The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1865-09-08

from the IpYerness adyerti.tr. /,


On Wednesday morning an extraordinary
capture Of whales was made in the Cromarty
Firth. close By the town Of Dingwa1 On the
previous afternoon large shoal df these gi
ganue creatures, afterwards aseertAined to be
oil the boitle.nosc species, had beefi observed
sporting themselves in the water dbout half a
mile distant from Invergorion Harbor. and
were Immediately pursued by btats full of
eager crews from Invergorion. Saltburn, Bal
linEraid, the object OF the pursuers being to
run them into shallow water aud sd and them.
The hsh, however, kept compaeilt together.
all the ,Thile moving backwards anil forwards
abou, the centre of the channel. which Is very
deep, for the space Of four or fve banrs, and
several shots We're fred at them from the
boats without af,y visible effect Ultimately.
ahoa. SLY 0 clock in the evening. they took a
start up the Firth whittier they WIRE CLOSELY
followed By the boats. and hot chase en-
sged. The tide at this time was dn the ebb.
and there was every chance Of thd fish being
driven into shallow water The scene was
animating in the extreme. The phrsned ar
rived AT Novel Bay about eight q, 4iock, hav-
ing succeeded II keeping the fish ahead Of
them al' the time, although the frightened
creatures took many turns and wifings, as
IT IN the cndeavor to escape down the Firth.
Tor keep in tho greatest possible depth Of
water. The water, however, at this point. is
extremely shallow in some places aud as a
stray hsh got separated from It's companions.
1t inevitably went aground and wds immedi-
ately surrounded by some of the boats. the
crews of which, armed with all sorts of weap-
ons. from shovel TO a crowbar, hade short
work of the poor victim. In THIS way good
many were captured fnsn between the shore
OF Fewlis ond the opposite coast all the way
down to Dngwall, Night did NOT stop the
operations Of those who had engage Jed in pur-
sni;- Love of sport and the chanee of gam
combined acted as strong incenhys 20 the
pursuers, and those who wers not fortunate
enough to strand their whales previously.
pushed On 10 ths head of the Firth, gathering
strength all the way, until perfect little tlo-
'illa OF fishing cobles, rowing and sailing
boats, and pleasure yachts, had arrived at
Dingwall. The night was clear and fayora
BILE. Shortly after twelve o'clock and early
in the morning, thosa If the shoal who had
managed to get this length grounded in the
mud and sand opposite the burgh, facing to
the northeast. Ii was now that the work be-
gan in right earnest. A number Of the towns
people were prepared for what was likely to
happen, and hastened to the scene gen
eral massacre ensued, and was continued un-
til a late hour In the morning, when no less
than thirty-six whales were found to have
been killed in this way, some Of the fish as
large ~ twenty feet, and one, we are assured,
no less than twenty eight feet long, but by far
the greater number being from fifteen feet to
eighteen. The total number captured. includ
ing those on the other parts of the Firth and
on the coast, is estimated at between fifty and
sixty, and it is confidently asserted that but
few, if any, of the shoal succeeded in making
their psCane