Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1910-08-26
ATTACKED BY SHARKS
A Whales Terrific Battle With a
School Of Thrashers.
AN AWE INSPIRING CONTEST.

W. C~NNFANooao MAMMAL
Who Was Torn 70 shrods By Hor
Fsroelous A~ssaIlants.
Early one morning while engaged In
building new quarters for the light
house keeper at Breaksea island. near
Rottnest, Western Australia, the con-
tractor and bis men noticed a bull
whale. with a COW and calf, passing
the island some distance on. They
watched them with interest Tor awhile,
noting the immense size Of the two
parents and the methodical regularity
with which columns OF water rose
from their blowhoIes ana then
ed their IabOrs.
An hour or 80 ~later-about 0 O'Clock,
to be e~xact-the men were startled BIZ
an extraordinary noise, apparently
coming from the eastern end Of the Is
land, a noise unlike anything they had
ever heard before. Dropping their
tools and staring toward the east,
they beheld such a sight as It falls to
the lot Of few people to witness.
There, not 800 yards from the shore,
was being waged a battle to the death
Ia fight between the great COW whale
previously seen and a school Of thrash
er sharks. The calf was swimming
about dlstractedly, but the old bun
had disappeared, having basely desert
ed his family at the first approach OF
danger.
The sharks, as though acting in ac-
cordance with some preconcerted plan,
had completely surrounded the two
whales and, apparently realizing that
nothing vas to be feared from the
calf, concentrated all their efforts upon
the COW. Again and again they charg-
ed in upon her, their jaws swapping,
tearing at her mighty sides until the
sea was red with blood. Meanwhile
the COW lashed her tail ~furiously, hurl-
ing up sheets Of Redeemed water and
occasionally crashing down with ter
rife force upon one of her voracious
opponents. Maddened with pain and
rage, she dashed this way and that.
but the sharks hung TO her side with a
persistency and ferocity that made the
fascinated 0Dlookers shudder. Now
and again the wildly flashing tail would
catch one Of the assailants, driving II
beneath the waves-no doubt killed or
disabled-but the remainder rushed In
undismayed. tearing ~viciously at the
mammals bleeding TANKS or butting
her with the force of battering rams.
Presently the spellbound spectators
realized two f~acts-hrst. that the calf
mad disappeared In the melee and, sec
ond, that the tortured whale was I'M
doubtedly becoming weaker. II was
obvious that the unequal struggle
could have only one ending. Still,
however, she fought on doggedly, win
ming admiration and sympathy by her
exhibition of hopeless courage. Alter
ing her tactics, by a supreme effort she
hurled her whole great bulk clear Of
the water for a moment, and the fasci.
mated onlookers beheld the sharks
hanging from various parts Of her
cleaning body by their serrated teeth.
Then down she went again with a
crash like thunder. and for an instant
whale end sharks were buried amid
masses OF foam. heavily colored with
the poor mammals lifeblood. Rising
again, she essayed another change of
plan, making for the rocks and desper-
ately striving to rub or the clinging
sharks against their edges. But the
thrashers were equal to the occasion.
While those on the outside maintained
their grip. the others dIved under their
enemy and charged her anew, tearing
at the whales side In an ecstasy of
ferocity that was bloOdcurdling to wit
ness.
More and more feeble grew the
whales struggles. and at last, to the
heartfelt relief of the spectators, for
her death fight had been terrible to be-
hold. the great body turned over and
sank beneath the red tinted water.
The unequal battle was over, having
lasted from o o'clock until noon, as
awe Inspiring a contest as man was
ever privileged to witness. The men
went back to their work greatly I'm.
pressed by the unique spectacle. and
expressions OF sympathy for the whale
we're heard on every side.
Forty-eight hours afterward the
whales body, which had In the mean
time become distended with gas. rose
TO the surface and exploded with a
"a like a miniature powder maya
zine. causing the startled people to
rush to the shore to discover what had
happened. On examination. Of the re-
mains II was discovered that every
shred OF the outer flesh Of the whale
had been torn Off by the sharks, who
had doubtless gone Off TO repeat their
tactics upon some other hapless levia-
than.-VictOr Pitt-K ethley in St Louis
Post Dispatch.