The Whales' Journey by Stephen Martin

Author:Stephen Martin
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Allen & Unwin
Published: 2013-07-01T16:00:00+00:00

it was attacked by two of the killer whales which are always about Eden. One with a long strait [sic] back fin known as Tom & one with its back fin bent to the right known as Hookey. These two farsoned [sic] onto the whale like bulldogs one on either side. The whale started to roll over & over & so got the whale line completely tangled about its body in the end the line parted but the two killers held it when another harpoon was driven into it & a bomb fired which did not seem to have much effect.

The real struggle now commenced the whale was now turning & lashing out with its tail in all directions & several times the boat missed destruction from these mighty lunges by a few feet only. Had it not been for the killers which never let go the boat would not have had a chance. The struggle started at about 3.30 & continued until long after dark. All the launches in the place were following up the chase to pick up the men in case the boat was smashed. The whale went north though only in a general way for it kept continually turning back & going round in circles. When half way across North Bay the boat got a chance with the lance which soon killed the monster ... As soon as it was struck with the lance it began to spout blood in streams & soon died. But before it was quite dead the killers forced their heads into its enormous mouth & devoured its tongue. The whale when quite dead sank to the bottom when strong anchor were let go on the whale line to keep it from moving away when it should float which they usually do 12 hours after death. It was found to be afloat next day & was towed to the try works at East Boyd where I saw it on the rocks & where I took several photos. The length of this whale I was told was close on 60 feet [20 m] while it measured 19 feet [6 m] across the tail . . . This whale yielded about 6 tons of oil & about £400 worth of bone. It was a cow whale with a large calf. Other wise it would have yielded much more oil.

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