The daily chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Ind. Ter. [Okla.]) 1898-1902, 1898-12-20
A WHALES REVENGE.
Enragcd by the Kiiling OF Her Iaf
She Deals Ont Death and
Destruction.

has its headquarters in the northern
Pacific, mostly along the American
coast, especially affecting the Gull
OF California. This huge creature Is
a mammal, one of the great whale
family, really rorqual OF medium
size and moderate yield OF oil. )
Only the elite of the Yankee whale
men, dexterous and daring as are all
the tribe, can hope to get ito wind
ward" of the diabolicaliy cunning gi-
ants whom they abuse with such
fluent and frequent flow of pictur-
esque profanity. 1t is a peculiar char
acteristic OF this animal that it seems
ever on the alert, scarcely exposing for
one moment its broad back above the
sea surface when rising to spout, and
generally travelling, unlike all its con-
geners, not upon, but few feet be-
low, the water. For this reason, and
in this fishery alone, the whalers arm
themselves with iron-shafted har-
poons, in order to strike with greater
force and certainty of direction
whale some distance beneath the sur
face. standing order, too, among
them is never by any chance to in
lure a calf while the mother lives, since
such an act exposes all and sundry
near the spot to imminent and violent
death. Neglect of this most neces-
sary precaution, or more probably ac-
cident. once brought about calamity
that befell feet of 13 American
whaleships which had been engaged
in the .'bowhead" fishery among the
ice foes of the Arctic Pacific. In order
TO waste no time, they came south
when winter set in, and by common
consent rendezvoused in Margharita
bay, Lower California, for month or
two's "deyil-fshing."
The whales were exceedingly abun-
eant that season. and all the ships
were soon busy with as much blubber
as they could manage. The ease with
which the whales were being obtained,
however. led to considerable careless
MSS and forgetfulness Of the fact that
the whale never changes its habits.
One bright morning, about three
weeks after the opening OF the sea-
son. the whole hotilla of SO boats, four
from each ship, had been lowered and
were making their way as rapidly as
possible to the outlying parts of the
great bay, keeping bright lookout
for FISH" Spreading out fan-wise,
the. were getting more and more scat
tered. when about near the center of
the feet some one suddenly struck
and got fast TO fish. But hardly had
the iptimation been given when some
thing very like panic seized upon the
crowd In q moment or two the rea-
son was apparent. From some cause.
never definitely known, harpooner
had in striking large cow whale
transfixed her calf at her side with
his harpoon, killing it Immediately.
The mother. having quietly satisfied
herself that her offspring was really
dead, turned upon her aggressors like
veritable demon of destruction. and,
while carefully avoiding exposure Of
her body, to attack, simply spread
devastation among the fotilla. When
ever she rose to the surface, it was
but for second, to emit an expiration
like the hiss of lifting safety valve,
and almost always to destroy boat
or complete the destruction of one al
ready hopelessly damaged.
Every blow was dealt with an ac-
curacy and appearance of premedita-
ton that filled the superstitious Por-
tuguese, who formed a good half of
the crews, with dismay-the more so
that many of them could only guess
at the original cause of what was re-
ally going on. The speed of the mon
ster was so great that her almost ST.
multaneous appearances at points
widely separated made her seem ubiq-
uitous; and as she gave no chance
whatever for blow it certainly
looked as If all the boats would be de-
stroyed seriatim. Not content with
dealing one tremendous blow at boat
and reducing it at once to bundle
of loose boards, she renewed her at
tentions again and again to the wreck
age. as il determined that the destruc-
tion should be complete. Utter de-
moralization had seized even the vet
erans, and escape was the only thought
governing all action. But the distance
to shore was great, and the persist
ence and vigor of the furiousleviathan,
SO far from diminishing, seemed to in
crease as the terrible work went on.
At last two boats did succeed in reach
ing the beach at a point where 1t sloped
very gradually. The crews had hardly
leaped overheard, to run their craft
up high and dry, when close behind