New-York tribune., 1898-01-23
THELOSS OF THE FIRST-BORN

his side, at the head OF the mighty school In All
the exultation of his ovcrlordshp of thoss
Ttans, he often sprang clear into the bright a.,
in the funesS Of his gigantic life and neasure-
less delight OF living IL. After having in thin
way somewhat Quieted his exuberant spirits he
swan sedatc,y enough by the side Of his favor.
itc again, and resumed the serious conyersat!on
they had been having. lie told her they would
arrive at the island tomorrow, and she would
then see what sweet spot he had selected for
the birthplace Of their iirstbOrn. There was
deep water right up TO the edge Of the wide.
spreading reef Shallow winding channels. that
only sagacIous whales, humpbacks like them.
selves. could find or thread amid the ncessant
rolling Of the enormous breakers. led into
spacious lagoon behind, where there was no
greater depth than six fathOms The floor Of
those quiet quarters was delightfully."- Jagged, 50
that she would be able easily to chafe Of eyery
last barnacle and limpet from the lovely folds q
her charming breast. As for food the placs
alive with tender young squd and sea.
slugs, all fat and juicy. And as he spoke be
caressed her lovingly with his hftecn-f,0t fn
that spread Ike a wing from the broad expanse
of his side while she gazed w him affection.
ately out Of the corner Of her tiny eye.
When she nstnctvely expressed her fear Of
the er-vigilant sharks, who love nothing bet.
ter than tender young calf. he comfOrted her
by an assurance that there was little need 10
fear them there. II a stray one should come
prOWling around she 10 attack him AZ once
as he would almost certainly be alone Then his
voice took graver tone as his wound reminded
him Of the greatest danger " all, and one OF
which she had no experience. H. told her how
to some Of the quiet haunts of their people came
! occasionally white things with long thin egs
walking on the top Of the water. They were not
nearly big a whale, but there seemed 70
| be smaller living things in them that were
awful and dangerous. They bit with long sharp
teeth, they had arms hundreds Of feet long and
they knew no pity even for laneuid mother and
newborn calf. They had killed vast numbers n
the whale folk and the thought ~ bis escape
! from them made him ache with fright though
| it was SO many years ago.
Even he spoke, the school swept into sigh
Of vast barrier Of coral and settling down
many fathoms. they skirted its base rooted in
the eternal buttresses Of the world. Grand
and awful was the view. hut they h"ed'f il not
| being business bent. with no admiration 70
waste on the gorgeous scene or appreciation Ok
| the UNRELIABLE marvels Of The deep matters OF
every day with them. Presently they rose near
| enough to the surface to hear the aNfui roar OK
| the league-ong lire Of resistless breakers over.
head and turning with them. followed their ord
and leader into one of the channels ne had
| spoken Of II wound its tortuous ~at Tor
| couple OF miles through the great reel the
| stiffness of the placid shadows sirang y dls-
| turbed by the roaring return Of the displaced
water as the troop Of leNlathau' padded gently
through its intricacies. At length they merged
| into a wide lagoon bounded on one side oy
towering masses Of black rock rising ter upon
| tier for over two thousand feet. IL every other
direction the sea raised a rampant ~ idIIhhg
| foam which seemed never 10 subsde iuf one
moment reveal even remote cn"hce OF
|
| For the next TWO days they stayed ith her.
exploring every corner. finding il truly as the
| Master had said. place - ten th"nsand tor
| a refuge from all eneml'S At last Whch 0ns
| patient mother o-be had ,,ttsd upon a shady
| pool beneath a huge oNernauslns ctas IS her
favorite spot. they all bade n'r idl'"'.l i'fiheu
into line and departed Leaving h,f '' " un'
! failing ministratiOns of the good Nurse Nature,
with a promise 10 return dsdn in t.'Ae 'en
| days. , -
On the second day Of her loneliness q little son
ID ma .
about eight feet long. his tender. SHINING iarh
! skin elegantly mottled with spashes ~ gray,
while the tiny furroWs Of his belly were NIne W
as curd. And the proud mother l"ilri '. "eI
cool corner feeding her babe from her l'uH;eous
breast feeling suprcmeiy happy II" vas
very wellspring Of joy to her. every move ot ms
1.-the young body. every puu from ms tiy sps,
acle giving "A pang of delight. Nor dla
ANYTHING harmful come near. But she never
relaxed her Vigilant watch; not the rank sp'dsn
Of a gannet after a fi"etng lying hHi SehI
shudder Of apprehensive energy through her
mighty frame.
For one blissfu week there was perfect peace
Then came a morning when the glorious plue
sky grew gray and greasy. then black as soot
deathlike silence fell. The harmless hsn ana
other denizens Of the reef crept into cr wees OK
the coral and all the birds fled wailing away
She was filled with an indehnahle dread .ohs %
liness unfelt before stirred every hhr' Win isai
Moving uneasly about the restricted area ~ nef
shelter her calf clutched closely under her nm
she saw spear after spear Of crimson narle
cleave the swart heavens. while IMMENSE
powders Of redhot rock fell IN hur'lh| Ian
around her 4 seething torrent % N l'er ava
amid a dense fog Of steam fell wiki d'aisnlhs
hiss into the sea. Desperately sh" sought 70
descend but forgetting the bottom So near dea.
herself fearful blow Then in frantic IT io' ~
her younglng she rushed holding him loser ~
her breast around n barrier seeking tne
massage through which they had entered AZ
most exhausted with her eXertons. sh' io1hu -
ned along its windings with the rock heaYihg
and groaning around her and AT last pllnsoa
exultantlv through the boiling breakers down.
down into peace But unsatisfied. still snf toiea