The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1854-06-28
The Whale killer.

Wv" ny" 80 washington, Lieut.. Maury's
paper on the newly described fish was given,
as also the notes from old " Trndescentn bv
Dr. Hamcl, of ST. Petersburg, on the same
fish. The following letter on the same sub
ject we find in the National Intelligencer:
"In Lieutenant Maury's description of the
whale, he made some remarks on a fish Of
the above species called the "Killcr". This
fish Is described in "Porter's Journal of n
Cruise in the Pacific. This fish is so 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-
tifc. Having on more than one occasion
been an eye witness Of the attacks Of this
fish on the whale will attempt description
of il.
The killer is the wolf of the ocsan and
hunts in packs, and their tall dorsel find can
be constantly seen above the water. This
fish has always as companion, but swim
ming deeper, the sword fish, and now and
then can be seen the shark. On sighting
their prey, which the killer sees at a great
distance, the pack gives chase; the uncon-
scious whale is slowly moving near the sur
face, and occasionally spoutiug, as it were
IN sport, jets Of water above him. But he
suddenly now sees the "Sea-wolf" near him.
Instinct at once teaches him that IN the
surface he cannot be safe, and taking in q
long breath, he fiukes, 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 at
once sends him to the surface; here he A.
gain meets with his enemy the killer; but
as yet they are afraid to approach him.
The whale now begins to see the extent
OF his danger, and for time merely lashes
the water with his ponderous fluke. lie soon
tires of this, and remains for short time at
rest; the pack now approaches him, and he
seeks safety in fight. But what can he doi
The oor whale has hump on his back and
steers unsteadily, while the killers tail and
stiff fin steadies him on his course. Ne rer
and nearer approaches the pack to their vic
tim; again he takes long breath and dives.
The sword-fsh has steadily kept him in Wow;
no too, has tail fin, and long slender pro.
Pelling tail; and while it is an effort to the
whale to increase his speed, Il is but play
for the sword-fish, which again darts and per.
Porates his prey, and sends the wounded
whale again to the SUFFICE. The race again
comnenccs, but this time with diminished
speed, the killers have separated to watch
the rise of the whale, who, finding his enc.
mics in every direction, courses in a circle
and again makes third, and sometimes a
fourth attempt to escape by diving, but 1.
always met by the terrible pike of the sword
fish. He at last, weak, exhausted and dis.
pirited, returns to the surface, where he At
tempts escape by fight. ~ sFf-sst
Streams of blood mark his course: his
enemies still follow steadily af or him until
he stops, and begins to lash and makes the
ocean foam around him; but large streams
OF his life blood are now pouring out, and he
II only increasing his weakness by the exer.
tion' and merely iashing amidst his own gore.
Tired exhausted and faint, he rolls over.
The deep red s,reaks Of blood flowing from
large orifaces 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 white
skin and fat; he opens his mouth and bel
lows with pain. This is centrally the sig.
nal for combined attack. His tongue is
seiXed and torn from his mouth 40 are his
eyes from his head. The sword. fisb now
rises to the surface, and his tall, spar-lik.
protruberance is seen projecting over the
body Of the whale; the sharks also close in,
and feed on the fat rejected by the killers
The feast now commences, and confines
until the fiat and sufficient flesh is stripped
of to cause the carcass to become too heavy
to float on the surface, and II sinks. The
shark Is left to enjoy his few streaks of fat
while the killer pack, accompanied by their
companion, the sword-fsh rove again the
the broad ocean. 10 seek another levithian
Of the great deep.
w. ID. PORTER, u s. N.