New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-01-10

Cape Horn which was quite Beyond all their previ-
GUS experience could not bring themselves to Pc
ginning Of this century While people had largely
vs t s Kra sn or
reasonably explain the persistence OF evidence
taken the roube a 10 nsrvew the crews OF the
South Sea whalers. that sailed in such eoodly
been CONVINCED that 50 far from the Kraken being
myth, he Is one Of the most substantial OF facts,
were in conspiracy TO deceive them on that point
Any thoughtful observer who has ever seen -,
dred. and Understood, from the confguration of
their Jaws that they must OF necessiy iced upon ION
Loving that. in order to supply the, enormous de-
mand for food made by these whales. their prey
on my first meeting with the cachaot on terms
OF mutual destruction. knew nothing OF Ibis his
wounded vomiting huge masses OF white substance
my curiosity was aroused. and when saw that
most Identical in structure with the small sauid so
efforts to escape from doiphins ,coryph~na,. alba
core; or bonto. my amazemeni was great. some
Surgeon Beaie. in his book on the sperm whale.
only credits the cachalot with being able to swal.
a writer | am bound TO say that such masses as
have seen elected from the stomach OF the dying
whale could only have entered throat to which
speak Of what we have seen. and perhaps Dr. Beae
had never such large pieces elected.
n FEARFUL. fltftl
In an article in Nature of June T. 1896 have
described encounter which witnessed between
a gigantic squid and a sperm whale, In the Straits
OF Maacca, which, as far as am concerned. has
settled conclusivey the Kraken and sea-serpant
question for me. This terrific combat took place
under the full glare OF tropical MOON upon the
surface of a perfectly calm sea. within mile OF
the ship Every detail of the struggle was clearly
visible through splendid glass. and Is indebly
craven upon my mind. 1t was indeed a battle OF
giants-perhaps all the more solemny Impressive
from being waged in perfect silence. rhe contrast
between the livid wilderness of the mollusks
body and the massive backness of the
whale; the convulsive writing, Of the tire;
mendous arms as. like Medusas head
magnhed a thousand times. they wound and
gripped about the coumnar head OF me great NAM
world for intense interest. The immense eyes, AZ
fxity of gaze. Could We have seen more nearly.
the sea was turned from its normal blue into
dusky brown by the discharge OF the great cephal-
must have been a tank of considerable capacity.
Each OF those far-reachng arms We're Of course
disks Of them foot in diameter. and. in
addition TO the adherng apparatus. provided with
suckers large rs those OF a grizzly bear Besides
the eight arms. there were the two tentaculi:
long-In fact, about the length Of the animals
body. and quito worthy of being taken for a pair
OF sea -serpents by themselves. But the whale
apparently took no heed OF the titanic struggles
OF this enormous mousk. He busy welding
his mighty laws not In mastication. but In tearing
asunder the soft flesh into convenient Jumps Tor
being swallowed. All around were numerous
smaller whales or sharks joining i'm the plentiful
feast like jackals round lion. Every fisherman
worth his salt knows how well all fish that swim
I'm tho sea love the sapd flesh of the cephaopoda.
making It the finest bait known and in truth 1t is.
and always has been. a succulent dainty where
known for mankind as we'll. But II Is evident
from the scanty number Of times that the gigantic
c,ttie-fsh has been reported that his habitat Is
well beneath the surface yet not so far down
but tina, he may be easily reached by the whale.
and also find food for his own vast bulk. PROBABLY
fhev prey uDol one another From what We know
Of The habits Of those members OF the family who
live in accessible waters. = Is evident that nothing
comes amiss 10 them IN The way OF hsh OF Hesii'
dead alive.
The Prince Of Monaco. who Is devotee OF ma
rinc natural history. was fortunate enough 10 Wit
ness some BAY whalers Terceira early this year
catching "A sperm whale. He and mis- scientific as
sisranrs were alike amazed at seeing the contents
NJ no VIII tl.s stomach elected before death. but
their a-nazem.nt became hysterical delight when
ha, found that the cjscta consisted OF portions OF
huge ,uttle-fsh. yet unknown 10 scientific clas
sincation The species Was promptly named after
The prince Lopidoteuths Grimaldii, and paper
Scitnres a, Paris SO profoundly impressed was
the Prince with what he had seen that he AT once
determined to convert his yacht into a whaler. In
order to become bette acquainted with these
wonderful creatures 30 long known 10 the obusc
ori car.cs. Whale-fishers one interesting circum-
etance noted by the Prince was the number OF
circular impressions made upon the tough ana
strbhorn substance OF the whales head. hard as
hippopotaInus hide, showing the tremendous power