California Gray Whale. SIL. 
they seem to enjoy them, for there they play and gambol about, in- 
creasing the foam by the use of their powerful flukes, sometimes fairly 
turning somersaults, while at others they will cease apparent exertion, 
allowing themselves to be rolled and tossed about, the passive sport of 
the angry waters. 
Of all the known species of whales, this is the most cunning, 
courageous and vicious. So terrible is it, that with the old imple- 
ments of harpoon and lance, but few whalemen would court an en- 
counter with it, and it early received the name of the Devil Fish. 
I have no account that it ever maliciously attacked an unoffending 
object, yet when it found itself pursued where escape was difficult, 
even before it was struck, it has been known to turn upon pursuers 
and dash a boat to fragments with a single blow of its powerful 
flukes, and so has many a life been lost. 
It was in the whale nurseries, in the retired lagoons, where the 
young were brought forth and nursed, for a considerable time after 
they were able to accompany their mothers for long distances out to 
sea, that the most terrible encounters occurred. The mother has a 
remarkable affection for her young, and will do and dare everything 
in its defence, hence the whalemen were cautioned not to strike the 
calf while the mother was living. If she would not resent a severe 
wound to herself, while there was yet hope for escape that she might 
live to nurse and take care of her offspring, when once her darling 
was injured her rage knew no bounds, and there was no escape from 
her but to run the boat into shallow water or upon the beach, It 
18 said that when in port the masters of whalers, in convivial mood, 
each recounting his adventures and escapes, those among them who 
had ever pursued this whale, could silence all others when recount- 
ing the terrors of the chase, and would seek to rival each other in 
tales illustrating the ferocity and courage of the female when her 
young were in danger, and if the last in turn to come did not win 
the palm it was his own fault or rather his lack of inventive genius. 
This is the way the last one to relate his experience won the drinks. 
He said he was once pursuing an old cow whale, with a well-grown 
calf, and while he had cautioned the man in the bow not to touch 
the calf, the youngster presented so fair a mark that he could not 
‘hold himself and so let him have it. Knowing what would follow, 
he instantly ordered all hands to pull for the shore, which fortu- 
nately was not far off. As they saw the enraged dam bearing down 
upon them like a tornado when they reached the shore, they tum- 
