The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1901-11-23

them from the blue deep they be-
foulde, so today when the world has
grown old, and our ancient heritage
has sorely shrunken, our warfare shall
be the mightiest among created
| things"
Hardly had the leviathan uttered
the last word when, with a roar like
Niagara bursting its bonds in spring,
he hurled his vast bulk headlong upon
the close-gathered band of his huge
offspring. His body was like bent
bow, and its recoil tore the amazed
sea into deep whirls and eddies as If
an island had foundered Full upon
the foremost one he fell. and deep an
swered unto deep with the impact.
| That awful blow dashed it's recipient
far into the soundless depths, where
the champion sped swiftly forward on
| his course, unable to turn until his
| impetus was somewhat spent. Before
he could again face his foes, the three
were upon him, shifting him with Ii
tanic fluke strokes, circling beneath
him with intent to catch the down
hanging shaft of his lower jaw, rising
swiftly, end on, beneath the broad
spread of his belly, leaping high into
the bright air, and falling heavily up
on his wide back.
The tormented sea foamed and
KISSED in angry protest, screaming sea-
birds circled around the conflict, raw
ening sharks gathered from unknown
distances, seeming blood, and all the
countless tribes of ocean waited
aghast But after the first red fury
had passed came the wariness, came
the fruitage of all those years of train
ing, all the accumulated instincts of
ages to supplement blind brutal force
with deep-laid schemes of attack and
defence. AS yet the three survivors
were but slightly injured, for they
had so divided their attack, even in
that first great onset, that the old
warrior could not safely single out
one for destruction. Now the young
est, the spokesman, glided to the
front of his brethren and faced his
waiting sire:
What! so soon weary? Thou art
older than we thought. Truly, this
battle hath been delayed too long. We
looked for fight that should be re-
membered for many generations, and
behoiu-" Out of the corner of his
eye he saw the foam circles rise as the
vast tail of the chief curved inward
for the spring, and he, the scorner,
launched himself backwards a nun
dred fathoms at bound. After him,
leaping like any salmon in a spate,
came the terrible old warrior, the smit-
ten waves boiling around him as he
dashed them aside in his tremendous
pursuit But herein the pursued had
the advantage, for it is a popularity
of the sperm whale that, while he
cannot see before him. his best arc of
vision is right astern. So that the
pursuer must needs, be guided by
sound and the feel of the water, and
lue very vigor of his chase was telling
far more upon his vast bulk than up
on the lither form of his flying enc
my.
In this matter the monarch's wis
dom was of no avail, for experience
could not tell him how advancing age
handicaps the strongest, and he won
dered to find numbness creeping
along his spine-to feel that he was
growing weary. And suddenly, with
an eel-like movement, the pursued
one described a circle beneath the
water, rising swiftly, as a dolphin
springs towards his pUrsuer, and DASH
ing at the dangling, cleaning jaw.
These two great jaws met in clashing
contest, breaking off dozen or so Of
the huge teeth and ripping eight or
ten feet OF the gristly muscle from
the throat of the aggressor. But hard
iy had they swung clear of each other
than the other two were fresh upon
the scene, and while the youngest one
rested, they effectuafly combined to
prevent their fast-weakening foe from
rising to breathe. No need now for
them to do more, for the late enor-
nous expenditure of force had so
drained his vast body of its prime ne
cessity that the issue of the fight was
but question of minutes.
Yet he still fought CALAMITY, though
with lungs utterly empty-all the
rushing torrent of his blood growing
fetid for lack of vitalizing air. At
last, with roar as of a cyclone
through his head, he turned on his
side and yielded to his triumphant
conquerors, whosdrew off and allowed
him to rise Imply to the now quiet
sea surface. For more than an hour
he lay there prone, enduring all the
agony of his overthrow, and seeing
for before him the long, lonely vista
of his solitary wanderings, q lone
whale driven from his own, and new
ermore to rule again.
Meanwhile. the three had departed
in search of their brother. smitten so
sorely early in the fight that he had
not since Joined them When they
found that which had been he, it was
the centre of an innumerable host of
hungry things that fed to air or sea
depths at their approach. A glance
revealed the manner of his end-a
broken back-while already, such had
been the energy of the sea people, the
great framework of his ribs was partly
laid bare, They made no regrets for
the doing of useless things finds 20
place in their scheme of things. Then
the younger said: $50 the question
of overlordship lies between us three,
and am unwilling that 1t should
await settlement. claim the leader
ship and am prepared here and now
to maintain my right" This bold as
sertion had its effect upon the two
hearers, who. after a long pause, re-