Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1854-05-26
The Killer W hale.
" WAsHINGToN. Arril 2

W AsHlNGToN, April -.
Messrs. EDIroRs In Lieut. Maury's de-
scriptiun OF the hale he made some remarks
on Il fish Of the above species called the Kill
LER. This fish is described in "Portcr' Jour
nal of Cruise in the Iuciic' This fish i,
50 we'll known to the old salts Of the whaling
trade and Pacific cruisers that | have always
thought it equally well known to the scien-
tinc. Having ON more than one occasion
been an eyewitness Of the attacks Of this
fish on the whale, | will attempt descrip-
ton of it,
The killer is the wolf Of the ocean, and
hunts, in packs, and their tall dorsIl fin can
be constantly seen above the water. This
fish has always as IL companion. but swimming
deeper, the sword-f FISH, and now and then can
be seen the sba,k. On sighting their prey,
which the killer sees at great distance, the
pack gives chase the unconscious whale is
slowly moving near the surface, and occasion
ally sloutins, as it We're in sport, jets of wa
ter above him. But he now suddenly sees
the "sca-wOli' near him. Instinct at once
teaches him that on the surface he cannot be
safe, and, taking in II long breath, he lukes;
that j., dives. But there has been another
enemy watching him from the depths below.
the 'sword-fSh," which now darts at him
YdR {hg ,.l9ci.y Of hg9tg.q55 an! Bsrisora}fis i
like nose. This sends him at once to the sur
face here he again meets with his enemy,
the "kilcr;' bat "a, yet they are afraid to
approach him. The whale now begins to see
the extent of his danger, and for time mere
ly loslrs the water with his ponderous tiuke.
lie soon tires Of this, and remains for a
short time at rest the pack now approach
him, and he socks safety in flight. hut what
can he do The poor whale has a lump On
his back, and steers unstcadily, while the
killers tall and stiff fin stcadilS him on his
course. Nearer and nearer approaches the
pack, to their victim again he takes Il long
breath and dives The sword fish has stcadi-
ly kept him in view he too has tall fin and
long. slender propelling tail and while il is
an effort to the whale to increase his speed ii
is but play to the sword-ish, which again
darts and perorates his prey, and sends the
wounded whale again to the surface. The
race again commences, but this time with di-
minishcd speed the killers having separated
to watch the rise Of the whale who, finding
his enemies in every direction. courses in Il
circle. and again makes third and some
times IA fourth, attempt to escape by diving
but is always met by the terrible spike of the
sword-iish. lie at last, weak. exhausted and
dispirited, returns to the surface, where he
again attempts escape by flight. Streams OF
blood mark his course his enemies still fol-
low steadily after him, until he stops and be-
gins to lash and make the ocean foam around
him but now large streams of his liic-blood
are pouring out, and he is only increasing his
weakness by the excrtOn, and merely laShing
amidst his own gore. Tired, exhausted. and
faint. he rolls over The deep red streakS OF
blood flowing from large oriiiccs in his white
belly can now be distinctly seen. The hung
ry pack now close, and one more bold than
the rest scizes him near the throat and tears
away the white skin and fat; he opens his
mouth and bellows with pain. This is gone
rally signal for IL combined attack. Ills
tongue is seized and torn from his mouth; 50
are his eyes. The sword-tsh now rises 10 the
surface, and his tall spar-likc protuherance is
seen projecting over the body of the whale
the sharks also close in and feed on the fat
rejected by the killers In this state the
whale makes few dying struggles, The
feast now commences aud continues until tho
fat and sufficient flesh is stripped of to cause
the carcasc to become too heavy to iloat on
the surface and it sinks lhc shark is left t,
enjoy his few streaks Of fat, while the kill,i
pack, accompanied by their companion, tn,
sword fish, rove again tie broad ocean t. se,l
another leyiathan OF Tie great deep.
". u. PORTER, [. :. Navy.