Butte record., 1855-09-08

young, called calves, and piloted by one
or more adult males, called bulls. The
females are called COWS As a general
rule, full-grown males either head the
schools or roam singly; sometimes a
number of males assemble in what is
called drove.
And now let us reyert to the chase we
are engaged in. See the school has
taken the alarm, and is off at the rate OF
eight miles or more an hour. Is 1t not a
beautiful and exciting spectacle to watch
these huge monsters tearing along on the
surface of the water, spouting vapor
from their spiracles like steam from the
valve of a steamboat, and leaving a
creamy wake behind them, almost equal
10 that of ship. Their movement is
easy and majestic, their heads being car
ried high out of the water, as though
they were conscious of being the mon.
archs of old Ocean. See, again there
is sperm of the largest size, which has
just leaped SO as to show its entire bulk
in the air-almost like a ship in size
What a crash and whirl of foam as it
falls into its native element! But we
gain on one fine fellow which our heads
man is steering for. Ay, now we are
within fair striking distance, and har-
poon is hurled by the brawny arm of the
harpooner in the bows, and pierces deep
into the cachalot's side. A second fol-
lows; and the wounded animal g YES a
convulsive plunge, and then starts off
along the surface at astonishing speed
dragging our boat along with it. You
observe that the whale-llne runs through
a groue lined with lead, and is secured
round logger>head. The 200 fahoms
of line will soon be all out, for the whale
is preparing to sound, or dive beneath
the surface. There he sounds and the
practiced harpooner has already bent on
a second line to the end of the FIRST
Well, he can not possibly remain above
an hour beneath the surface, and pro-
badly will rc-appear very soon. just as
we thought; and now we must haul gently
alongside, the officer in command stand
ing with his formidable lance poised ready
to dart on the first opportunity. That
blow is well planted more succeed, and
already the victim is in its last furry
Our watchIul rowers back water, to be
beyond reach of blow from the expir-
ing monsters tail or fukes. He now
spins round, spouting his life e-blood, and
crimsoning the sea far and near now
he turns over on his side, and the cheers
of the men proclaim their easy victory
While preparations are making to tow
the dead cachalot to the ship, permit US
to impart little further information con-
cerning the chase and capture of the
sperm-whale. You have beheld very
easy capturec but not unfrequently the
cachalot makes most determined resis-
tance, and with every appearance OF
being actuated by revenge, as well as by
the instinct of self-preservation, attempts
to seize and destroy a boat with its jaws,
In this it frequently succeeds. At other
times, it sweeps its tail rapidly through
the air, and suddenly bringing it down
on boat, cuts the latter asunder, and
kills some of the crew, or whirls them to
a great distance. Occasionally, SO far
from fleeing from approaching boats, as
the Greenland whale almost invariably
does, the terrible cachalot will boldly
advance to attack them, rushing open>
mouthed, and making every effort to
crush or stave them. Often will the ca
chalet turn on its side or back i and pro-
ject its long lower jaw right over boat
SO that the terrified crew have to lear
overheard, oars in hand. Sometimes il
rushes head-on at the boat, splintering il
beyond repair, or overturnlng it with al
on board. But what shall we say to q
cachalot attacking the ship itself, ant
actually coming off victor An enor,
nous cachalot rushed head-on, and twice
struck the American spcrm-whale shiI
Esser, so as to stave in the bows, and ths
ship was lost, the crew barely havin.
time to escape in the boats We refe
the reader who desires to know more o
the peculiar habits of the sperm-whale
to the books of Herman Melville, tn
| American sailor author, and of Mr.. Ben
nett. We may say few words more
however, on the subject of the danger
incident to the capture of the eachalol
The harpooner, especially, is liable to b