Sacramento daily record-union., 1888-08-11
WHALE FISHING.
The Manner in Which the Monsters are
Caught off Shetland.

The Manner in Which the Monsters are
Caught Off Shetland.
Whales whales whales
The cry echoed through the little ham
let, and was borne along the seaboard to
the neighboring village.
The children coming trooping out of
school, took it up, and few away over the
brown hills towards their homes, carrying
the welcome news to their fathers and
brothers.
Whales whales whales p The mag
ical words What may not be bound no
in these brief, sharp utterancesl The ex-
citement of the chase, the "kill," the di-
viding of the spoil and last, but not least,
the welcome sight of the handful of the
current coin of the realm that will be the
due of the hunters when all the work is
over.
The scene is one of the most northern
of the Shetland Islands.
1t is q bracing day in early winter
The snow has not yet made its appear
ance, but the old men |" say it will not
be long before we see "white grund "
(ground).
The shoal of whales is off Nordra Head
distant about half mile; and soon dozen
of the native small boats, manned with
some sixty souls all told, are bounding
over the sullen, leaden-hued water in the
direction of the prey.
Before many minutes have passed the
Head is reached, and a welcome sight
meets the boatmen's gaze. A large shoal
of what is known as Gazing (lit. capable of
being driven-whales of small size), whales
is playing about, short distance to sea-
ward, and the boats at once dash off in a
direction that will bring them to the out
side of the shoal without disturbing it.
When tins point Of vantage is reached.
a scene is witnessed that beggars descrip-
tion.
What shouting! What splashing of
stonesl What humping of oars, hooked
instruments used in hauling in large fish.
and pieces of wood which support the feet
in rowing, against the row-locks and gun
wales of the boatsl
The whales take flight and rush land
ward, blowing and sending the spray high
in air as they go. The boats follow. and
the uproar increases.
There is sound into which the animals
must be driven ere a suitable landing.place
can be found. VIII they be obliging
enough to steer their course thither?
The boatmen use every effort in their
power to bring this about; and it looks as
if they were to succeed.
Once within the narrow limits of the
sound, capture will be easy.
The whales continue to plunge wildly
shoreward, and the tones of the pursuers
begin to have triumphant ring as the
prospect brightens. The opening of the
sound is now only short distance away.
and it seems as if the whales, " frightened
out of their wits by the wild clamor that
ever keeps in their rear, would enter it.
1t will be an easy affair after this, and no
mistake.
But presently the largest of the whales
who are leading the way scent danger,
and in thrice turn tail, and, followed by
the Others, disappear under the boats, and
anon reappear little distance to sea-
ward.
Off they go as fast as they can, appar-
emily congratulating themselves on their
narrow escape.
But to escape is something our friends
will not allow them to do-at least, not in
SO easy manner. The boats are instantly
put about, and the denizens of the deep
are followed at furious rate. The "con-
cord of sweet (?) sounds which but mo-
ment ago rent the air is now hushed; each
bosom is full of suppressed excitement; a
grim look is on every countenance de-
termined glance in every eye.
By-and-by the boats make up with the
flying shoal; and after superabmdance
of physical and vocal effort, the prey is
once more turned towards the land.
This time the pursuers succeeded in
driving them into the sound and now
consider the whales as good as caught.
From side to side the panic-strIcken crea-
lures rush, and will not allow themselves
to be driven ashore. The boats follow
them in their mad career and endeavor
to madden them still further.
The shores of the islands echo back the
wild chorus, which has now been supple
mented by the shrill cries of the sea-mews
that are lowering overhead, eagerly
watching the progress of the interesting
proceeding below. Have the poor birds
any inkling of the feast that awaits them?
AT last, when both hunters and hunted
are well-nigh exhausted, the whales enter
a small bay, where they at once get into
shallow water, and their doom is sealed.
Now the work of butchery begins,
but we shall not enter into details. Soon
the limpid waters of the bay are changed
in color, in less than half an hour the
boats are floating on crimson sea streaked
with crimson foam.-Scottish american.