II 



TOLD OF THE RED INDIAN WHALERS 



IN the early days of Nantucket, while yet the 

 people were engaged in alongshore whaling 

 by means of small boats only, it happened 

 one day while thirty boats were in search of 

 whales at a distance of something like six miles 

 offshore that the wind suddenly whipped around 

 to the north and began to blow with great vio- 

 lence. At the same time snow began to fall. 



In the circumstances there was only one thing 

 for the whalers to do, and that was to head for 

 land and pull with all their might. This was 

 done, though without much thought of danger at 

 first. Boats were often caught thus by an off- 

 shore wind, but as time passed it became apparent 

 to all hands that they were making little headway 

 against the gale, and then one after another of 

 the oarsmen became weary, and finally dis- 

 couraged. Through the weakness of these men 



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