New-York tribune., 1911-03-22
AFTER WHALES THEY CO
Old Men as Quick as Young to
Rush Out of Southampton.
2.MILE CHASE FOR NAUGHT
Big Fellows Disappear Each
Time Boats Get Within
Striking Distance.
rBv Tel.srsph 20 ~. Tribune ]

! couthsmnton, Lonc Island. March IL
This quiet old town. famous years ago Tor
,,s whaling industry. was awakened rom
It's bahitual lethargy to-day by the cry
taken mn from mouth To mouth. ~ Thar
she blows"
Hardly had the thrill caused by these
words her,,n to make the blood Of the old
oct vhaler tingle with the excitement of
j. tho chase than the village streets were
filled with persons hurrying shoreward. ard
when the ancient fish horns and jansiins
hollis added their strident music TO the gem
eral hubbub there was no containing the
population.
ola vhalers Of other days began To jump
into rnustv ollskins and so'westers. Pell-
mel down the main street dashed cap n
Herb" White and his brother. cap'n Frank.
From ont the general store. on the side
of the street next the old windmill hoped
"Cap'n Bill" Bennett and ''Capn Josh
Burnett. tried men and true.
..Nbar away. boy?" doomed the tarry
,oice OF "Cap'r Josh" addressing himself
to the crowi. as he gave a hitch to his
trousers
"She blows right inside the outer bar.
SIR shouted young charles Bassanah. one
of the crew Of the lifesaying station as
he Ii.shed breathless from the beach. An a..
swan, There he i regular school Of en-,
he added.
The four doughty old sea dogs with the
the edge Of the trough Ivy the town pump
and held rapid Are consultation. In the
twinkling Of an eye they had laid their
plans and prepared for the whale hunt.
An automobile loaned for the occasion
by one Of the towns business men. was
soon racing with the whaers 10 the beach.
Almost all the population was on the
ocean front when the automobile arrived.
The four whaling shippers hoped from the
machine almost before its wheels ceased
revolving and waded into the trough OF the
seething breakers. rood beyond the braV-
est there. Four pairs Of marine glasses
soon were whipped TO their trained eyes.
Then Cap'n Frank White ran into the life
saving station and presently returned with
a rusty harpoon. He busted IT off, polished
If on the seat OF his tarpauins. ran his
/ finger along the edge and squnted down
its shaft 10 see that 1t was straight and
true.
meanwhile had rushed back and pulled the
| tarpaulin covering off the lifeboat. Then
! they leaped I'm. and all the town OF South
/ ampton. man and boy. gave a mighty
shove. and the stubby nose Of the Whaler
| plunged into the Atlantic.
| Before this boat was two hundred yards
out second boat. guided by Frank and
| Herb" White. was pushed into the heavy
/ seas and took All opposite direction. Their
! object was 10 head tie whales on, one
/ going TO the east and the other to the west.
The sea monsters continued to plough the
! waters and reappear at fifteen minute IN
/ tervals. each time blowing a stream Of wa
! ter twenty feet IN the air. The whaler>
/ got almost within striking distance Of the
| gigantic fish on several occasions, only to
have their would-be prey disappear again.
| Tie chase lasted for two miles and was
| tantalizing all the way. Capn Josh said
/ afterward that lie heaved sigh OF regret
! when he saw six hundred pounds OF blub-
| Ler and bone. valued AZ Sc a pound. finally
strike out to sea. propelled by great tail.
The hopelessness OF the task impressed
/ itself on the other boat about the same
/ time. and they. too, put back TO shore dis
appointed. The village folk. however. re-
! cciycd them with cheers.