Don’t Kill the Whale
The sea shimmered like the shiny placid surface of a distant planet. The sun shone brightly and lorded over an endless blue sky and the never-ending vast ocean. A sea bird skimmed along the water’s surface, darting high and low over the waves that lapped at its wings. As it soared effortlessly over the sea, it set its eyes on the one resting place in the boundless world of water. In the distance was the whaling ship, Callia. The bird came to rest high upon a mast on the mighty sailing vessel.
Down below was the sound of the crew bustling about with excitement. Higher up from the bird’s perch was the topgallant where a kanaka had climbed for the lookout. He yelled down to the crew and pointed feverishly to the port side of the ship. “Thar she blows!!” he yelled out. “Port side!!”
On the bridge stood Captain Tucker, a hulking, broad-shouldered seaman. He had a finally trimmed beard and mustache that was already showing several days of new growth and a head full of dusty dark hair. He looked weathered as an experienced seaman would, but carried his chiseled frame with an air of confidence. He stood with a monocular, staring out to the sea in the direction the kanaka was pointing.
He pondered silently for a moment, studying the seascape. “Hmmm,” he murmured under his breath. “There she is!” Standing next to Tucker was his first-mate, Soli. He grabbed Soli by the arm and growled with enthusiasm. “There she is, Soli! Bring ‘er about!”
“Aye, sir!” Soli called out.
Tucker strode over to the bridge railing overlooking the main deck. He barked out orders with a booming voice. “We are comin’ about lads. All hands on deck! Outta that fo’c’sle, dammit! The chase is on! Ready those damn boats, ready those lines! Prepare to lower away at my command!”
Men poured out of the barracks, or forecastle, and the crew scrambled to their assigned posts as he commanded. Six men each assembled at the four smaller whaling boats. There were two boats on each side of the Callia used for the whale chase. They stood and waited for orders to lower them into the sea. As Soli steered the ship in the whale’s direction, the men watched attentively as the intensity of the moment grew.
The ship’s steward, a young boy no more than twelve, pointed and shouted with excitement, “I see it! Thar she is!”
“Smitty!” yelled Tucker. “Ready those blades and lances! Need to be on the spot when I say so!”
The ship’s blacksmith, known only as Smitty, gritted his brown teeth and called back, “Aye aye, Cap’n!”
“Lower away, men!” Tucker commanded to his crew. “Get them afloat! She is in our sights!”
Quickly and effortlessly, the crew worked like a well-oiled machine. In less than a minute, weapons and tools of all kinds were lowered within the boats down into the water. Six men were aboard each of the four whaling boats and began to row towards the pod of humpback whales. Tucker himself descended a rope ladder into the lead boat along with the six-man crew.
“Keep ‘em in your sights men! Faster, faster!” Tucker howled over the choppy seas. As they neared, Tucker heaved with approval. “That is it boys, steady as she goes. We have gotta fine catch today men. Let us not waste it. Onward!”
The four boats were nearly upon the pod of whales, when without warning, one of the large mammals surfaced just under the captain’s boat. Some of the men let out a gasp as the big tail splashed and disappeared underneath the foamy surface. The tail itself was nearly the size of the whale boat.
“Oh she is playin’ tricks on us, eh?” Tucker chuckled. “Have no fear, lads. Today we become the giants of the sea!” He set his foot on the edge to survey the lot. The four boats were positioned strategically around the constantly diving and surfacing whales. “Harpooners ready! No time like today! Let us do what we came for!”
In a flash, harpoons darted through the air from all four directions. The first buried its tip into the dark flesh of the stricken, spinning beast. A second, then a third came, all hitting their targets directly. The whales tossed about, giant fins slapping the water, massive bodies crashing into others and the boats alike. In an instant the sea had quickened into a massive fray of whales and manned boats. The dark aqua blue sea turned into a foaming, churning sea of blood red.
“Man the lines! Hold your ground men!”
