"THERE SHE BLOWS!"

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 16373, 22 June 1927, Page 2

"THERE SHE BLOWS!"

CHASE OF THE WHALE (Special to the Hcrald. N , JJLENHEJ.M, this day. An exciting chase after a whale was, witnessed in Tory Channel yesterday. It is rarely that whales enter the channel, but one had evidently found its way in on Sunday night, and was making* for the open sea yesterday morning when it was discovered. There are two rival parties engaged in whale hunting, about, the Sounds—the E. C and the J. A. Perano party, and one of the boats was manned by John Jackson, whose family has been connected with whaling for fully 100 years. Upon the whale being sighted six of the -fastest launches in New Zealand were soon racing after it, being driven against a .heavy sea and hard southeasterly gale. The boats were fjraoth-| ered in spray. Each launch had a gunman in how, and he -was ireguently .almost lost to sight as the vessels tore* thxoHgh the waves. Siirpcise, of the E. IV Pern no party, which is capable of doing 45 miles an hour, was first on the spot. On arriving at the place where the whale had been seen all the craft slowed down, waiting for it to rise. Slowly the whale appeared with a jet of water, •which was blown with a hissing sound that -could be heard ashore, even through the gale. All the launches •rushed to where the whale sounded. A game of hide and seek proceeded for a quarter of an hour. Suddenly there was a loud report. J. Kenny, of the J. A. Perano party, ""-had fired, but,; owing to a heavy sea which struck U)<e> boat at the critical moment the shot missed, the harpoon passing over the'; whale. There was then the keenest excitement, the whale endeavoring to throw off its' pursuers and to make for the open sea. Surprise got in first, and T. Nortqn fired .a harpoon, which' struck, the whale thus falling to the 'E. C. Perano party. Others fired bombs before the monster was despatched. The \ J. A. Perano party has four whales to its credit this season.