Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1896-05-07
PHOTOGRAPHING a WHALE.
A Snapshot at Monster ss Ii L.aped
Out of the Water.

A Snapshot at a Monster as 1t L-aped
out Of the Water.
Whether a certain whale that break
tasted, dined and supped every day in
the Santa Catalina channel, went ont
one morning with the determination Of
being photographed. l really cannot
say; but the pictur, was certainly
taken.
Living In the neighorhood the whale
was probably familiar with the steamer
that plowcd daily through it's dining
room; and If il was at all an observing
whale, il must have noticed on the
morning in question ar unusual commo-
tion on the deck of the steamer, and
this is what il saw. The passengers
were crowding about the rail, and on ;he
upper deck stood a man and little girl,
the former holding a square black box
into which he looked earnestly. And Ii
the whale had come little nearer this
is what he might have heard:
'Will he look pleasant? asked the
little girl of her companion.
81 hope So" he replied, glancing rap
idly from the camera to the whale that
vas then swimming u few hundred feet
away.
The passengers had first observed II
mile or mere distant, when the little
girl said it was dancing on its tail"
1t had, really, leaped out of the water,
and for a few seconds exposed almost
its entire back-most astonishing spec
tacle-and then had fallen back into the
sea with laundering crash. Soon il
came to the surface again, and shoot
ing n cloud of vapor into the air that
slowly fioated away, at intervals dis
appeared and reappeared until finally
IL came alongside the steamer, swim
ming along within short distance. u
was then that the fortunate possessor
of the camera secured a good position
near the rail, and waited, as his little
companion had said, for the whale TO
look pleasant" Looking pleasant, In
this instance, meant for the whale TO
show large portion of its body above
the water. 1t was now swimming Just
below the surface, it's huge black form,
60 or 20 feet in length, distinctly visible,
propelled by the undulating movement
of the tail. Suddenly IL rose, showing
just the portion around the blow holes.
and with a loud puff the hot breath
burst into the air, was condensed. and
in little cloud drifted away.
Didn't he look pleasant" asked the
! little girl, earnestly.
''Not quite pleasant enough" said the
photographer, as he peered in the tiny
window of the camera that reflected
the sea In brilliant tints. Il could catch
| the spout but l want to wait until he
throws his entire head out Of water and
looks really pleasant before touch the
| button"
1t was an exciting moment, as never,
so far as known, had a living whale, in
the open ocean. posed before camera,
or a photographer seen so huge an ami
NAL obligingly swim along. allowing
its picture to be taken.
Its a tame whale, isn't il ?''said the
little girl. as the whale gradually came
| nearer.
"He certainly does not seem very
timid," replied her companions; and as
he spoke. puff!came the spout:ng like
the escape of steam, the vapor actually
| drifting aboard the steamer into the
fnces of the passengers.
| The whale was now so near that tho
barnacles upon his 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
the dancing waves and the white sails
of myriads of velellas that covered the
surface. scudding along before the fresh
tradewind. Then, without warning,
the creature as suddenly rose again,
showing large area of its back, send
ing at the same time cloud of misty
vapor into the air as it's top or dorsal fin
appeared. The photographer saw it in
the little window, and evidently think
ing that the whale looked as pleasant
as he in all probability would, touched
the button, and so far as is known, took
the first photograph of a living whale
in the open ocean.-Charles Frederick
| Holder, in ST. Nicholas.