The fight had escalated to epic proportions. The bloodied water soon attracted sharks. In the melee, some men spilled from the boats and tumbled into the water. The captain began to cuss and swear over the raucous scene as other men dropped their blades to rescue their mates from the swirling sea and the hungry sharks. Any man caught between an agitated whale and a boat’s hull would mean certain and instant death. They pulled one man to safety, then another. Just as a shark darted for the last man, they were able to pull him to safety as well. Once quickly aboard, the crew continued their assault. Two and three more strikes from a lance and harpoon and soon the two whales had stopped tossing about and the crew was able to start hauling them over to the Callia.
But Tucker was not satisfied just yet. “We need the big ones, men! Keep your eyes peeled, we need the big ones!” The men looked bewildered already. They thought they were fighting the big ones already. But the captain knew better. He knew the largest of the females and most certainly the alpha male were still out there. He could tell by the tail size what age and what girth they would be. He knew the largest were still yet to be found. And what was more, the larger the whale, the larger the yield of blubber and oil. “And dammit men, use your legs to anchor y’self! I do not want any more of ya pulled in, dammit, ya hear?”
Suddenly the boat tipped sharply to the left, nearly throwing three of the men out. A low, bellowing groan could be heard as a massive whale surfaced directly underneath them. Tucker toppled backward into the boat, right on top of another man. He braced himself as the boat rocked viciously back and forth. He quickly peered over the side to catch sight of the beast. His eyes widened. Other men’s eyes widened as well in sheer terror. Not only was it the giant alpha male, but the female as well that was even longer in size. The men watched in amazement as two massive tails disappeared under the water in stunning fashion.
“There is our prize, men! Steady yourselves! Resume the chase!” He yelled as loudly as he could at the other remaining boat. “After them, men! Go! Go!”
The men rowed as quickly as they could. Gasping for air and straining over the waves and wind, they followed the whales in steady pursuit. The captain howled orders through the driving wind as waves crashed into them and salty mist poured over them like rain from a clear sky. Harpooners stood at the ready, waiting for the next glimpse of whale flesh. Soon a large hump appeared on the surface along with a blast of air from the whale’s blowhole. And with incredible precision, two harpoons sliced into the sides of the great whale. With most of its large hump exposed and fins and tail thrashing about, its size became abundantly clear. They had speared the largest male and he fought tremendously. The captain yelled for assistance from the other boat. It took every man on the ropes to keep him in tow. Another strike of a harpoon and his struggles subsided.
The captain looked about anxiously. The lines were taut and the men struggled with the beast alongside. He was massive and had the strength of thirty men at least. Tucker knew the other boats would still be occupied with the first catches. The male would be enough but the female would be the ultimate catch. She was much longer and wider.
Suddenly, she was there. The giant humpback whale breached halfway out of the water and came crashing down right alongside her mate in an effort to free him from the sailors’ grasp. The boats rocked backwards like corks in a bottle as the stunned men fell backwards.
“Stand your ground!” Tucker scowled. “Get a line on her!!”
But the men could barely struggle to keep hold of the male and he nearly broke free from them. The female again made a mighty splash but it was not as big as the last one and the men held their captive firm. The mighty whale was tiring and could only watch as her mate would s
oon tire completely and succumb to the whalers. Her giant tail tipped upward as she disappeared into the depths. Tucker looked around frantically, but she was never to be seen again. Despite the large catch of the male, Tucker was miffed at not getting a shot at the enormous female. He screeched and swore over the melee that he needed more boats for the final chase, but they never came. It took two boats just to secure the huge male and tow him back to the ship.
By the time Tucker and his men reached the Callia, Soli and the remaining crew had already begun processing the first catches. They sliced the blubber into ‘bible leaves’ with a mincing knife and began rendering the oil in a skimmer or ‘try pot.’ Nearly every part of the whale was salvaged including the most precious parts of the whale, the junk and case. They used blubber pikes and spades and flensers. A cooper stood at the ready to keep the tools sharpened as the crew had to work quickly to secure every part of the catch and immediately prepare it for sale on land.
As Soli barked orders to the crew onboard, he kept an eye on the massive catch Tucker was bringing next to the ship. The animal continued to thrash from time to time as they slowly brought him alongside.
