This affection is reciprocated by the calf, as the following incident, related by J. G. Millais, Esq., will show:
Captain Nilsen, of the whaler St. Lawrence, was hunting in Hermitage Bay, Newfoundland, in June, 1903, when he came up to a huge cow humpback and her calf. After getting “fast” to the mother and seeing that she was exhausted, Captain Nilsen gave the order to lower the “pram” for the purpose of lancing. Every time the mate endeavored to lance the calf intervened, and by holding its tail toward the boat and smashing it down whenever they approached, kept the stabber at bay for half an hour. Finally the boat had to be recalled for fear of an accident, and a fresh bomb harpoon was fired into the mother, causing instant death. The faithful calf now came and lay alongside the body of its dead mother, where it was badly lanced but not killed. Owing to its position it was found impossible to kill it, so another bomb harpoon was fired into it. Even this did not complete the tragedy and it required another lance stroke to finish the gallant little whale.[[3]]
[3]. “The Mammals of Great Britain and Ireland.” By J. G. Millais. Longmans, Green, & Co., p. 238.
Captain H. G. Melsom tells me that in Iceland a female humpback was killed, and her calf would not leave the ship which was towing its dead mother but followed the vessel until it was close to the station.
Humpbacks have a bad reputation among the Norwegians and it is seldom that a boat is sent out to lance a whale of this species. The gunners say that there is too much danger in the flukes and long flippers and that sad experience has given them a wholesome respect. Usually, if the animal is too “sick” to require a second harpoon it will be drawn close up beside the ship and lanced from the bow.
From personal experience I have only negative evidence to offer as to the fighting qualities of this whale for, although I have seen a great many killed, never did one give much trouble. They certainly cannot drag a vessel as a blue whale or finback will, and apparently do not like to pull very hard against the iron. I have seen humpbacks, which were being drawn in for the second shot, squirm and give way each time the rope was pulled taut. I do not pretend to deny, however, the widespread and probably well-founded belief in the danger of coming to close quarters with this whale and will again quote Millais in regard to this:
Pulling the barnacles off a humpback whale. This species is infested with parasites, which fasten in clusters to the throat, head, fins and flukes.
Humpbacks sometimes give trouble when struck too high in the body or only slightly wounded, and several serious accidents have occurred both to steamers and to the men in the small “prams” when trying to lance the wounded whale. The following authentic instances have been given to me by Norwegian captains:
In May, 1903, the whaling steamer Minerva, under Captain John Petersen, hunting from the station in Isafjord, made up to and struck a bull Humpback. The beast was wild, so they fired two harpoons into it, both of which were well placed. In the dim light the captain and two men went off in the “pram” to lance the wounded Whale, when the latter suddenly smashed its tail downwards, breaking the boat to pieces, killing the captain and one man, and breaking the leg of the other. The last-named was, however, rescued, clinging to some spars.