Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly volume 17.djvu/390



382 LETTERS OF ELIHU WRIGHT

nerly flukes within a handsbreadth of our boat to the height of 16 or 18 feet in the air and it rained a noble shower, but we thought salt water would not hurt us so we kept spurring him up until about dusk he died. Had it been in the early part of the day our officers think we should have taken six or eight of them for they kept squirming about like a basket of eels. There was one alongside of that we took for more than an hour or so that we thought we had made a mistake and struck two instead of one. Mr. Chase bent his lance the first or second dart as crooked as an Ivy rainbow. We got alongside of the ship about eight in the evening. We had a bitter squall in the night. When my watch was called at 12 I went up to close reef the maintopsail, my hat got blew into old Davy's locker. We were so much unprepared that we worked all night to be ready for cutting in the whale. We hauled the blubber on board in the morning and the succeeding day tried it out which made 32 barrels. If you want to know anything more about this whaling affair come here and I'll tell you all about the pig.

I am very sorry that Mr. 70 v was not able to come with us

as Mr. Dr. Hussey proves to be a, but I make better

weather of it than any of the crew. He chose me to row his boat since we took the whale. Chauncey rows Mr. Chase and Mr. Foldien, the Capt. We anchored yesterday at 2 o'clock off the Isle of Bunavista in order to send home our oil by the Brig Unhan here after salt. If you can get time you will do well to come and get your salt before killing time. There is more in this island than you will want. All you will want is your 9 cents and bushel basket. There is plenty of fish alongside of various kinds. I had some bread and milk for my dinner. The crew are generally pretty hearty some are afflicted with boils. I have not seen one sick hour till last night after row- ing ashore for 6 or 8 miles and back then getting out our cables and bending and anchoring and furlins" sails, being very hot, I had a severe sick headache which lasted through the night but feel better today. We shall proceed in two or three