“Steady, steady boys!” Tucker yelled.
The ‘monkey rope’ was lowered to the front boat so the harpooner could fasten it around his waist. He then quickly made spade holes in the whale and secured lines that hung down the ships side to hold the whale’s weight steadily and evenly. The final spade hole was near the tail. He hopped effortlessly on the edge of each boat to get to the end of the whale. Sharks circled closely by in hopes another unlucky sailor would topple over the side. As the harpooner inserted the spade the whale lurched forward with amazing force. One of the already secure lines whipped around freely as it was not was being held firm enough from the deck. Soli quickly grabbed the line from the crewman and pulled it taut just in the nick of time. The line went sailing right at the harpooner’s head but he ducked just as it snapped against the side of the ship. The whale stopped stirring as it was finally trapped for good.
Tucker howled up to the crew on the ship, “Dammit man, hold those lines! You almost decapitated my harpooner!” Tucker took the killing iron in his hands and gripped it firmly. He stepped onto the back of the mighty animal and with one ghastly lunge, the whale was sent to his demise.
Captain Tucker climbed aboard as the men worked feverishly to process the last of the catch. Barrels were rolled to the edge to catch the oil being fetched out. “Five and forty more, men!” Tucker yelled out and the men echoed his words in victorious chant. The crew of the Callia worked into the night until their catch was secure. The captain surveyed his crew and took note of the lay. The men were famished and beaten into the dust with weariness. Tucker stuck his smoking pipe between his lips and lit the tobacco stuffed into the chamber. With a puff of smoke and a satisfying nod to his first mate, he gave the signal to sail back to port.
The eastern sky began to glow like a candle when first lit. A dark hue of red mixed with orange began to peel across the horizon as the Callia lurched towards Maui of the Sandwich Islands. They were making their way toward the capital of the Hawaiian Kingdom, Lahaina.
It was 1831 and Lahaina had become the whaling center of the Pacific in just a few years time. The oil, or spermaceti, from whales was big business and that brought big business to Maui. The blubber oil was boiled down to be used for making candles, lamp oil for illumination or lubrication for machinery. It was even used in textile mills and for making rope. Baleen, or whalebone, was used to make flexible items such as corsets, collar stays, buggy whips and toys. And whale teeth were especially prized in making rings, jewelry and scrimshaw. The latter was a favorite gift for the ladies from sailors who carved them while at sea on long voyages.
As the sun peeked over the mountains of West Maui, whaling ships dotted the harbor off Lahaina. Most were anchored in the bay a great distance so that a tender was necessary to come ashore. However the Callia, and it’s prominent and well-known Captain Tucker, had an anchoring site just off the main shore of downtown Lahaina. The ship lowered anchor and the crew began the arduous task of bringing their bounty from the ship on the small whale boats to land, one load at a time.
Tucker stepped onto dry land and puffed away on his smoking pipe, quietly observing as his men brought ashore their valuable cargo. A cool morning breeze wafted ashore and the endless palm trees fluttered in the wind. The never-ending, yet lovely sound of myna birds cackled all around in the trees and the lush tropical vegetation. He was truly ready for a short stretch of shore-leave. But first, business was to be had. He raised an eyebrow as he heard a familiar voice behind him.
“Welcome back, Captain,” said the man. “How does it feel to be on steady ground again?”
“Aye, Padre! The last face I look for, but the first I see.” Tucker snarled with his pipe still in his mouth. “But me legs never have trouble with the wobbliness. I would not be the skipper if I showed that kind of weakness. The captain must always be the pinnacle of strength!”
“Ah yes, Captain. But still we are all just human, are we not?”
“To most, Padre,” Tucker chuckled. “So, Padre. What do I owe this early morning greeting after such a long hard job at sea?”
“Cooperation, sir,” the man answered flatly. “As head of this mission I trust your men will act accordingly while on leave with my fellow missionaries and the natives as well.”
“Why, Padre,” Tucker replied slyly. “The men will always act with the upmost stature. As always of course.”
