WHALING IN SOUTH POLAR SEAS.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2799, 6 April 1895, Page 3

WHALING IN SOUTH POLAR SEAS.

After an absence of about six months the steam auxiliary whaling barque Antarctic returned to Melbourne on Tuesday, March 12, her prolonged expedition to the Polar Seas in search of "right" whales having proved unsuccessful. As a result of the vessel's experience, it would appear that she was either particularly unfortunate in her quest, or that Sir James Ross and other navigators who have from time to time affirmed that " right " whales abounded in these southern latitudes were completely at fault, aud probably mistook what are known as " Humpback " whales for the more valuable mammals. It is a somewhat curious coincidence that whilst the Antarctic, which belonged to an old Norwegian whaler, Captain Foyn, was engaged in the cruise that gentleman died in Norway; and as Mr H. J. Bull, who was in charge of the expedition on his behalf denies the existence of " right" whales in these southerly regions, it is not likely that the barque will renew her search, at least for the present. Despite the absence of " right" whales she did not, however, return empty, and the voyage was full of sensational incident. The capture of a sperm whale off the coast of Tasmania on the 4th instant was effected, the spoil yielding four tons of oil, which the vessel brought to this port. This monster was secured by means of harpoons, two of which were successfully fired from a gun having a 2 inch bore, aud when the whale was in this manner safely tethered the interesting operation of completing his destruction by well-directed explosives was carried out. Previously to this the vessel fell in with a drove of hair seals, and succeeded in capturing about 170 of them, the lot producing something like six tons of oil. During her expedition the Antarctic proceeded as far as 74deg south, and was for weeks at a time completely surrounded by ' pack " ice. In the situation of Godeg 45min south and lon. 171 deg 36min east she entered an immense held of floating ice, and it was i not until she had been carefully feeling her way through the frozen masses for 38 days that she emerged from her unpleasant and dangerous surrounding into open water. On another occasion her propeller became so seriously injured that she was compelled to proceed under Bail alone to Port Chalmers for repairs, and there trouble of a fresh character awaited ner. A number of men engaged on board refused to again set out in the vessel, and uothing remained for Captain Kristenseu and Mr Bull but to enlist the service in of a few natives from one of the New Zealand islands (Stewart Island). Under these circumstances the remainder of the exploit was accomplished. Upon her arrival ou Tuesday it was apparent that the barque had undergone some rough usage by wind, water and ice, and as her entire haul will not at the most realise £3OO the expedition cannot be said to have been a profitable one.—Melbourne Argus.