A STRANDED WHALE.

Temuka Leader, Issue 5541, 25 July 1907, Page 3

A STRANDED WHALE.

Whaling is . an, industry that has seen better days, in southern, waters at any rate, but a sudden storm is sometimes responsible 'for a temporary renewal of the once important pursuit by casting ashore one of those monsters of the deop^ Mr E. Spring and Mr E. Waite, of Seadown, had the good to come npom a stranded fish lust Sunday morning on the Seadown beach, and deciding that there might be money in it they sot about making arrangements to have the blubber tried-out. They secured the services of Mr E. 1 Clarkson, an old-time) whaler and a party of whalers under his skippership left Timuru on on Tuesday afternoon.,, Though on a wllaling expedition, their labors were required only for the final stages of the work, robbed of all tbc romanticism which is associated with it. Their whaleboat was a carrier’s express loaded with a couple of good-sized iron-boil-ers for the try-works, numerous oildrama and barrels and other miscellanies, while the crew , were perched on top of the load. An hour’s drive took the party to within a ..mile; or two of their quarry, and after a good deal of inquiry the stranded whale was sighted. It was found on the beach on Sunday, and was then dead, but the carcase is still in good preservation. It is a whllc-bellied bull whale, about 45 feet in length, while the flukes of its tail' measure about 15 feet from point to, point. The pectoral tins run out u long way from the shoulders, probably 10 or 12 feet. The fish. is lying on its back, partially buried in the sand., but a good idea of its form can bo obtained from a cursory inspection of it. The blubber was cut in two or three places, and was seen! to be throe or four inches in thickness. The characteristic ridging of the blubber, familiar to those who have seen pictures of whaling, were to bo seen in this specimenThe lius and Idil were encumbered with murine parasites. The animal is one of the balocn-bearing species, its jaws being fringed with blades of whalebone seven lor e ght inches long and four or five inches wide at the roots and tapering to a point with a fringe of thread-like strips. On Tuesday afternoon a good many people wont to sec the curiosity, some cycling-from Timaru. others riding ami driving, and a few near-by residents walking to lire spot,while one party motored from Timaru., '■The fish was examined with a great deal of interest by these visitors, many of whom secured strips of whalebone ns souvenirs of their inspection. Messrs Spring and Waite expect their .venture to prove a profitable one, and Mi- Clarkson considers it a valuable find. The value of the blubber has been estimated at about -CTOO, and (lioiiah the expenses -of trying the nil will be heavy, a handsome prolit slum's! remain. Mr Clarks eii wilt be in charge of the t rying-oii I, while Mr Samuel Graham (formerly manager of (he landing service at, Timaru ;<>f the early days) will superintend the work. Messrs Priest and Hold gate have purchased tho oil. —Herald.