“Of course. And the lascivious acts and depravity will be held to a minimum I trust this time? There are more and more sailors taking leave here now and we are trying to keep a respectable order in this settlement. As I say, I only ask for your upmost cooperation in this matter.”
Tucker clearly began to look annoyed. “Padre, they are just boys on liberty. Time to unwind and be merry for a while. Nothin’ wrong with a little liberty and lettin’ the lads rest before they head back out for another grind at sea, eh?”
“Yes, well they seem to take liberty with a great many things while they are resting.” Tucker exhaled a large puff of smoke as if it were a sign of his contempt for the preacher. “Do I have your cooperation, Captain?”
He cocked his head slightly and smiled at the preacher. “Wouldn’t have it any other way, Padre.”
“Thank you,” the preacher said. “Good fortune in the market, Captain. Good day.” He began to walk back into town towards a line of thatched homes and businesses when Tucker called back to him.
“William!” The preacher stopped and turned around. “Make sure you keep those native girls outta my market while we men are doin’ business. The men will be in the grogshops soon enough.” Tucker chuckled at his own wit. “As will I.” William could only frown at him though. He nodded and continued on his way.
The town of Lahaina sprawled down the tropical shoreline. With the influx of whalers, more and more shops and homes were built, some with wood brought in from other locales and others of thatch that were constructed by the natives. It was a bustling community of Native Hawaiians and missionaries alike. Sailors arrived nearly every day, ranging from America to Europe as well as Asia. The sea port was a busy one with ships arriving and departing daily. The monarchy of the Kingdom of Hawaii was also located there with the current ruler Kamehameha III. Trade and land management were the main businesses there with whale oil being the prime commodity of the time. As on the ships, the town was a melting pot of many different cultures. The missionaries did their best to maintain order while teaching Christianity to the natives and to any of the foreigners if they so desired to join them.
After business was conducted in the market and the ship’s crew received their pay for the catch they brought in, sailors of all walks of life headed for the local merchants for food, drink, and of course, entertainment. The missionaries tried their best to keep the men from becoming too disorderly with drunkenness, but also from u
sing the local women as prostitutes. However, to their dismay, some of the women were all too eager to receive the precious gifts from the sea such as fine jewelry and scrimshaw in return for other favors.
Night had descended upon Lahaina and that brought meals and prayer and meditation amongst the missionaries and their Christian followers, but also it brought song and revelry with everyone else in town. Captain Tucker sat at a table in one of the local grogshops with his first and second mate, Soli and Smitty.
“Drink up, lads! To a fine catch and fine day’s pay!” howled Soli.
“Aye!” the three men yelled.
The tiny tavern was full of men and even some women, both Hawaiian and some that were American and European. It was a raucous scene of song and celebration.
“Drink up, for we sail soon again, my boys!” Tucker drawled.
Soli became anxious though. “So soon, Captain? We have just pulled in. Why such a hurry to get back? We do not even have provisions yet.”
“Aye, I have already bargained with the harbor master. I gave him extra barrels of potatoes this time to have me ship refit in two days time.”
“Two days time?” Soli whined. “But why, sir?”
Tucker leaned in to talk more quietly to them. The two men did likewise as they knew he was up to something. “You men saw what I saw out there, did you not?” The men stared at him blankly. “I want the large one, the alpha. She was longer than the Callia, I say. She is the one I am after. She will bring in a month’s pay just herself.”
“Aye, I did see ‘er, Captain,” Smitty said, as he downed some more beer. “Largest beast I ever laid me eyes on.”
“Aye,” Tucker agreed. “The largest. And she is mine!”
Soli did not seem convinced though. “I saw ‘er too, sir. She was mighty indeed. But we know how those large ones are way out at sea. The deeper we go out, the deeper they can go under. You think we will find her again?”
“Aye, I think we can lads,” Tucker answered confidently. “She will remember the Callia, rest assure you. We took her mate and even some of her offspring. Several of them. One does not soon forget that. Not even a whale.” Soli and Smitty listened intently, putting their mugs down. “Never underestimate the cunning of the sea and its beasts, lads. But if we find her and lure her to shallower waters in between these islands, maybe we can outsmart her.”
