The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-08-04
IS A GOOD FIGHTER
DANGEROUS AND EXCITING
SPORT
KNOWN AS KILLER WHALES
They Are Extremely VOraciOus and
Attack and XIII Every Other
Aquatic Animal That Comes
in Their Way.
BY Charles f. Holder.

BY Charles f. Holder.
The orca as a sea fighter came into no
tice upon the return one season of
whaling fleet which had wintered In the
Boring sea. One of the ships during the
late fall had secured a large whale, and
the men were engaged in towing it along
side the ship, having it well in hand,
when suddenly a school of small whales
from twenty to twenty-five feet in length
charged them. The animals were Jet
black, with the exception of singular
white patches about the head; they had
tall dorsal fins and moved with marvellous
speed. They at once attacked the dead
whale, tearing enormous pieces from its
lips and sides. leaping over it's SUBJ
merged body with wonderful agility, and
continuing the attack until the water was
dyed incaTnadine.
The killers were so powerful and in
such force that the men could not tow
the whale. and laid by striking at them
with lances. In a very short time the
whale began to settle, and the whalers
realized that the ferocious orcas were
actually stealing their property. Guns
were brought into play and several orcas
killed by explosive bombs, whereupou
the animals turned upon the dead bodies
of their companions and tore them IN
pieces. and ultimately, despite all the
efforts of the crew this band OF sea
wolves carried off the whale, dragging
it down out of sight A witness to this
incident later in camping upon one of the
Islands had an opportunity to join III an
Orca hunt, without doubt one of the
most dangerous and exciting of all pas
times.
The Indians of the locality had for sew
eral days been gathering, waiting for the
breaking up of the ice, when it was said
the killed whales would be found in great
by the fact that the whales were already
on the ground ravenously hungry and go
ing to great lengths to obtain prey. While
waiting the Indians continually patrolled
the Ice pack, saying that the killer some
times came up through the ice. This was
demonstrated one day when the men
were hunting walrus. A small herd of the
latter was discovered on the edge Of
an ice pack. The Indians were creeping
upon them, accompanied by the white
hunter, who was anxious to take one
of the animals, when to his amusement
up through the ice came a huge black
figure, sending it crashing in every d.
rection; two large jaws abundantly sup
piled with teeth opened, seized a small
walrus and the two sank out of sight.
The whole appearance was only compar-
able to a gigantic jack in the box, but
was graphic illustration of the clever
generalship of the orca which had seen
the Walrus lying on the ice and sinking
down had risen like a catapult crushing
through the Ice cake and in the con-
fusion Selling a young one and making
off
Several weeks later the ice broke I'D
and an off-shore wind eft the harbor
clear. in and aI5oat which he sp0utina
OF crcas could be often heard The long
expected hunt began cary one morning.
three boats putting out. each provided
with four or five rowers. a harpo Jner and
steereT. Once out in the bay thy took
different direct 'Ons enc to the north. one
TO the south. While the third KEEP to tie
south cent or west mile out the
orcas We're sighted. First. a school of
TOUR, their high GQrSal fins standing out
distinctly against the horiz Their b'a,k
forms glistF ming in the sun. Their move
ments were sl-w and de iberate and they
moved in single file, so Slowly that it
was comparatively easy to approach
them The men lad mGfIi5d their oars.
and when a. the q-arrie rowed as
quietly as possible, avoiIfng the slight
est splash, but urging the boats on at
marvellous ed. TIE leader, the largest,
was selected, and as one of e boats
with rush went directly over It the
har. o-nCr. with all his power, threw the
weapon into The black ba * AS the har-
Poon struck the boatmen backed water
'4o'NAihiS' lipl ii IlOIn6n loo soon, as IN
the air rose the huge creature six or
seven feet in a marvellous jump, then
dropping back with a resounding crash
Whl, n sent heavy seas chasing Ca-h o H.
er after the beat. The moment the orya
struck water it sounded, tearing the rore
from the coil with such violence that it
larry smoked. Two or goo yards were
taken IN this way, then the an NAL must
nave StrGck bottom. as UP it came like
rocket so near the boat that there
could be little doubt but that the OH
1ect was to crush it. The orca with its
tons Of weight, fell with m ghty crash
ana Tor a moment dashed its powerful
lall COUPLING Up into Z, then straight
ehlhS out with violence that brought
Its tail upon the surface with a crash
mat sounded like the report of a gun. Il
was endeavoring to rid itself of the
death-dealng iron, and now began fo
SWIM upon the surface in a circle. IT'S
pack exposed a movement which sug-
eested that 1t might be searching for IT'S
enemy. But the native hunters were NOT
aITa-d' they commented to rake in the
me Eau ing rapidly. This dis urb d t5e
orca which plunged down. then swan
0azldy out to sea, towing the boat.
or several miles the pace was CON
Snued through seas which kept the men
paiiing, then the animal turned in
shore, towing them back to the bay. dur
he Whlch time they gained on the line
until they were within $50 feet of the
orca. The other two boats had now
thrown lines and were also being towed
and with much shouting the men hauled
gaining foot by foot, until finally +hev
We're nearly over the orca which wos
surglng along the surface, it's black back
exposed. Suddenly it sounded. to imme-
olately appear, striking one of the boats
larry amidshlps, sending it into the air,
then lying on the surface swapping Its
ieroclous teeth and striking powerful
pIoWs with its tail, completing the de-
structon of the boat. The men SO nm
tremendously thrown into the wa+ar
swan TO the other boats and were pulled
IN when the orca had quieted down at
sisnal the boats rushed upon it and two
!ahces were hurled into its vitals the
boats quickly backing off to avoid he
rush One was too late; the orca rolled
over and sank, to again come I'D and
seize the cutwater of the craft in it's
mouth and crush it, This was the end
- S4tNAI