The Weiser signal. [volume] (Weiser, Idaho) 1890-1904, 1903-08-15


my crew Lower away the starboard
boat thunders from the masthead.
Our chance is at hand. In an instant
we are in the water. Up goes the mast
and sail without hitch. and as am
Delaying the halyards the monster
breaks water close to. Easy your pad.
dies" whispered the second mate.
Nov, Slocum, my boy, give it TO himl''
roared my officer as the great snout APP
peared under my starboard bow. giving
me right hand dart of about three
fathoms.
I buried the first iron true to a mark
that my eye had made just behind the
fin and over the heart. This cramped
him, ard as he rolled In toward the
boat, with his hukes lashing up the sea,
| gave him the second iron right in the
bilge, and away he went, fin up, throw
ing torrents of water In every direction.
The strength of a whales fiukes is in
comprehensive to any one who has
never seen such an exhibition as this.
Before he quoted down we had the
mast and sails slowed so as to allow OF
no interference with the line or oars
when we got ready for the death fight.
He took only few flakes of line, so we
hadn't. much to haul in, and l shifted
ends with the second mate, for now my
work was to maneuver the boat with
the big steering oar
The men yelled In their enthusiasm
as l passed through them in getting
aft, and the old second mate shook
hands with me and almost Rugged me
on the spot We were all in high spir
its, and the men aboard the ship were
yelling and cheering, while the captain
forgot to be dignifed and capered
around like great boy
Suddenly the whale headed for the
ship. This was bad, for it might have
'stove" us in pieces But we veered
out line as fast as he wanted 1t, pass
Ing astern of the vessel a moment
after he Owed under her, not without
striking the bulwarks with the 1ukes.
"Haul In on the liner / ordered as
soon ns my officer signaled me, and the
men turned face to the bow and hauled
away. In a minute we were alongside
AhC huhCSs w Y MdtNhCu tnCm SiOoCiy
The whale was quietly taking in the
situation. l laid the boat header up to
the fin and in went bomb lance, but
1t was little too high up to be fatal
The new pang made him heave his
fukes away above the boat and bring
them down with a crash that smother
ed us in foam, filing the boat half full
nf No n N az
these times letting 60 the line and
pulling ahead or sterning on, as the in
slant may require.
AS soon as he was quiet we hauled
right up to him again and again, and
the officer lanced him through and
through without letting go of the lance
pole. The shank of the lance was
about seven feet long, so it reached in
pretty well. At last the snout that
had spouted with so much angry vigor
took on a crimson look and turned to
pure blood ThenNa tremor warned us
Of the coming furry, and we backed
astern for our lives. Round and round
he whirled like mad when he sudden
ly stopped and headed for the boat. He
was going to ram MS with his junk
There he comes straight for usl
Boys, pull for your lives Pull for your
livesw Only men really fighting for
their lives could shoot the boat ahead
as they did, and as the great beast
passed under my steering oar the fin
dropped into his side and he turned up
dead