The National tribune., 1882-03-11
A WHALE HINT.

when within two hundred yards of the
whale we saw that the little black thing by
the monsters side was her calf CAPTAIN
Mariana, seeing fair mark. quickly fired
the swivel gun. A sharp report followed
and the boat quiveTed under the shock for a
full half minute. Following the sound the
! harpOOn could be seen cieaving the twenty
tathons Of space between tire boat and the
| whale, III which it was buried OFT of sight
just below the right fore fin. Following and
attached TO the steel missile was some two
| hundred feet of the stout line cOiled in the
DOW, which bore the appearance of flash
OF dark brown lightning as it zigzagged
through the air after its powerful motor
Inc wounded leviathan lay almost notion
less for period of twenty seconds, as if
| unable to comprehend the nature of the
| attack, and then, with q snort, ike the puff
OF locomotive, she descended beneath the
surface at rate that made the MANILA line
smoke and emit sparks of fire as it ran out
over the bows
Suddenly the movement stopped; the
men bent to their oars, ready to pull in
either direction at the first sight of the in
visible monster. Captain Mariana peered
uneasIly into the blue depths forward, the
boat steerer performing a similar Office
astern. "Pacha pratrisI" (back ALL sud-
denly shouted the Captain, and the five oars
men sent the boat astern inst in time to
clear by couple Of fathoms the black, ugly
hulk OF the infuriated whale, as it rose to
the surface and spOuted twin columns Of
water forty feet in the air, bucket or two
OF the briny fluid seeking out the back of
the reporters neck for resting place as it
descended. Before the animated waterspout
could repeat the dose the boat was out of
range; both of his fre-extinguishing ap-
paratus AID his terrible fukes which were
now beginning to thrash tie water with
violence that created cloud of foam.
This performance lasted for two OF three
minutes, during which the Captain was
unable to obtain a safe shot at the whale
with the bOmb-gun, which he raised to his
shoulder more than once only to lower it
again in despair. Suddenly the tail ceased
It's exercise, and the next instant q Jerk was
felt that buried the bow of the boat in
'HANN N"P HGtAoSO ny tHS IiSuIUlHU-llE9
descent Of the whale Barely had the
stanch craft righted itself after the shock
than second tug was felt, and before the
despairing reporter could offer up fear-in-
spired prayer the boat was dashing through
the water at a terrible rate. The speed was
frightful, and for ten minutes the water
stood wall fully eighteen inches above the
fOrx u u. Il.
the velocity preventing even single drop
from entering the interior.
At the end of the time mentioned fully
four miles of the distance between where
the animal was struck and the mead of the
bay had been covered, and the speed of the
living tug began to slacken through ex-
haustion. Finally it ceased altogether, and
after spouting a strong jet of blood-red tinge
the stricken mother once more sounded.
Her stay underneath the waves was of short
duration, and on reappearing on the surface
her movements were only sufficient TO keep
the gigantic carcass af0at. Pulling up to
within five fathOms of the whale the men
rested on their oars. Ten seconds later Cap
tain Mariana had his chance; Il second ex-
plOsion was heard, and, the rubber-winged
bomb buried itself III the mass of blubber.
Scarcely had the smoke cleared away from
the bow, when the mul1led boom of the
bomb, exploding In the historical residence
Of Jonah, sounded the death-knell of the
old humpback. The victims huge bulk
once more became animated, and the deadly
lukes kShed the water as the whale strug-
gled in the thrOes of death. The water
'pouts changed into bloCd-spoCts, and grew
smaller and smaller as the struggles became
more contracted, until finally, with one last
effort, the leviathan rolled on it's back and
expired. The reporter heaved q sign of
,elief and heartily joined in the crews shout
If victory, which was answered from the
'ther boats, by this time only few fathoms
iistant.-Sdn Francisco Chronicle
NATURES LAW.