away from us toward the second mate, VINO
was living off the other side Of him. Before
had time to think the mighty mass OF gristle
leaped into the sunshine. curved back from US
like a huge bow. Then with roar II came at
us released from it's tension OF heaven knows
how many tons Full on the broadside IT struck
US, sending every soul but me flying out OF the
wreckage as II fired from catapults did not
go because my foot was jamUied somehow In the
we'll of the boat but the wrench nearly pulled
my thighbone out of its socket had hardly
released my foot when. towering above me-
came the colossal head OF the great creature, as
ne nloughed through the bundle Of debris that
had just been a boat. There was an appalling
roar of water in my ears and darkness that
might be felt all around. Yet in the midst OF II
ALL one thought predominated as clearly as IL
had been turning it over in my mind in the
quiet Of my bunk aboard-"What If he should
swallow me-" Nor to this day can | under
stand how | escaped the portals Of his guet
which. Of course. gaped wide a church door
But the agony of holding my breath soon over
powered every other feeling and thought. till
just as something going to snap inside my
head rose to the surface | was surrounded by
weller Of bloody froth. which made it impos
sible for me to see; but oh, the air was sweet.
| struck out blindly. instinctlvely although
could feel so strong an eddy that voluntary
progress was out of the question My hand
touched and chung TO a rope, which mmedi-
atey towed me in some directon-I neither
knew nor cared whittier. Soon the motion
ceased. and, with seaman's instinct, l began
to haul myself along by the rope | grasped. al
though definite idea in my mind as to
where it was attached Presently | came butt
up against something solid. the feel Of which
gathered all my scattered wits into a compact
knub of dread. 1t was the whale. ANY port in
a Storm" | murmured. beginning to haul away
again on my friendly line. BY dint Of hard work
| pulled myself right up the sloping, slippery
bank Of blubber. until reached the iron. which,
luck would have IL. planted in that side
Of the carcass now uppermcst Carcass | said
well, certainly had no idea OF there being any
life remaining within the vast mass beneath me-
yet had hardly time to take a couple Of turns
round myself with the rope Tor whale-line. as /
had proved it to be-, when felt the great ami
NAL CULVER all over. and begin to forge ahead.
| was now composed enough to remember that
help could not be far away. and that my rescue
providing that could keep above water was
M ffx IN Int I vua
hardly prepared for the whales next move.
Being very near his end. the boat or boats. had
drawn off a bit. suppose for could see MOTH
Ing of them. Then / remembered the furry