The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1900-04-16

mates, as an all around good fellow and
las capable q seaman as ever shifted
brine. His Workmanship was an UNI
known quantity, for none had sailed
shipmates with him before. But they
took ii for granted and grew fond of the
grave undemonstrative man who never
! courted but always welcomed, their
rough fellowship.
| One day in the south Atlantic "lone"
bull whale was raised from the main
mast 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 elings at the main
royal yard with his glasses. He scanned
the whale long and closely While it lay
squirting without thought of enemies.
Suddenly he sent his voice to the deck:
II never seen a sperm bull like this
'ere, Capn Timrod. He's queer, an no
mistake!"
The ''old man." pacing his quarter
like penned animal, paused in his
swift stride and looked inquiringly
aloft What do you make of him, sir?"
TIN blowed If he's Protestant" an
severed Bigeow, with brief chuckle.
Hes marked with a cross on his head.
Portuguese John, who stood by the
starboard boat near the master. gave a
sudden start as the whale was de-
scribed and was about to speak, but he
restrained himself, and Bigelow contin-
ued: .S
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 Tilnrod happened to glance
at his fourth mate, and to his surprise
Johns swarthy face had turned that
livid yellow which takes the place of
motiohal paleres in the Latin races.
What is it, .Jshn?" he asked in sur
prise.
The Portugueses voice was husky
and he shivered as he answered, point
ing 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 rec
prd!"
Portuguese John moved nearer and
laid his unsteady hand on the masters
arm. Captain" he said in strained
whisper that whale means death He
kill my broth three year ago in the In
dian ocean. An many more! He stove
three boats Of the Mary and get away
with four irons an all the lines That
time I know, for I was there. My broth
Anton, he steer Misser Brown. the mate,
an all that boat crew Sacred Ben kill.
An many more! hear of him in other
ships. He always kill an always get
away!"
II heard something Of the Mary los
ing her boats. Twas in the Okhatsk
that year" answered Timrod. well,
what of it, John?''t
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 yam
kee spirit Of the old New England
whale hunter slnged up in his breast
Sacred Ben will try out like any other
whale, reckon he grimly muttered.
John made the sign Of his faith. He
saw the skipper's 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 befal. The
"old man" took his glasses from the
companionway 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. "Tll give him a whirl for luck"
Then he snapped his glasses together
and roared, STAND by to lower away"
The masthead lookouts seemed to
drop to the deck, The crew, on hot foot
since Bigelows first call from aloft,
ranged themselves at their stations.
Lower away, ALT"
The falls creaked. In twinkle all
four boats touched the water, and the |
men were on their thwarts. Timrod, |
with the smartest of the crew, was the /
first away from the side. "'Vast pull |
ing!" commanded he Peak oars! |
Step the mast! Shake that sail loose! |
Throat and peak halyards hoist!"
Almost as 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 go!"
he said to the midship oarsman. Down
It went and held the boat up to the I
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 a dancing devil in his
gray eye. His blood was afire with the
chase. The whale of the cross, dough-
" old sea warrior as he was, had an an
tagonist who would tax his art and
test his fighting quality, A nile--two
passed, and the black bulk
ay a quarter mile distant, looming like
/ bare rock in midocean. His great
hump was six weet above the sea. At
lines he spouted sending a jet of steam
thirty feet in the air, and anon in the
of might he thrust his huge
BODY half above water with a writhe Of
lis, muscles and falling back splntered
he brine into foam one hundred yards
around.
Nearer came the boat. Portuguese
John, watching Timrod's eye, saw it
glow as the dancing devil leaped with
madden bounds, but he never turned his
lead, though he knew that Sacred Ben
vas close behind. Then the captain
poke again as he threw the boats nose
n n fba yUir, tJ,ie +;,,,a In, ctroi,,o1 |