Smyrna times., 1896-10-14
TAME OCEAN FIS HE'S. 3
WHALES AND PoRPoIsEs ARE SOME
TIMES PAINFULLY soclAbLE.

ihMGo FHiNFOLLr OOClApLE.
Good Natured Bob, an Acqaintance on the
Florida Coast-Some Interesting Fxperf-
ences With Whales In the Pacific Ocean.
Travellers up and down the coast Of
FLORIDA will remember a certain por-
poise that for years, and up to 1881 in
the remembrance of the writer, paraded
up and down a quarter section of the
Florida peninsula. He was known as
Bob, and though he rarely answered to
mis- name he was we'll known to all sail
Ors in those parts. Bob was recognized
by peculiar cut in his dorsal fin, Civ
irg it the appearance of having a win
dow in it. Some thOughtless passenger,
wishing to practice on all animate ma
ture with his revolver, had inflicted this
injury, and the porpoise apparently was
very proud of it. In any event, it was
exhibited at every opportunity to the
occupants of passing vessels. 1t would
come near the vessel. follow it at times
or gambOl about the bow or stern, but
its chief position was about 100 yards
away, within good rife shot, where it
would swim along parallel with the
course of the vessel, tempting target
to marksmen. So in the course of time
Bob's back became scared and SCARED,
and if current report was valued at any
thing he carried in. his blubber not a
few ounces of lead-forcible reminders
hat oil 81
no rights that are respected on the Flor
IDA coast.
In tho Pacific some whales are very
friendly, especially off the coast of Los
Angeles county, Cal, where on more
than one occasion they have astonished
if not alarmed sailing parties who have
been becalmed. These whales, it should
be said, are perfectly harmless, and
their attentions are merely from curiosi-
ty, but to have several of these huge
creatures from 40 to co feet long float
ing about in close proximity is not alto
gether pleasant. What is supposed to be
the same whale has earned a reputa-
tion for friendliness, and during the
summer months it frequently seems to
meet large steamer that plies off
shore, and either follows it along or
plays about. entertaining the passen-
gers by spouting. On one trip the whale
placed itself ahead of the steamer and
swan with it so deliberately that the
captain was obliged to slow down and
finally stop, fearing to run into the huge
creature.
Perhaps. the most remarkable instance
of friendliness Oh the part of whales
was experienced by the owner Of yacEt
that sailed from ono Of the southern
California ports. She became becalmed
the second day out, and suddenly four
or five large whales camo alongside and
| for several hours amused themselves at
| the expense CT the crew, who were a
good deal frightened. They rubbed their
backs against the bottom of the yacht
and blew and spouted so that the drops
fell upon the decks If the yachtsmen
had thrown over somo Gil or other dis
agreeable fluid, they would soon have
gotten rid Of these companions, which
| only left them when a breeze sprang up
ard they get under way.
Fishermen Oh the Atlantic coast are
occasionally troubled with inquisitive
whales. One boat or dory was followed
for miles, the whale once gently lifting
1t and rising beneath it, terrOrizing the
fisherman, who pulled for the shore as
fast as he could, the whale following
until the water began to shOal.
Why whales should follow vessels
might seem mystery, but the solution
is that III all probability they consider
the vest | companion, another whale
Of some kind. This was we'll illustrated
on the California coast by whale
which evidently took the ship Plymouth
for one Of its kind. This whale was @
sulphur bottom, about 80 feet in length,
and it Joined the ship off the Golden
Gate as it left San Francisco and re.
manned by it through the entire voyage
to Realejo, South America. The hil
fish soon became Q nuisance. IL swan
alongside in such close proximity that
its breath discolored the paint of the
ship. Then il would rise gently beneath
the keel, which would cut and tear it.
At other tines it would swim along di
rectly in front and keep the crew il
constant fear Of collision that might
under certain circumstances dismast the
ship. The men tried almost every device
they could think Of to drive the whale
away. They shot at it with rifles anC
pistols, struck it with pieces of wOot
and bombarded it with bottles and hal
Goals as it came up, but all 70 no pur
pose. IL went on keeping company
until the ship finally entered such shoa
water that it was obliged to sheer Off
The sociability of dolphins and por
pOiscs is well known, their graceful
gambols about the Prov Of vessels being
A very common sight. No matter how
rapid the pace, these attractive creature
so time their motions that they pass anC
repass the flying cutwater with th
greatest case.
The close proximity Of such large ami
mals to vessels might suggest q possibly
danger, yet fatalities are rare and few
are known where the whale has no
been attacked. The terrible incident O
the Essex is perhaps the only one. Her
the whale was run down by the ship
the shock from the contact being so Sc
we're as to throw the crew to the decl
and almost dismast the vessel. TIL
whale swan of and q few moment
later the lookout cried out that it wa
coming for them on the surface. Th
animal was inspired by revenge, and a
full speed struck the ship i'll the bow s
powerful blow that the bow was crush
ed i'll, and the vessel went to the bot
tom ten minutes later, leaving the mel
in boats 700 miles from the coast O
South America. A survivor of the acci
dent still lives in the little town Of San
ia Monica, Cal, Cor, New York Rost
SHELL AND SHOVEL PILE.
A Short Story of the Civil War as ToI,