The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1901-03-20
WHALES SENAT NNALUU'GT some not NUMBERS
SWAN FOR SEVERAL NIGHTS
ABOUT MAUNA LOA.
Drove Natives in Terror From the
Fishing Grounds-Boatmen Met by
Spray from the Leviathans.

When the Mauna Loa left Punaluu
last Sunday the natives at that place
were bemoaning their unhappy fate as
they were appehenSiVe over the posSi
bility of going indefinitely without fish.
Rough weather was not the cause for
their inability to take the fish but ac-
tual terror prevented them from ven
turing away from the shore.
Schools of enormous whales visited
the harbor of Punaluu Friday and sat
day and drove the natives in fear from
the fishing grounds to the side of the
steamer. The leviathans afforded con-
siderable excitement to the officers and
crew of the Mauna Loa, for several
times during Saturday it was feared
that the huge creatures would attack
the shore boats.
On Friday night while the Mauna
Loa was lying at Punaluu one of the
crew heard an unusual noise off the
port quarter. Going to the rail he per-
ed over the side and saw an immense
object slowly moving in the water to-
ward the boat. Suddenly the man peer
ceiVed q shower of spray ascend into
the air and then he realized the man
ner Of animal which was approaching
=. the steamer. 1t was a large whale.
The sailor sounded an alarm and
soon captain Simerson, Purser Sinner
son and the rest of the officers were
gazing over the port rail The whale
was no where to be seen. Hints were
thrown out that the sailor had imbibed
too freely of swipes but from the star
board quarter came second alarm
The crowd rushed over to that side in
time to see a shower of spray fall into
the water and observe a huge body
moving through the sea- Within a few
minutes a second whale appeared off
the starboard bow and soon another, a
third whale, larger than the others, ap-
nparpd close tO the side of the vessel.
! The monster made no attempt to at
tack the vessel but swan slowly about
the vessel, lowering around the stern.
The officers watched the whales for
several hours supposing that the ami
mails would disappear during the night.
On Saturday morning however the
whales were still close to the vessel.
The native fishermen did not apparent
ly perceive them for they came out in
their boats to fish. Soon the people
on the Mauna Loa heard shouts from
the fishing boats and saw the little
craft come hurrying toward the steam
er. 1t seems that the whales had been
in a playful mood and circled about
the native canoes, swimming within a
few yards of one side and diving un-
der the boats and appearing on the
other quarter. This was fun for the
whales but the natives feared it would
be death to the fishermen so they
sought safety by the side of the vessel.
The natives were evidently afraid to
venture in shore for they remained
for hours hugging the steamers side.
{ The whales did not venture closer than
five yards to the canoes, but still kept
up their antics of swimming under and
around the steamer.
There was a time during the day
however when 1T was feared that the
whales intended doing mischief. In
fact the native boatmen are a unit in
declaring that all of them had narrow
escapes from being attacked by the
monsters When the small boats were
loaded with sugar and sent from shore
to the vessel the whales suddenly left
the steamer and commenced to follow
the ships boats. They would venture
within ten feet of the sides and several
of the boatmen were wet by the spray
which the whales "blew" into the air
The whales repeated their previous an
tics of swimming underneath the boats
and around them until the natives were
trembling with fright. 1t was with
difficulty that the boatmen were pur-
Suaded to return to the shore after
more loads of sugar.
The whales did no damage however
but stayed inside the anchorage all
of Saturday and were still swimming
about when the officers of the ship re-
tired On Sunday morning the whales
E, were gone. 1t was the first time that
whales have have Visited Punaluu in
many months. The/natives attributed
1t to the good weather which was pre-
Vailing but exactly how good weather
at Punaluu wouA have such an effect
upon the leviatkans is not clear. The
natives refused to venture to the fish
ing grounds when the Mauna Loa left
They claimed/ the whales would return
and attack fheir boats.
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