“With all these ships around in the channel?” Soli blurted out. “Could be dangerous.”
“Aye,” he agreed. “So we would have to work fast once we get her shallower.”
The three men agreed. Soli and Smitty would get working on arranging the crew in short notice and recruiting more, as several dropped out after each stint at sea.
The tavern became even more crowded and rowdy as the celebrating continued through the night. The women laughed and giggled as the men offered them drinks and dancing. Fiddlers played in the corner along with a piano player and couples danced all around the room. Two men brawled at the front of the bar while one woman sat on barstool and watched with a bored expression. One man went sailing across a table and collapsed on the floor in a heap. The woman happily grabbed the victor’s hand and pranced out with him. One by one the women would duck out a side door into the darkness with a man in tow, while the rest stayed and drank their fill. No one took notice of where the ladies were going with them or at least no one had the decency to say anything. The bartender looked the other way as his pockets were being filled otherwise.
Just after 3a.m., William the preacher entered the tavern with an exasperated look on his face. He made a beeline for Tucker’s table.
“Padre!” Tucker yelled over the fray. “Never thought I would see the day! Come sit down and have a drink with us!”
“No thank you, Captain. I do not think I will. May I have a word with you, please?”
“Why, you can have two if you like!” blustered Tucker.
“Captain, if you do not mind, I would like to speak with you outside!” said William, sounding more and more annoyed.
Tucker smiled and slapped Soli awake from his slumbering position and shoved him aside. “Excuse me, mates. It appears I am needed in the – hiccup! – breezeway outside. Will only be a minute. Save my drink will ya? No wait, on second thought, I will take it with me, ha ha!”
The two men stepped out of the noisy bar out into the night. Lamps were lit up and down the pathway along the market. Laughing could be heard in the huts nearby and within the bar. The wind blew at a steady gait in the late night air.
“Orwyn, why must we revisit this conversation every time you make port here?” a tired William asked. “I am getting reports of all kinds of drunkenness around here and unclean acts I do not wish to delve into. I am even hearing of the men, some of your men I might add, taking the women off for their own unsavory desires.”
Tucker straightened himself and glared at William. “Listen Richards! ‘Tis no concern of mine what the men do as long as they are back on my ship when I order them to be! When they are on liberty they can take liberty however they want.”
“No they may not!” William argued loudly. “Their acts are immoral and some are even profane. I look the other way with the drinking but when they start corrupting the women, I can not and will not! Women from my own flock!”
“If they are from your flock, Padre, you need to keep a tighter reign on those girls. Either that or they have found a better option.” Tucker winked at him and William became incensed. He kept his composure though. “Besides, Padre, where was this place when I found you six years ago? If not for me, you would still be lying on the ground with nothin’ more than palm fronds over your head.”
William took a deep breath. He could see he could never quite win with the captain. But he could certainly keep trying. “I agree, Tucker, that the whalers have brought wealth to this area. But you have also brought your bad habits. I understand you are aiming to return to the waters quite soon. Perhaps if you were not so hasty, the men would not be so eager to carouse so often and with so much vigor. The men need rest.”
“Without the men, Padre, the wealth would stop coming to this area. The oil is like gold to the people here, is it not?” Tucker said wryly. “Is it not? And they are resting, Padre. Blowing off steam is what men do to unwind.”
William ignored him though. “Perhaps a little control and direction would keep things in order? They would be better served and rested if they came to the church instead of engaging in drinking and revelry. I have even seen them drinking in the streets. Perhaps you could rest them longer.”
Tucker walked forward and got closer to William’s face. “They cannot rest if they are up at your mission hearing you preach. If they do not sail, they will not bring in the oil. If they cannot bring in the oil, then they cannot spread gold all over the place!” The two men stared each other down intently. But William said nothing. “Now, if you will excuse me, Padre. I have a pint I would very much like to finish.”
