The Brownsville daily herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1897-1910, 1909-09-04
INCIDENTS OF
A SEA VOYAGE
SHOOTING \ WHALE AFFORDS
EXCITING EXPERIENCE.
Monster Leaps Into Air, Lashes
Water and Heads Into hip in
Mad Effort to Escape the Pain,
Badly rriglI,cun ..~
To The Herald.

Steers that directed the PROV of tneh
S. s. COmus toward the greatest of all
our great cities were rather sweet
on our chances of seeing a whale
en- route. In fact they were so hope
full that they ventured to say We
would see several, and concluded by
saying: I'VE have seen a greater
number of whales this season than
ever before" Most of the passen-
gers were skeptical, saying it
wouldn't be their luck to see a
whale
Flying fish were plentiful, and
sharks, sea turtles, and porpoises
were with us nearly all the time
1t was about six bells a. m, our
last day on the ocean. The weather
was perfect, the water smooth as
glass. The passengers were on the
shady side of the ship. Some were
quietly resting in their steamer
chairs, drinking in the sweet
their eyes closed, and for the time
being at peace with all the world.
Others We're reading and gossiping,
and there were yet others who were
plying their little hammers very in
dustrioUsly.
Suddenly at this moment from
abaft the boat, the blasts of trump
ct arrested our attention. Most of
the passengers jumped to their feet,
believing imminent danger was
present. 1t was not time for lunch
con, and all hurried toward the
first officer to learn the meaning
of it, Before We could get close
enough, however, he beloved out:
A whale to starbOard," Then the
passengers. realizing what the fuss
was, made a mad scramble to the
opposite side of the ship. Chairs
were upturned and passengers up
set and sent spTawling to the deck
Such confusion, 1t would make one
think Bedlam was turned loose.
When we reached the starboard
side there was no whale to be seen.
In one breath everyone inquired
Where is it? Where is it?"
We waited for several minutes
but no whale appeared and it was
thought a joke had been pulled off.
But the officer treasured us He
had seen 4 whale a short distance
away and if we would be patient anu
keen our eyes wide open we would
surely see him
We were leaning over the railing
of the boat earnestly searching the
surface for any sign of the spOuter,
when suddenly a shout went up:
There it is There it is" Sure
enough not more than ten feet
from the steamer a whale appeared
on the surface and sent a spray OF.
water into the heavens so far reach
ing that it dampened the passengers
in the forward part of the boat
1t was a monster, fully thirty
feet long, and OF tremendous girth.
Not at all disturbed by our pres
ence. his whaleship TRANQUILITY float
ed along, occasionally opening its
big mouth and spOuting water into
the air. 1t sent the shivers up and
down my spine when he opened his
tremendous jaws. His tail was in
keeping with the remainder of his
body, and slap from it would
surely send fellow to kingdom
come.
1t was an interesting experience
to be so close to the monster We
chung to it for fully fifteen minutes
before it disappeared.
This, however, was only the be-
ginning, for during the day, as many
as nine whales were seen, several
being very near. They became so
common that one would hardly
look up at the cry: There's
another"
Later in the day. at about seven
bells, as the sun was retiring for
the night, a splendid specimen was
noticed sending the spray skyward
Not more than thirty feet distant
he idled along monster fully
thirty feet long and of immense
girth.
One of the young men had been
waiting for a chance to fire a bull
let from his 45-er at one of the
mammals. This was the best chance
Of the day and he whipped out his
firing piece, took deliberate aim,
pulled the little joker and sent a
bullet whiZzing at Mr. Whale It
was a corking good shot and evil
IDENTIFY struck him full. What imme-
diately followed was terrifying For
an instant the whale remained mo-
tiOnless, as if stunned. In a twink
ling, however, there was the great
est cOmmotiOn He slashed the
water with his tail, until it resemb-
led the whirling rapids He leaped
out of the water nearly his full
length, and tumbled over back
ward
What a picture! Three fourths of
a thirty-foot whale standing out of
. the water in nearly upright posi-
ton, with a pink-tinted sky for a
background Then, in another mo-
ment, the weight of his huge body
coming in contact with the water
and sending up a mighty splash of
water and spray that lost its force
only in the clouds. 1t was a splash
never to be forgotten
Next the maddened mammal
drove his head into the water in the
direction of the ship. When the
passengers saw he was headed to-
ward the boat. they became badly
frightened and scurried to cover.
The screeches of the women were
deafening. They believed that the
( whale in his fury would surely up
SET the shin The niIot olive 70 tbo.