Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Benton County, Or.) 1900-1909, 1901-08-16


on the Patagonia Coast.
One Of the strangest sea fights ON rec
ord is that which the crew Of the Brit
ish warship had lately with sea ele-
phant near the Falkland Islands, of
the sea coast of Patagonia.
As actual proof Of the tremendous
size of this little knoEn marine mon
ster, its head, trunk and ribs have been
sent to the British Museum in London,
where they will be put on exhibition.
II. NJ. 8. Flora is second-class pro-
tected cruiser She had just arrived at
Port Stanley, in the Falkland Islands,
and the commander, desiring to go
ashore, ordered the gig to be lowered
and manned.
The sea was comparatively smooth,
and the boat shot along rapidly, pro-
PEELED by six stalwart blue jackets. On
nearing the shore, however, they saw
strange creature in the water. What
1t was they did not know. 1t churned
and beat the water into the whiteness
Of snow within few fathoms of the
boat.
Then the splashing and beating
ceased, and from the kissing foam arose
what seemed to be the dark head Of an
infuriated elephant. For a second the
creature glared at the astonished boats
crew then, with an ear-splitting scream,
lowered its head, and like an arrow
came for the boat
There was no time to do anything, to
jump or even think. Crashi and the
frail craft rose bodily into the air,
while the bruised and lf-stunned oc-
cupants were thrown violently into the
sea. Fortunately for them, the mon
ster's attention seemed exclusively riv-
eted upon the boat, the fragments Of
which it literally smashed into match
wood.
Neither the commander nor his men
seem to know very well how they reach
ed land, SO exhausted and unstrung had
the experience left them.
Returning later to the cruiser on a
shore boat, the commander determined
pluckily to organize a party for the
hunting down and, IL possible, the cap
ture of their assailant. On the follow
ing day nine boats went forth, each
containing the full complement of men
armed with rifles, and among whom
were several harpooners.
Advancing in semi-circle, the boats
been the scene of the previous days
incident TIL within fifty yards from
the shore nothing unusual occurred.
Then suddenly huge black mass rose
threateningly in circle of foam and
quite close to the center boats. Two
harpooners poised their weapons, which
in another instant stuck quivering in
the monsters body, while a shower of
bullets followed in a yolley.
With an angry snort Of pain, the
creature darted toward the nearest
boat, only to be met by another deadly
yolley, fired at very close range, which
ripped and tore it unmercifully. Dazed
by such reception, the monster ap-
peared to hesitate Another volley fol-
lowed, and when the smoke cleared
there was nothing visible on the sur
face save streaking of blood-red foam.
| Whir! went the harpoon lines, while the
men sat excitedly waiting reappear-
ance Of the foe.
Hes making In for the shore now,
sir" shouted one of the officers to the
commander, and the boats were signal
ed to close in. For nearly two minutes
the brute remained below, swimming
slowly back and forward; then, on re-
appearing, it lay quietly, as though ex-
hausted. The boats approached eau
tiously, and when quite close five more
harpoons were transfxed; then Instant
ly dividing. the boats pulled rapidly for
the shore.
| Now commenced a tug-of-war lasting
for nearly three hours, till at last, weak
with struggling and loss of blood, the
huge monster was hauled into shallow
water to await the receding tide. Not
one Of the party, from the commander
down to the little MILDLY, but was
thankful for the rest.
In about an hours time the tide had
gone out sufficiently, and the battle be-
gan again, but now all the advantage
Hay with the sailors. After vicious
struggle in which several blue jackets
were severely injured by fragments OF
rock hurled about by the monster in
its death throes, it lay battered. silent
and motionless.
This gigantic specimen of sea life is
1 macrohinus elephantinus or proboscide.
| ous measuring lust under forty feet
Hong, and weighing over thirteen tons
1t has a trunk four feet long, and q
general conformation closely resem.
bling that of the ordinary elephant
save that there are huge fms in place
of legs It is found only in Antarctic
waters.
LAST OF THE FIRE WALKERS.