Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1922-01-26
HARPOONED WHALE BALKS
TO ACCOMPANY FISHERMAN

SOUTHAMPTON the second
time in two weeks fishermen took
to their boats and went out after a
whale. They had him hooked, too,
and If the durn thing hadn't up with
it's tail and knocked Cap'n Silas Ed
wards out of the boat just as he
was about to spear it, there might
even now be dead whale on the
beach.
The whale was sighted by Captain
Frank H. White, the sea-bitten old
mariner who tends the life saving
station here. When he first saw the
whale it was about two miles off
shore and moving out to sea with the
Cooper brothers from Water Mill.
AS a matter Of fact the Cooper
brothers had caught the whale. The
only trouble was that, having caught
it, they didn't know what to do
with it.
1t was some time earlier in the
day that the Cooper brothers had
seen the whale and started out in
their little motor boat to capture
it. They had with them a lance
bomb gun, an instrument highly
recommended for whale hunting.
This gun is supposed to save wear
and tear ON the animal by exploding
charge inside it and thereupon
rendering it more or less hors de
combat.
So the Cooper brothers went after
the whale, and had the good fortune
to be in excellent firing position at
moment when it saw fit to come
to the surface to blow the water
out of it's nose.
Thar she blows!" yelled the Coop
er brothers, who had taken a cores
pondence course in whale hunting,
ana bang! off went the lance bomb
gun. The lance struck the whale
squarely in the toneau, and the
tlshermen waited expectantly for the
Gull explosion which would Indicate
10 them that their quarry was about
to roll over and ask to be taken
home
No such explosion happened. The
flshermen waited and waited. All
III wink the whale started for
somewhere. And the Cooper broth
ers, having lodged their harpoon Sc.
curely in the whale, found them
selves accompanying it.
Ihey tried reversing the engine in
the hope that by so doing thew
might convey to the whale their lack
CT interest in any extensive sea voy-
age. The motion was entirely lost
on their captive, who kept right on.
The Cooper brothers then tried to
increase the speed Of the boat. so
that they might overtake the whale
END explain thu situation, which, in
d word, was this:
The line connecting the boat with
the whale was taut, and the fisher.
| rien would not free themselves. AS
last as their boat went the whale
went faster. There was nothing to
do but admire the scenery as it pass.
ed them.
They had gone about a mile and a
half and eyre still going, when Cap
tain White saw what was up and
| piped all his trusty whale hunters
| to their posts. In response to the
call came Captain Silas Edwards, Ed
| White, Frank Burnett, William Ben.
| net and Erastus Rowland.
They launched boat and headed
| for the whale and its regretful cap.
tors. Ely the time they reached the
scene the whale had it's mind on
something other than additional
| whale hunters, so they were able to
get close to it. They even circled
around once, looking for a soft spot
for the lance they intended to toss
| into it.
Then steadying himself in the bow
of the boat Cap'n Edwards rose to
the best of his sixty-five years of
ability and stood posed with a long
lance in his hand ready to end every
| thing.
Just at this moment. however, the
whale came out of it's reverie and