The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1900-03-19
SACRED BEN.
The Whale of the Cross.
By James Cooper Wheeler.

~ ~ ~ -
A better man than Portuguese John
never slapped the deck Of whaler with
his foot. All Of marine New Bedford 80
years ago which was fercely skeptical Of
Dago virtue freely allowed that John
was the exception which proves the rule.
Therefore no one was surprised when
old Hank Timrod, mas;Af Of the Java,
signed him as fourth mate. As this Off
Ger acts as captains boat steerer when
the "old man" lowers and heads the
without saying that he must be good
timber through and through.
1t was not common on an American
whale ship for Portuguese to berth aft,
but before the Java had crossed the west
ern ocean OIL her way to the southern
whaling grounds John was accepted by
Coffin, Holder and Bigelow, the mates,
as an all around good fellow and as capa-
BILE a seaman as ever shifted brine. His
Workmanship was an unknown quantity,
for none had sailed shipmates with him
before. But they took it for granted and
grew fond Of the grave, undemonstrative
coined. their rough fellowship.
One day in the south Atlantic "lone"
bull whale was raised from the mainmast
head. 1t was preaching long distance
to windward. and it took the bluff bowed
Java three hours to beat up to where the
lonely monarch could be seen from the
deck. Bigelow, the third mate, was in
the slings at the main royal yard with his
glasses. He scanned the whale long and
closely while 1t lay squirting without
thought of enemies. Suddenly he sent
his voice to the deck:
II never seen a sperm bull like this
ERE, Cap'n Timrod. He's queer, an no
mistake"
The "old man," pacing his quarter like
a penned animal, paused in his swift
stride and looked inquiringly aloft.
what do you make of him, sir?"
"Im bowed if he's Protestant an
swered Bigelow, with brief chucke.
Hes marked with cross Oh his head"
Portuguese John, who stood by the
starboard boat near the master, gave
sudden start as the whale was described
and was about to speak, but he restrain
ed himself, and Bigelow continued:
Seems like the cross was painted on
with white lead. The long streak goes
from the nose to the hump, an the cross
bar reaches clear athwart his head"
Captain Timrod happened to glance at
his fourth mate, and to his surprise
Johns swarthy face had turned that liv-
id yellow which takes tile place of emo
tional paleness in the Latin races.
what Is it, JOhnT he asked in sur
prise.
The Portuguese's voice was husky, and
he shivered as he answered, pointing in
the direction Of the bull: Sacred Ben,
sir! The whale Of the cross.'
Hey" exclaimed the "old man." with
an expression Of deep interest. "I've
heard of him. He's got bad recordv'
Portuguese John moved nearer and laid
his unsteady hand on the masters arm.
Captain" he said in strained whisper,
shat whale mean death. He kill my
broth three year ago in the Indian ocean.
An many more! He stove three boats
Of the Mary an get away with four
irons an all the lines. That time know,
for was there. My broth Anton, he
steer Misscr Brown, the mate, an all that
boat crew Sacred Ben kill. An many
more! l hear of him in other ships. He
always kill an always get away!"
II heard something of the Mary losing
her boats. l was in the Okhatsk that
year." answered Tinrod. "Well, what of
it, JohnY"
captain, for Christ his sake do not
lower after the whale of the cross.'
The sailor in Hank Timrod quaked be-
cause Of the superstition begot by the sea,
but after moment the tough Yankee
spirit Of the old New England whale
hunter surged up in his breast. "Sacred
Ben will try out like any other whale,
reckon" he grimly muttered.
John made the sign of his faith. lie
saw the shippers jaw set and knew the
breed. With the instructive gesture he
resigned his welfare to the care Of his
patron saint and braced himself to do his
duty whatever might befalI. The "oId
man" took his glasses from the compan-
ionway rack and climbed the weather
main rigging to height where he could
see the bull plainly.
"The whale Of the cross right enough"
he murmured when he had adjusted his
focus. "I'll give him a whirl for luck"
Then he snapped his glasses together and
roared, "Stand by to lower away."
The masthead lcokouts seemed to drop
to the deck. The crew, on hot foot since
Bigelow's first call from aloft, ranged
themselves at their stations.
Lower away, all"
The falls creaked. In a twinkle all
four boats touched the water, and tho
men were on their thwarts. Timrod,
with the smartest of the crew, was tho
first away from the side. "'vast pull
ing!" commanded he. ''Peak oars! Step
the mast! Shake that sail loose! Throat
and peak halyards hoistv'
Almost a. he spoke the well trained
men had the mast secured, the sheet
passed aft, and the sail took the wind.
"Drop your centerboard. Let her gow
he said to the midship oarsman. Down
1t went and held the boat up to the wind
as the "old man" laid her head straight
for Sacred Ben. "Pull, ALL" The men
laid back on their oars again, and the
foam curled from the cutwater.
Captain Timrod, the only man in the
boat with his face to the whale, looked
out ahead with dancing devil in his
gray eye. His blood wos afre with the
chase. The whale Of the cross, doughty
old sea warrior as be was, had an antag.
onist who would tax his art and test his
fighting quality. A nrile-two miles--were
passed, and the black bulk lay a quarter
mile distant, looming like bare rock In
midocean. His great hump was six feet
above the sea. At times he spouted,
sending a Jet of steam 80 feet in the air,
and anon in the wantonness Of might he
thrust his huge body half above water
with a writhe of his muscles and falling
back splintered the brine into foam 100 !
yards around.
Nearer came the boat. Portuguese
John, watching Fimrod's eye, saw 1t glow
IS the dancing devil leaped with madden
loJDda hut la nauor turnaJ II, ha,d