Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1873-04-08
WHALES AND w IL 4 Ii n &.
From the Boston Transcript.

Ocean currents are thought to have much tc
IN with the migration Of the sperm whale, tC
,L,t from their t, undncSs Tor warm latitude.
and warm water warm current is Inferred
though uouc may be known to exist where
they are found iu the higher ATTITUDES. The
sperm whale, being found in the extra troplca
South Atlantic, has suggested the inquiry
whether there may not be a current 10 the re
ZION of it's haunls, and whence it comes, whc.h
cr from the intcr.ropical regions OF the Atlantic
or from the Indian Ocean, or is II Il branch q
The Laane!la current, which sweeps around tie
Cane Of Good Hope towards the line. On tn,
roa.ts of Chill and Terra de Fuego, where We
have been taught to believe IL the existence OF
= c,,d current, the resort Of the 81 erm whale
seems an anomaly in its habits, which further
Investigation may clear up. Wien found 10
these nc, an currents, the sperm whale Is IL
cariably seen heading them ; where strong. 1t
* thought iu order to meet the bait aud TODD
that IS brought along by them. Near the
Euuator, where the currents are always 1ound
setting to the wcstward' the "nal4s arc gcnet'I-
~ found stemming them and heading towards
the eastward.
SPEED OF WHALES.
When upmolested the velocity Of these ami
mails is not more than three miles an hour, but
when they are alarmed or closely pursued they
,r,. capable Of swimming at the rate OF from
,., or twelve miles, but never 60 l@ng at that
racr, soon diminishing their speed to four or
five When alarmed, aud golug at their great
G., velocity, they SWIM head out. DR.. Ben
net, says they will tow toat at the rate ui
fifteen mcs an hour, but not long, and under
ordinary alarm their speed averages eight to
ten miles au hour. Their greatest rapldity OF mo-
ton is produced by the alternate strokes OF the
tail against the water upwards and down
wards bu: their more ordinary progression IS
effected by an oblique lateral aud downward
impulse first on one side and then on the other,
as boat is impellcd forward by the scu.llng
motion OF IA single car. This extraordinary or
yan is not placed vertically as in fishes, but
horizontally, and the admirable adaptation OF
such Il pcculiarity in this position to the re-
quircrucnts of the animal forms fresh and
beautiful illustration OF the perfection Of crca-
tive wisdom. Breathing atmospheric air,
whales are nccc> STATED to come to the surface
for each respiratioG They can breathe no
more in water continually than man an,and re-
qurc an oar Of ipcoucevable power, the posi-,
t,on Of Which APPLIES its impulse IN verilcsl
direction, so n to impc their pondcrous bodies
ir,m the lowest depths Of the ocean 10 the sur
face every time that their lungs require to be
repleuished with fresh air.
RIGHT AND SPERM WHALES,
though sometimes seen near each other on the
borders of that ocean empire whlch nature
seems to have assigned to each, never NIX,
minglc, associate or fight. They are, indeed,
different aumals; as different as are the COW
and the horse. Their food and structure are
entirely different. They occupy distinct parts
orthe ocean world and have no affinity for each
other, only agreeing in size Even their nll or
fat for which they are chased, Is OF widely
different quantity and quality.
The principal object Of the pursuit and cap
,urc of the sperm whal lc is the curious sub
stance contained in their head, aGd from
whence they derive their name. Their body
does not yield so large proportion OF bubbcr
as ether whales, and their mouth, instead OF
the valuable whalcbonc of the right whale, is
supplied with teeth. the ivory Of which though
OF ine texture, as, from its yellow color, OF but
tl!t!ng value
MALE AND FEMALE WHALES.
The male and female sexes of the whale are
designated as bulls and cows by whalemep,
and it is the COWS and their young of the sperm
whale tha, are found in herds, always accom-
panied ly one large "buIl," or schoolmaster,
u, lie is often termed by the whale hunters.
lie seems to reign over the herd, and his head
l>aIwty> found covered with scars, tho results,
IN the opinion of whalcmen, of battles fought
y hlm with others of his own sex iu defence OF
Ills own herd, The males when full grown are
ont rl all proportion, the largest being at least
WW ,wcs the bulk of the tul-grown COW OF
'l 'I"'''c' hey are often found alone gong
A','''S' always alone in search of their food, and
S "",'' 'uuS lHund 10y themselves arc lncautlouS
I'o caSl'y Killed. When on duty with their
"rlu ,''y are alert 10 danger and less easily ap-
t;afncu. l"nlg m:lcS are found in the herds
a. y 'aS ocen expressed 10y an old whalcr, as
L,!!s "l'" yrs 20 to school together, aud as
s 'Pp'"aeh maturcr aye separate. lu their
I,r r'Ai stages OF growth these young males will
'' 'uulu III SloaS, all very nearly of size some
>,'V''> yielding twenty and thirty and forty, or
, v,Sn is much as fifty barrels Of oil to each
. %"ae' \ iu grown male will yield from ninety
n'e 10 one hundred and twenty barrels OF oil or
'''" "'"o 10 $500 gallons OF OIL which at a
'''' 10" valuation is worth as many dollars.
TIE uSERRING EXAcrNEss
"''n which the sperm whale will pursue his
WY across the trackeSs ocean for whole day
u!'n' dcvlatlng from his course u single point
~ "!e compass, as whalcmcn have often re-
NAKED them to do. is truly astonishing. The
,;a"'cr III which their reason or instinct guides
j,'u' on such an unvarying course must needs
conjecture. May it not be that their
r,, n',ml organs being as we'll adapted to the
,I~S'y element in which they move as ours are
taa,t aI' they, are able to penetrate the watc.ry
8 p; iTGS iHIS and recesses and arc guided by the
,n ,,So'e Objects beneath them? Without some
;"" guidance no animal, not even that reason
m% Wy creature man himself, can long pursue an
n1"ai,aryylng course. Ius,iuct may urge au ami
n'' nn ~hen to move, but something discerua5le
,r n,"> Md Its way through the deep with such
PRECISION. He,
Whose creating hand
Nothing imperfect or deficient lett