We learned farther from the “Mohawk” that the natives of Covill’s Island (an island just to the northward of Pitt’s Island) had taken a California schooner, and massacred the passengers and crew. It was supposed that there were female passengers on board, as the natives were in possession of sundry articles of ladies’ apparel. In trading with some vessel, they gave California gold pieces for little or no tobacco, showing that they place no intrinsic value upon gold or silver. These natives attempted to take the “Lion” while she was trading there, but did not succeed.
Whenever two whalemen are in company, and whales are raised by either ship, the boats from both vessels lower, and all oil thus taken by either is shared in common. On Monday, March 8th, while in company with the “Mohawk,” whales were raised, and down went eight boats in hot pursuit, each boat seemingly determined on being first boat fast. It was blowing quite fresh at the time, and quite a heavy sea running. The waist-boat from our ship was the first one to fasten, and no sooner had they done so than the gentleman whale knocked the boat into quite a number of pieces, and spilled them out, leaving them “lying around loose.” The larboard boat, happening to be near, took the line and held on to the whale. One of the “Mohawk’s” boats picked up the scattered crew of the stove boat, and brought them on board. The larboard boat was flying through the water at about ten knots, “dead to windward,” against a heavy head sea, which flew over and against her bows with uncommon force. She appeared actually plowing through it, the water forming a high bank of surf each side. The boat soon lost sight of the ship, and they were obliged to cut the line and return, the crew completely saturated with salt water and exhausted by their labors. During this time the bow boat had killed a sixty-barrel whale, which was soon alongside and cut in.
A RACE FOR A WHALE.
Although ancient and modern historians may abound in descriptions of man’s daring by “flood and field,” and the many accidents and hairbreadth escapes which accompany his voluntary exposure to a multitude of dangers, surely the recital of his doings in the chase and capture of that leviathan of the deep, the sperm whale, can be second to none in the interest it must excite in every contemplative mind. It is not in the field, jungle, or thick forest that these hardy adventurers seek their prey, upon man’s natural element, where, should any untoward accident occur, assistance of some kind can be readily obtained; but on the vast ocean, at times thousands of miles distant from any habitable land, where they are not only exposed to the dangers which beset them in their adventures with these monsters of the deep, but to others still more terrible, in which the dreaded typhoon forms no inconsiderable part; or when, near lands distant and barbarous, dangerous reefs, sunken rocks, and relentless savages may surround them on every side, requiring all the moral and physical energy of which our nature is possessed to escape the manifold dangers which beset them, but which the whaleman looks upon without dread, passing among them in his gallant bark, and bearing off in triumph the valuable giant of the ocean.
Even in these latitudes, the equatorial, we often experience heavy, and sometimes terrible gales of wind. On Wednesday, March 10th, having just cleared our decks from the last “fare of oil,” a heavy gale set in from the westward, which continued for four days, with scarcely a moment’s interruption. The “Mohawk” lost some of her sails, and had her bow boat swept off the cranes. We lost our foretopsail and mainsail, which were literally blown into ribbons. The weather was very thick, the rain descending in torrents, accompanied with heavy thunder and lightning. On Sunday, the 14th, the gale broke, and the clouds lifting, disclosed to our view, but a short distance to windward, Hall’s Island, which we had drifted past. The sun, making his appearance once more, gladdened the hearts of all, and for the first time in four days we took an observation, and found that we were in long. 174° 36´ E., having been drifted by the current from long. 171° E., with but ten miles difference in latitude, being about two hundred and sixteen miles to the eastward of the spot where we took the gale. We very narrowly escaped going ashore the previous night, although unconscious of it at the time. The weather was very thick, and it would have been impossible to have seen land any distance; but, by the safe guidance of an ever-merciful Providence, the two ships were swept through a passage between Knox’s and Hall’s Islands not more than ten or twelve miles in width, and dangerous to pass through in broad daylight. The first intimation that we were any where in the neighborhood of land was when Hall’s Island broke upon our astonished vision to windward, and then did we see the narrow escape we had met with.
Leaving Hall’s Island astern, with clear and pleasant weather once more, the two ships proceeded in company to Ocean Island, where we arrived on Monday, March 22d. Each vessel sent a boat on shore, and procured about three hundred pumpkins. While on shore, our attention was called to an odd figure we saw approaching us, which we discovered to be a native fantastically decorated. It proved to be a man who had formerly sailed in our ship when the present captain was on his first voyage as master of her. He had been to “’Merick,” where, as he informed us, he procured the suit of clothes which he then wore. It consisted of pants which would have buttoned twice round him, but about six inches too short; in lieu of suspenders, they were held up by a piece of spun-yarn passing over his shoulder, and again made fast. His shirt was of calico, of the largest figure and most gaudy colors, with a collar that nearly eclipsed his head, and a cravat of calico, with colors “to match.” His shoes were about fourteen inches in length, and both lefts; his vest, which was intended to be white, had probably been made for a boy, as it was about a foot too short; his coat of blue broadcloth, with large brass buttons, a “swallow-tail” cut, with the waist between his shoulders, the sleeves lacking some inches in length, and the collar nearly reaching to the top of his head, upon which was a very tall, bell-crowned hat, with a very narrow rim. This whole walking machine was surmounted by a huge umbrella. It is probable that some Yankee had given the poor fellow this suit while he was in “’Merick,” and he appeared to feel very grand and proud, but complained that it was very hot. He informed the captain that he had returned to the island a rich man, as he had a whole keg of tobacco, besides some pipes, beads, calico, etc.; also, his complete suit, of which no other native on the island could boast. The king kept very close to the great man, wishing to be considered as his nearest friend, and took quite a fancy to his dress; but of no use; the native felt his superiority over the “niggers,” as he termed them, and scorned even the friendship of the king.
After obtaining a sufficient quantity of pumpkins we returned to the ship, and both vessels took their departure for Guam, preparatory to a season on Japan.