Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-01-03
Critical Encounters With the Nam
moths of the Sea-A Cry From Aloft,
and the Chase Begins-A Game of Tag on
the Ocean-A Ghostly Form Rises-Ap-
parently Dead, Then Demon.

their huge fukes as though in de
| rision.
| The Orion was twisting and writing
about as though possessed of demon,
| and every time she climbed a huge
| wave to rock uncertainty a moment
| on the crest and then plunge head
| long down its smooth, green slope.
| was certain she would never rise
| again. Ralcom was doggedly hang
| ing to the gun. hut just after we had
| 10Th been soaked by big sea that
aame over the ships nose, he shout
| ed IF we don't get a shot soon, We'll
3 have to leave them
At that time we were heading for
/ the whales, which We're Spouting only
short distance away. One of them
had LETT the others and seemed To be
| feeding. He was swimming at the
| surface. sometimes under for d sec
ond or TWO, but never far down.
The ship slid nearer and nearer with
| engines at dead. slow until the huge
body disappeared not 80 fathoms
! away.
In a minute he'll come again. ;"
| shouted Balcom, feet hraced and bend
ing low over the gun
/ | was ClinginS to a rope just behind
! him. trying to focus my camera but
! the flying spray made il we'll nigh inn
possible. Suddenly | saw the captains
muscles tighten, the tip of the har-
| pooh drop an inch or two. and caught
| a phantom shape rushing upward.
Almost on the instant binding
cloud of vapor shot into our very
| faces. followed by the deafening roar
| Of the gun. | saw the black f1ukes
! whirl upward and fall in one tremen-
dous. smashing blow upon the water:
then the giant figure quivered an in
slant, Strengthened out and slowly
sank.
FOR moment not sound was
heard on the vessel save the
steady flop. flop. flop" of the line on
the deck as the dead weight of 40 tons
dragged it from the winch.
Balloon leaned over the side and saw
the rope hanging rigidly from the
ships bow. Il must have caught him
in the heart he said. and killed him
Instantly"
/ As the captain Strengthened up he
shouted to the engineer TO check the
/ line. Then began the work of bringing
I" the surface and initiating the dead
whale
Taking a hitch about a short iron
post. the harpOon rope was Stacked
and run through a spring pulley block
on the mast just below the barrel to
relieve the strain of raising the great
body. As the winch ground in fathom
after fathom of the line the vessel
heeled far over under the tremendous
weight
| was clinging to the ships side
looking down into the water and soon
saw the shadowy outline of the whale
FMS wide spread. nearing the surface.
As II came alongside a lead-weighted
line was thrown over the tail rope
RULED after 1t, then small chain and
finally the heavy chain by which the
carcass was made fast to the bow.
The winch had not yet stopped when
two men with long handled knives
/ began to cut off the lobes of the tail
/ t" prevent the fiukes from pounding
/ the rail AS the body swung up and
down in the seaway. Already other
sailors were working at long coil of
small rubber hose. one end OF which
was attached to an air pump and the
other to a hollow. Spear-pOinted tube
of steel. perforated along its entire
! length. This was jabbed we'll down
/ into the whales abdomen. the engines
started and the animal slowly filled
with air. When the body had been in
fated sufficiently to keep it af1oat the
tube was withdrawn and the incision
| plugged with oakum.
X
| A FTER a limited stay at Vancouver
1 Island | went north to Murderers
| Cove, Tyee. Alaska. and was being
most Hospitality entertained on board
| Capt Charles Grahame's ship, the
! Tyee.
While hunting in the waters of
! Frederick Sound we came in sight of
Storm Island, and far over near the
shore we could see several spouts.
| Now and then flukes would show as
one of the animals went down. indi
eating to my satisfaction that some,
at least. were humpbacks.
| When we neared the whales / left
the bridge. making my way forward
along the deck to the harpoon gun,
| and with camera ready braced myself
against a rope. The steamer was
pitching furiously. and it was all |
could do to keep my feet. but clinging
! to line with one hand and shielding