THREE YOUNG MEN AND A WHALE.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1123, 10 May 1911, Page 4

THREE YOUNG MEN AND A WHALE.

RENCONTRE OFF MANA ISLAND. An experience with a whale, rather too imminent to 1)3 quite pleasant, befell two Wellington young men ami a resident of Johusonville on Sunday. It appears that the party (Mr. J. M. _I?obb, wellknown as secretary of the New Zealand "Referees' Association, Mr. H. J. Sweeney,' of the Wellington Rugby Union, and Mr. Normau C'ooli, of Johnsonville) put out from I'areiuata in a 26ft. launch, and anchored for fishing in about '25 fathoms of water a short distance to the west-' ward of Mana Island. The "fishermen," towards evening: were engaged in admiring a particularly fine sunset, when a dark form of huge bull: rose some 500 yards from the launch. It presently disappeared, and the patry were engaged m discussing what it might l>e, when, some-' what to their consternation, the sea parted quite close to them, and there, spouting right alongside, was a rather uncouth-looking whale more than twice) the length of the launch, and consequent-j !y over 70ft. in length. j It was, as the "fishermen" state, a.i rather embarrassing position, and tho feeling of unpleasantness was enhanced by the look of the creature which, cover, ed. with barnacles, showed some six feet of his bluish-grey bulk above tho surface. There was, of course, nothing to be dono but to look at the monster, and lie (as far as could be judged) was equally taken up in looking at Ihor.i. ' ; He put an end to the period of tension by sounding, and, when next seen, was half a milo away, and elose inslioro to Mana Island. The party did not wait io see any more of him.