The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1907-08-08

Whaling shippers hereabouts are
indulging in a good deal of specula-
tion as to what success the Grey
hound will have on her present
cruise, writes the New Bedford cor
respondent of the New York Evening
Sun. The old bark was in excellent
shape when she sailed last week, and
with good crew aboard It is expect
ed that the cruise will be profitable.
Although she was built In 1854 the
Greyhound is stanch yet and a fast
sailer. This time she is expected to
be out five years, making stops every
six months at the Azores and the
West Indies. The Greyhound's last
voyage lasted four years, lacking a
few days.
She never was plumpuddiner, Z"
said Captain Castino, one of the old
est shippers in New Bedford, when he
saw the Greyhound's lines cast off.
Captain Castino has seen her sail on
many a long cruise. "Plumpud-
diners" are whalers that only remain
out five or six months. 1t is expected
that the Greyhound will spend a good
deal of time whaling off the coast of
Patagonia.
Although the meetings of the Spin
Yarn Club have been rather sparsely
attended of late because of the hot
weather, quite number of whalemen
gathered in Frank Browns harpoon
shop to-day to discuss different mat
ters. Capt. Dowden was not there
because of the fact that he has had a
new balcony built on the second story
of his house in Mill street. These
fine days the captain sits out on his
new balcony to see what is going on
along Purchase street. AS a conse-
quence he seldom gets down to Frank
Browns, but sometimes drops into
Leader Brighton's place for a minute
to get the news.
Capt. Sylvanus Potter, who may
take out the bark A. b. Tucker this
summer, was one of the Spin Yarn
members present. He dropped in to
ask Frank Brown about some new
bomb lances that have Just come in.
incidentally he remarked that he
thought irons were cheaper down
Provincetown nowadays than at New
Bedford.
well, they ought to sell 'em pretty
cheap down on the Cape" said
Brown. They make 'em out OF zinc,
understand"
Capt. Potter lapsed into silence
after this and smoked his pipe. He
is not given to talking a great deal.
Brown mentioned that he had sold
some wire-feathered lances to Nor
wegian parties and had just received
a tsesh stock of blubber-forks. Blub-
Der forks are now quoted at $110
apiece.
The whalemen were gratified over
the catch made by the schooner John
X. Manta, which has just arrived.
Whales were reported very plentiful
off the Brazils, and although the Man
ia was not out very long time her
work was profitable. 1t was said that
the best catches were made in the
Gulf of Curiaco, sperm whales being
found in goodly quantities.
Capt. Joseph Edwards, worthy
Portuguese skipper, and Capt. George
Anthony, who was master of the old
Catalepa, Joined the group in
Browns shop while a description of
the Manta's cruising was being given.
The name Curiaco seemed to awaken
old memories in the Portuguese
shippers mind. He gazed medita-
lively toward the blue Acushnet.
"Golfo Curiaco, Golfo Curiaco," he
repeated slowly. II know that place
YER wal, var wal. l was only there
wance-many year ago-dat's a ver'
bad place. How about? Am | ever
tellin' you about the time l am ship
wreck in Curiaco. That's the only
vessel ever lose. The same time,
too, we pay for get shipwreck. |
never told you, don't II"
A general laugh went around. No
one in the. party had heard of this
rather paradoxical proceeding-of
paying to lose ones vessel. The Gre
dence of Capt. Edwards, however.
had been tested before and the story
was probably authentic.
That's right, that's true" assert
ed the Portuguese commander. 'IIl
tell you all about. oh, it's good
many year ago when | am foremast
hand in schooner Cohannet, one OF
the first cruise have out of New
Bedford"
Frank Brown interrupted to say
that he remembered when the Cohan-
net was lost but had never understood
about the unusual financial arrange
ment that preceded her laundering.
Wal. it's like this, you see," con-
tinued Capt. Edwards. We're right
whaling south of the line; we go
after sperm whales further north and
don't get much. There was weeks
when the lookout never yells Oar
blows" Sperm whalin' seems to be
no good and our captain, Capt. Frin-
tas, he was bout crazy becoz he says
this will be losin' cruise. We didn't
have thirty casks of oil for six months
out. 1t was pretty bad The men
is all on lay and they commence to
grumble at our bad luck. There was