PRIZE FROM THE DEEP

Hokitika Guardian, 7 October 1921, Page 3

PRIZE FROM THE DEEP

| KXCITING ADVKNTUHK IN THE TROI’ICS. SYDNEY. September 28. 'Pile proceeds of a good-sized whale are said to run into a considerable amount and if all experiences on such occasions resembled those of a party ’ who went after one of these monsters of tin- deep, which was stranded recently 11 ca r Darwin, in the extreme north of Australia, it would lie money well earned. Such a prize is ton rare ill those sweltering regions to he lei t to decay, and the news that a whale of exceptional size had lieeii stranded on the coast a few miles west of the town was quickly followed by the despatch of a lugger manned !>v natives. The effect of- the tropical sun upon the enormous mass which was found to ho about 70 feet in length, made its presence manifest to thus*, on board at a cons i!«*rabb* distance. On n|»pioa*hi»«' tin* shore it found found that the whwas high and dry on a reel a little distance from the water’s edge, but the heat of the sun had melted large quantities of blubber, which descended to the >ea in small rivulets. Ibis bad had the extraordinary effect of renting the water for a great distance* with n thin film of pungent grease. '\ lie effect of this had flirm the attraction of an alarming number of sharks and alligators. These, however, are no deterrent to the native, and the occupants of the whale-boat, which "a s despatchI cd from tie* lugger to the prize, enjoyed I some exciting sport with rifles Once j ashore, their excitement- know no I bounds, and apparently devoid alto- | gothcr of the olfactory sense, tlmy set ' to work backing at the mountain of | blubber with much vigour The party soon obtained as much whalebone as the | beat would carry. Setting out for the lugger, they plied merrily enough until i something untoward happened. \\ hales i hunt in pairs. Only one had been ’stranded The other appeared with . terrifying suddenness, like a new land ! arising out of the ocean Tt attacked | the boat, natives, whalebone and ,*1 lubber being precipitated into the water. Happily for them, they were near the lugger’s side, or the danger of which t liejj- yells betokened a keen appreciation, might have ended more tragically. After capsizing the boat, the whale mule olf. The stranded prize was further exploited and when 'He* lugger returned to" Darw in her cargo we|| repaid tire enterprise.