Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1903-08-01
DAILY SHORT STORY
Sunk by a Whale.

of the famous whale known for some
years as Fighting Tom" six different
times. We lowered for him on the first
two occasions and put harpoons into
him, and in return he smashed three
boats and killed five men. After that
we ran away from him. After the
sixth time we saw him no more for
year. Then he came for his revenge.
We We're in the south Atlantic and
had completed our cargo and set a
course for home. About noon one day,
while we were cleaning ship, a whale
suddenly preached right astern of us
and not more than 300 feet away. 1
was at the wheel at the time, and we
were going off at four knot breeze
from the southeast. 1 heard the whale
as he broke water, and the sight of him
standing on his tail caused me to shout
an alarm.
Half n dozen of the crew saw him as
he fell back on the water, and 1t seemed
to all of us as if he were going to strike
the ship. His tail raised three or four
waves which pitched the ship about as
If we were lying to in gale, and,
though the monster settled away out of
sight at once, we had identified him.
1t may seem queer to you TO read that
every man aboard. from captain to APP
prentice, was badly frightened as soon
as 1t was known that our old enemy
had hunted us down. as 1t were. We
had left him almost four months before
at point 1000 miles away, and yet he
had overhauled us, as If he had been a
steamer sent in search and posted as
% 81,
so near was taken as evidence of his
evil intentions, and some argued that
he meant to strike the ship.
1t was sos. 1 believe, when the
whale disappeared, but for an hour
after that we continued to speak in
whispers and tlptoe about. l am sat
isfied that not one captain in hundred
would have done what ours did that
evening. No living man could charge
him with cowardice or superstition, but
when supper was over he called his
mates and boat steerers into the cabin
and said:
"While 1 hope we have seen the last
of the whale, think it my duty to
prepare for trouble. You will there
fore see the boats overhauled and pro-
visioned and ready for hosting out"
Before 10 o'clock every boat was
ready. The wind had freshened a bit
as the sun went down. and the night
was clear and starlight. The watch
was changed at 10, and everything ran
smoothly till an hour after midnight.
Then the odor of a whale suddenly
saluted the nostrils of the men, and
they looked to windward to catch sight
1 IL .
was Fighting Tom again.
A whale cannot remain under water
above fifty minutes at the extreme
limit, and where this monster had put
in the eight hours we could not guess.
If he had run to windward when he
settled away at 3 o'clock he had tray
eled such u distance before coming up
again that we had failed to detect his
spout. We had sailed at least forty
miles since losing sight of him, and
yet he had somehow picked us up
again. Word was passed around. and
all hands turned up, and from ! to 3
we were in a state of suspense.
At about the whale began lashing
the water with his flukes. We had
done nothing to arouse him. but he
probably thought 1t was time to begin
business. AS soon as he began his "fiuk-
ing" we prepared ourselves for n ca
lamity, and it was not long delayed.
When he had churned an acre or so
of the surface to foam he slowed
around and headed for us, but miscal
culated our speed and passed astern,
though clearing the rudder by not more
than five feet.
hn 70 r1
swinging his head and thrashing the
water, we luffed sharp up until we
were heading due east. Meanwhile l
was watching the whale through the
night glass. 1 think he ran full mile
before turning. Whether he located
us by sight or sound no man can say,
but as he slowed around 1 saw that he
would come head on for our stern.
AS he started on his mad rush the
ships head was brought due north
again in hopes to avoid him. but he
changed his course as well and came
down on our port quarters. / believe
every man in the ship had his eyes on
the furious Ieviathan as he came bear
ing down upon us. His head was car
ried so high it seemed as II big rock
was pushing along the surface, and he
left behind him a great wake OF foam
and a sea which would have swamped
q yawl
Hang onl For your lives, hang on"
shouted the captain as he saw what
was coming, and fifteen seconds later
there was a shock as heavy as if we
had struck rock while running be-
fore q hurricane.
Every soul aboard knew the ship
was doomed. She was heeled to star
board until almost on her beam ends,
and the instant she settled back there
was q rush for the boats. No one gave
the whale further attention, but every
effort was put forth to get the boats
into the water as the ship was luffed
into the wind. Her decks were awash
as the last one got away, and that was
four minutes after she was struck.
When we came to look around for
Fighting Tom he had disappeared from