FAST TO A WHALE.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 12814, 13 July 1912, Page 3 (Supplement)

FAST TO A WHALE.

EXCITING CHASE

An exciting chase after a whale took place at Kaikoura last week. So. far this season few whales have been observed passing the Peninsula (says the Star)/ but two of them passed close -m about noon on the day m question.. A crew, under T: arid HA Norton, got a' boat out, and gave chase, ( being followed by Mr Hinds's launch as tender. Opposite' the show ground the boat drew within striking djstance,; and a well-thrown harpoon was'Ajariven A straight and ? .jdeep into a large bull '"right" wham 'Trrime'mately there was commotion, and fforr r the numerous spectators— who, by this time, were clusered on every coign of advantage for sight-seeing purposes, .there was plenty of excitement. In his agony, the 'leviathan" whirled round and round; not a minute elapsed between his gigantic efforts to free himself of that murderous weapon. Coming clean out of the water he hurled himself head.downwards, and his enormous flukes lashed the sea into . vblunies of spray." Again and again it seemed as if the boat must come to grief, the brute appeared so desperhte and so close. ' But' theAqrew proved a Tvary Tot ; they were fast on to a few hundred- pounds, and would try hard riot to lose it. A lance, projected well, infonried the cetacean that he had better try other tactics; he did, and away he went southwards (returning on his route) at a furious pace with the boat m tow, And meanwhile the coav was also wending her way back, slowly, about a quarter of a. mile from the shore! Another and yet another lance' did not deter the captive; but seemed to increase his speed and his angry plungings. At times the boat was dragged through the water at lightning pace, and could scarcely be seen; at others, she was almost, stationary as the whale sounded. Still going south, and fighs-. ing for his existence, the whale drew round the Peninsula, and here the southerly choppy sea was fully met. It was impossible to hang on, the boat being every minute m danger of swamping, and, reluctantly, the order to "cut" was given. So, after a three hours' fight, away went the solely-smitten leviathan, with harpoon, larioes, and fathoms of line, and a tired crew paddled back to harbor. The whale, it is estimated, would have proved a good six or seven ton animal— .something like £450 worth.