Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1896-10-15
TAME OCEAN FISHES.
WHALES AND PosPoIszs Ase SOME
TIMES PAINFULLY soc'soLE.

Travellers mp and down the coast of
Florida will remember a certain pur.
poise that for years. ard e? to 1881 an
the remembrance Of the writer. raraded
up and down n quarter section of the
Florida peninsula lie was known ne
Bob. and though he rarely aueSrsrod TO
his name he was veil knew to all sail.
ors in those parts Dob wss recognizod
ty a peculiar cut in has Losssl fin. CIV.
ing IL the appearance q having q win
dow in IT, Some ihouEhil,'ss passenger.
wishing TO practice On all animate ma
ture with his revolver. had inflicted this
injury. and tire porpnisc apparently was
very rrord II u. In any event. 10 was
exhibited af every opportunity to iisc
occupants q. Passing vr<s-ls. IL would
come near the vessel. fcllus. .; 20 tifars
or gamlul ai,1Et the isr,s - stein. hat
its chief pnsii!ul sgas atuut 100 yards
away. within gur-l TiGr si.u;. whore %
would swim along rafallrI with the
course ot tho Vtssrl. q ismrtsii- target
| to inarLsr.cn. 80 ia the coarse Il time
Eob's blr. l'rcliuc srarrl and srarrrd.
and IL current mort was valr,r,i nj AIRY.
thing h. carried ~ his biElslsr nc; n
few ounces 90 lcad-.uicihir reminders
tina; Iorpoisrs Is well - aliiSatoTs hav.
N" rights that are respected cl the FLOR
ida cCsst.
d. the Pscific sU:ne vhalrs are very
fris u'ily. especially oT a.. coast Of Bns
Angeles county. Cal. where ON mere
th=n one occasion they havc astuuishcd
IL not alarmed sailing parties who have
In. n l.calmed. Thyss bales. II should
IL said. are perfectly harmless. ard
ia. n attentions are merely from curiosi-
". LEt to have several e these hug.
creatures from 80 ;o 60 feet long float.
ing about IN clos proximity - mot alto
Eetior pleasant. What i supposed TO BE-
tine same whale has earned n rrpuia-
ton for fricndlirrss. Ei.d during the
summer months u frequently scums C.
meet large steamer that plies of
shore. and either fellows IL along CT
plays abuut. entertaining the passcn-
gers by sporting. TN oiI- trip the whale
PLACED itself ahead e thc steamer aud
swan with IL 80 deliberately that tin.
captain was obliged Ia slow down and
/
creature.
Perhaps the most remarkable instance
of frierdliress ON the rart of whales
was experienced Ly ia" owner If Yacht
that sailed FROM enc at the southern
California ports. She b,cim. beralm.si
the second day cut, aud suddenly four
or five large whales came alongside and
for several hours amused themselves Mt
the expense Of tire crew. who were n
good deal frightened. They rubbed their
backs against the bottom Of the Yacht
and blew and sroutcd 50 that the drops
fell upon the decks II tine yach.srncn
had thrown Cver some oil or other dis
agreeable find. they would som have
gotten rid If these companions. which
only left them when a breeze sprang up
and they got under way.
Fishermen on the Atlantic coast are
occasionally troubled with inquisi,ivc
whales. One boat CT dnry was followed
for miles. the whale once gently lifting
1t aud rising beneath IL. tcrrorizing tho
fisherman. who pulled for the shore as
fast rs no could. the whale following
until the water began to shosl.
Why whales should follow vessel.
might seem n mystery. but the solution
Is that in all probability they consider
the vessel companion. another whale
of some kind. Tins was well illustrated
ON the California coast by n whale
which evidently tcok the ship Plymouth.
for one 81 Its kind. This whale wa. a
sulphur bottom. about so feet an length.
| nd A.. II.
Gate rs 70 left san Francisco aud r..
manned b. 1t through the entire VOYAGE
to Reale1o. South America The bi,
tsh soon became "a nuisance. IL SWAIN
alongside IN such close proximity tina,
its breath discolurcd the pain; Of tho
ship. Then 10 would rise gently beneath,
the keel. which would cut and tear IL.
AT other times u would swim along sl,.
rcctly IN front and keep the crew an
constant fear az "a collision tina; NIGH;
under certain circumstances Siismas, ,hr
ship The men tired almost every device
they could think of To- drive the whale
away. They shot at i. with rifles and
pistols. struck u with pieces az wood
and bcmbartied IL with bottles and no,
Goals a. u came ur. but all to no pur.
pose. Ii went ON keeping company
until the ship finally entered such shoal
water that u was obliged TO sheer OF.
The sociabiliiy Of dolphins and DOR.
poiscs Is well known. their graceful
gambols about the Prov of vessels being
u very common sight. No matter how
rapid the pace. these attractive creature,
so time their motions that they pass and
ropass the flying cutwatcr with TN,
greatest ease.
The Close proximity 81 srch large ami.
mals to vessels might suggest a rp-sibI,
danger. yet fatalities are rare and few
are known where the whal. has MOI
been attacked The terrible incident al
the Essex l. perhaps the only one. Her,
the whale was run down BY the ship
the shock from the contact being so So
we're rs 20 throw the crew 20 the del
and almost dismast the vessel. Tn.
whale swan o,f and q few moment,
later the lookout cried out that II wa,
coming for them on the SURFACE. TIL,
animal WAS inspired by revenge. and a
full speed struck the ship in the i,pw ~