The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1900-08-03
SEA AlK ENTURES.

" safe. and ss the last thing man
anticipates III his digestion is oil right
Is the possibility Of coming to grief him
self. while fully prepared to see every
body else go under. so / had got to
think that whoever got killed was not
to be-a very pleasing sentiment, and
one that carries a man far. enabling
him to face dangers with light heart,
which otherwise would make a nerve
less animal Of him.
In this optimistic mood. then. gayly
hung myself into my place in the
mates boat ore morning, as we were
departing In chase of magnificent
sperm whale that had just been raised
after breakfast. There were no other
vessels In sight-much to our satisfac-
tion-the wind was light. with cloud
less sky. and the w,.a;r w1s dead to
feeward Of US. We spei along at a
good rate toward our prospective VIC
tim, who was. In his leisurely enjoy
ment OF life. calmly lolling on the sur
face. occasionally lifting his enormous
tail out OF the water and letting 1t
fall nat upon the surface with boom
audible for miles.
We were. as usual. first boat much to
the mates annoyance. when we were
short half-mile from the whale. our
mainsheet parted. II became immedi-
ately necessary to roll the sail UP. lest
its Tapping should alarm the watch
R.,V IT., InIo t,n
ciently to allow the other boats to shoot
ahead OF us.
Thus the second mate got fast some
seconds before we arrived on the scene,
seeing which we furled the sail. un-
shipped the mast and went in on him
with the oars only. AT first the pro-
ceedings were quite Of the usual char
acter, our chief welding his lance in
most brilliant fashion. while not being
fast to the animal allowed us much
greater freedom in our evolutions, but
that fatal habit of the mate's-of allow
ing his boat to take care of herself so
long as he was getting in some good
home thrusts--once more asserted it
self
Although the whale was exceedingly
vigorous. churning the sea into yeasty
foam over an enormous area, there we
wallowed close to him. right in the
middle OF the turmoil, actually counting
disaster.
He had Just settled down for mo-
ment, when. glancing over the gunwale,
I saw his tail, like vast shadow.
sweeping away from us toward the
second mate. who was laying off the
other side Of him. Before had time
to think. the mighty mass of sristle
leaped into the sunshine. curved back
from US like huge bow.
Then with a roar 1t came at us. re-
leased from its tension OF heaven knows
how many tons Full on the broadsids
1t struck us, sending every soul but me
flying out OF the wreckage as II fired
from catapults.
did not 60 because my foot was
jammed somehow in the well Of the
boat, but the wrench nearly pulled my
thigh-bone out OF its socket. had
hardly released my foot when, tower
ing above me came the colossal head
OF the great creature, as he ploughed
through the bundle OF debris that had
Just been boat There was an appall-
ing roar Of water in my ears. and dark
ness that might be felt all around.
Yet In the midst of it all, one thought
predominated as clearly as II / had
been turning it over in my mind In the
quiet Of my bunk aboard-s'Whati IL he
should swallow me?" Nor to this day
can understand how escaped the
portals Of his gullet, which Of course
gaped Wide as a church door.
But the agony Of holding my breath
soon overpowered every other feeling
and thought. till just az something was
going TO snap inside my head rose to
the surface. was surrounded by a
welter Of bloody froth. which made 1t
impossible for me to see. but. oh. the
aic was sweet!
struck out blindly. instinctiveiy. al
though could feel SO strong an eddy
that voluntary progress WIS out Of the
question. My hand touched and chung
TO q rope. which Immediately towed me
In some dlrection--I neither knew nor
cared whittier. Soon the motion ceased.
and with seaman's instinct, began
20 haul myself along the rope grasped.
although no definite idea was in my
mind az to&where 1t was attached.
Presently came butt up against
something solid the feel OF which gath
cred all my scattered wits into COM
pact knub of dread, 1t was the whale!
ssAny port in a storm muttered, be-
ginning to haul away again on my
friendly line. BY dint Of hard wcrk I
pulled myself right up the slopsng, slip
perry bank Of blubber. until / reached
the iron, which, as luck would hare II.
was planted III that side Of the carcass
now uppermost.
Y Carcass said certainly I lad
no idea Of there being any life rgraasn-
Ing III the vast mass beneath me, ret u
had hardly time to take 4 couple Of
turns around myself With the rope Or
whale lire. as I had proved Il 10 be-,
when I felt the great antaasE Grsvx. an
over ana begin to forge shsxG
was now composed sn9eg& ss re-
!. 10y 4. aF -