Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1898-01-20
SEA WOLVES AT WAR
eIaRcE Battle eETWEEN.A SPERM
WHALE AND .sWORpelsH.
The Lsviathan Kept on the enrface by
Strategy While the Thrasheis Stabbed
him to Dsath-Thriliipg Combat Wit
messed In the Pacific Ocean.

nssssd In tho Paciao Ocean.
Did you ever see school Of thrash
ers after q whale, with swordfish as
sisting the sea wolves?"
Some Of the party had witnessed the
sight. others had not; all. however,
were cosnizant of the close association
existing between the thrasher and
swordfish. but the story was asked for.
1T was from the deck of the old
brig Firefy, plying in the fruit trade
between San Francisco and Tahiti,
during the seventies that saw this sea
BATTLE" said the shipping man. I'VE
were OF tho Marquesas and lolling
along with the equatorial drift. not
enough wind blowing to keep the sails
from Stating against the masts. The
heat was something deadly in its inten-
sity, and there wasn't enough energy
among either crew or passengers to
even read.
Suddenly we were reused by call
from the lookout: Something coming
up, sir! Two points off the lee bow,
and at the break Of the horizon!'
I'm a moment we were all on our
feet. and leaning over the port taffrail.
Far down near the horizon could be
seen furry of foam and tumble Of
dark objects. These would appear and
disappear, with each appearance the
white spray we had first noticed show
Ing clear against the blue of the equa-
torial sky.
Number Of native canoes out after
q whale, l make It, said Captain Tur-
ner, as he handed the glass over to me.
II got steady sight on the object,
which were rapidly approaching us.
With the second furry OF foam, as the
black spot appeared on the surface
could make them out. 1t was big
sperm whale being chased by a school
Of thrashers.
But the whale doesn't sound long
enough to have thrashers after him,
said the captain. 1t must be natives
in canoes and the swell hides them
from the deck
ITO make certain went aloft, in
the re iigg ng. and from the top could
make out the fight distinctly. But,
just as the captain had said, I was
puzzled at the short lapses of time
transpiring between the whales fluking
and his again appearing on the surface.
"The whale was headed straight for
us, and working along at rate that
within half an hour would bring him,
with the thrashers abreast of the brig,
providing he did not change his course.
This, fortunately for our excited curl
osity, the whale did not do, and at a
distance OF less than 300 fathoms, the
people Of the Firefy were treated to
such a sight as seldom comes. even in
the varied incidents which go to make
up life at sea.
I'VE had all been offering conjectures
as to why the whale did not sound to
q depth the thrashers could not fol-
low. When the big fellow had ranged
just OF orr quarter the question was
answered.
"Fluking high and bringing his tail
down with swash that would have
crushed the life out of any thrasher
caught beneath the blow, the whale
attempted to sound. He could not
have reached five fathoms deep, when
with below Of pain, he shot to the
surface f1inging his huge bulk high in
the air. simultaneously a cry went
up from all Of us. Dangling from the
whales belly was a swordfis sh, Its swort
embedded deep in the blubber. Twist
Ing and throwing itself, the swordflst
seemed endeavoring to work loose
from the whale before the latter coult
again land its great body in the sea
This 1t succeeded in doing fraction O.
second only separating the fall Of the
swordfish and that of the whale intt
the ocean. This was 81 fficient, how.
ever, for the swordfish to gather deptf
and with another prod, keep the whal,
on the surface. Then with rush thu
school of thrashers were upon th'
whale. Setting their teeth into it!
sides, half of the school woild tea
great chunks Of blubber from the bel
lowing leviathan, while the balance o
the school, with fearful blows, woult
thrash at the whale with their flukes
the swordfish In the meantime keepin,
up steady stabbing from beneath
until at last. In sheer agony Of pain
the whale would sound, dragging tn
swordfish. with its sharp saw tootl
blade Of bone sunk deep in the blub
Der with 1t.
1T seemed impossible, however 70
the whale to reach any depth, impede,
as 1t was by the twelve-foot swordf1sl
hanging to 1t and with a below
would again come to the surface Thre
times, while life remained in the whal
did we see the huge bulk shoot out o
the water. the white body Of the sword
fish hanging from its side.
Stranger still, though, was the tao
tics used by the swordfsh. to 80 woup
the whales blowhole as to incapacitat
1t entirely from sounding. Twice, whel
the whale had been stabbed at the sur
fana and fhe fhra ahara had takan ron