Naturalist.

Alexandra Herald and Central Otago Gazette, Issue 415, 28 April 1904, Page 7

Naturalist.

WHALE HUNTING.

9XKHS Bhofl of. whales is evidently tQfAg under no alarm. They have folUHfc* lowed their prey, the entailer fish,

~ . into the intricate channels of the peninsula, and if left to themselves, would eventually find their way to the open sea again. Sometimes the' gleam of a dorsal fin is seen in the sunlight, sometimes a dozen small rainbows are formed above the dark-blue sea as the spray flies upward from their blow-holes; they play in the same uncouth way as a herd of oxen, now ' chasing one another, and anon indulging in awkward gambols. No sooner is all fchip visible, however, than the heavy Sbfetlander. is changed into a new .mail. There is a rush for every possible ;kind of weapon—not only harpoons and ggißS, but knives of every description, and even scythes and agricultural implements. In addition to weapons' Buoh as these, however, the boatmen arm themselves with every known variety of ncise-making instrument, tongs and fire-irons, kettles and tin-pailp, into which gravel and pebbles are cast to jingle, and great quantities of e tones. An Unearthly Din. The object of the strange equipment is simple. Unless the whales can be driven on the shallows it is hopeless to chase them, and therefore the boats move out to make a semicircle round them. Teen rises a din aa of Babel. Pots and pails and fire-irons are jingled, old blunderbusses are discharged, And the men vie with one another ia making strange noises. Indiscriminate shouts, cat-calls, cockcrowing, 'cawing, and yelling make the rocky echoes on the shore ring again, while showers of stones are thrown to increase the fright a of the cetaceans. At last they swim off, but stop when they get. to a distance, resuming their old movements, but evidently keeping an | eye on the boats which still follow, and which they allow to approach very closely again. Fortunately they have no fight in them, and do not seem to understand that a boat might be attacked with disastrous results, ilt is here, however, that experience is of advantage. Many a shoal has been: lost by an unguarded attack. When a whale feels cold iron penetrating its flesh it seems absolutely to lose its senses, and plunges straight forward in whatever direction its hose may lie. If that happens to be the shore its destruction is eertaia, for it will rush blindly on till it is grounded on the shallows; but if soma too-eager sportsman drives his har poon into>& bull looking seaward he will rush madly in that direction through the ■line of boats, .and will probably be-fol-lowed by the whole, pf "the herd. After a mad flight like that, it seems, however, jto reoover itself very quickly,, for the aggravated and disgusted fishermen will sometimes see'their escaped prey blowing and gamboling quite happily as they bearjaway fop the .German Ocean, or the Atlantic, or ; the' Pe'atlahd Firth. Occasionally it: will'be possible to surround them again, and counteract the mistake by resuming the old tactic. Anyone who has watched fish in their haunts knows how easily terrified they are by shadows.

By a series .of duels the supremacy of one ball—called by the Orcadians the 'mester whall'—is established, and on the management of him depends largely the success of the hunt. Be is followed by all the others, and it:-is- -almost touching, after a long chase, to watch the cows coaxing the tired calves by swimming back and bleating,s9 them to keep np witb the herd. They are very affectionate, and the capture of a young one is often made a means jto secure the mother. ' If the herd can be headed for the shore at the proper moment the excitement; seems to culminate. Gun, harpoon, and noise are ÜBed to hurry them on, and no sooner are they stranded than the boatmen are among them for the slaughter. Stripped all but the trousers,/the islander goes into* fight as his forefather: went into battle, The experienced whaler knows exactly the right beneath the flipper wherein to bury his knife, bat the'younger hands make somew odd mistakes—the present write; having seen a man hammering ajwhale's bony head as if it were an ox he meant to fell with no more effect than that of tremendously irritating the animal. * .. . £;-;;; li< : -r, ■'■'-•

Slaughtbk, The scene of butchery is by no means a pleasant one. J - If one could only hear the language' of the whalers .without seeing them it would -be easy to imagine they were fighting a human enemy, But their words are almost lost amid the groaning, bellowing, and shrieking of the dying whales.. Indeed, the sight is nearly as strange a one as can be unexpectedly come upon in these islands. The tiny beach which breaks in two a bold and broken line of reeky coast is thronged with people—soma sightseers only, some with hawsers, already preparing to drag the carcasses ; fron»sie water, others in their shirt-sleeves butchering , the whales. Half an hour ago' one could: count every -little shell beneath thef-water? now,for several fatloßga out at sea* it is reddened and streaked, with agony the creatures are churning it into crimson foam, or sending ruddy streams upward from iheir blowholes. But it is not long before their torture is finished, and then the auctioneer does hid part, -preparatory to the counting and. of the money. This often gives rfeenty* disputes?/ Not only is demur made'to. tMpayment* of the landlord's shar|> hut s »Qiere are some curious okl laws,, such as that prohibiting women from taking a smtre, which often lead to contention.