Thibodaux minerva. [volume] (Thibodaux, La.) 18??-1858, 1854-06-03
From the National In!eIligencer.
The Killer Whale.

c,;ntion ofthe whale he made some remarks
IN fish of the above species called the
t;ll.r. This fish is described in "Poter's
Iournai of Cruise in the Pacific.o This
fsh is so well known to the old salts of the
whaling trade and Pacific cruisers that
have always thought it equally we'll known
to the scientific. Having on more than one
occasion been an eyewitness of the attacks
ofthis fish on the whale, will attempt a
description OF 1t.
The killer is the wolf of the ocean, and
hunts in packs; and their tall dorsal fin 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-
scous whale is slowly moving near the
surface, and occasionally spouting, as it
were in sport, jets of water above him. But
he now sudden y sees the "sea wolff near
him. Instinct at once teaches him tina: on
the surface he cannot be safe, and, taking
LONG breath, he hukes; 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 spear-lke nose
This sends him at once to the surface; here
he again meets with his enemy the :: kiler; :"
but as yet they are afraid to approach him
The whale now beg ms to see the extent of
his danger, and for time merely lashes
the water with his rondurous hnke. He
soon tires of this and remains for short
time at rest; the pack now approach him
aud he seeks safety in flight. But what can
he do! The poor whale has hump on his
back and steers unsteadily, while the killers
tail and stiff fin steadies him on his course
Nearer and nearer approaches the pack to
their victim; again he takes long breath
and dives. The sword-fish has steadily kept
him in view; he too has tall fin and long
slender propeling tail and while it is an
effort to the whale to increase his speed, it
is but play to the sword-fsh, who again darts
and peItdrates his prey, and sends the
wounded whale again to the surface. The
race again commences, but this time with
diminished speed, the killers having sepe-
rated to watch the rise of the whale, who
finding his enemies in every direction,
courses in circle, and again makes third,
and sometimes fourth attempt to escape
by diving: but is always met by the terrible
spike of the sword-fish He 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 follow steadily after him,
until he stops and begins to lash and make
the ocean foam around him; but now large
and he is only increasing his weakness BY
own gore. Tired, exhausted, and faint, he
lie no b. f
flowing from large oriices in his white belly
can now be distinctly SEEM 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 bellows with pain. This is gen.
orally the signal for a combined attack His
tongue is seized aud torn from his mouth
so are his eyes, The sword-fsh now rises
10 the surface, and his tall SPARKLE protube-
rance 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 a few dying strug-
gles The feast now commences and con-
tinues until the fat and sufficient flesh is |
stripped 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
tat, while the killer pack. accompanied by
their companion, the sword-fish, rove again
the broad ocean 10 seek another levathan
OF the great deep. w. d. PORTER, U.S.N.
LOUIS NAPOLEON AND THE SULTAN DEs-
cENDED FROM AMERICAN ANCEsToRs.-The |
past history of the families of Louis Napo-
leon and the Sultan of Turkey is full of in
teresting and marvellous incidents; some of
which, are, probably, not generally known
to our readers.
These two monarchs, now so cordially |
united in the struggle to maintain the nte-
gritty OF the Ottoman empire are both grand |
sons of American ladies. These ladies' were |
born and raised in the same neighborhood,
on the island of Martinique, one of the West |
Indies. They were Of French origin, and
companions and intimate friends in child
hood and youth. They were Josephine de
Tascher and Miss S.
The history of Josephine is generally
known. She went to France, and was mar
ned to M. de Beanharnais, by whom she
had son, Eugene, and daughter, Hor-
tense. Some time after the death of Beau
harnais, Josephine was married to Napoleon
Bonaparte, and became Empress of France.
Her daughter, Hortense, was married to
Joseph 'Bonaparte, then King of Holland,
and the present Emperor Of France is her
son by that marriage.
Miss S. quilted the Island of Martinique
some time before her friend But the vessel
that was carrying her TO France was attack
q and taken by the Algerine Corsairs and
the crew and passengers made prisoners.
But this Corsair ship was in turn attacked
and pillaged by Tunis pirates, aud Miss S.
was carried by them to Constantinople, and
offered for sale as slave. Her extraordina-
y beauty and accomplishments found her a
purchaser in the Sultan himself; and she
soon became the chiet lady Of Seraglio and
sulianess Of Turkey. Mahmoud II. was her
g son, and the present Sultan, Abdul Medjid, is
The son of Mahmoud.
Thus the two sovereigns who now occupy
% large space in the worlds eve are
grandsons Of two American creole girls
who were playmates in their youth; and
were as remarkable for their beauty and
excellent dispositions, as for their varied and
singular fortunes.
Both these women, in the height of their
power, remembered all the friends of their
youth, and provided munifcently for their
welfare. Many of the relatives of this Sui
'aiess left the Island Of Martinique, and
Nl'led at Constantinople, where their des-
cendants still reside, and enjoy the favor of