Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-08-03

signal the boats rushed upon IL and two
lances were hurled into its vitals, the boats
quickly backing off to avoid the rush. One
was too late. The orca rolled over and
sank, to again come up and seize the cut
water of the craft in its mouth and crush
IT. This was the end, and as the men
swan to the remaining boat the active
and savage creature beat the water into
foam in its dying agony and soon lay on
the surface, dearly bought game. II was
toWed ashore. hauled in at high water and
for the natives for days. age or previous
condition of servitude having no effect
upon the Alaskan appetite.
The savage nature of the orca or killer
IS well established, and there are several
instances on record of their having crushed
boats with their teeth. They are very
common In the Pacific. and the writer has
often been within a stones throw Of a
school moving along with dignified mo-
tlon On several occasions they followed
boats to the complete decentralization of
the occupants, fairly chasing them into a
small bay and out upon the beach.
Fierce Fighters.
The nature of the orca can be imagined
from the following incident observed by
an acquaintance of the writer He was
rowing down the shore of one of the south
ern Californian islands when, two hundred
feet or SO ahead, a large whale leaped al
most entirely clear Of the water, carrying
to it. The whale was surrounded by a
school of these animals, which were lit
orally tearing it in pieces. They attacked
Its lips, SO finding their way to the mouth
eating the tongue out and continuing their
cannibalistic feast until the water was
dyed with blood for yards about and the
whale, which was at least sixty feet in
length, was dragged down.
Ihat an animal weighing many tons and
Of vast physical strength could be killed by
hensible, but the whale was of the whale
bone variety and defenseless except for It's
tail, which it hurled about blindly. doing
little execution. The orcas apparently are
aware of the defenseless condition of the
giant of all animals and attack II with
impunty. That the orcas are natural-born
fighters, killing for the mere love of it. is
beyond question. When they approach the
coast animals OF all kinds flee. The huge
horse mackerel which attains a weight OF
one thousand pounds, disappears: sea lions
and seals take to the rocks and the field
is left 10 the devastators.
Where They Abound.
The orcas are particularly common on
the northwest coast, where seals and sea
lions are also abundant, and that they de-
stroy vast numbers of them is well known.
An orca has been seen to dash out of
water, seize sea lion from a shelving
rock and bear 1t off The mouths Of sal
mon rivers are IdNorll6 IttOlllS GROUNDS
for these animals, which dash into the
schools, cutting them down by hundreds.
The voracity of the orca may be imagined
when it is known that from a specimen not
over sixteen feet in length four large por-
poises were taken. while another orca de-
voured thirteen porpoises and fourteen
seals, well earning the title of gladiator.
The most striking of the family is the
orca gladiator of the North Atlantic which
reaches length of twenty feet in the male,
and is distinguished by a remarkable dor
sal fin at least six feet in height and nearly
straight, the tip turning over. The black
most equally destructive fishes. They are,
especially the former, common on the coast
of Massachusetts, where they are often
caught in numbers. Some years ago a
school came into a shallow bay, and in
their eagerness to secure prey-a school Of
mackerel-they grounded in about four feet
of water, Whereupon scene enSued that
created great excitement No boats were
at hand, SO farmers rode out to the fish on
horseback, killing them with pitchforks and
other improvised weapons. The black fish
dashed the bay into foam, hurting the wa
ter into the air, rushing over each other in
their efforts to escape, creating a picture
long to be remembered and one that was
not without danger, as the powerful ami
mails laid about with their tails in man
ner that made near approach extremely
difficult. Whaling on horseback was here
but it is needless to say that
1t is not likely to become a common or ia
yOrite snort