THE HUMP-BACKED WHALE 



the force of these blows which the whales aimed 

 at one another, they plunged, partly submerged, 

 leapt from the water, or twisted and turned. The 

 surrounding water was beaten into white foam. 

 Eventually one gave up the fight and made off with 

 a succession of dives, closely pursued by the other. 



The dead bodies of these Hump-backed Whales 

 are sometimes washed up in Algoa Bay and its 

 neighbourhood. During the past eleven years I 

 have recorded five. 



On July 15, 1918, one of these whales got stranded 

 on the rocks just outside Algoa Bay, midway between 

 Humewood and Cape Receife lighthouse. The 

 incoming tide brought it over the rocks on to 

 the sandy beach. It measured 29 feet and was 

 black above and white below, the pectoral fins 

 being mottled black and white. The blubber on 

 the back and sides was 6 inches in thickness. A 

 considerable number of ship barnacles (Concho- 

 derma aurita) and coronetted barnacles (Coronella 

 diadema) were deeply embedded in its skin, mostly 

 on the head, lips and sides. These must have 

 caused their host a considerable amount of annoy- 

 ance. Around the bases of the barnacles, and in 

 the various folds and scratches on the skin, thousands 

 of small crab-like crustaceans (Cyamus) clung. 



The Malays assembled in hundreds to secure the 

 blubber and flesh. The former was reduced to oil, 

 and the lean meat was greedily eaten. It was 

 bright red and looked like the best sirloin. The 



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