THE DROWNED HARpooNER.
{"newspaper_name": "The Wilmingtonian, and Delaware advertiser.", "edition": "01", "page": "p1", "byline": ""}
{"character_count": 2527, "word_count": 422, "ccnet_language_score": [0.9639999866485596], "ccnet_perplexity": [1264.0999755859375], "fasttext_language": ["en"]}
MANY and strange are the accidents and
adventures that attend these amphiblous oe-
incs who traverse the onfstrctched ~orla
of waters in quest Oceans unctuous mon
arch. But the most Peclous incidents are
encountered BY those daring mariners, VINO
are engaged in the capture OF that spec,eS
of whale yclepcd herMacett-purSulhs tie
greasy monster throughout all his favoE!te
haunts and distant retreats i'll the broad ana
fathemless Pacific.


In the month Of December, the summer
of the southern hemisphere, -Nantucket
shin was cruising ON the coast OF Chilli
Nothing could exceed the placid smoothness
of the seas, or the pelucid azure of the O.
ycrbaneing frmament. There was just e.
noueh motion i'll the atmosphere to propel
the vessel in her course, and to invigorate
her crew with the spirit of enterprise. tlv-
ery sail was set, and every bosom swelsed
with the hope Of speedy accomplishment
Of the object of their expedition. he con
tinent. and all the usual abodes OF mortals,
were tar, far away. Home, and its sweet
entiearments, were remembered as q Dy-
gone vision; and considered in the future.
as saints think of heaven. The occasional
scream of an albatross, circling III the blue
expanse-the monotonous dash OF the shlp's
stem through the scarcely resisting waters
-intermingled with the varied tones OF
few human voices conversing familarly on
the deck, were the only sounds which dis
tinguished that region from the pvlmeval
| reign of


"Silence, coeyal with Eternity


Suddenly, hollow, kissing, eructaton,
like the blast OF brazier's furnace, or the
sigh of a DIVING volcano, broke upon the
ready ears of the seamen. A cry from the
masthead announced the appearance of
their prey; and at the same instant the crew
found themselves surrounded on all sides oy
an extensive shoal of whales, floundering,
and spouting, and blowing, like 50 many
English trumpeters at the battle OF Water
loo. Forthwith three boats were lowered,
manned, and Supplied with all the usual
paraphanalia, harpoons, lances, towllnes,
waits, oars and paddles; with q sail, bag
of bread, and key of water to each. They
had but a short distance to row. ere they
came in contact with their mighty enemy.
The boats were severaly commanded by
the shipmastcr and two of his mates, assist
ed by their respective boatsteerers, to whom
the duty of striking the whale is ordinarily
assigned. The larboard waist boat. under
the second mates direction contained in its
bow an active young man; who had obtain
ed the esteem Of all his shipmasess and