Two days later, the crew was set to head out on the Callia once again. Soli had recruited a dozen more fresh men for the voyage as well. They rowed on the whale boats out into the bay off Lahaina with the captain in the lead boat. As they approached, Tucker observed the massive ship with fondness.
“Ah, there she is, the old-fashioned girl!” bellowed Tucker. “Ready for the blubber hunters to board ‘er once again!”
With the precision and efficiency of an army platoon, the crew set sail on the Callia out to open waters in search for the captain’s prize. It would take half a day’s time to sail to the area where they last encountered the whales. To pass the time, the cook sat on a barrel and played his fiddle to amuse the men. As a rite of passage for the new crew members, or greenhands, a ritual called the Neptune Ceremony was performed. Each man was shaved with tar with a large razor. The men winced with each scrape of the blade along their faces. The seasoned men watched and laughed as the music played.
“Thataway lads!” Tucker shouted. “Nothin
g like scrapin’ tar to leather your face. Make ya look like a true blubber hunter!”
“Harsher than the girls back in Lahaina, eh?” joked Soli. “Lady fever will bring a man down even further!” The men laughed out loud. “Better to have a burnin’ on yer face than a fiery itch down below!” The men bellowed with laughter even more.
“Sounds like a man speakin’ from experience!” Smitty crowed. The crew erupted even louder. They all turned to see if the captain was getting a good laugh as well. But his attention had turned to the sea.
Tucker whirled about and yelled abruptly, “Kanaka! Get yer tail in gear and climb to the rings!”
Immediately one of the Hawaiian kanaka’s began to ascend the crosstrees to the masthead rings for the lookout. Within minutes the kanaka pointed east of the ship off the starboard side and yelled, “Thar she blows!”
“I knew it!” Tucker exclaimed. “Man your posts, men! Get to those lines! Outta them bunks! We got whales to catch! Soli, bring ‘er about!”
The crew dropped what they were doing and raced to their assignments. Soli grimaced as he flung the wheel around and aimed the bow towards the whales. The Callia skipped along at full sail. One man pointed towards the water to the tip of the bow as it plowed through the sea. Dolphins were leaping in and out of the water at the head of the ship, keeping pace as it sped along.
As they neared the pod, the sails were pulled in and the ship slowed. Tucker gave the order to lower away the whale boats and soon the chase was on in the four boats. Tucker shouted orders and cursed and swore as the men captured the whales one by one and carried them back to the ship for processing. The sea turned red once again and sharks circled all about. The catch was successful but the captain kept his eyes peeled for his ultimate prize. Where can she be? he thought quietly to himself.
As the day’s end drew closer, the crew efficiently and quickly processed the remainder of the catch and heaved the whale boats aboard the ship. But Tucker kept one kanaka assigned to the rings to keep a sharp lookout for the large female.
“What say you, Captain?” Soli asked. “What is the tally of the lay? Are we set to return?”
“No, not just yet!” Tucker snapped. “She is out there. She has been watchin’ us the whole time.”
“Are you sure, sir?”
Tucker glanced over at his first mate and answered, “Would you not?” Soli nodded in understanding. He knew his captain was right. “Yeah, she is out there all right and she knows who we are.”
Just then the kanaka yelled from above, “Captain! Blow astern!”
Soli and Tucker whipped around on the bridge and immediately caught sight of the misty water shooting into the air from a whale’s blowhole. “Thar she is!” Tucker hissed. “See the tail, mate. ‘Tis her, all right. And she has got some company.”
“Aye,” Soli nodded. He took note of the sheer size of the tail as it disappeared into the depths. “She be the one, sir!”
“Bring ‘er about!”
“Aye, sir!” Soli flung the wheel around and the ship lurched to the left to make a wide turnaround. “She looks to be headed inland!”
“Aye, she is!” Tucker shouted. “All the better. Let us give her an escort.”
The sun began to set behind them as they raced towards Lanai and Maui. The crew lit torches and set them around the deck of the ship. Waves crashed against the Callia as the wind gathered force. The kanaka stayed high on his post, pointing in the direction of the whales each time he saw them surface. The whales were swimming along at a rapid pace and it took everything the crew had to keep up in the ship.
