Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1913-04-24

0~ HE xhalers have al
l(E r ways called him Cock
!: :: 2" !: =: :: !: !:
~ the north Alaskan coast
81 he has 70 toes
FA Cockney would some
~Sz// times tell grim tales OF
\- whaling or Of the deeds
Of heroism and bravery Of his com
rades-not as real deeds Of vaIor. but
as ordinary occurrences Of the great
north and in the manner which the
men Of the north have of telling CT
such happenings-but when one re-
ferred 10 any part that he took in
these adventures. he would suddenly
become quiet, and unless you imme-
diately launched On another subject,
would unceremoniously take his leave,
to pace up and down the wha.eT deck
with Antoine the harpOoner.
He was much ayerse to talking of
himself, and. though you might glance
| inQuiringly at the stuInps OF lis feet,
which had been taken of at the In
step, and Taguely wonder over the
marvellous trip this little fellow scarce
ly five feet tall had made when he
saved the ship and lost these parts,
not a word would eyer fall from his
lips which would lead you TO know Of
the terrible suffering he endured on
that occasion. Yet every whaler of
the Behring and Arctic knows the
story.
/ had the story from several with
variations
The ice completely blocked the Beh-
ring straits and the blows foretelling
| the winter storms were piling the
foes one upon the other The whaler
captain was spending his most ARK
ious moments. as failing to break
through that 50 mile barrier which
separates two great continents means
that the winter must be spent within
the frigit confines of the dread Arc
tic, and that meant something which
even the iron heart of d whaler did
not care to contemplate
The Norwhal had her nose over the
stretch of the wind-swept distance and
failed to find a lead which would mean
the return to civilization. Short OF
food, having provisioned for one year
only, the captain faced winter preg-
nant with Ominous hardships and per-
| lis. To escape the driving foes III the
Arctic, the captain threshed the old
whaler back over the yet clear water
and made eastward to the mouth Of
the Mckenzie river where he could
go into winter quarters at Herschel
island.
And there began the winter which
tore the souls from men; made beasts
| of brave men and heroes of towards;
which tore down the barriers of disci-
! pline and officialdom and made fore
| castle and cabin one.
The food was nearly gone when the
| preparations for winter were COM
| pIeted, and the rations were cut to
| quarter. Even on that, the captain
| figured it would last but few weeks
The time fast approached when the
food would reach its end. The captain
I turned this dread fact over in his mind
! and he thought of caribou on the main
| land to the eastward. The almost use
lessness of attempting to obtain this
was too evident to him, but this could
be the only means of surviving until
spring and the return of the sun. But
that was miles away over trailless ice
and he had obtained but five dogs
from the Eskimos. Those he had in
tended to use as food at the last
moment.
The day came when the captain list
| ed the stores and found that, even on
biscuits and salt beef, there was but
enough for two weeks.
Then Cockney, who had been think
! ing of the hideousness of starvation.
left his bunk in the forepeak and
fought his way over the clogged decks
aft to the captains cabin. He had
wintered n the Arctic before, but
when the vessel was out for two or
more seasons and plentifully sup
piled With food. and he knew the sur
rounding country. He had hunted
the caribou. ana knew where to
find them.
"Cap'n," said the little man bluntly,
Il want to go for some caribou"
The whaler captain gravely survey
ed him. 1t was Cockney's duty aboard
the ship to remain in the crow s-nest
with the captain when the boats were
out and signal at the sight OF the
whale The captain thought of this
and the hardness which Cockney had
! always shown.
4 can take those five dogs and the
sled" Cockney began again as the
! captain regarded him in silence. and
| / know that coast. All / want is a
/ rifle and plenty of ammunition and
| big Jim Hall out of the foc'sT. He's
the biggest man aboard the ship and
l guess the strongest. Wen bring
back the meat"
The captain arose and placed hand
on the shoulder of the smaller man.
He paused for moment and a new
light fiared in his eyes
"Cockney," he said slowly, a ire
NOR of emotion thrilling his voice. If
here is a man aboard the ship who
could do as you say, l believe it is
YOU. You have my consent. though
/ would not order you to go Fit
yourself out as you please, and take
Habit Of Psyina Attention Valuable.