ezvous of the famous 'killers' (_Orca
gladiator_) the deadly foes of the whole race of cetaceans other than
themselves, and the most extraordinary and sagacious creatures that
inhabit the ocean's depths. From July to November two 'schools' of
killers may be seen every day, either cruising to and fro across the
entrance of the bay, or engaged in a Titanic combat with a whale--a
'right' whale, a 'humpback,' or the long, swift 'fin-back.' Never have
they been known to tackle the great sperm-whale, except when one of
those mighty creatures has been wounded by his human enemies. And
to witness one of these mighty struggles is worth travelling many a
thousand miles to see; it is terrible, awe-inspiring and wonderful. The
'killer' ranges in length from ten feet to twenty-five feet (whalemen
have told me that one was seen stranded on the Great Barrier Reef in
1862 which measured thirty feet). Their breathing apparatus and general
anatomy is much similar to that of the larger whales. They spout,
'breach.' and 'sound' like other cetaceans, and are of the same
migratory habit, as the two 'schools' which haunt Twofold Bay always
leave there at a certain time of the year to cruise in other seas,
returning to their headquarters when the humpback and fin-back whales
make their appearance on the coast of New South Wales, travelling
northwards to the feeding-grounds on the Bampton Shoals, the coast of
New Guinea and the Moluccas.

The head of the killer is of enormous strength. The mouth is armed in
both jaws with fearful teeth, from one and a half inches to two inches
long, and set rather widely apart. In colour they show an extraordinary
variation, some being all one hue--brown, black, or dull grey; others
are black, with large, irregular patches or streaks of pure white or
yellow; others are dark brown with black and yellow patches. One,
which I saw ashore on the reef at the island of Nukulaelae in the South
Pacific, was nearly black, except for a few irregular blotches of white
on the back and belly. This particular killer had died from starvation,
for nearly the entire lower jaw had decayed from a cancerous growth.

The whaling station at Twofold Bay is now, alas! the only one in the
colony--the last remnant of a once great and thriving industry, which,
in the early days of the then struggling colony, was the nursery of bold
and adventurous seamen. It is now carried on by a family named Davidson,
father and sons--in conjunction wi