The daily morning Alaskan., 1902-03-27
TOVED BY A WHALE
BY M QUAD.


 lf sou could get a peep at Lloyd's register bearing date Of Oct. %, 1888, you would lind recorded under the head of "The Loss Of the Swan" an article composed of about forty lines of type.
 The brig Swan was trading along the African coast and had run nto the bicht of Bcnvin to anchor for week. She was a Liverpool ship. col handed by Captain Streeter. and had been n trader for ten years. The Swan was known all along the coast from Liberia Co the country of the Hottentots and had never met with an Instance of trcachery when dealing with the na- tlyes. On this trip was rated'a an apprentice boy. and she carried eleven others In her crew. There were some repairs to be made after we came to anchor about half a mile from the surf, and it was two days before a native came out to us In his canoe and Invited all hands to go ashore for feast and a barter. As that was the usual way no one had reason to be suspicious, but the captain did not neglect proper safe guards. He went Co the feast with six armed men for company. leaving four of us to mind the brig. She was armed with muskcts and cannon. and we were ordered to maintain q strict lookout and signal at once if any number of na' lives pulled out Co us. lt was Co be an all night carouSe on the beach. and the three men with me soon declared that there was no possible danger and preached cask of rum and proceeded to enjoy themselves. They hadn't the sense to stop when their legs began to tangle up and. as a consequence, all were in a drunken sleep before mid night.
 Fires had been lighted on the shc.e and the voices could be plainly heard aboard as they shouted and sang. My situation was a lonely one. and l was troubled about the drunken sailors. but nothing occurred to startle mo until about o'clock in the morning. Then there was e sudden grand yell from the natives. followed by three or four mus kct shots and more yelling, and l was satisfied that the party on shore had been attacked. I made every effort to arouse the sleepers. but all my work was thrown away. l had just come away from them in despair when l caught sight Of fleet of canoes pulling of the shore. If had been able to fire one of the big guns. 1t would have had no effect. and of course could not hope 10 beat them on with a musket l did what most any other boy would proba- bly do-cllmbed up Into the maintop and hid myself away. Ten minutes later the natives to the number of a hundred boarded the brig and although they found the three sailors still asleep they quickly dispatched them and threw them overheard. If they looked for others. lt was below Instead of aloft.
 The Idea was to run the brig ashore and plunder her. The fellows knew that the anchor held her stationary. but they could neither work the wind. lass uor unshackle the chain. After a long and noisy consultation they finally tailed on to the cable to lift the anchor by main strength. A sailor will say that lt couldn't be done. but looking down from my perch in the gray of the morning saw them gather in at least three fathSms of chain. That meant that they had lifted that anchor twen. ty.One feet from the bed of the sea. They had still three fathoms to over come. and were taking a long breath to get 1t ready when the cable was pulled out of their hands and drawn taut and the brig began moving oui of the bay. There was panic at once, and she had not gone half a mile when the last native was overheard Into his canoe and pulling for the beach. If they were frightened half to death l was none the less so, and we had got well out to the mouth of the blight be- fore solved the mystery. The brig was lowed as If following a tug. and was down on deck and peerlng over her bows when a whale suddenly rose few fathoms in front of her and fell back with a great splash. He was a big fellow. and had time to see that one of the anchor flukes was caught in his mouth like giant fshhook. He came up again and again, and he shooS his mighty head and rolled over and over In his efforts to get rid of the hook. but it was too firmly fastened. When the sea opened out and the leviathan realized that he was in a scrape. he started or on a straight line and increased bis speed. had been given a few tricks at the wheel. and l took 1t and soon learned how to make straight course after him. Later on found that could lash It fast and