The minister, surprised and confounded at this levity, severely rebuked his audience for their conduct. The reproof failed of its intended effect; the congregation still laughed, and the preacher, in the warmth of his zeal, redoubled his vociferation and action; this last the ape imitated so exactly that the congregation could no longer restrain themselves, but burst out into one long and continued roar of laughter.
A friend of the preacher at length stepped up to him and pointed out the cause of this apparently improper conduct; and such was the arch demeanor of the animal, that it was with the utmost difficulty that the parson himself could maintain his gravity, while he ordered the servants of the church to take the creature away.
Whale Stories.
CONTEST ABOUT A WHALE.
It is a custom among whalemen, that whenever a whale gets loose, even although it may have once been taken by a crew, it is considered a free prize to any one who can seize it.
Several years since, two ships, which were in search of whales, happened at the same time to approach one, which was dead, and which was lying in some broken ice, not far distant from a large field of ice.
No sooner had the respective crews discovered the whale, than each made all possible sail to reach it before the other. On each bow of the two ships was stationed a harpooner with his appropriate instrument, in readiness to discharge it the first moment they should be sufficiently near. But it so happened that the ships came in contact with each other, when within a few yards of the fish, and being under full sail, the shock was so severe, as to do considerable damage to both.
The harpooners, however, intent on their prey, both discharged their harpoons at the same instant; and both fell short of their mark. Observing this, a hardy seaman belonging to one of the ships leaped overboard, and urging his way through the water, reached the fish, and seizing one of its fins, proclaimed it a lawful prize.