The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1895-10-25
WHAl ES' LEAPS.



the Deep
speaking Of Jumping" said an old
seaman who had been watching some
boys playing leapfrog on the sands.
''lct me tell you Of the greatest jump
ever seen. IL was many years ago.
when was little more than a lad. but
] was bow oarsInan on a whaleboat be-
longing 10 the ship Henry Staples
We had had bad luck for several
weeks. when one day we sighted big
whale. and two boats set of in race
To see who would get there first. IL
was fairly smooth. what the sailors
call a white-cap breeze. and our boats
fairly few over the water. Finally
The whale rose not over one hundred
yards away. heading directly for US
The harpooner stood with his iron
all ready To throw. while we grasped
our oars ncrvously. prepared to
Jump at the word stern ALL
that nearly always came when whale
was harpooned. Not word was
spoken. and suddenly a mountain OF
black appeared; it seemed to shut on
the entire horizon. Up il went until
distinctly saw q seventy-foot whale
over twenty feet ia the air lowering
over us.
tine mate was the first TO regain
his senses. and gave the command
stern all Just as we were ready TO
spring overheard the boat shot back
| several feet, and the next second the
gigantic animal dived into the ocean.
just grazing us, having completely
passed over the boat in the biggest
leap l ever heard on"
Such gigantic leaps are rare. A
similar one was recorded by DR. Hail.
who at the time was q midshipman on
the ship Leander. They were lying in
the harbor OF bermuda. when all hands
were attracted by the appearance OF
a very large whale that suddenly ap
peared in the harbor and seemed very
much alarmed by the shallow water
fioundering about violently. The
young midshipman joined boats
crew that started in pursuit. and JUS
as they were about TO strike the whale
disappeared, sinking out of sight. leav
ing deep whirlpool. around which
the boat shot Before II stopped nj
came the whale. having in all probabiii
" struck the bottom and went into tn
air like a rocket $50 complete wa
the enormous leap" says DIR. Hall
that for an instant we saw him fairl.
ND in the air. in horizontal position
at distance OF at least twenty pei
pendicular feet over our heads Will
in his progress upward there was j
his spring some touch of the vivacit
with which trout or salmon shoot
out Of the water, but he fell bac
again in the sea like huge log throw
on its broadside. and with such
laundering crash as made all hand
stare with establishment. and the bol'
est held his breath for . time. lila
the whale taken his leap one ninu'
sooner he would have fallen plump G
the boat"
Comparatively few people have see
n large whale. but we can imagii
what an animal seventy feet long nj
weighing as many tons would be fiyir
!, through the air.
within wee, Of che writing Of q
present article was drifting along 4
shore, Of Santa Catalina island. Ca
fornia. when a sixty-foot whale aimo
cleared the water about a thousaI
: wards from the boat | was about
c a>l. the boatman what rock IL wa
. when the great lead descended al
, the tail rose into the air Is the rnonst
dived.
: Mr. Scorsby. the famous whale
chronicles n number OF incidents
t jumping among whales. some leavi'
2 the water completely and rising TIVE
y ty or more feet into the air.
MANY Of the inha bitants Of the :
= are good jumpers. and some have
= come famous Among them shou
y be mentioned the tarpon or silv
= king. a huge fish with scales that gles
. like silver. which constitutes the
nous game fish of Florida The lea
Of this beautiful creature are often
= tonishiug. Several years ago stea
Y err was rushing down the -. JOIN
i, river The captain was sitting on
i fore deck leaning against the pil
house. when suddenly there rose
the .ir beautiful shining fish 70
! feet in length. II came like an arr'
-, anu ld0ueu III tnt ~ " va eAiN e'te"'f
neatly as though il had been plac
. there.
, In Pacific waters the tuna, an ally
the horse mackerel. is noted for
! leaps Sometimes school sweeps
: the coast. and the powerful fish, oft
!. weighing eight pounds, are seen in
I. air in every direction. They are II
- ~ arrow turn gracefully five or
feet i'm the air and come down. keep
the water for acres in foam. and
P not the greatest jumpers. they are c.
y tainly the most graceful of the lea
n ers of the sea -Philadelphia Times
1. -
- lsrtug ring Down the Moon.