Evening journal., 1896-10-17
TAME OCEAN FISHES.
WHALES AND PoRPolSES ARE SOME
TIMES PAINFULLY SOclABLE.

Travellers up and down the coast Of
Florida will remember certain por-
polse that for years, and up to 1881 ia
the remembrance Of the writer, paraded
ny and down quarter section of the
Florida peninsula. He was known as
Bob, and though he rarely answered to
bis name he was we'll known to all sail
ors in those parts. Bob was recognized
by peculiar cut in his dorsal fin, Civ
ing 1t the appearance Of having a win
dow in il. Some thoughtloss 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. It would
come near the vessel, follow it at times
or gambol about the bow OF stern. but
it, chief position was about 100 yards
away, within good rifle shot, where it
would swim along parallel with tho
course Of the vessel, tempting target
to marksmen. So III 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 lcad-forcible reminders
that porpoises az well as alligators have
10 rights that arc respected on the Flor
Ida coast.
In tho Pacific some whales are very
friendly, especially of the coast Of Los
Angeles county, Cal, where on more
than ono occasion they have astonished
if not alarmed sailing parties who have
been heoalmcd. These whales, it should
be said, are perfectly harmless, and
their attentions are merely from curicsi-
ty, but to havo several Of these hugs
creatures from 80 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 q reputa-
tion for fnondliness, and during tho
summer months it frequently seems to
meet largo steamer that plies Off
shore, and either follows it along or
plays about, entertaining the passen-
gers by spouting. On enc trip the whale
placed itself ahead of the steamer and
sW am with it so deliberately that the
captain was obliged to slow down and
finally stop, fearing to ran into the huge
creature
Perhaps the most remarkable instance
of friendliness on the part Of whales
was experienced by the owner Of yacht
that sailed from one 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 Of the crew, who were a
good deal frightened. They rubbed their
backs against the bottom Of the yncht
and blew and spouted so that the drops
fell upon the decks. If the yachtsmen
had thrown over some oil or other dis
agreeable fluid, they would soon have
gotten rid OK these companions, which
only left them when breeze sprang up
and they got Under way.
Fishermen on the Atlantic coast are
occasionally troubled with inquisitive
whales One boat or dory was followed
for miles, the whale once gently lifting
it and rising beneath it, terrorizing the
fisherman, who pulled for the shore as
fast as he could, the whale following
until tho water began to shoal
Why whales should follow vessels
might seem mystery, but the solution
is that in all probability they consider
the vessel companion, another whale
of somo kind. This was well illustrated
Oh the California coast by whale
which evidently took the ship Plymouth
for one Of its kind. This whale was a
sulphur bottom, about 90 feet in length,
and it joined the ship or ,So Golden
Gate as it left San Francisco and re-
maincd by. it through the entire voyage
to Realcjo, South America. The big
FISH soon became a nuisance 1t swan
alongside IN such close proximity that
its breath discolored the paint Of the
ship. Then it would rise gontly beneath
the keel, which would cut and tear it.
a other times il would swim along di-
roetly in front and keep the crew in
constant fear Of a collision that might
under certain circumstances dismast the
ship. The men tried almost every device
they could think Of to drive the whale
AWAY Ah1J aAbb bt ~ Win 4AAtH anu
pistols, struck it with pieces Of wood
and bombarded it with bottles and hot
Goals rs it came up. bat all to no pur-
pose. 1t went On keeping company"
until tho ship finally entered such shoal
water that it was obliged to sheer OF.
The sociability Of dolphins and por-
poisos is well known, their graceful
gambols about tho PROV of vessels being
a very common sight No matter how
rapid the pace, these attractive creatures
SO time their motions that they pass and
repass the flying cutwater with the
greatest ease.
The close proximity Of such large ami
mails to vessels might suggest possible
danger, yet fatalities are rare and few
are known where the whale has not
been attacked. Tho terrible incident OF
the Essex is perhaps the only one Here
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 deck
and almost dismast the vessel. The
whale swan OFF and a few moments
later the lookout cried out that it was
coming for them on the surface. The
II 81