Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-03-16
nand all our attention my companions

mand all our attention my companions
| talked volubly of whale driving past
and present, of the growing scarcity OF
| shoals, of the huge slaughterS of by
| gone years. But when at length VIC
sighted a long line of boats stealing
| stealthily along a leeward coast the
silence of tense excitement fcll upon
US all, and as we, too, joifed the ranks
of the whale drivers there was Il splash
and a glimpse of an undulating black
back, which told us that the shoal was
between us and the shore. And now
the leader of the drive" whose boat
flew the Danish Tag, in token of his
temporary authority. issued orders for
a series of strategic movements, each
of which was carried out with due re-
gard to the sudden halts and PUSHES
of the whales Indeed. no admiral
manoeuvring his lect in action could
have shown greater skill nor have
called forth more intelligent obedience,
with the result that within Il few min
utes tie boats had formed q V, inclOs-
ing the unsuspectns animals on three
sides.
SutnG our speed to the pace of the
shoal, we carefully guided it past mar
row straits leading TO the open sea, for,
once out in the Atlantic, the best Of
fiotillas would have had to abandon the
chase. The most dangerous kyles,
however, were yet to be passed, and.
to our dismay, the whales began to
take alarm, after an unusual amount
of splasling and jumping they stopped
irs-the midst of 4 frantic rush forward
SO abruptly that the nearest pursuers
almost cOlided with the hindmOSt ami
mails. There was a moments confu-
sion; then the beasts wheeled and head
ed straight for the gaps between the
boats. At lightning speed we closed
UP. and discharged volley of stones
into the struggling shoal just in time
to turn it. For my part, l do not
doubt that q few stragglers broke
through the Gordon unperceived, but
my Faroese friends secuted the idea.
The tide was low when we dashed into
the narrow, sandy creek in the wake of
the terrified whales. There our tactics
changed. We spread out into one COM
pact line from shore to shore, and at
the. ward Ola colpmaGd, amid ear split
ting yells, the first spear was thrown
and the massacre began. A shower of
spears whizzed through the air. boats
crashed into each other, the whales
Topped about helplessly in the shadows
and Cannoned against their fellows I'M
til one actually heard the grating of
their rough skins.
A quivering spear, a crimson track,
marked the course of each poor wound
ed beast. and the boats darted and
twisted like live things in their endea-
vors to get alongside some monster,
wilcn an iron gafE was thrust into its
side and the head almost severed from
the body. T4v more panicstricken the
victims became the more they tried to
leap out ofithe water, though those fur
ttest from the shore could easily have
evaded their pursuers by diving and
passing under them; but ASterwards I
was told that. however Eacd pressed
they have never been known to escape
by diving, which temprS one to con-
clude that their chief fhemy is some
deep sea creature from.Mhose presence
they are accustomed t9Hytn the sur
face. Some of the less setepely wound
ed beasts managed to foree'their way
beyond the line of boats..2ut their dar-
ing secured them no pity; they Were
ruthlessly run down and attacked this
time with harpoons- -.
To the Faroemen this was no more
than stocking the winter larder; to me,
who have no taste for whale meat, it
was scene of cruel butchErs that out
weighed the excitement Of the drive,
and / was glad when the. last whale
had dashed out its life inf the CRIMSON
shadows and the men began Wiping
their blood stained knives to count the
victims of the chase.