Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1890-09-04
WOLVES OF THE OCEAN.
Terrible Inhabitant of the Deep Again
Which Even the Whale Can Not Prevail


St. Nicholas
The wolves of the sea- are not
sharks, as might perhaps be fancied. The
shark is indeed ravcnous and voracious;
but In feroclty and desiructiveness it is
far inferior to the Orca, another inhab-
liant OF the world Of waters, and yet not "a
fish. The orca, or grampus, as 1t is some
times called, is a member of the whale
family, a sort of third cousin of the whale
and first cousin to the p0rpoise. 1t is
usually from eighteen to thirty feet in
length, and has a large mouth. wei
supplied with strong, conical, curved teeth.
In color it is black above and white below.
with a white patch above each little eye.
1t is easily distinguished from its relatives
by the dorsal fin, which is sometimes six
feet long, and rises abruptly from the
back.
To call this creature the wolf of the
sea does not tell hall the story of its
savage nature. The wolf seems a puny
foe compared TO the orca For there are
animals on land which She wolf dares not
attack, even when hard driven by hunger;
but there Is nothing inhabiting the water
which the orca will not assail. Moreover,
the wolf is almost cowardly except when
made dangerous by famine; but the orca
is always dangerous, or can not satisfy
its hunger. That its appetite is Unsuitable
seems likely, for all orca was once found
chOked to death by a seal which it had
tried to swallow whole. An examination
showed that the gluttonous monster had
already swallowed a number of porpoises,
besides several seals.
As if not satisfied with the harm it can
dc alone, the orca secures the aid of two
or three Of its fellows, and then the little
pack of monsters starts ON an expedition.
Everything is game to them. If school
of dolphins come in sight, away go the
fierce sea-wolves in hot chase. The fright
ened dolphins dash madly through the
waves, urged to their swiftest speed by
terror; but grimely the ravenous pursuers
closed upon the flying quarry.
Perhaps great Greenland whale may
cross the path of the marauders. Huge
as it is-the largest of created beings-it
has no terrors for the bloodthirsty pack.
They dart ubon the giant with lightning
velocity-now in 'front.' now underneath,
now on the sides, until the bewiIdered
monster, with lash of his ponderous tail,
turns his mighty head downward and
seeks the oceans bed. Vain effort His
tormentors follow him APPARENTLY with
ferocious gee. Up, up again, rage and
agony lending added strength, till the
surface is reached, and all that bulk of
flesh shoots out of the water and then falls
with ponderous crash, dashing the boil
ing waves asunder. Sill the agile foes
are there. They leap over. his head, high
in the air and dive under him. They rush
at him here, there and everywhere He
opens his huge mouth to engulf them.
they only mock at the danger and soon,
wounded in hundred places, weakened
and powerIess, the whale succumbs.
Even the fierce walrus, armed with
enormous tusks which it we'll knows how
to use, is no match for the orca 1t is
only thu young walrus. however, for
which the orca cares. and it will not hes
itate to pursue one into the very midst of
a herd of walruses, trusting to superior
swiftness to enable it to carry off the prey
In salty.
The young walrus is well aware of its
danger, and the moment an orca comes
it sight the poor thing climbs frantically
upon its mothers back, and cliDgs there
in agony of fear. The wild orca is not to
be foiled SO easily, however. 1t dives
down and then comes up with a sudden
surge, striking the mother walrus such
blow that the little one is knocked from
her back into the water and Is seized In
twinkling.
So rapid swimmer is the orca that it
easily oyertakes the salmon, and often
pursnes them into the rivers. It's swift
ness, forcity and rapacity makes the orca
the terror of the ocean.-St. Nicholas,