The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1896-04-10

ne Didn't Look Pleasant, but Ite OsIiei.s-
" spouted nt che Right Moment.

IRON 81 Nicholas.
Whether a certain whale that break tasted
dined, and supped every day 10 the Santa
Catalina Channel, went out one morning
with the determination Vt being photographed
! really cannot say; but the picture was Ger.
tnlnly taken. Living in tho neighborhood. the
whale was probably familiar with the steamer
that ploughcd daily through its dining room,
aud II 1t was at NIL nm observing whale, IL must
have noticed on the morning IN question an un-
usual coinmotiou on tho deck OF the steamer,
and this IA what II saw. The passengers were
crowding about the rail, and on the upper dock
stood u man and a little girl. the former holding
a square black box into which he looked ear.
ncstly. Ana 1.-THE whale ha come n little nearer
this i, hat he might have heard
WI he look pleasant - asked tho little girl
Of her companion.
q hope so." lac replied. CHANGING rapidly from
the camera. to the whale that was then swim
ming n few hundred feet away.
The passengers had first observed IL n mile or
more distant, when .the little girl said 1t was
Of the water, and for II few seconds exposed
almost its entire bnck most astonishing spec.
t%acle-and then had fallen back into the sea
with a laundering crash. soon 1t came to the
surface again. and shooting n cluuG OF yapor
luto the air that slowly fioated away, at inter.
walls Disappeared and reappearcd until finally
IL came alongside the steamer. swimming
along within a short DISTANCE. 1t was then
as his little companion had said, for the whale
~ tooh % bohth blohoNbN III NH1
instance. meant for the whale to show Il large
portion of its body above the water. II was now
Just below the surface. its huge black
form, sixty or seventy feet in length, distinctly
visible, propelled by the undulatinR movement
of the tail. Suddenly II rose, showing Just tho
portion around the blow holes, and with a loud
puff the hot breath burst into the air, was con-
densed, and in a little cloud drifted away.
didn't he look pleasant ?' asked the little
girl, earnestly.
mot quite pleasant enough said the pho
tographer. as he Deered into the tiny window Of
the camera that reflected the sea in brilliant
tints. " could catch the spout, but l. want to
wait until he throws his entire head out Of
water and looks really pleasant before l touch
the button"
1t was an exciting moment, as never. so faR
as known, had II living whale. In the open ocean,
so huge an animal, obliglngly swim along. al
lowing Its picture to be taken.
Its q tame whale. Isn't IL" said the little
girl, as the whale gradually came nearer.
He certainly does not seem very timid," re-
piled her coulpanion: and as he spoke, puffl
vapor actually drifting aboard the steamer into
the faces of the passengers.
The whale was now 80 near that the barnacles
upon its back could be seen, and one man was
sure that he saw its eye. Suddenly 1t sank, and
all that could be seen In the little window was
lads OF velellas that covered the surface. scud-
ding along before the fresh trade wind. Then,
without warming, the creature as suddenly rose
again. showing a large area of It's back, sending
at the same time a cloud of misty vapor into the
air as its top or dorsal An appeared. The pho
tographer saw IL in the little window. and evil
IDENTIFY thinking that the whale looked as pleas
ant as he In all probability would, touched the
button, and, so far as is known, took tho nrsS
photograph Of q living whale In the open oceans