New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-09-11
lDYLS OF THE SEA.
STRANGE MEDlTATIONS or TIKI LOOK
OUT IN THE CROWS NEST. .
From The Spectator.

FROM The spectator. :
AS II ecstatc in their appreciation OF ihe ban
lstment OF night. school OF porpoises live thou
sand strong indulge in riotous gambs,,s. 1T ap-
ing high into the bright air. their shining. Utha
bodies all a-quiver with pure joy Of abundant
life. they churn the kindly sea into foam leay-
Ing In their mad frolicsomc rush a wide track
OF white on the smoOthness behind them. SO
Hawless ~ the calm that even the tiny argOsy
of the nautilus is tempted 10 rise and spread its
silken SAL. lovely gauZy curve Just a shade or
so lighter In hue than the sapphire OF the sea,
and so discernible from that height to the frac-
tised eye. In quick succession more and more
appear. until fairy feet Of hundreds is sailing
AS If bearing Titania ard her train to some en-
chanted Isles. where never wind blows loudly.
But To- al II al signal from ptgmy Admiral.
the squadron have vanished bubblewise. From
where they lately rode In mimic pageant rises
ghostIike vast flock OF dying fish. the hum OF
whose vibrant wing fms aScends to the
Many thousands In number. glislenng in the
sunbaIe like FURNISHED silver. they glide
through the air with incredible speed. the whole
shoal rising and falling in wayclike undulatiOns.
as II In the performance OF preconcerted eVou-
tons They have been flying upon a plane OF
perhaps twenty feet above the for some five
hundred yards. and are Just about To rc-cntcr
The water when beneath them appear The blaz-
ing beauties Of a school OF dolphin mot the du
hued mammal. but the poet-bcOYed fish At
that dread sight the solid phaanx breaks up.
hurled back upon itself In the disorder OF deadly
panic. In iitte gr0upa. In single fugityes they
scatter TO every point OF the cOmpaxa, q hope
iessIy dtsorganized mob. whereof the weaker fall
to swift oblivion in the gaping Jaws Of their
brilliant. vigorous foes beneath. The main body
sheer OF. sadly thinned. in fresh direction.
long, quiyering raiders launching themselves In
hot pursuIt upon their rear. devourIng as they
rush. until caters and eaten disappear. and the
battc-feid lies In placid beauty as IL never dis
turbed. One lowering bird. q "bO'sun," with
long slender tail and feathers OF purest white.
circles around on unmOving Outspread pnions.
slowly turning his pretty head with dark In
curious eyes upon the strange bipcd so awk
~ nor, nod n rio i,i of oil
Whence and when did ne come, moment
since and he vas not Did the vacant cther pro-
ducc him Yet another moment and he IL Como
AZ he ca'no leaving behind him papabe sense
II loss.
But nov all attention il concentrated upon the
horizon where the trained eye has caught n
glimpse Of something OF greater interest than
either bird or lish. series OF tiny puffs. APP
parentiy of steam. rises from the shining sur
face. hut 50 eyau"Scent that nothing but long
practice would discern them at so great a dis
tan"e irrcgdlariy. both AZ to time and posi-
ton. they appear. 4 shadOwy procession or
faintast indefinite outlines. a band OF brief
shadows. Yet upon them eager eyes nrc bent In
kecnesl attention. Tor they represent tho posi-
biiiiics Of ubstafiai gain. aud bring the mind
back from TIA realms Of pure romance With the
SwIflncSS II A liz INK sea bird down 10 the hard
necessities II every day lifr They are the breath
u marine fuammalia. miShtiest OF oceans Citi-
Iens and Strangest Of links between the In
habitants Of land ard sea. y little keen scru-
tiny. however. reveals the Disappointing fact
that those frathcry phantouls mark the pres
ense Of that special species Of whales which en-
ioy complete Immunity from attack either from
above ~ below Their marvellous agility. no
Less than the cs!Eunus covering OF fat TO which
they have rrducri the usually massive blubber
borne by lh"ir ngru"fS. gives abundant reason
Why they sho,I w. thus unmolestcd So they
roam the trrInng seas IN the ensiablc "a well
IL almost unique position among the marine
fauna e e<"nptlon from Death, except by sick
ness or old ago. ~ much as any scdate law
abiding citizen II London They seem 10 be well
~ - IF fhptr pfiStirgeS for they draw tho
ship III perfect confidence. needing her huge
.hni,w ~ more than n sh" mass OF
rock rising sheer from tho ocean bed. and In
capable of harm - any Of the sea folk. From
our lofty ryrr watch with kcenest interest
ne antics II ihr." great creatures. their anna.
tory eaiubols parental care. elegant case nnt
keen sportyrncss. Youier pi~had monster. wh<
,crff!s ne pItriaICh oi the school after baskinJ
plA.dly IN the score hing rays OF the sun. noH
high an the heavens. sTaTciy turns II semi
somersauli. eieVaiing IN. rear half OF his BODY
isoui~ forty feet or 500 out OF the water Thea
with steady. tremendous strokes he beats the
water the hundred square feet Of his tail falling
niily with a Icvrrbrratipn like IN" sound OF a
Instant bpmbnrimrnt. The others leap out OF
'h. wItrr. -.datcly a. becomes their bulk. or roll
oyer aui over each other upon the surface
occasionally settling down untN they look like
ash ~ 4 foot or ST. In lrnE'h. They even dare to
chllc their blruacl"- studded sides against the
vessels keel srndiug strange trcmor through
h.r from stem - stern. which ~ even felt In tho
crows nest" Hut no one molcst5 them In any
Say. IN fact r. must b" placed 10 the whaler'S
credit thlt hr rarely takes life for sport"
though caiiOuS A. IRON where profit OF any kind
tuty D. secured