“Full sail!” Tucker barked ever louder. “Keep ‘er in your sights!”
“Ol’ girl is too fast!” Soli cried.
“Aye, stay on ‘er!”
Daylight grew dimmer and it became harder and harder to spot the whales on the water. Tucker became agitated as he feared they would lose sight of them. He angrily looked around the deck of the ship, trying to think of way to better spot them. He glared at the sky, then back down around the ship. “Put those torches out!” he yelled. “’Tis too hard to see! We will use the light of the moon!” Quickly the crew doused each torch and almost instantly the light of the full moon shone brightly on the churning waves. The shape of Lanai was clearly in view and Maui could be seen on the darkened horizon as well.
Immediately the kanaka regained sight of the pod and called out, “Port side off the bow!”
Tucker leaned over the railing and strained his eyes. “Yes, it is her! She is following us in just as I expected.”
“It may be the other way around,” a weary Soli answered. “I think she is takin’ us in, sir!”
Tucker placed his hand on his bearded chin. “What do you have in store for us, girl?”
The Callia rounded the bend and headed straight into the channel between Lanai and Maui. Torchlights could be seen burning off the coast of Maui in the night. The ship raced behind the pod of whales and inched closer and closer to the Maui shore. Soon the pod slowed and began to circle in a group close together. Tucker surveyed the situation in the moonlit blackness of the night on the swirling sea. He could see the mastheads of the other anchored ships off Lahaina. He knew he had to make his move now or risk getting too close to them.
“Let us take them now,” Tucker commanded. “Never lose sight of the largest!” He ordered the men to light all the torches they had. They would need them on the whale boats as well. The weary crew assembled at their stations and awaited his command. With a raise of his hand, the crew lowered the boats down into the sea. One by one they set out towards the circling pod of humpbacks that were ever closer to the shore of Maui and the armada of anchored ships. “Move quickly men! We waste no time!”
Meanwhile, Soli kept the Callia as close as possible so they would not have far to bring the catch. All the torches were lit on board the ship so all could see them easily. Soon the harpoons flew through the night air at the targets. The whales thrashed about with fins splashing and bodies swirling. Tucker yelled out orders from his boat and kept his eyes on the female. With the ship and the four boats, they had the pod surrounded and the nighttime fray all illuminated in torch and the light of the moon. The dark water in the huge arena slowly turned to dark red in a mixture of darkness and moonlight and firelight. Waves crashed around the lurching, fighting whales as the men yelled and fought bitterly to contain them.
From the shore of Lahaina, people became aware of the commotion at sea. They could clearly see the ship and whale boats in a frenetic fight, all lit up with the numerous torches out on the water. More and more gathered to watch the amazing sight in the dead of night. William Richards came running to shore to see what was happening. In an instant he knew who was out there. “It is Tucker!”
Soon the sight of shark fins could be seen everywhere in the midst of the battle between man and whale. Tucker looked feverishly around to spot the prized whale he had been hunting. Soon he got his wish as she surfaced with enormous strength. One of the boats, which already had a smaller whale in tow, came lunging sideways from the wave created by the female and went crashing into the side of the Callia. The men were able to stay aboard but still struggled with their catch. Soli immediately tied a monkey rope around his waist and ordered the men to lower him down.
“Get this one secure!” he screamed to the men. He bounced on the edge of the boat, trying to help the men steady the catch and the boat at the same time. He held the cutting spade steadily as he tried to secure lines to the whale.
Meanwhile the other three boats struggled to gain control of their catch while Tucker kept his sights on the thrashing female. They rowed every which way to try and trap her but she was too cunning and quick. Even with her sheer size, she was able to elude their every move and harpoon.
