Springfield globe-republic. (Springfield, Ohio) 1884-1887, 1886-11-21
asAYeAcK WHALES.
How They Are Hunted In Marguerite
Ray.


in calling the old and young of the whale
For two weeks the Henry was "kedged'
through a succession Of long lagoons. sepa
rated from the ocean only 10y narrow strips OF
beach. Hundreds Of low, green islands were
dotted about, cutting them up into labyrinths
Of natural canals. At intervals of five or six
miles were openings leading into the breakers.
! These were doors 10y which the mother whales
entered their nursery. They came from the
outer ocean regularly in January, brought
forth their young, and remained until May
or thereabouts, when the calf" was sutii-
cieutly strong 10 brave the more turbulent
waters Of the Pacific.
We worked up" TO one lagoon through a
most crooked channel It was necessary u
indicate it by stakes planted at low water.
| Sometimes but u few hundred yards would
| he gained during an entire day. At ebb tide
| vast flats of hard, white sand were left bare
| for miles on either side OF US. We could jump
from the schooner's rail On dry land. The
| Henry at such times would be heeled over in
most uncomfortable manner especially for
| the unfortunate individual whose duty it was
TO attend to the culinary affairs Of the vessel
| in kitchen inclined at all angle of forty-five
degrees.
There were twelve vessels in the bay that
| season. Each captain agreed 20 occupy a
separate lagoon, and take his chance OF such
| fish as he might find there without interfering
with the rest
Viewed as a business" this occupation was
legitimate and right In the light OF hu-
manity il was murderUus. These mother
whales came TO this sheltered retreat n nurse
their children They had the same maternal
love which pervades all forms Of animated
nature. Close about the vessel the COWS
might be seen rolling, tumbling and playing
in giant and clumsy fashion with their
calves They sacrificed themselves for their
young We never struck COW whale unac-
companied by calf Because in such case
they ran the line out too quickly. They
would gain the passages also and We dared
rot allow ourselves to be towed by them
through the angry rollers ON the bar.
1t is impossible to kill the grayhaCks in
deep water as with the right or sperm
whale. They dive too deep and stay under
too long. But i'll this nursery the hunted
mother would not desert her young She
SWAN slowly when chased that the feeble
offspring might keep up with her SO, in
such case, there was more time for the lance
TO do its murderous work. She would bear
repeated thrusts, and seek only to get away.
Sometimes, by accident, tine calf was
wounded Then, on her part, the instinct FOR
battle and revenge sugplanted that OF flight.
The whalemen used to say that the Cow
could smell the calls blood when thus
drawn, no matter though it might lie yards
behind. An infurlated dam provoked in
this manner once chased one of our boats
~ ,'r !, 80" piei ce'
'ue IN-i' ut' iS sue 'ci Ner anu ,nui nliis
-lt 'nl '',I .''' s'iit M am
nS"u WI ~ '"' -, ''e" ID" ''ia'
o''o -lIe'' leA anu t"i AHA'
- A. "'- So >''' Vi 4''
80 iio'' '"N .t me-
.s.S-I 80 Vi Vi NJ"
iLu o1iie siipo.lii' 'n' ""'ei d. tL'
" :. LILY ~ = p''
.osl,o -'t aI .eeu'l. y. 1,I'7t " en-
'iir "o''' .lo VI '''e
u N'7'V 'esi Foi .uha'e'1 tue snoi aiiu
LAM" :. ""'ei "u' "a a le" S.'uS Instant
was d 'r,Se i"oe ue siea' oIaek mass
INNS s''',' W go ~ was "'t
ieT' ''"-r LUZ ,''' s,'' 'ie'i 'Iie ""'e'
'l,O' ''i.''e aii'iiiais MO"
"vu NO" many iee' '"eS u" "ne DION
"'ieN het lV'' h'"e'ei' ."t an nour' SWIM
n'ils " uiid iio' waning LOT tneiii 10 put on.
i'"' III het present iiio'u 'ueS u'u ho' See III
~ ''''" '"'
ror ever iiiptner "uaie siain can uied ot
s'"i "nHIe oh Ocii'e
'o"eu 70 Tue N''S''' was ioiio"eu oy lts young
ohe' lh,o"sn 'ne hisn. We couiu near It's
ieTo'e 10" Ill tne 'iciili'S IL WOULD fe-
man LOT daSs swimming aoou. tne carcass
even "hSh S'ipPet oi 'he olunoer coating
aiii !, Sut as' mas Vi pu'ieS'enee, |"
,'a' VII" "'"u anu .iue uF anu uo"h 'he
''' ae''et U' ,"P'u guns S"' seu l"
Ielis',?n .''us u ION ii>i"s
ua"' "ismei "H' vi "a'e'' n"se plauueEs' eS
"eIe' h'le'i VIZ" sHS eia'eu ir"ih tneir
own ueV 'iii iPo9''i'ii s"'iie'li'.S came Sailihg
straieh' uo"h u''ii US anu iousing under
Tue po"s vi 'ouii'ef gave an nahu' an hour
WORK Win po'es anu hai'uSpikes 10 Sc. them
w GsaiH oh tueh aiiiiieae 'oSase' Inc
''emCu was siihP'S 'ei irinc'
eau o' nv snutNii's III 'ne nsht VITA
'ie "Haie' ~ piali' 'ue h"h Ill us pacA' tue
'""t ii'uS' uo i'"et s""isu' up W anu even
oh Hiih' ~ % iai' ole" ileh', no tre+s'
AS anu ''',' Ne' 1oi anu sIei-
"', ioi iatii :" iuii a"at oh' no es'aPe pS
,snt' SuCuit 'no niiii'"i urn aiiu give Ish''
= htt'A III tn t. - iiAe may
s"dVen io"er l'Unli us seat anu uFag MN
ii''o tu' uet''hS " Hei' H"uie.I up anu UNIV
IilS the iailce NOME s''''tSh Is imminent
every iIoiie'it' Al eh" 'ne uoat ii'a! oe
'iNei aiiu 'le snip ii'ieS """s io'' " sisu'
IL IOs'
ne ''''" "no ,'iGie ''.i 'oS7sV' Tue Al'lH
u. w "Ha'ei'ieu anu cIaiiii' II 'acN slayer
y, ha ia Jay vas SA'' 'AAe was Pui'
.''OI'A All i'Hn us u 'iiieSs was & anu LIS
ia'e iiiS 'illicehI IN i's tsluess' iiisSsiSe
III III l'S 'oat tsei'sSS ms s'Tehslh was ehorlh
nc ''u.I ''i''" 'le n"i iioOh Twice aS lar Is
"i "Sli'iH' man a MAJ Pooh "neh Slou
W W ''n 'nt HeaNH Hoh pore Is no Hsh' weapon.