New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-07-15
HUNTING THE HUNTERS
Hoe Sperm Whale Turned the
Tables on Its Pursuers.

That the men whose fields of labor are the
waters Of the globe and whose welfare depends
upon their success in finding and killing whales
are exposed to more than the ordinary perils OF
the deep is plainly shown by the logbooks Of
some Of the oldtime windjammers which spread
their sails wherever there a chance of hear
ins the welcome There she bIows!" from the
lookout perched away UP in the crows nest.
Whales, the big mammals of the sea, nurse their
young as cows do their calves, and, while not as
e rule Vindictiye, many Instances are recorded
where. in defence Of their young, the COW Whales
have smashed the attacking boats 10 pieces
carrying men under water or knocking then,
lfeless with great sweeps of their broad 7,Il5nd
tails At times, however. the big bull whales
show vicious spirit. especially if they have
once been struck by harpOon and have escaned
tie deadly lance thrust. That they do escape
OCCASIONALLY is shown by the fact that captures
have been made in the Pacific Of whales hearing
fastened in their blubber harpoon heads belong
ing 10 ships known 10 have been cruising in the
Atlantic eastward of Cape Horn
Nantucket, that little sandheap thirty miles
out to sea southwark from Cape Cod has many
records Of whales attacking ships and boats. for
the island was at one time the headouarters Of
the Industry, and its adventurous sons roan1ed
Tar and wide in pursuit Of their prey An ex-
ample OF how much the sea became the home of
lIese hardY wanderers is given in the record
OF captain Benjamin Worth. one of the leaders
in the industry when il was young Making his
hrst voyage when he was fifteen years old he
l9Io"ed The sea for forty-one years. being mas
Ter Tor tWenty-nine years and out Of the forty
one years only seven in the aggregate we're
spent at home, much of that time being used in
renting his ships and preparing for fresh
cruises.
pther captains left similar records but Cap
tain George Pollard Of the little ship Essex
brought back 10 the island one Of the most STIR
ring OF sea stories in his record OF a cruise in
me racine which ended in disaster and death
throuSh me terrific strength and savage DISPOSE
non or big sperm whale. A school had been
sighted ana the mate set out after the v-ral.s
but soon started on his return To the ship with
his boat stove in. the captain and second mate
continuing The chase. Soon after his return to
The ship the mate saw a large sperm whale near
the vessel, bat he and his men paid 1ittla a+to,,
ton 10 the monster until they saw him coming
at fun speed toward them. With q tremendous
crash me whale struck the ship little forward
OF the lore chains. II was a few minutes before
the astonished crew could gather their wits mt
when they did and sounded the T,,1rnrs ,ta,,
found that the ship was badly damaged and y-os
ming "ljh water and signal WAS set for the
boats OF the captain and second mate
While the boats We're returning in ansvvor 70
the signal The whale, apparently not satisfied
with the damage he had caused. swan away for
some distance and. turning, made another dash
leF me SNIP coming at such speed that the
wafer was roaming around him. The second
blow practically stove in the bow of the shin
OF saving the vessel collected few tbines
threw them into a boat and showed Of. the shin
inlmealately falling on one side and filling to the
waters edge. They did not know at what min
ute the enraged whale might return and mako
splnteTs out Of the boat, but in this they were
favored, for after wrecking the shin he did nor
appear again.
On the return Of the captain and second mate
IN their boats the masts Of the ship were c11t
e~aF, allowing her to right a little holes were
GU IN the deck and small supply of bread and
water obtained from the ships stores and TWO
Gays after the attack the ship was abandoned
lhe men We're in open boats, which were weak
ana eaky. with little provision for 50 rnanv men
ana one thousand miles to leeward OF the near
est land. 1t was twenty-eight days before they
sighted land small island in the Pacific where
The found water bat food. In a few DAYS
hey left this island and steered for Easter Isl
and hut missed il. one by one the men died
from prYaton and exposure and at last il was
decided 70 steer for Juan Fernandez then ty,en
ty-tYe hundred miles away. Soon after this in
storm the mates boat separated from the
olneT two. and did not again fall in with them
Inc situation Of the mate and his crew daily he
came more and more distressing. With no wind
exposed 70 the full rays OF a scorchine sun tho
men became weaker and weaker. until after
more than a months drifting. in which time
1Aey were reduced 70 an ounce and a half Of