The Whale
As the elephant is the largest animal on the land, the whale is the largest creature in the sea.
Though the whale lives in the sea, looks like a fish and lives like one, it is not really a fish So, we cannot call it the largest fish in the sea.
It is an animal like the elephant but as it is in the sea it can be called a sea animal. A full grown whale is forty feet long and as it is round and fat, it looks vary huge.
Whales do not breathe in the water like the fish. They cannot stay under water all the time, but every now and then, they come up to the surface to blow.
They blow out the water which rises in a big fountain and breathe in air. Then they sink down again under the surface.
While travelling on a ship, one could see a whale at some distance with its long black back above the surface of the sea and the fountain of water spouting up from its head.
Whales are not found in the southern seas where the climate is warm They prefer the cold seas of the north.
Whales are hunted for oil which is found in them and which is called the whale oil. Whale oil is used for very many purposes.
Hunting the whales is a hard and dangerous job. The whalers go out in specially built large and strong ships
Into the northern seas and search for a ‘school’ or ‘shout’ of whales. These animals always move about in company.
When the whalers see a whale at a distance, they leave the ship in strong boats and row towards it.
A man known as harpooner will stand in the bows or the front side of the boat. He is a skilled sailor armed with a heavy spear called the harpoon. A very lengthy and strong rope is fastened to the harpoon. When the boat gets near enough to the whale, he will throw this harpoon so as to pierce and stick in the side of the whale.
The wounded whale will at once dive and rush away. But it will be held by the rope tied to the harpoon. A wounded whale will often drag a heavy boat after it for miles before it dies. It will sometimes oven upset the boats and endanger the lives of men.
When the harpoon is powerfully aimed at and thrown the whole cannot escape. it will get worn out and die.
The dead body comes to the surface and floats there. Then the whalers get out of the peat on to the whales back and cut out the blubber which contains the oily fat from its body and they will take it back to their ships.
