WHALING AT MAHIA.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXVI, Issue 8415, 14 January 1899, Page 4

WHALING AT MAHIA.

AN EXCITING ADVENTURE. Oy the 6th inst. a largo school of whales was sighted at Waikokopu, and soon all was excitement. J. Wilson, Peter Smith, and several other Natives got a whafeboat and all appliances ready, and went out to secure, if possible, a portion of the rich harvest. The whalers got the harpoon into one of the monsters of the deep, but the rope getting out of its socket in some way, the whale quickly slewed the boat round, dragging Peter Smith out of the boat by the legs, and away went the boat, towed by the whale. Smith sang out anil an oar was thrown to him, and after the boat had gone about 20 chains, Wilson wit the line in order to return and pick up his his mate. Some twenty years ago a brother of Peter Smith (Jack Smith) was pulled out of a boat in the same way, only that the rope got a half-hitch round one of his legs, and the whale dragged him out of the boat, and he was never seen again. After picking Smith up, away they went again after the whale, and eventually secured it. The next day they went out again, and got the harpoon into another whale, but went alongside too soon to float it in, thinking it was dead, when it gave a lash with its tail, and sent the boat flying into the air, and splash went the six whalers into the sea. Fortunately for them a small dingey was not far away, which rescued all of them. The party succeeded in capturing three whales, and two others sank, which they expected would rise in-a few days. They hope to make five tuns of I oil out of the first three whales, which is valued at £30 per tun. The M.ihia whalers are expecting to get a lot »f whales soon, as the scamperdowns only have made their appearance, and the sperm whales are likely to follow. — Wairoa Guardian.