Notes On Literature, Science, And Art.

occasionally exclaiming , 'Oh pull , boys ! do pull ! ' Meantime the men in the boats are bending back to it , but the bow boat has the advantage ; she is the head boat . Mr . K ., is jumping up and down in the stern , crying , ' Once more , my hearties ; n-ive it to her ! a few more strokes , and we have him ; pull my ehildreu ! why don't you break your backbones , you rascals ? so ! there you are now ; that ' s the stroke for a thousandpounds ; Start her but keep cool ; cucumbers is the word ; easyeasy ;

, , only start her ! why don't you snap your oars , you rascals ? bite something , you dogs ! easy now , but pull ; oh you're all asleep ! stop snoring , and pull ; pull , will ye ? pull , can't ye ? pull , won't ye ? pull , and start your eyes out ! that ' s it : now you start her . ' Thus , one moment coaxing and the next scolding ; hut no one heeds him , as all are bent on taking the whale . ' Stand up ! ' shouted he ; and the boat-steerer rose to his feet , grasped

bis iron , and , as the boat neared the monster , 'Give it to him !' is the next cry , and ' chock to the socket' went the first iron , followed as quick as thought by the second . One deafening cheer , and the cry resounded over the waters , ' We are fast ! ¦ we are fast : ' The sea , which but a moment before lay still and quiet , with scarcely a ripple to break its even surface , is nowlashed into foam by the writbings of the whale . ' Stern all !' shouts the officer . The boat is immediately backed , and

removed from present danger ; the officer takes the head of the boat , and the boat-steerer takes the steering oar to manage the boat ; the whale is sounding , and the line is running through the ' chocks , ' or groove in the head of the boat , with the rapidity of lightning , and as it passes round the loggerhead it ignites from the heat produced by friction , but the tub-oarsman is continually dashing water upon it in the line-tub . The whale sounds deep , and the line is almost out ; a signal is made to the

other boats , which are coming down . They come near enough , and bend on their lines ; but presently it ceases running out and slackens ; the whale is coming to the surface again . All hands now commence to 'haul in line' as fast as he rises , and the boat-steerer coils it away , as fast as hauled in , in the sternsheets . He soon breaks water , and the boat is gradually hauled up to him . Another boat now fastens , and he again attempts to sound ; butbeing weakened bloss of bloodhe is soon at

, y , the surface again . The boats now draw alongside , and the officer of the first boat fast , prepares his lance . He darts it for his vitals ( just behind the fin ) , and the first one proves fatal , for in a moment more he shows the ' red flag ; ' the blood flows freely from the spout-hole in a thick , dark stream ; the sea is stained for some distance , and the men in the boats are coveted with the bloody spray , but glory in it . "

Correspondence.

CORRESPONDENCE .

The Editor is not responsible for the opinions expressed by Correspondents , PROVINCIAL GRAND CLOTHING . 10 THE EDITOR 01 ? TIIE FREEMASONS' MAGAZINE AND MASONIC MIRROR , DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —May I ask you to reconsider your repl y to " A Brother . " Iu your last number you

say : " A Provincial or Past Provincial Grand Officer is not entitled to wear his collar iu lodges out of the province of which he is or was au officer . " Now , on reference to page 50 of the Boole of Constitutions I find the rule in reference to Provincial Grand Officers to be as follows : — " They are not by such appointment , members of Grand Lodge , nor do they take any rank out of their district

though they are entitled to wear their clothing as Provincial Grand Officers or Past Provincial Grand Officers in all Masonic meetings . " Now , Mr . Editor , if they are allowed to wear their clothing as Provincial Grand Officers I cannot see by what authority they are not to wear collars ; it is very possible you are right , but , as W . M . of a lodge the questionwas asked me and I

inter-, preted the Constitutions in a different way , and I will of course correct it a . tour next meeting ; but I know you are asked so many questions that I thought you may have answered it with the meaning "that the collars gave rank " out of the district , which it is quite clear no Provincial Grand Officer has out of his district , although it would

Correspondence.

appear he is entitled as a matter of courtesy to wear his clothing , and I think that this permission includes the collar . I am , dear Sir and Bro ., fraternally yours , P . M . OF TWO LODGES . [ In reply to the above , and other correspondents on the same subject , we may observe—in stating last week

that a Prov . G . Officer was not entitled to wear his collar out of his province , we were , perhaps , a little in error . We should have said it is not usual ; aud though the Booh of Constitutions says that such officers " are entitled to wear their clothing in all Masonic meetings , " they would not be admitted into the highest Masonic

meeting ( Grand Lodge ) without the simple blue collar of their lodge . In all Provincial Grand Lodges it is but a mark of respect to wear the collar as well as the apron . Even the Past Grand Officers of England , when visiting lodges other than Provincial Grand Lodges as a rule dispense with wearing the collar . ]

The Hartley Colliery Disaster.

THE HARTLEY COLLIERY DISASTER .

TO THE EDITOR OS THE FREEMASONS MAGAZINE AND MASONIC MIRROR . SIR AND BROTHER . —There can be ' no doubt that universal sympathy is deeply felt for the survivors of the recent melanchol y disaster at the Hartley Colliery . In a case like this Freemasons surely will not stand by when one of their most cherished principles , Relief , is so urgently called into action ? I propose , then , a method which willif readily adopted bthe brethren

, y at large , raise a very considerable sum for the benefit of the widows and orphans . You , my dear brother , have often gone out of your way to assist the distressed , and to you I look on this' occasion . Our organisation is so perfect that we can , without the aid of Committees or Trustees , at once apply ourselves to the task of alleviating misfortune , and the

method I would suggest is the following .- — The nearest town to the fearful scene , in which there is a Masonic Lodge , is South Shields ; there the brethren of the St . Hilda ' s Lodge ( No . 292 ) meet , and through that lodge the subscriptions of the brethren all over the country , might be dispensed . The operations may be of the most simple character—merely the donation of one shilling ' s worth of postage heads each from the large body of Ereemasons in this country would amount to a

sum not to be despised , for your shilling is a very potent agent . Let , then , the scheme stand thus : —Every brother Mason , willing to hel p in so good a work , may address to Bro . HENRY GEORGE WARKEN , at the Offices of your MAGAZINE , a note enclosing his own , aud as many more shilling ' s worth of postage stamps as he can procure . Then you can forward the same to the W . M . of

292 ( I do not know a brother of that lodge , but I have that faith in my Masonic brethren that I feel they would gladly undertake to be the almoners of such a bounty ) , and the thing is done . You mi ght announce it amongst your Masonic Mems . thus : " Received postage stamps for the Hartley subscription up to this date £ s . d ., forwarded to the W . Mi of the Lod of St . Hilda

ge £ s . d . up to the same day ; " the space would not be grudged by you , I am sure , iu such a work of charity , and I think you would rejoice to be made the medium of doing so much good . I enclose my own stamps to commence with , and I am inclined to think so easy a method will be available , and promptly responded to by every one who can feel

for the stricken objects of this dire calamity . I am , dear Sir and Brother , one of your Fraternal admirers , believing in the power of numbers , each contributing ONE SHILLING . [ The shilling enclosed has been received . ]