Morning journal and courier., 1886-07-15

regulation double pointed boats in use by whalers the world over, five long oars to each 1 boat, two hundred fathoms of line smoothly I coiled in tubs in the boat and two guns to each boat. The larger size of the two has the proportions of young cannon and is mounted on pivot. The missile discharged from it is steel bar four feet in length, and provided with folding barb that opens out when the harpoon buries itself in the whale. This takes the place of the old-time harpoon and is much more effective and certain. The lighter gun is fired from the shoulder and looks like large sized fowling piece. It has 11s inch bore. It is used to put the fin ishing touches on the whale after the har- poon has made him fast and the method is to fire an explosive bomb into vital spot The bomb is # inches in diameter by IS inches long, the butt end being winged with rubber tips, after the manner in which an arrow Is tsathered, to secure guiding power. It was early morning when the white sig nal futtered to the top of the staff of the
 mast on the cliff, and having previously ob-
 tained permission to join the hunt with Cap tain Mariana, the quartermaster was speedily
 seated in the stern sheets awaiting the signal
 to shove off. This soon given and six
 miles to the northwest the three boats came
 up with their game, which proved to be an
 unusually large specimen of the California gray variety. The gigantic fish rolled lazily
 about on top of the water, all unconscious
 of impending danger, and did not even deign
 to notice the approach of the boats that
 came upon either side and behind her. A
 hundred feet away the men lay on their oars
 and Captain Mariana sighted over his swivel
 gun. The men bent ever their oars with ev-
 cry muscle ready to pull or back water at the
 slightest hostile movement on the part of the
 enemy. It was moment that seemed an
 age of awful suspense to the green hand, but suddenly the captain had fair mark pre- sented and pressed the trigger. The boat quivered under the shock accompanying the report and the eye could plainly catch the flash of the harpoon es it cleaved the air and buried itself out of sight somewhere in the right shoulder. Attached to the steel mis- sile was the stout manila line coiled in the
 bow, and 1t bore the appearance of flash of
 brown lightning as it zigzagged through the air after it's powerful motor.
 The whale hardly seemed to comprehend
 the trouble that had overtaken her at first,
 and it was fully half minute before she emitted an angry snort and started for the bottom at rate that made the line smoke and emit sparks it ran over the bows. Both the captain and the boat steerer peered uneasily into the clear depths as the line stopped running and a minute later the for mer shouted, ''Back all Back hardl'' The five ashen blades bent and quivered with the strain put on them, but it was none too much, as the boat was scarcely 6 dozen feet away when the huge bulk of the infuriated Wnale rose to the Surface and Spouted twin columns of brine high in the air Before the animated waterspout could repeat the | dose the boat was out of range both of the | ire ext1ngulshlng apparatus and the terrible | fukes that soon commenced to thrash the | water into foam. Her contortinns were so l violent that the captain could not get in a | shot with his boEab gun, which he raised and | lowered half dozen times without pulling | the trigger. Finally the fiukes quit their l thrashing and like fash the leviathan dashed l away at a terrific rate, burying the boats | bow between two walls of water fully eight l cen inches high, but the speed was such that scarcely drop entered the boat. This gait was kept up for good ten minutes and then the speed commenced to slacken, and the wounded monster swan easily and quietly on top of the water.
 The living tug came to total standstill at last, and pulling around to broadside po- sition the captain given his opportunity. The second explosion was followed by the rubber winged bomb, which buried itself in the great mass of blubber. Scarcely had the smoke cleared away from the bow before the mufied boom of the bomb exploding in the residence of Jonah sounded the death knen of the poor old whale. The vic- tim's huge bulk grew animated again, but for only moment. The fukes thrashed violently for few seconds, while tho wa terspouts became tinged warm red
 Struggles and spouts became more and more contracted until, with last final eff fort the inwardly wounded monster rolled over and expired. The other boats made fast and 8 hard pull of three hours landed the prize on the beach near the try pots,
 where it is to be cut up o-day.