The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1904-10-20
CAPT. JIM NcMILLAN'S TAME WHALE.
AN UNUSUAL FISH STORY.

was arranged in position, then raised.
Hardly had it reached the top of the
water than the whale seeing what
looked like sure opening and escape
in view darted up the narrow enclosure
at Il rapid rate of speed.
''The big fish could not turn. and in
less time than it takes to tell you the
story was high and dry on the smooth
beach. How that whale churned up
the water with its tail when the tide
began turning for the ebb. but III 4
few minutes the mammoth fish was
as helpless as 4 baby. Captain McA1!l-
Ian measured the critter on the beach
and found it more than forty-five feet
from nose to tail, but unusually thin
for whale.
He diG not want to kill his new
found prize and was at loss how to
hold it when the tide came in again,
but concluded to build a small inclos-
ure around the whale on the beach and
at future time expected to securely
fasten a bis hawSer about the tail Of
the fish which would hold. He set to
work and soon had the captive secure
ly fenced in on all sides so that escape
was almost impossible, and when the
salt water of the Bay of Fundy again
reached The young whale there was
some fun for short time. Next day
the captain came to Eastport and from
a blacksmith secured stout iron band
to fit securely around the outer end Of
the whales tail, just back of the outer
fin.
In the band was an eye to faSten
on a light chain, and with his newly
made collar he soon returned home,
and after some difficulty, at low tide,
had the iron band fastened around his
victim Oh the beach. Wien the tide
again came in part of the fence was
removed, and the chain was securely
fastened on botl ends, one being in the
eye of the band, the sea monster was q
prisoner.
Captain Mcmillan concluded to al
low his captive into deeper water than
his cove afforded, so that the fish
might be able to look after its supply
of food curing the day when he was
not around. For few days the cap
tive whale made lively time of it and
tried to break away from the chain,
but finally was obliged to submit, and
after a short time deyoured quantity
of food brought near the weir BY the
owner. Many of the island residents
came from the neighboring places to
see the captive whale on the chain. and
Captain Mcmillan was asked why he
did not exhibit his prize at the large
cities across the border and along the
Maine coast.
THAT would have been easily enough
done had the fish been dead or small
enough to carry about in boat, but
how could he get a forty-fve-foot
whale out of the harbor in safety?
1T was not long before the big fish
began to show signs of becoming tame.
and on the approach Of meal time was
always found ready to devour the food
provided.
I'm several weeks Jim's Iahy whale
had increased somewhat in length and
also became quite tame, so that Wien
the veteran seaman came near it in his
boat his captive would play alongside.
After two months had passed and the
fish had increased in size to be noticed,
Jim thought he had better secure a
stouter chain to hold his pet, and again
made a visit to Eastport for longer
and heavier piece of chain. This he
Soon secured and returned to his Cana
dian home to make the change, when
he was much surprised and disappoint-
ed when he was told that the whale
had broken the chain and disappeared
into the deeper water of the Bay of
Fundy. It was quite a shock to Cap
tain Jim to find the broken chain and
lose his whale after so much expense
and trouble, but he returned to his
house and talked over the loss with his
wife.
"'Never mind. Jim, perhaps the big
fish will come back for his dinner as
usual. as I've heard Of such things,
and, you know. that wasn't no ordi-
nary whale, neither. That whale was
tame when it left these waters, and
mark me when say that you'll see the
fish back when it's time for the grub to
be served
THE husband allowed that the whale
was certainly tame, but how was he to
again capture the big fellow if he
shouldn't return ITO the cove for the
customary noon meal.
"'I'd better shoot the critter and be
sure of the carcass this time; what do
you say, wifey?'
Don't you be too hasty, Jim, but
wait for developments. as the whale
will return often if it comes back once,
vo1, oan hot 0nlv wolf and See'