Year: 1875

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to rhe starboard rail just forward of the
gangway amidships, from which it was
taken back and made fast to the wind
lass bits at the foot of the mainmast. 1t
was new line, of stout Manila hemp,
and its strength was put to fearful test.
A hundred fathoms astern of the ship it
held the monster carcass; and as the YES
| sci rolled heavily to the sea, the strain
on the rope was terrific. Standing for
ward of it, laid my hand ON the line as
the strain came, and I felt it stretch and
contract like rope of india-rubber.


Mr.. Joseph's boat had come along
side, and the captain, standing on the
starboard rail, was shouting to him
through trumpet. The line from the
whale, passing from astern to the brace
forward, and back to the bits amid
| ships, made an acute angle, inside of
which the captain was standing. I saw
| and noted this as passed forward, and
[ noticed also, in the dark, tall man,
who seemed to be leaning against the
line. ''I hope he's forward of it," [
said to myself as I went on with what I
was about.


I had not taken six steps from the
spot when knew that something strange
had occurred. The ship steadied, as if
the wind had ceased. heard no sound
greater than the storm; but, instead, 1
seemed to hear stiffness. I ran amid
ships and grasped for the hne. 1t was
gone A rush to the rail, and all was
clear. The strain had torn into the
brace. The mighty pull of the whale
astern had jerked the line straight, like
the cord of {, gigantic bow, and the cap
tain who had been standing on the rail,
had been struck by the flying rope and
thrown senseless far into the sea.


All this had been seen by the men in
the boat before any one on board had
realized the affair. In less than a min
ute the cry of ''Saved - reached us from
Mr.. Joseph; and, in shorter time than
can be imagined by a landsman, the
boat was hanging at the dayits, and the
injured commander was being cared
for in the cabin.


Hard rubbing and rum are the patent
remedies on whaler, and by dint of
these the captain opened his eyes in a
quarter of an hour. He had been stun
| ned, but not seriously injured.


He was amazed at first seeing the
mate and myself standing over him with
the rum bottle. But without a word he
realized the situation.


Chow is the weather 2" he asked.


''The wind has gone down." said Mr..
Joseph. ''We're under foresail, jib and
reefed topsails, and running right away
from the whale"


'sGone2" said the old man.
"Gone," answered Mr.. Joseph, rue
fully. ''Stanchion dragged, and the
line parted, and eight thousand dollars
went without an owner"


''Tell Chips to see to that broken rail, :"
said the captain, closing his eyes, drow
silly.


cay, ay, sir" said the old second
mate, as he stamped on deck.
1 heard him stop at the after-hatch.
where the boat-steers and carpenter iv-
ed, and 'sChips" two or three times. At
last there was an answer, in another
voice-not Chips; then round of hui
ried feet on deck, shout down the fore
castle, and shout back in answer.
There was no Chips there.
Two minutes after heavy foot came
aft to the cabin stairs, and Mr.. Joseph,
with white face, entered.


knew what he had to tell. I knew
now-just as if I had seen all-whom
the man was whom I had seen leaning
against the line.


The captain looked at the second
mate.


'Chips is gone, sir" said the old sail
or, with tremor in his rough voice;
Chips was knocked over by the line, and
we've gone four knots since it parted.
I've put her about, and we're running
down again.


There was dead silence. We all knew
the search was hopeless. No man could
swim in such a sea; and we had a
thought, though no one spoke it, that
brave, strong Chips had been killed by
the line before he struck the water.
All night we beat about the place



where we thought it had occurred. The
wind and sea fell, and the moon came
out in great beauty to help our sad
search. Every man on board staid on
deck till the sun rose, and then we look
ed far and vainly over the needless swell
of the unbroken sea. Chips was dead.
The rough Portuguese lads found it
hard to believe that the kind heart and
strong hand of their friend was gone
forever We all knew that the best man
in the ship was taken away.
Two years afterward, when I found
myself in Boston, I took from my sacred
things letter, which I had found IN
Chips chest. It was addressed to a wo-
man, with the name and number of a
Cambridge street. I found the place
small frame house, with lots of Chips
handiwork around it. His mother met
me at the door, an old, white haired wo
man. She seemed to have been waiting
and watching for somebody. A few
words tod the hopeless story. The let
ter was for her, and she read it over
the letter of her only boy, asking for