A Tame Whale.

Te Aroha News, Volume IV, Issue 206, 4 June 1887, Page 7

A Tame Whale.

An immense whale is " knocking aboiit " in the water at Santa Monica 1 . It is quite* tamo, and the inhabitants take great pleasure in feeding it, and watching its antics in the water. It is so friendly, according to the " Los Angeles Express," that it wifi fellow a boat at a respectable distance, and cat the food thrown to it. It is especially fond of fruit. Of course there is no way- to) fill it up, but it knows when it has enough, and, when satisfied, takes a pltfnge and disappears. Whales are shy monsters, and when it comes to enjoying the company of human beings no such' fact was ever recorded before. Some years ago, & whale was captured, and placed iri ant aquarium at Paris, where it became the' object of great intorest. It grew to great size* and was not slow in responding €o the' calls of its keeper. The constant stream o£ visitors naturally made it lose ffe shyness", and it even seemed to enjoy the presence of sight-seers. This whale Was, in 1884, sold to a showman in London for the handsome solno of 25,-OOOdols. Great trouble Was experienced in leading it on the schooner Misty Way, but the trouble did not' end thetfe, "While in 1 a gale in tlte' cliann6l the vessel was badly wrecked, and the huge' wooden, tank, which stood on the uppei' deck, was smashed and the valuable inmtite escaped* The sailors^ when the whale was 1 floundering onthedeck, werethunderstruclcandrnadefor the rigging. It is just possible (says' an Australian paper) that this most precocious whale at Santa Monica is the same one 5 thafe « endured captivity at Paris and made' its escape. It evidently belongs to the' species known r; as the Sebbalditts sulfureus,- as the' ' body is lai'ge and relatively slender, and ia capable of great speed. JHist ho\V lohg this marine visitor will remain 1 in these southern' waters is not known ; it may, disappear as mysteriously and unceremoniously, a,S it ssh pearod upon' the scene.- The Santa^Mpnica* 1 people are enjoying its presence, and it is hoped noattempt will be made'at a capture.