The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1897-10-16
CORSAIRS OF THE SEA.
NO OCEAN INHABITANT IS SAFE FROM
THE FERocioUS oRcA.

Attacks ana h1lle the DfSSest "ho'os
Sometimes snatches Captured Whales
From the Whalers' Hands-Weh
Equipped for Its Savage Career.
The orca, says the New York Ledger,
IS the highwayman Of the ocean; quick,
Ferocious and brave, it fears no foe,
and knows no defeat. Its common
name of killer is much more express
siye of this terror of the seas than
orca. for it is killer in every sense
of the word. No inhabitant OF the
deep sea is safe from its attack, and
none can overcome it. 1t kills when
1t is hungry, and when it is not; 1t
kills merely for the sake OF killing,
and the greater the adversary, the
fiercer the battle, the greater the TIL
umph for this most pitiless OF foes, Tor
unfortunately it always triumphs. Ii
not strong enough to wage war single
handed, it will call on others OF It's
kind for help, and banded together,
these corsags of the sea can sweep
everything before them. Even the
great whale, the giant OF creation Is
not safe from the savage outslaughts
of these murderous pirates; on the
contrary, he seems to be special op-
;ect of their attack. Swim he ever SO
fast, try as hard as he can to escape,
escape is simply impossible for the
whale when once the killers are IN
pursuit of him. 1t will not be long
before they are by his side, and then
the frightful warfare will commence.
From above they will attack him, from
below and from all around. They VIII
congregate about the giants head IN
furious assaults, greedily fasten
their teeth into the great lips, ana
snatch large pieces Of flesh from them.
High up in the air they will leap, com,
inc down on the back of the doomed
whale. with resounding thwack, as
they strike him smartly with their
tails. There is no cessation OF the
savage warfare, no escape from the
murderous assaults. Onslaught fol-
lows onslaught in quick succession
and as the whale gradually succumos
to the frightful punishment, the fury
of the savage orcas seems to bere dou-
bled. On they charge more fiercer
than before, madly they leap over the
PROSTATE form, and cease not the pitt
less conflict until the struggles OF their
victim are over for ever. Not even
then do these wolves of the sea relent,
into the dead giants mouth they vii!
dash, tear out the great tongue, and
savagely fight among themselves fol
the greatest share thereof. Nor does
the orca st, n in much fear OF man.
for it has been known to attack whales
that have been already captured BY
whalers; in fact, while the men were
in the very act Of cutting up the car
| cases. Then would ensue fight be
, tween the orcas and the whalers. agaiI
, and again the orcas would rush up t.
the whale in an attempt to carry /
, away, aud again and again were the.
attacked in turn by the whalers, will
boat spades and lance. The swiftly
. executed movements of the orcas, how
; ever, have repeatedly gained the con
: test for their side, and more than ono
, they have successfully carried off tn
prize, which cost the whalers SO niue
time and trouble to capture.
The orca has been well equipped b
nature for its piratical career. Long
sleek and smooth, it combines in il
. torpedo-like makeup the swifte'
rapidity allied to great strength. A
:. though not very large-rarely mea
, nring more than fifteen or sixteen fe'
in length-its cat-like agility makes
= the equal in power of any of tt
= ocean monsters. It's whole craniul
, is massively built, the jaws strong an
d fitted with stout conical teeth, and Il
E. whole head the perfect symbolism
g strength aud bulldog-like ferocity.
3 These Unsuitable devourers w
= work great havoc among the seals, e
. pecially during the breeding seaso
n They will kill and fairly gorge theI
b selves with young seals, snatching Il
D. little ones from the fippers of the
u mothers, who are powerless to defer
;. their offspring in the face OF SUI
Il frightful foes.
e. The great walrus even, with his e
ID phant-like tusks, will retreat to t
a. shore Just as soon as he sights t
Il black fin of the hideous orca cutti
" swiftly through the water. Giant tt
fe he is he does not care to risk fight wi
o. this greatest of ocean fighters. D
IS phins, porpoises, in fact, all creatul
IT. of the sea, are likely to fall prey
re the hungry orcas. The dolphlns
ID literally swallowed alive, and ore
be have repeatedly been seen to lift tn
n heads high out of the water with a 81
ut in their jaws, crushing and shaking
er most viciously.
nd Nor do these pirates confine the
n selves alone to preying on the
habitants of the sea. They will char
Of their tactics and rush up the riv
I and work much damage general
an They will destroy untold quantities
.or salmon and other large fish that Il
I'm may chance to meet, and carry mur'
VS. and CONSERVATION wherever they
81 These sea wolves have to destroy
,p- great deal of life in order to satisfy th
appetites, which, according to all
counts, are enormous. Incredible
10 it may seem, one orca has been s.
Nv to swallow four porpoises, and in
- stomach of one large one-measur
sixteen feet in length-were TO,
tb;r+oo,, ,,or,,o;sos and fourteen 60