The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1895-10-16
VL D} IN LA- EDNESDA OCTCBHR 10 1885, mo
WHALES LEAPS.
Some Gigantic Jumps Taken By These
Mouat&rs Of the Deep.

LEAFS.
Gigantic Jump. Taken By These
Moust~rs Of the Deep.
Speaking of Jumping" said an
old seaman who had been watching
some boys playing leapfrog, let
mo tell you of the greatest jump
ever seen. It was many years ago,
when I was little more than q lad,
but I was bow oarslnan on q whale
boat belonging to the ship Horny
Staples. We had had bad luck for
several weeks when ono day we
sighted o big whale, and two boats
SGT off in a race to SEQ who would
got there first. 1t was fairly smooth,
what tho sailors call q whitecap
breeze, and our boats fairly few
over tho water. Finally the whale
rose not 100 yards away, headed d.
rectly for us. Tho mate gave orders
to stop. and We sat still, expecting
that the monster would rise near Us.
The harpoonor stood with his iron
all ready to throw, while we grasped
our oars, ncrvously prepared to Jump
at tho word storm oil that nearly
always camo when a whale was har-
pooncd. Not q word was spoken,
and suddenly a mountain of black
appeared. 1t seemed to shut off tho
entire horizon. Up 1t won't until I
distinctly saw a 20 foot whale ovor
20 feet In tho air lowering over us.
"The matc was the first to regain
his senses and gave the command
stern ALL Just as we wcre ready
to spring overheard tho boat shot
back several feet, and tho next Sec
ond the gigantic animal divod into
the ocean, just grazing US. having
completely passed over the boat In
, the biggest leap I ever heard of
Such gigantic Jumps are rarc. A
, similar II was recorded by DR..
Hall, who ut tho timo was \ mid.
shipinan on tho ship Leandcr. They
worc lying in the harbor of Bermu.
da whom all hands were attracted
by tho appearance Of q very large
whnle that suddenly appeared in the
harbor and seemed very much
alarmed by the shallow water, 1oun'
dering about violently. Tho young
midshipnnn Joined a boats crew
that started in pursuit, and just a.
they were about to strike tho whale
disappeared, sinking out of sight
leaving u deep whirlpool. arount
which the boat shot. Before 1t stop
ped up ca,no tho whale, having il
all probability struck tho bottom
and went into tho air like a rocket
$50 complete was this enormou
leap" says DR.. Hall, THAT for III
instant we saw him fairly up In tn
air, In o horizontal position, ut
distance of at least 20 perpendicula
feet over our heads. While IN hi
progress upward there was IN hi
spring so,no touch Of tho rivacit,
: with which u trout or salmon shoot
: out Of tho water, but he fell bac
again in tho sea like a hugo 10
, thrown on its broadside and wit
such a laundering crash as made a
t hands stare with establishment an
the boldcst hold his breath for
time. Had the whale taken his lea
ono minute sooner he would hav
fallen plump OH tho boat"
Comparatively few people ha'
8 seen a large whale, but VIC can IN
agino what On object an animal I
feet long and weighing rs many tor
would mako flying through the nj
= Within q week Of the writing
9 the present article I was driftin
along tho shores Of Santa Catalil
island, southern California, when
60 foot whale almost cleared II
Is water about 1000 yards from IL
IS boat. I was about to ask tho boa
It man what rock it was when Il
arent hcad descended and the te
% rose into the air as the monst
. dived.
d Mr.. Soorsby, the famous whale
T. chronicles n number of incidents
jumping among whales, some len
Ing the water completely and risi,
20 or moro feet into the air.-Phil
~ delphis Times.
~ whore 0ur rrssidents Are Buried
70 George Washington IS buried
X Mount Vernon, Va; John Adai
,g at Quincy. Mass. ; Thomas Jefers
ID at Monticello, Va; James Maids
Of at Montpelier, Va. James Monr
a. at Richmond; John Quincy Adal
at Quincy. Mass. ; Andrew Jacks
at Nashville, Martin Van Buren,
. Kinderhook, N. Y; William den
IN Harrison at North Bend, O.; 10
no Tyler at Richmond; James X. Ps
Ar MI 0.-i>-- TA-So~