The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-07-08

en- about their life and experiences.
But winter before last the accurnu-
ietion OF two or three Operations of ro-
msncing was somewhat rudeiy broken in
upou By the announcement OF the wreck
inw Of over 300 Of these men. and OF their
being obliged 70 spend the winter on
limited rations among the hardships md
storms of an Arctic winter II Is not gen
orally re1ftzed that the nan who goes
whaling IN the Arctic stands about one
chance IN fifteen Of being wrecked, and
that there are many more dangers even
worse than shIpwreck. I knew little or
nothing OF these things whom went
north as the quest Of the whaling neet.
but many nightmare since my return
In. given a vivid reminder OF them.
we sailed through the Golden Gate one
Thurssav rsrrning In March IN the face OF
fierce rase. The tug which towed US
GU, roae with the great seas IN bold re-
lief. then dropped down between them,
leaving only The ton % her red stack M
n beacon. THE Young Phoenix pitched IN
unison. and the rnonotony OF the swash-
ing OF the waves over her bows was
broken only bv the occasional order
passed from the man on the tgallant
fo.css,a 70 the man at the helm. Only
n few weeks before another vessel Of the
whaling feet had gone 10 sea In similar
storm and as we passed the wreck OF her
on the beach the whole narrowing story
Of the disaster and loss OF twentv-hve
or 80 lives was told and retold IN run
Setnti was too seaaick. however, 10 care
whether we went ashore or not. and II
wss not until Sunday morning, when the
storm cleared away and the cainer seas
redurei the motion ~ the ship 20 long,
..eadv rolling. that I learned of our mar
row e~cape
-
Tho dav was perfect: all the seasick
onos except myself had recovered They
had drunk their two or three quarts OF
seq water n day. and being old sailors
had 70. hia sen legs on. I, as green
hand " preferred to take my chances
with sea sickness rather than salt water.
and this preference had been amply sat
isaed. Dinner this day was my hrst meal
and the captain did me the honor TO seat
rre az his right Opposite the "old
man" az tho captain IL always calico.
regardless Of his age. sat the FIRST mate.
The table was a plain wooden ono with
fore-a nd-aft racks 20 hold dishes IN
place Our end was under the sky
light, bat the other end. where the under
officers and boatheaders sat, was close
IN 10 the m1xenmast and quite dark.
plain wooden beach with strips Of wood
for tho back extended along each eide
asep bovi-iike piates. The captain bal
encsd his plate ON his hand. moving II
fore-and-aft and ,afhwartships % that II
should not SPILL and ate away with a
vigorous appetite. The mate balanced
his plate with the Same ease. II looked
30 easy that I took my plate from the
stewards hand and placed II on my left
hand. hala ncins II. as I supposed. In the
same way As the ship pitched with the
y "A ha - "a ma hal
tho soup went into my lap. The captain
and the mate were very polite In check
ing their smiles, but the ocean was less
NO. and before recovered myself an
other sea set up q counter lurch and thu
remainder of tho soup went into the sugar
bowt good laugh all around broke
tho restraint OF lack OF acquaintance and
from this time ! was zone OF the crew"
Early Monday morning boats crews
were chosen ana the work OF preparing
for whaling began. There were Ave
whaieboass and each crew devoted itself
20 ita boat. Sails were made. masts 1T
ted. harpoons ana knces shsrpened. tubs
OF line made ready and every other little
detail attended to. Meantime ~ we were
In tho warm climate the ships rigging
MAS made taut, decks esiked and other
necessary work Done.
Thorough Ext~rmina ton OF Rats.
Although we set SAIL IN . storm, every
one OF the sailers. knew that We were
not to be wrecked, because there were
90 many rats on board. Now that We
we're at sea with the rats, and tho re-
auirsmen,s Of superstition satisfied. or
dera were given Go rid the ship OF tho
pests. SO one bright mornins-every
morning was bright for that matter dur
Ing tho three weeks we were In tho Pa
elnc oceRn--everyho body was 'rousted OUT
aeon after o'clock and vians made 70
spend the day on deck. Scores OF news
papers had been cut into strips about
was over these strips we're pasted over
every crack and seam that could os
found. molaAaeR being tho sticking me-
dun Fires OF sulphur and charcoal
were lighted IN the cabin and to'oastls
aud IN the great iron deck pot. which
was swung IN the main hatch between
decks dozen or 90 pans OF water were
placed IN tho rshin. s,eersGs and hlub-
her room tho cat rescued from down In
the run" and tina last seals rnolazsesed.
on deck some Of the tho men WHOSE
watch NUS below attempted 20 sleep
but meat Of ths men srvut the time
wrapping yarns" and enjoying life In
the middle 81 the afternoon the seals
wexv broken. and the whole ship opened
up tor ventilation Tho charcoal and
sulphur fumes had dens their work
Arsvnd each pan wers dead rats. whose
hfiahNANh4sAH httNNh NNtt kAfAe+ AHNN 10
tia water Near one van in tbs biahbsr
room lay tweDty-siz large ones
SIN weeks after leaving san Francisco
we reached the line OK tee m the south
ern par; 81 HcrinK sea Meantime every
preparation fnr whaling had been com
nlsteA The lockout on the torernMst had
rtvrn place t0 she Grows nest the crew
has been ttained down to work Is
steady diet 81 "apuas. salt horse soft
bread ard conre tor hr~aSfas, salt
NcrseN spuas, coffee and soft bread for
dinner. Raa p'an duS for dessert tntac
times ~eeE; bat unfortunately the
plums Rad Elven cut 50 that Ne haf
plum sun wttheus rlprns For supper the
tni % tare Was nodiueI hy c1uhlnlsx
ira eguas ana sa't horse tuta sn-~a ia
hash which We had without variation
~ actual count twvuts -foHr our - thir-
ty-tiN nights Stis Nas accompanied
with soft hFsAa and tea. Om ths fhir-
ty-sisjh might the captain shocked th,
Hortpsu steward by saying as ne SEP
Ersted ssv&re lnch chunks cf meat ara
potato With his FORK Steward. you DON'T