Life and Adventure in the South Pacific

by John D. Jones

Swimming.—Notwithstanding his enormous size, we find that the sperm whale has the power of moving through the water with the greatest ease, and with considerable velocity. When undisturbed, he passes tranquilly along, just below the surface of the water, at the rate of about two to four miles per hour, which progress he effects by a gentle oblique motion from side to side of the “flukes.” When proceeding at his common rate, his body lies horizontally, his “hump” projecting above the surface, with the water a little disturbed around it, and more or less according to his velocity. This disturbed water is called by whalemen “white water,” and from the greater or less quantity of it an experienced whaleman can judge very accurately of the rate at which the whale is going from the distance of three or four miles.

In this mode of swimming the whale is able to attain a velocity of about eight or nine miles per hour; but when desirous of proceeding at a more rapid rate, the action of the tail is materially altered. Instead of being moved laterally and obliquely, it strikes the water with the broad flat surface of the flukes in a direct manner, upward and downward, and each time the blow is made with the inferior surface the head of the whale sinks down to the depth of eight or ten feet, but when the blow is reversed it rises out of the water, presenting then to it only the sharp, cutwater-like inferior portion.

The blow with the upper surface of the flukes appears to be by far the most powerful, and as, at the same time, the resistance of the broad anterior surface of the head is removed, it is the principal means of progression. This mode of swimming with the head alternately in and out of the water is called by whalemen “going head out;” and in this way the whale can attain a speed of ten or fifteen miles an hour, and this latter is believed to be his greatest velocity.

The tail is thus seen to be the great means of progression, and the fins are not much used for that purpose; but occasionally, when suddenly disturbed, the whale has the power of sinking suddenly and directly downward in the horizontal position, which he effects by striking upward with the fins and tail.

Breathing.—All the cetacea, as is well known, are warmblooded animals, and possess lungs, and, consequently, require a frequent intercourse with atmospheric air, and for this purpose it is necessary that they should rise to the surface of the water at certain intervals. The majority of this class of animals do not appear to perform this function with any regularity, and it is in this respect that the sperm whale is remarkably distinguished among the cetacea; and it is from his peculiar mode of “blowing” that he is recognized, even at a great distance, by experienced whalemen. When at the surface for the purposes of respiration the whale generally remains still, but occasionally continues making a gentle progress during the whole of his breathing-time. If the water is moderately smooth, the first part of the whale observable is a dark-colored pyramidal mass, projecting two or three feet out of the water, which is called the “hump.”

SPOUTS OF THE SPERM AND RIGHT WHALE.

At very regular intervals of time, the nose, or “noddle-end,” emerges at a distance of from forty to fifty feet from the hump in the full-grown male. From the extremity of the nose the spout is thrown up, which, when seen from a distance, appears thick, low, and bushy, and of a white color. It is formed of the expired air, which is forcibly ejected from the spout-hole, acquiring its white color from the minute particles of water previously lodged in the chink or fissure of the nostril, and also from the condensation of the aqueous vapor thrown off by the lungs.

The spout is projected from the spout-hole at an angle of about forty-five degrees, in a slow and continuous manner, for the space of about three seconds of time. If the weather is fine and clear, and there is a gentle breeze at the time, it may be seen from the masthead of a moderate-sized vessel at the distance of five or six miles. The spout of the sperm whale differs much from that of other large cetacea, in which it is mostly double, and projected thin, and like a sudden jet; and as in those animals the spout-holes are situated nearly on the top of the head, it is thrown up to a considerable height in almost a perpendicular direction. When, however, a sperm whale is “gallied” or alarmed, the spout is thrown up much higher and with great rapidity, and consequently differs much from its usual appearance. The regularity with which every action connected with its breathing is performed by the sperm whale is very remarkable. The length of time he remains at the surface, the number of spouts or expirations made at one time, the intervals between the spouts, the time he remains invisible “in the depth of the ocean buried,” are all, when the animal is undisturbed, as regular in succession and duration as it is possible to imagine.

In different individuals the times consumed in performing these several acts vary, but in each they are minutely regular, and this well-known regularity is of much benefit to the whaleman; for, when he has once noticed the periods of any particular sperm whale which is not alarmed, he knows to a moment when to expect it again at the surface, and how long it will remain there.