The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1869-08-26
Extraordinary Capture OF Whales
One hundred and SeVenty-Fiye
Whales Killed at the Hebrides.

A correspondent sends the following
remarkable account Of whale chase to
the London Times, under date Of July
23: This morning at about three
O'Clock, while sleeping on board nay yacht
in Stornoway harbor, [ was awoke by a
loud noise of men shouting and hammer
ing near the yacht. | went on deck i'm
mediately, when [ observed number of
men In three or four boats attempting to
drive shoal of large fish Numbering
perhaps 200) toward the shore The fish
which were evidently Of the whale spe-
cies, were blowing and constantly rising
to the surface of the water: they turned
toward the sea and were closely followed
by the boats which shortly turned them
again toward the mouth Of the harbor.-
The movement was repeated several
times, and after while some other boats,
well-manned, appeared. The scene now
became interesting, for the whales, beng
more hardly pressed, made a brilliant
dash for the sea. going away at a terrific
pace In straight course for the open
sea the speed appeared to be nothing
less than forty miles an hour, the water
rising in misty foam as they cut their
way through it.
The course the whales were taking left
little hope for the success Of their pursu-
ers, but coming upon a point of land that
shoaled the water, a sudden turn to the
right brought them again III the direc-
ton of the harbor; an hour or two soon
passed and the fishermen Of Stornway,
becoming aware of what was going on,
began to join in the chase, and dozen
boats were soon IN pursuit, the whales
now making away for the distant part of
the bay, and, again baffied by the pro
jecting points Of land bounding the
course Of the deep water, returned upon
their pursuers again and again. 1t was
now nearly nine clock, and it appeared
that every human being in the town was
bent on making the capture of so valuable
q prize. Boats containing men, women
and children focked 10 the scene Of ac-
ton, and soon fifty rowing and sailing
boats were engaged in the chase, and as
the rowers became exhausted by the ire
mendous exertion OF long-continued aud
fast rowing Of heavy boats. they were re
Ieved by relays from the people on the
shore the numerous fishermen who first
joined in the chase were replaced now by
bakers, butchers, masons, carpenters,
women and children. The shops were
closed and the town deserted and the
hunt continued. Ten eleven, twelve and
one o'clock came, and certainly, If the
inhabitants Of these islands are as perse-
vering and indetatigable always as they
have proved themselves to-day, they de-
serve to be the most prosperous people
In the world Not an instant were the
whales permitted to rest continually
haressed, from having been timid in the
extreme when first attacked, they now
became careless Of their enemy and al
lowed themselves to be struck by the oars
as they rushed past the boats to escape
from the various creeks into which they
had been pressed. 1t three o clock Z.
IN. they were dislodged from position
which they had maintained for several
hours in distant part Of the bay or out
er harbor, and were driven about mile
toward the inner harbor Again they
made several attempts TO escape, but by
an unlucky turn they rushed over shoal
ground, and now the most exciting time
Of the day came. Maddened by the DIFF
fculty Of moving III shallow water. the
whales dashed frautically from side to
side, raising the breakers as though a gale
had disturbed the water rocking the
small trading vessels to and fro as they
approached. The boats now began to
come up in numbers; the whales, blind
ed by the commotion they had created.
thickened the shallow water Having
kept closely united during the entire day,
the shoal now became divided; they
seemed, as it were, to become at once
beWildered, and allowed themselves to be
goaded by the boats to the shore, to be
dispatched, one by one, by the fisher
men.
| will not attempt to describe what is
still going on; suffice it to say that, so
far as | can judge, and from the opinion
of the fishermen, there will be at least
two hundred whales taken half of that
number are already killed, and as many
more are safe within the harbor. The
whales are, / believe, all of one kind,
known as the bottlenose species; they
measure In length from ten to twenty-one
feet. The fishermen will make great
gain by this prize, and they well deserve
1t. The chase from the first until the
whales were driven within the inner har-
Dor, lasted upward OF thirteen hours,
commencing at two o clock a. M, and the
first being killed soon after three p. N.
1t IS seventeen years since a shoal Of
whales has entered this bay so far The
event of to-day has been the most excit-
Ing thing | have ever seeu-a scene sell
dom witnessed, and one never to be for
gotten.
Since writing the above | learn that
one hundred and seventy five whales are
already killed. The value, | understand,
Is estimated at upwards of e700.