A WHALER'S MEMORIES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19778, 27 October 1927, Page 8

A WHALER'S MEMORIES.

THE STUBBY SHMMa WHERE 3ULf.SH SERVED, GREAT HAUL OF AMBERGRIS, RECORDS AMONG THE SPERM. -V * BY LONXHA2TOJSB. The whaler Splendid had neither speed nor beauty, but she was eminently seaworthy ; and daring the eighties she was the most prominent ship of the southern fleet. It was on her that Frank Bulien got his whaling experience for the cruise of the Cachalot. The world's record haul of 8791b. of ambergris is credited to the Splendid, She was also New Zealand's most successful whaler, and although then about 60 years old she could stand all that the roaring forties could hand out. But it was not so with the crew, for five months' battling with the weather that prevails southward of latitude 40 degrees south is enough for the hardest of men. So when the skipper said "Steer north and push her along," the mate had no trouble in having the order obeyed. A northerly course meant a season whaling in the tropical water of sunny Polynesia, and the crew jumped at the job. In a short time a fresh south-west wind was stretching every yard of canvas the old serving-mallet could spread. For some time the wind kept its direction* but varied in fofce, until the ship reached an old-time whaling ground ia the neighbourhood of the North Cape. Common legend has it that it wan somewhere thereabout that Tommy Chasland harpooned a whale over a rival boat. If so, it was "some dart," and one wonders what the other fellow was doing. However, oa. the Splendid's first day in the locality a whale was sighted right ahead of the ship, apparently four or five miles away. A keen lookout wa® kept, and the ship kept her course, while more sail was spread. After making a few spouts the "whale sounded, and less fhan 20 minutes later it was again on the surface, obviously farther away than before and more to leeward. By that, experience read approximately tha brute's course and speed and the ship followed on in pursuit. Sore Sign of Spenns. The next time the whale showed the spout was beyond the range of naked vision, nevertheless the ship kept up the chase. At- midnight the light sails were taken in, but no change was made in the course. When daylight came abundant evidence of a recent whale feast could be seen in the many mangled pieces of what the whalers call squid, otherwise the kraken or giant octopus, which is the natural food of the sperm whale, without which-there would be no ambergris. The fresh appearance of these floating pieces of whale food was positive testimony that sperm whales were near. So no one was surprised when a while later the lookout shouted, "Thar she breaches," following it up with repeated cries ol "BIoos—Bloos." The skipper inquired the direction, which was right ahead. The boats were prepared for lowering and the ship sailed on until a large school of whales was near enough to be attacked, and four boats set out for that purpose. It was understood by the Splendid's boat-headers that rank claimed no prerogative when racing for a whale, so the man thai could get ahead did so. On this occasion the skipper was last, and much astern of the other three boats when they approached the school. The mate was first and his boat-steerer was preparing £o dart when a whale that was lagging behind suddenly rose close under the bows of the skipper's boat, and the boat-steerer, although taken unawares, managed to strike his harpoon well home. The whale kicked, so did the school In a Sash the sea was bare, not a square inch of blackskin was to seen. This is something that has never been explained. How do whales as far away even as seven or eight miles know in. stantaneously that something is wrong with another whale. Dozens o! Whales. The fast whale made a short dive, then rose to the surface, whereupon it nas immediately surrounded by dozens of its companions. Just then the first and second mates rushed in and got fast to one each. This sudden attack started the whales running, and the school made off. The second mate's whale made a running dive with so much speed that the line snarled round the loggerhead, and before the boat was pulled under, or the line cut, the loggerhead broke short off. The broken top new off and struck tha boat-header on the back cf the neck, but hurt as he was he managed to grab the tomahawk and chop the line, thus saving what was still in the tubs. Meanwhile the skipper and mate had their whales well in hand. Presently the whale that had been cut away from came to the surface, an the third mate went on and got fast. Then, whaler like, he gave back some of the chaff that had been thrown at him when he failed to secure a whale before the school vanished. The fine weather made it easy whaling compared to what the men had bean accustomed to, so without any more than the inevitable knocks and bruises that attended all open-boat whaling, the whales were finally rolled fin out, and as all were within easy distance of each other, they were brought together and the ship made one job of taking them alongside. Before the crew*» slept that night, the blubber from one whale was stowed in the blubber room. The next day saw all blubber and headoil secured, and the old ship under easy sail was again steering north. The next night a big white brigantine came up from astern and passed close by, probably attracted by the {lames that a draught from the foresail was sending yards high through the trywork funnels. These two columns of flame, together with the blaze from a cresset of burning scraps, lighted up every shroud and sail so that the spectacle could easily be taken for a ship on fire. Fine weather kept the ship company until she arrived at Haapai, one fo the "Friendly Group. An Angry Cow. These yearly visits ol the Splendid served a double purpose—the change was welcome and of much benefit to the men—and the ship always made a profit. This time no preparation was needed to begin work, so next day four boats set out to search for whales. An hour after leaving the ship the mate got fast to a large cow whale with "a very young calf, which the mother kept close to her side while she ran for the deep water outside the reefs, but before shp could reach it the second mate cut her off and the hoatsteerer, id trying to harpoon the cow, struck the calf instead, and in a few minutes it was dead. Then, instead of a whale, they had a demon to fight. A rogue sperm whale is bad enough but a mad humpback is worse. The first time the mate went to her, the gupwale, three knees, and the two top plank" w«re kicked off one side of the boat, three men were knocked overboard, and the other three were more or less injured. The damaged boat was kept afloat by tipping her on her side. After that all bereaved humpbacks had special treatment, such as this one got. The mate took the third mate's boat, and now they knew the whale's character it was only a matter of caution, and long darts with the laace until the brnte was rolled fin out. This was the first of fourteen whales that made 84 tons of oil for a few weeks whaling. _