The daily morning journal and courier., 1898-09-21
"KILLERs" OF TwoFoLD BAY.
traordinary and sagacious creatures
 Inhabitants of the Sea

traordinary and sagacious creatures
 Inhabitants of the Sea.
 Twofold Bay, magnificent deep-wa- ter harbor on the southern coast of New South Wales, is a fishermans paradise though it's fame is but local, or known only to outsiders who may have spent day there when travelling from Syd- ney to Tasmania in the fine steamers of the Union company, which occasion ally put in there to ship cattle from the little township of Eden. But the chief point of interest about Twofold Bay Is that it is the rendezvous of the famous killers (Orca gladiator), the deadly foes of the whole race of cetaceans oth- CT than themselves, and the most ex- low; others are dark brown, with black that inhabit the ocean's depths. From July to November two schools" of kill lers may be seen every day, either cruising to and fro across the entrance of the bay or engaged in Titanic com bat with whale--a right" whale, "umpback" or the long, swift fin back" But they have never been known to tackle the great sperm whale, except when the great creature has been wounded by his human enemies. And to witness one of these mighty struggles is worth travelling many thousand miles to see; it is terrible, awe-inspiring and wonderful
 The killer ranges in length from ten feet to twenty-five feet (whalemen have told me that one was seen strand ed on the Great Barrier Reef in 1862 which measured thirty-seven feet). Their breathing apparatus and general anatomy is much similar to that of the sperm whale. They spout breach"
 and sound" like other cetaceans, and are of the same migratory habit as the two schools" which haunt Twofold Bay, always leave there about Novem- Der 2S to cruise in other seas, returning to their headquarters early in July,
 when the humpback and finback. whale make their appearance on the coast of New South Wales travelling northward to the breeding-grounds on the Bamp- tor Shoals, the coast of New Guinea and the Moluccas.
 |. The head of the killer Is of enormous strength, the mouth is armed in both jaws with fearful teeth, from two inch es to three inches long and set rather WlQely apart. LII COIOT they SHOW all extraordinary variation, some being all one hue-brown, black or dull gray: others are black, with large irregular ! patches or streaks of pure white or vel low; others are dark brown, with black and yellow patches. One which I saw
 stranded on the reef at Nukulaelae, in the South Pacific, was nearly black, ex- .cept for a few irregular blotches of white on the back and belly. This par ticular killer had died from starvation for the entire lower jaw had decayed from cancerous growth.
 The whaling station at Twofold Bay 1 is the only one in the colony-the last remnant of once great and thriving industry. It is carried on by family named Davidson, father and sons, in | conjunction with the killers. And for
 more than twenty years this business | partnership has existed between the 1 humans and the cetaceans and the ut
 most rectitude and solicitude for each | others interests has always been main- l tained-Orca gladiator seizes the whale | for Davidson, and holds him until the | deadly lance is plunged into his life" ' and Davidson lets Orca carry the car ! cass to the bottom and take his tithe of
 luscious blubber. This is the literal 1 truth, and grizzled old Davidson or any one of the stalwart sons who man his