ATTACK ON A WHALE
TWO LARGE SWORDFISH BATTLE LASTS FOUR HOURS [BT TELEGRAPH —OWN correspondent] TAURANGA, Thursday A fierce encounter between a whale and two large swordfish was witnessed by a fishing party at Penguin Shoal, half-way between Mayor Island .and Motiti. Before the fight started the two swordfish were seen repeatedly leaping from the water. They then attacked the whale, making thrusts at it in turn. After each thrust the whale made a tremendous plunge and then dived. The launch party was threequarters of a mile from the scene of the conflict but the noise of the whale's threshing could be heard distinctly. The party could have approached much closer, but deemed it unwise to do so, in case the whale charged. Another whale was swimming a little ahead of the one which was attacked, but it took no part in the conflict. At one stage the second whale approached within two chains of the v launch. The fight lasted from noon until about four o'clock, when the two swordfish, apparently unable to obtain a kill, withdrew.
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New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23512, 24 November 1939, Page 6
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178ATTACK ON A WHALE New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23512, 24 November 1939, Page 6
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