The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-05-27

.y...s ~, C1sss y fs cifsfsi o
4, ee,sel, a. o. " 80 90 stsine
bsfs fNsiaspas isy lssily fullna ~ We
4tiassle seeit Il eaa Heafiy calnl snrt ~
f.se - ~ ssssssl days St'F'iah w hf'n'h
Ff4 espisMtysy
aha eas . Lsgsen lgyNina Jti ship and hsf
POSITION sasa tseely n saf ~ w. 1858
" Ne buoy haaeilaa tssssrshits Nh'ch
90 me eeaisee srh8n ~ Q ih4a u4sati'e fssd
10, ssse HE tesfaeas aud his hrgine She
ess psss . survival u . OUee Nfea' shd
rymaesls go ealhaa end, eeather stainesi ~
sha eaa her salppsf and eaief nsass hanine
ov.g Tho eesthss asusftes IN silsa' nfe'H'a'
lion, sell matchad her
Thsie tsoaa lOsksvl ~ n they ssTe ten.
laafssally eaFvei els N q pteoe ~ ahefled
ats, cod thsif dualnt aasfnen's h1ne uton
suslv frames that looke,i - tough and
.ur,bla 90 she ,lmlers q th@ old ship her.
~ They had thus louneed upon the
sea,bar rail and silently sFnohed Tor uf's
ward ~ an hour. hardly changing Their
position and neitheg utterina q sord. when
Inc sh,p4sr With q deep expiration moved
and knocked the ashes CIT ~ hts ptp@ UPON
tho pm rail, aay4ne ~ he did ~;
wall. I amt greedy, hut doG NY cata,
II I like a. SEQ ali this fne weather g, this
time o. year nlnnin' 10 waste In o manner of
speakin'. Seems % me we oushter heV
aaeo a whsle about fore this what dye
think. hey''
There ssa a dead silence for tho space OF
| minute. then the mate replied, o MS
voice was like the crs1king 81 q gate;
I'VE hain't ben M great ways frum Whale
any time this last few days. know, ana l
guess we're closer to ON to-night nan
we've ben yet, 'thout seem EN- but
we aln't done ~ had; thar amt no cause 70
Rrrmbls % far. There's no two ways
about the number Of whales bein' Increased
4 of late years, IL there, Capf
' The question remained unanswered TOT
lust at tha moment, to the utter amaze
ment OF the two men, q gigantic paok aroSe
from the depths right alongside OF the snip
a sound like q thousand signs In one was
heard and O bushy cloud Of vaPor arose
from the protruding snout OF an immense
sperm whale. As the two men gazed
stupeaed the whole Of the great creature
came clearly into view, as II he knew that
the sight Of him would arous envy, adj
miration and desire and he was counting
the consequences.
Also il seemed as II he knew that the time
was unpropitious for attacking him, being
lust sunset. But forgetting the time, the
mate suddenly recovered from his stupor
Of surprise and reared at the pitch OF his
powerful lungs:
All hands clear away boats. Wat yer
ben dom aloft there at ye didn't see that
whale? Ben s~leepin', l s'pose, ye dun
headed dagoes.'
There was an animated rush TO the vari-
GUS boats by q score or SO OF unkempt,
v agabond men and in less than three
minutes all was ready for lowering. But
the skipper, who had mounted the rigging
with his glasses, shouted Hold on, ALL
and there was silence for the space OF Ave
minutes until again the shippers voice
was heard from aloft, Get into the riggin'
everybody m look sharp out for that
whale. CANT see him nowhar."
His order was instantly obeyed, every
body except the man at the wheel climbing
to some point whence he could see all around
the horizon and gazing anxiousiy about
for a sight OF the valuable monster. And
thus they stood while the sun went down
and the cool veil Of darkness crept over
the scene, until the skipper called out again,
Make all fast and go below the watch, '
all hope Of chase being over for the night.
Long, earnest and complicated werp the
discussions held all over the ship through
out the night, but especially 80 bet ween
the skipper and the mate
Both admitted that in the whole OF forty
years experience they had never known
q sperm whale to behave like that before.
But as thsy said that was not strange, for
no whaling experience is so long that it
cannot continually meet with SONS pre-
yiously ~unthought of behavior on the
part OF a whale, showing how little we really
do know Of the habits Of these wonderful
denizens of the deep. At last the skipper
turned to go below. saying as he did 30;
sGuess we'll hev that Teller round at the
first streak Of daylight, Mr.. Taber, 80 hev
all hands on the key veevy before sunup.
I'd like TO hev one good fight more before
I quit the job. ! lay my voyage he's all
Of q $50 bar'l. Good night"
The long hours Of darkness rolled away
and the first tender streak Of greenish gray
light in the east saw every soul in the shiE
on the alert. All the boats were cast loose
with the utmost quietude and every possible
preparation made for the fray.
Then as the wonderful changes in the
sly which accompany the recurring miracle
Oh Un0 uhWu VOoh pi1So aiu tho MAIN sui
face Of the sea began TO glow with glorious
breadths Of color Their was a simultaneous
murmur from twenty voices OF -blo-o-o-ow,
for there, only a couple Of cable lengths
away, lay the majestic form Of their over
night visitor gently exhaling the effete all
from his vast lungs and taking in huge
draughts Of the sweet keen breath Of the
morning.
A moro imaginative crowd might have
! hesitatad 10 answer the obvious challenge
might have wondered what supernatural
knowledge was possessed by this ocean
monarch that he thus dared to lie and hout
his deadly enemies, as il he knew all their
power and hsld it cheap. But these mer
only saw In him 80 many dol lars and cents
per man, only regarded HIM as their natural
prey awaiting destruction at their hands
and mentally assessed ais value interms Of
barrels OF oil.
Broad day, and in a whisper the skipper
said: Way boats, quiet now. I'll hll the
man who gallies him. Paddles, and gently
does it There was hardly a sound "a the
-all graoaad falla ran fhpouUh tho hIooi,.