Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1854-05-05
IFrom the National Inieliigeneer-
-T-ha KILLER Whale


WAsniSGroS, April 27th.-Alessrs. Ediiors'-
In Lieut. Manry'- description Of the whale ne
! made some remarks "a fish of the above speeies
called the killer. This fish is described IN 'Iof
| ier's Journal of a Cruise in the Paeihe.' ih,s
| fish Is 80 well known to the old salts OF the Nha
ing trade and Pacific cruisers, that have al
ways thought it equally we'll known to the seien-
/ tife Having on more than one occasion beeh
/ an eyewitness of the attacks Of this fish on the
! whale will attempt description OF IT.
! The killer i the wolf of the ocean, and hunts
in pack and their tall dorsal fin be constant
" seen above the water. This fish has always a
companion, but swimming deeper the .hsh'
and now and then be seen the shark. on
sighting their prey, which the killer sees at a
great distance the pack gives chase; the uneon-
scous whale is slowly moving near the surface
and occasionally spouting, it were IN sport,
lets of water above him. But he now suddenly
sees the '.sea-wof'' near him. Instinct at once
teaches him that on the surface he cannot be safe
aud, taking in bong breath, he flukes; that Is
dives.
But there has been another enemy watching
him from the depths below; the ''sword fish,"
which now darts at him with the velocity OF
lightning and perforates the whale beneath with
his long and spear like nose. This sends him
ut once to the surfaee here he again meets with
his enemy the ''killer;' but as yet they are AFRAID
to approach him. The whale now begins to see
lashes the water with his ponderous fuke. lie
soon tires of this, and remains for a short time at
rest the pack now approach him, and he seeks
safety in flight. But what can he dol The poor
whale has hump on his back and steers un-
steadily, while the killers tall and stiff fin stead
les him on his course. Nearer and nearer ap-
proaches the pack to their victim again he takes
a long breath and dives. The sword fish has
steadily kept him in view; he too has h tall fin
aud long slender propeling ta and while 1t is
an effort To the whale to increase his speed. 1t Is
but play to the sword-fish, which again darts and
perforates his prey, and sends the wounded whale
again to the surface. The race again common
ces, but this time with diminished speed, the
killers having separated to watch the rise of the
whale, who, finding his enemies in every dlrec.
ton, courses in "A circle, and again makes third
and sometimes fourth attempt to escape by div
diving, but is always met by the terrible spike of
the swordfsh. He at last, weak, exhausted, and
dspired, returns to the surface, where he again
attempts escape by flight.
Streams of blood mark his course; his enemies
still follow steadily after him, until he stops and
begins to lash and make the ocean foam around
him; but now large streams of his lfe-blood are
pouring out, and he is only increasing his weak
ness by the cxertion, and merely lashing amidst
his own gore. Tired, exhausted, and faint, he
rolls over The deep red streaks of blood flow
ing from large orihces in his white belly can now
be distinctly seen. The hungry pack now close,
and one more bold than the rest seizes him near
the throat and tears away the skin and fat he o.
pens his mouth and elbows with pain This is
generally the signal for "a combined attack. His
tongue Is seized and torn from his mouth; SO
his eyes. The sword-fish now rises to the sur
face, and his tall SPARKLE protuberance 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 dy-
ing struggles. The feast now commences and
continues until the fat and sufficient flesh is strip
ped off to cause the carcase to become too heavy
to float on the surface and sinks. The shark is
left to enjoy his few streaks of fat, while the Kill
Ter pack, accompanied by their companion, the
swordtsh, again the broad ocean to seek
another leviathan of the great deep.
w. ID. PORTER, u. 5. Navy.