Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1854-05-27
From the National Intelligencer.
THE KILLER WHALE.
WASHINGTON, A

MEssRs. EDIToRs In Lieut.. Mary's description of
the whale he made some remarks on a fish of the
above species called the killer The fish is desert
bed in "Porter's Journal of a Cruise in the Pa
cc." This fish is well known to the old salts of
the whaling trade and Pacific cruisers that have
always thought it equally we'll known to the scien-
tific Having than occasion been an
eye witness of the attacks of this fish the whale
l will attempt description of it.
The killer is the wolf of the ocean, and hunts in
packs, and their tail dorsal fin can be constantly
above the water This fish has always as a
companion, but swimming deeper, the sword fish,
and now and then can be seen the shark. On sight
ing their prey, which the killer sees at great dis
lance, the pack gives chase; the unconscious whale
is slowly moving near the surface, and occasionally
spouting, it in sport jets ofwatcr above him.
But he now suddenly sees the "seawolf" near him.
Instinct at teaches him that on the surface he
cannot be safe, and, taking in long breath, he
fukes; that is, dives. But there has been another
enemy watching him from the depths below, the
" swortl-fiSh," which darts at him with the We
loctv of lightning and perforates the whale beneath
with his long and spearlike This sends MIN
at once to the surface; here he again meets with his
enemy, the killer" but yet they are afraid to
approach him. The whale begins to see the
extent of his danger, and for time merely lashes
the water with his ponderous huke. He soon tires
OF this and remains for short time at rest the
pack now approach him, and he seeks safety in
flight. But what can he do? The poor whale has
a hump on his back and steers unStcadlv while the
killers tall and stiff flu steades him on his course
victim again he takes long breath and dives The
swordtish has steadily kept him in view; he too has
a tall fin and long slender propeng tail and while
is effort to the whale to increase his speed it is
but play to the sword-fsh, which again darts and
perforates his pray, and sends the wounded whale
again to the surface. The race again commences
but this time with diminished speed the killer hav
ing separated to watch the rise of the whale who
finding his enemies in every direction, courses in a
circle, and again makes third, and sometimes a
fourth attempt to escape by diving, but is always
met by the terrible spike of the sword fish, He at
last, weak exhausted and disprited, returns to the
surface, where he again attempts to escape by fight
Streams of blood marks 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 likelihood pouring OUT
and he is only increasing his weakness by the exer
ton, and merely lashing amidst his gore. Tired,
exhausted and faint, he rolls The deep red
streaks of blood flowing from large oriiccs in his
white belly can now be distinctly The hungry
pack now close, and one more bold than the rest
seizes him the throat and tears away the white
skin and fat; he opens his mouth and bellows with
pain. This is generally the signal for a combined
attack. His tongue isseized and torn from his mouth
so his eyes. The sword-fsh now rises to the
surface and his tall spearke protuberance is seen
the body of the whale the sharks al
so close in and feed the fat rejected by the kill
ers. lin this state the whale makes a few dying
struggles. The feast now commences and continues
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 sreaks of fat, while the killer pack accompanied
by their companion, the sword fish, again the
broad to seek another leviathan of the great
deep.
W. D. POTTER, U. S. Navy.