The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-03-11
4 IICIOTS MONSTER.
The Sea Thrnsher, Sometimes Called the Sen
Villain.

To THE EDITOR OF TIE SUS-Sr. was
very much interested in Captain Nemo's letter
on the thrasher. which appeared in a recent
number OF THE SUN H. it. doubtless right in
saying that the thrasher has been frequently
mistaken Cor the sna serpent. As few arc per-
haps aware, right whales frequently find tleir
way into the Bay Of Fundy. and are there
captured. Tho bay Is also a fayorits resort
Tor the thrasher and the swordlsh. l have
heard old coasters say that tney had seen
thrashers forty Ave AMI fifty feet long. moving
with great velocity on the surface OF tho water
their heads raised ten AMI twelve feet above
Bal Of Funly lshorm n, in speaking Of them.
soy they are the greatest Of sea villains. Twenty
odd years ago one Of these sea monsters got
caught on n sand bar, whore he was left 10y the
rapid falling Of the tide in the Cumberland
branch of the Bay Of Fundy. and was killed
blythe people on shore after an eNritin. struggle
lie measured forty-six feet in length. A. Capt
Memo saws. tho head is fat and sorpent-lke.
the eyes almost red, with ugly white circles over
them. Indeed. nothing could be more rcpulsiye
than tho head of this sea monster The only
olhrr sen villain thoy are known to fraternl2s
with Is the swurdhsh Both are well KIN, nNn 10 old
coa7lrrs and ilshermen as tho deadly enemy of
the whale; and 1t is the common belief that they
hunt IN couples. Nnl on finding the whale mike
imncdlat" war thu sw,rdiish attacking beneath
AMI the thrnshcr ON top.
"A
hugo wnnpnn, very like a slodgc hammer pro-
irullug from his mouth. With which he admin
listers ON ihr whales back tlOse t'rrihll blows
you can hnHr ten or twelve miles distant |
have myself stood On "a blum overlooking tho
liny of funly. and witnessed three of these tor
rihln battles between a whale and his enemins
the sWordiish ana the thrashor. The sWordnsh
dld his deadly work undcrneath. WHILE rs Can't
Memo says the thrlshrr cOilcd himself hi. if
over the whnle, and applied the blows with Ms
ponderous tail. In the distance however The
thrashcr seems to raise and let his Weapon fan
very much IA blao ksmiths helper hnnilos his
sledge. You could see tho weapon rise md
fall; you could hear the blows distinctly, al
though the distance was beloved 10 be moi less
thdn, ton miles from Shore and You
could, also hear tho whale below and
see him blow, On one OF these oc-
caslons. the terrible contest lasted nearly three
hours, the winter in the vicinity being red with
blood, About every fifteen or twenty minutes
the whale would disappear in, an attempt to ~
cape from his enemies; but they would quickly
pursue him and force him TO the surface whore
tho combat would be renewed.
These two sea villains, the swordlsh and
thrashor invariably kill the whale when they
get him into close quarters and ~ soon ms tho
combat coases. which can DO clearly soen by
the whales body floating motionless. the
thrashIr will proceed to clear water where,
raising his serpent-like head In triumph, ton
twelve, and fifteen feet above the surface he will
continue for llfteeh and sometimes twenty min
utes lashing the sea into foam. COLUMBIA
WASHINGTON March 8, 1877.