The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1910-05-30
SHARKS TERRIFIC
ATTACK ON WHALE
School of 1hrashers Battle
with Huge Monster of
the Deep.
AN AWE INSPIRING CONTEST
THE UNUSUAL FIGHT WAS END.
Ed BY THE DEATH OF THE
COURAGEOUS MANNED WHO
WAS TORN TO SHREDS.

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 his men noticed a bull
whale, with COW and calf, passing
the island some distance of. They
watched them with interest for awhile,
noting the immense size Of the two
parents aud the methodical regularity
with which columns Of water rose
from their blow holes and then resum.
ed their labors.
An hour or so later-about 8 O'Clock,
to be cxact-the men were startled by
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 sight as 1t falls to
the lot of few people to witness.
There, not 500 yards from the shore,
was being waged q battle to the death
"A fight between the great COW whale
previously seen and a school Of thrash
er sharks. The calf was swimming
about distractedly. but the old bull
had disappeared. having basely desert
ed his family at the first approach Of
danger.
The sharks. as Though acting In &C.
cordance with some preconcerted plan,
had completely surrounded tho two
whales and, apparently realizing that
nothing was to he 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 dashed 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 Z
persistency and ferocity that made the
fascinated onlookers shudder. Now
and again the wildly flashing tail would
catch one Of the assailants, driving II
beneath the waves-no doubt killed or
disa bled-buk the remainder rushed In
undismayed. tearing viciously at the
mammals bleeding tanks OF butting
her with the force Of battering rams.
Presently the spelIbound spectators
realized two faets-drst, that the calf
had disappeared in tho melee and, Sec
ond. that the tortured whale was I'm.
doubtedly becoming weaker. 1t 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 q moment, and the fasci-
mated onlookers beheld the sharks
hanging from various parts Of hel
cleaning body by their serrated teeth
Then down she went again with q
crash like thunder. and for an instant
whale and 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 clingina
sharks against their edges. But the
thrashers were equal to the occasion
While those on the outside maintained
their grip. the others dived under theil
enemy and charged her anew. tearing
- ~ ~AA1 std Sv~ HfA0 ~
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, FOL
her death eight had been terrible to be
hold. the great body turned over and
sank beneath the red tinted water;
The unequal hattie was over. having
lasted from O'Clock until noon, as
awe inspiring q 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 whall
were 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 q
roar like q miniature powder maya
zine, causing the startled people tt
rush to the shore to discover what had
happened. On examination Of the re
mains 1t was discovered that every
shred Of the outer flesh Of the whale
had been torn OF by the sharks. wht
had doubtless gone OF to repeat theil
tactics upon some other hapless levia
than.-victor Pitt-Kcthley in st. Loui.
Post-Dlspatch.
Gyroseope Cara.
The lubricating mechanism OF gy
| rOscope car has TO be fitted with al
! alarm to warn the engineer IL the oil
supply is giving out II it should tn