A WHALER'S MEMORIES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19762, 8 October 1927, Page 8

A WHALER'S MEMORIES.

the "BOißiira forties* SHIP THAT PASSED IN GAL& MAGNIFICENT HANDLING. VIVIP PICTURE OF THE SEAS. Br X/OKEHANDER. ■When we think of the good old days we recall automatically the days of our youth and strength. Those are our good 1 days, but not till time has made fchem old do we realise how romantic they | were. Perhaps the glamour that charms J old eyes gives undue colour and tone to memory's pictures. Howsoever, they are ours—the treasured souvenirs of that wonderful era. At that time—that is, daring the 'seventies and 'eighties of the last century—adventure was not hard to find if one had the urge to quest, especially on the sea. Then the whaling business, although fast petering out, still had a number of ships engaged, and white-winged clippers were in the foreground of all sea pictures. One of a tall ship on a stormy sea will be long remembered. The stormy sea is known to sailor folk as the Bearing Forties, a notorious strip of the southern ocean to the south of latitude 40 degrees and said by sailormen to be true to character the globe round. If so, then the world has a lot of bad salt water. This assertion is warranted by years of intimate acquaintarira with a portion of that stormthrased girdle, where westerly winds prevaii, varying in direction a few points and in force from a fresh breeze up to the limit. Consequently, sailing ships bound to the eastward made the Roaring Forties their speed track, and some wonderful records were put up. One of over 420 miles in the 24 hours I was told of by an old sinner when boasting of how they did things in his day. But as it was associated with s romance of the old gold-digging days it was a bit too thrilling for even my young gear to hoist on board. I laid it aside with the story, but long since I learned that it was true, so possibly thera may have been a substratum of truth to the gold yarn which, after careful revision, was retold many times while the Splendid rocked us on the deep, as she was doing the day we saw the storm-driven ship. Matchless Steeling. Our ship was lying hove-to under a goose-winged maintopsail and a couple of staysails. A hard gale was blowing from a point to the south of west. The long grey seas were running true, but with such irresistible momentum that it was bad water to drive a ship through. Nevertheless, along about mid-day one came down before the gale. She was a big ship, apparently over 1500 tons. On the main, the upper and lower topsails dared the savage hail-laden blasts that threatened to take the sticks out of her. The foremast stood up to the lower topsail and foresail, while the mizzenmast had the lower topsail only. The amount of sail reads small, bnt spread square on to the howling gale that was lashing that desolate sea it was enough for the gallant ship, then easily reeling off a knot in four minutes. Remembrance calls. this picture the "Helmsman," because it was a display of matchless steering in a case of "needs must;" The tubby figure on the poop that sea-lore said was the skipper had held on to his canvas longer than was {irndent and now. he had to outpace the one grey seas that a three-days* gale had charged . with fury, or be overwhelmed. I was always interested in bow a man turned out a job because the doing gave me an idea of the doer. Sk when the ship came down before the gale, the good course she made caught and fixed my attention, for the conditions were bad for good steering. So outside of her being what sailors call a good steering ship there must be an artist at the wheel, and 1 wanted to know him, and I did, ss well as a cable's length of turbulent sea would allow. The Wizard. When the ship came within measurable distance I put the glasses on the picture and kept them there. The four figures on the poop were the tubby skipper add the second mate (presumed for various reason*), and two men at the wheeL The man on the starboard side was the wizard in whose capable hands lay the immediate safety of the ship. It was thrilling to watch the mad mountains of water called seas chase the ship and just fall short of climbing on board, then suddenly divide and rush alongside, gaining in height; and bulk until* momentum was exhausted, and then, as if from mutual attraction, topple inboard, filling the decks. This age-old method of attack the sea seems unable to improve on; consequently, it is so well known and has been so often described that it has lost interest. But as it was pari of the picture the transcript will have to have it. But the man with the big heart and capable hands it is always interesting to watch, because one never knows what the next move will be. So I watched, and after the wizard had made a few passes I got that " father's-at-the-helm " feeling of confidence that I knew it was impossible for the man to make a fake move. He was born for the job, Storauproof Whaler. Now the Splendid had the gale to herself. All hands made themselves comfortable, for there was nothing to do till the gale blew out. The ship was known to be storm-proof, and as for feha few yards of canvas someone short on names called a goosewing, there would have been co harm doae if it had fiown off. About midnight the wind moderated a bit and shifted to south-west. This improvement in the weather the tubby skipper of the big ship no doubt duly appreciated. In fancy, one saw him squint up at six full-bellied topsails, as he dived below to give one eye a rest while the other kept its regular watch. Brave old eyes! I wonder if they ever see the old whale-hunter in the glowing embers when memory wanders back to the days we thought jnst ordinary. Next day the weather was much improved, but still too coarse for our business, so the skipper decided to shift his ground, and a course was set for the Chathams, where, two days later, wa anchored and stocked up with fresh provisions. Fish without limit were to be had for the taking, especially the blue cod, a sheep that made a hundred pounds of mutton for hslf-a-sovereign; potatoes, £4 per ton (This picture often comes to mind these days!). Two days only was the anchor down, when the ship made north to a ground where on previous occasions considerable oil had been secured. And we earned all we got. Carpenter's tools, bals?m and bandages were in demand while this ground was worked; not on one occasion only, but every time. So we went prepared. Kor were we disappointed. The second day on the ground we got a large whale at the cost of a week's work for the carpenter, and three men hurt, but not enough to be off duty—that rarely happened when blubber was about, for there was always some job to fit a cripple, if it was only to keep a look-out or pick oakum. Six weeks we stayed, and during that time secured four whales. Finally, and not before all hands were ready for it, we started north for the Islands. And not till one has battled the Roaring Forties and its neighbourhood for four or five months will he undarstand how glad we were to go.