ENCOUNTER WITH A WHALE.

Greymouth Evening Star, 8 October 1908, Page 1

ENCOUNTER WITH A WHALE.

KILLERS’ MERCILESS ATTACKS

The capture of a splendid specimen of the right or black whale was effected in Eden Harbour, Now South Wales, on the morning of Monday. September 14th. in full view of a crowd of excited onlookers. The whale was first sighted off South Head hy the lookout stationed there. The information was communicated by signal fires to Captain Davidson, who, with a picked crew, proceeded to the scene, meeting on the way some killers, who had gone to announce the presence of the whale, v.hich hy this time had entered the harbour, and was working round the shores of the bay under the surveillance of the main body of killers. These in a semicircular formation kept at a little distance from the unsuspecting whale, watching the monster’s movements, but suspending their attack until the arrival of the whaleboat. Proceeding leisurely round the foreHmres the whale entered Snug Cove, in which the wharf is situated. Seeing this, Mr Boyd Davidson, with a scratch crew, put off in another whaleboat, and hy a skilful throw of the harpoon, made fast to (he whale. A scene of "reat excitement ensued. The killers, who had hitherto contented themselves with alertly reeonnoitering, now attacked the whale with vreat furv. and a fierce encounter took place within a. stone’s throw of the steamer Eden, lying alongside the wharf. The killers exhibited great ferocity, and the whale was spouting, plunging and bellowing madly in a desperate attempt to evade (1,0 merciless onslaught. Suddenly the whale succeeded in breaking through the cordon of killers. Doth- pursued by Hie latter, it rushed towards the steamer T/ccuwin, lying at anchor some distance off (ho wharf. Hero in full view of the passengers ami crew the desperate combat was renewed, and the second whaleboat joined in the fray. The whale turned again, passing closely to the end of the wharf, desperately fighting its way round the Bottle Bay Quarantine, and onward until exhausted by the repeated lance thrusts and the incessant attacks of the killers. It suenimhed in the vicinity of Boyd Town Bav. The whale is estimated to yield five or six tons of oil.