WHALE TURNS ON ATTACKERS

Press, Volume LXX, Issue 21319, 12 November 1934, Page 5

WHALE TURNS ON ATTACKERS

LAUNCH DAMAGED IN TORY CHANNEL OWNER INJURED BY EXPLODING BOMB (PBX3S ASSOCIATION TZUOBAU.) BLENHEIM, November 10. Behind a mishap to the whaling launch Cachalot in Tory Channel lies perhaps the most thrilling story in the adventurous history of the Te Awaiti whalers. A right whale cow with a calf entered Tory Channel and was harpooned and bombed by the launch party, but turned on its attackers and repeatedly charged the launch, smashing several planks in the hull with blows from its great tail and finally lifting the boat on its back and all but capsizing it. Then a harpoon bomb exploded on the Cachalot, injuring the owner. After harpooning the whale the whalers went in to dispatch it with the deadly loaded lance, but the charge failed to explode through the accidental disconnexion of the battery. The whale was , already blowing blood, so the harpoon had evidently inflicted a bad injury, but she was full of fight and deliberately charged the boat. As the launch swept away, the cow caught the hull with her massive tail, stoving in two planks above the water line. The calf in the meantime was lying nearby, seemingly heedless of its mother's desperate plight, when, to the amazement of the occupants of the launch, the cow dived under the youngster and threw its offspring clear into the air. It appeared as if the adult were bent upon driving the calf out of danger's reach.

A Desperate Rush The Cachalot was again brought within bombing range, and this time the missile found a billet, but failed to kill or stem the whale, which leaped and thrashed the water, swinging Us tail 20 feet into the air. It caught the boat a glancing blow, further damaging the timbers. Turning once more upon its attackers, the cow rushed the Cachalot desperately, only to receive another charged lance as she came in. The whale dived shallowly, and as she went under the boat the Cachalot was caught up and lifted out of the water and rolled on its beam ends. As the launch listed a rack of harpoons emptied its contents across the sloping deck. The bump against the side of the launch exploded one, badly wounding Joseph Perano, sen., the leader of the party, the head flying into pieces like shrapnel and tearing the calf of one leg and wounding both legs in several places. The explosion holed the deck and hull of the boat, and the wonder is that the concussion did not discharge a quantity of o.her explosive that was on board. The launch was headed for the shore and beached.

Help for the injured man was then obtained, and he was taken in a fast launch direct to Picton, where he was admitted to hospital and operand on. His condition is serious but not „rave.

So far as known the whale finally escaped. The wrecked launch is under water, but it should be possible to salvage her.