Soli secured one line, then two lines to the captured whale. As he hopped down to secure the last line to the tail, he slipped on the side of the boat and plunged into the water. He shrieked in terror
as he knew sharks were right there. Immediately he was pulled out and he regained his footing. If he could secure the last line, the whale could be pulled taut. In a flash, the female did a half breach again and sent wave after wave of thundering water towards Soli and his ship. The captured whale lunged and one of the lines whipped around just as before. But Soli was not quick enough and the line caught him right in the midsection and pinned him to the side of the ship. The captured whale was now held taut and ready for the killing iron. But in the melee the crew did not see that Soli was trapped in the line.
A man finally saw him and yelled out at the top of his lungs as another was about to thrust in the killing iron. “No!! It will crush him for sure!”
“Don’t!” Soli cried. “Don’t kill the whale!!” Soli tried to yell some more, but could no longer get the words out. Blood gurgled up his throat and into his mouth as his body buckled under the pressure.
Another man shrieked, “Cut the line! Cut the line!” He lunged forward and sliced the ropes on the taut lines and immediately Soli fell into the water. The captured whale lunged forward and snapped the other lines and swam free. “Get the boat away from the ship, or we will be broken apart!”
They tried to row about and get in position to rescue Soli, but the waves were too strong. Soli smashed against the side of the ship in a bloody heap. He gasped and choked on the water as he tried to stay afloat. The rowers inched closer to him and as they reached for him, a shark came darting between them and the ship. It chomped Soli directly in the belly and swam away with him as he screamed a blood-curdling scream. The men looked on, stunned and helpless.
The rest of the whalers were in a frenetic race to capture their prey or scuttle back to the ship. Tucker screamed out orders and cursed and swore as the raging sea made it almost impossible to do either. Tails and fins and bodies thrashed and spun about as the men began to lose control. Swells of ocean rolled in every direction and men screamed for their lives as it became clear the conditions were out of control.
But Tucker kept his eye on the wild female and maneuvered the boat between her and the ship. He could see she was tiring and the waves were starting to calm, so he saw one last opening to try and get harpoon lines on her. But in that moment she disappeared under the waves. Tucker looked everywhere anxiously. “Look alive, lads! She will come up anywhere!” At that instant, what happened next shocked and horrified Tucker and all of his men.
The sea swelled like a huge bulb of blood and black as the enormous whale came soaring into the night air in a full breach. From the shore of Lahaina the crowd gasped as they watched the stunning display. Tucker and his men stood helplessly and screamed as the massive whale came plunging down upon them in a thunderous, crushing blow. The tiny boat splintered under the colossal size of the female humpback and sent a tremendous burst of water in every direction as whale, fins and tail slapped the ocean in incredible fashion. The sound of the thundering boom echoed across the channel and could be heard on shore. People watched in shocked silence. After she disappeared into the depths, all that was left was a swirling mass of blood, wood and broken, dead bodies.
As the sun rose the next morning over the slopes of the West Maui mountains, the town of Lahaina slowly clambered to life once again. Talk was all around about what had happened the night before and many were still amazed at the startling loss of Captain Tucker and several of his men. Attached to the market wall was the second mate’s log of the ship Callia, showing the tally of the lay. Below the details were footnotes describing the rest of the expedition. One note simply read, ‘Harpooned, but escaped – 3.’ The last note read, ‘Death at sea – 8.’
William Richards strode along with another man down the main street of Lahaina and approached a colleague of his. “Good morning, Mr. Andrews! How are you this fine day, sir?”
“Splendid William, thank you.”
“Tragedy out on the water last night, I am afraid.”
“Yes, I heard. Such a shame it was,” Mr. Andrews replied. “Tragic, very tragic.” He noticed the dark-skinned man standing beside him. “And who might this be?”
“Lorrin,” William began, “I want you to meet my protégé who has been studying under me.”
“Hello, sir,” the man said to Mr. Andrews. “I understand you are the headmaster at the new school.”
“Yes I am! Mr. Richards has told me you would like to attend our school. I am pleased to hear this. My name is Lorrin Andrews. What is your name, my son?”
“Thank you, sir. David is my name. David Malo. A pleasure to meet you.”
Mr. Andrews shook his hand and said, “Well, David Malo. Let me show you to your new school.”
The End