The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1911-12-23
A Vessel May Still Pay for Herself
in One Voyage, as Shown by
the Sensational Trip Of
the Viola.

killing off the whales. SO fast are
some species disappearing that Mr.. An
lrews made hurried trip to the far
east to get few before their kind
should vanish altogether.
Reside these tremendous hulks Of
flesh blood and bubber the diplodocus
and other monsters of antiquity were
almost pygmies Nothing in their class
has been dreamed of since the world
was created. Yet they are being eXter-
minated the world over--literally mas
sacred, in fact-so that we know as
little of them as if we had merely dug
their bones out Of a glacier deposit.
As a matter of fact, an animal that
can tow a steamer and can stay under
water for well on to half an hour is
not the easiest thing in creation to
study. From what little is known Of
him. however, he is a rather lovable
creature. He is companionable, usu-
.allv swimming about in schools or per
haps with only one other Of his kind
for company His women folks are
ideal mothers. The cows will defend
their young with their lives, and the
thirty-foot babies, that are just begin-
ming to find their sea legs, are as af-
fectionate children as can be found
on dry land.
Contrasted with the sulphur-bottom
and the slim fnbacks are the sperms.
They are as bulky and chunky as their
relatives are finely drawn. They are
the Holsteins of the whale family.
While they never quite measure up to
their relatives. pound for pound, they
are quite hefty citizens. A bull sixty
feet long is nothing extraordinary, and
the tank in his head will contain TWEEN
ty barrels of spermaceti. 1t would be
interesting to know just exactly what
good this does him, but so far no one
has been kind enough to explain salts
factorily.
Nor has any one been able to say
why, with all other forms Of animal
life larger in the past than they are
now, the whale is greater in this age
than he has ever been before. There
is no indication, for instance, that the
whales of remote ages were anything
like the size they now attain, and how
much bigger they might get if they
were left alone is something interest
ing to contemplate.
Nor is there another instance of an
animal so perfectly adapting itself to
an alien element as the whale has
done. Even yet he retains his fore
arms, though they are of no practical
use, and the suggestion of neither
limbs are to be found under his hide
and blubber
Richer Prizes Than Gold.
Though not so important to COM
merce as a generation ago, there are
still incentives, as the cruise of the
Viola shows, that contribute to the
chase Of the monarch of the deep.
Ambergris, that is worth more than
its weight in gold, is one of the prizes
that is still rich enough to attract
the sea rovers. Contrary to the gener-
ally accepted idea, it is not used in
itself as a perfume, but because it is a
better base for the manufacture Of
high grade scents than any other
and hold together the fragrance of the
! known substance. 1t seems to weld
perfume proper, so that there is al
ways a high-priced market for it.
And as ambergris is yielded, only by
the sperm whale, the best opportuni-
ties are afforded by the southern wa
ters. in which il is now mostly found