The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1893-04-06

changed with the inhabitants OF Alaska
and Russian territory, for ivory bone and
furs at an immense profit.
About the tenth Of March the whalers
start on their northern journey, calculat-
ing that the ice will have broken up suf-
fcently by the later part Of April to allow
them to begin the seasons work ia the
Arctic seas. Should, however, their cal
culations on the openness Of the sea be err
roneous they occupy their time cruising for
the Right whale. While there are schoon-
ers unable to stand the storms or endure
the ice of the North Sea, which remain all
summer fishing for the Right whale, the
quality of the bone and the size of the
whale is so vastly inferior, that the ships
and schooners put in but little time, be-
fore seeking for the best whale OF COM
merce, the Bowhead. Not infrequently
while in the vicinity of the Behring Sea
the whsler is called to a rigorous account
by the sealing agents Of Uncle Sam. Such
formidable represe natives Of the United
States as the Yorktown, Adams, Mohican
and Ranger, man-of-war's-men, and the
revenue cutters Bear. Corwin and the
Rush are continually cruising about the
sealing grounds in search OF poachers.
While generally the whaler neither car.
ries contraband nor engages in the killing
OF seals, yet there are times when they
encroach upon the prerogatives OF Lebes
& Co., or Uncle Sam and shot across the
offenders bow ia necessary to secure an
accounting. During the past season sew
eral seizures were made which met thu
approval OF the old line whalers, but they
generally condemn the capture and de-
tention of the Jane Gray. This shiT
owned by Mrs. VIM. Kelley, OF San Fran
cisco, had already been overhauled by thu
nan-of-war Yorktown, complied with al
the conditions imposed by Commando
Evans and had been ordered to 10 on hel
way. A few days later and while cruis
ing about St. Paul islands, Commando
johnson, OF the Mohican, refusing to lool
at the ships manifest or the papers pre-
pared by Commander Evans, seized and
boarded her and finally brought her in
tow to Onalaska. Here a detention oil
several days took place, until the district
attorney arrived, and ordered the ship re-
leased. The opportunity Of joining the
whalers was then lost and rs result
Commander Johnston is down for court
martial and the government will probably
pay $50, 900 damage to her owner. Tit
estimate of damage is based on the sea
sons catch for vessels.
Passing the sealing islands safely the
whaler expects nothing ofsinterest unit
south of Point Barrows, where tn,
whaler begins in dead earnest the seasons
work. In that vicinity the whale ma,
be seen travelling north in the wake o
the icebergs or feeding back and forth oil
the gellatine-like substance which consti
tutes his chief diet. In order for the bet
ter observation OF the icy seas two or NOR
of the ships crew, accompanied by ar
officer, are sent aloft where, for periot
Of three or four hours, it is their duty te
keep sharp lookout.
To the right and left, to the front an'
rear, every rift of the waters is closely
scrutinized until the search is rewarded
when the cry of 'There she blowsP' il
heard. "Where away?" responds tn
ships commander. The response is ther
according to the points on the compass;
and guess at the distance. Five or six
boats, as the ship carries, are then put il
readiness, six men arranged alongsid,
each boat. In the event the whale il
moving away from the ship, the boat.
are at once lowered, the harpooner take
his seat in front, the steerer, of course. il
the rear, and with oars or sail, as offer
greatest speed, the pursuit begins. Usu
ally the whale, unless alarmed, travels q
q rate of four or five miles an hour, ant
in that event he is soon overtaken. Some
times, however, he speeds along at tn
rate Of ten miles and the chase may con
tinue until night, finally to be unrewartied
Should the whale be overtaken it is usua
to approach him on the rear-by pullin
the boat alongside until the harpooner i
well up to the back Of the whales head
The harpooner, now standing up, shove
the weapon into the whale to distanc
Of from eighteen to twenty inches and a
near the spinal column as possible. A
times, however, 1t Is necessary to throS
the harpoon, which can be done by
skillful man, at a distance of thirty feet
When the harpoon is received by tn
whale, II he was quiet before, the seem
changes effectually. His mai' sty elthe
lashes the water into fury, strikes til
boat blow with his tail or flukes, whicl
may send the frail cedar structure fifty o
sixty feet away, splitting the occupant
into the sea, or darts forward at tire
mendous rate, leaving path OF foamin
| hilloua Ghould he adont the latte