Thursday, September 26, 2013

Wondering about Jonah and whales.

The first reported event of a whale swallowing someone and later spitting him out was in the Old Testament of the Bible.  I am sure we have all heard the story of Jonah being swallowed by a whale.  Well, let me tell you, he wasn't the last.  You don't believe me?  Well I will give you a couple of examples.

This was reported by the Boston Post back in 1771.  It was about an American harpooner named Jenkins.  A sperm whale bit his whaling boat in half with one bite and swallowed poor Jenkins.  I guess he wasn't to the whale's liking cause it spit him right out.  I wonder if ole Jenkins changed his profession.

Then a hundred and twenty years later, 35 year old James Bartley, who was a seamen on the whaler Star of the East, was swallowed by a sperm whale.  The whale was badly wounded by harpoons and was found dead floating on the surface the next day.  The crew hoisted it aboard and sliced it open to find Barley in its stomach.  He was unconscious but till breathing.  He remembered seeing "a big ribbed canopy of light pink and white and a wall of soft flesh surrounding him and hemming in it".  Then he found himself  inside a water-filled sack among fish, some of which were still alive.

Just in case you questioned Jonah's story, the other two should prove that it is very possible to survive being swallowed by a whale.  I will just take their word for it and try to stay in shallow water.  I don't care to be swallowed.  Now, you all have a great day today and don't get swallowed by a whale, you hear?

9 comments:

  1. I just recently saw a stage production of Jonah by the Sight and Sound Theater in Lancaster, Pa. Fabulous. The special effects were amazing.

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  2. Now you've got me thinking how small my boat really is.

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  3. Jill, Was that a film or live actors? Since you mentioned special effects, I guess it was a film.

    Sixbears, just don't make any whales mad and don't stand in the bow and pretend you are Captain Ahab.

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  4. I've heard the whales... and was fortunate to touch one in Guerro Negro bay on the Baja.... barnacles and all..... but have never given much thought to being swallowed by one. I can't even imagine surviving something like that!

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  5. What did their skin feel like? It must be smooth so that they can get through the water easy. You are lucky to have been able to touch one and I am sure glad you didn't get swallowed. . .

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  6. nope, lots of things I want but being swallowed by a whale or anything .... is not one of 'em. barf... I wonder if James Bartley has nightmares of being... well? the digestive juices do the job, then. ew

    I don't know if I want to google that but whales don't have teeth so they don't chew you up... dang tht would be really rough just hanging around in a whale belly waiting to dissipate. interesting ... no wonder the whale swallows a lot of fish ... one batch has to dissolve into whatever it dissolves into to be assimilated in the whale's whatever it assimilates into to make the whale stay alive...

    you are the darndest ponder invoker, Dizzy... guess I'll google ew

    I petted a dolphin! its skin was like a water balloon... loved it

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    1. So, you think I am the darndest ponder invoker. Did you spell it wrong? Isn't the "n" in darndest suppose to be a "m"? I am glad I get you to ponder things, not that you don't have enough other things to do.

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  7. We do have some big fish out there mate. We're in their territory when we're out in our boats having fun or fishing them, so we ought to be careful. I mean, we don't like trespassers on our lands do we? So, if we become bait, so be it. Have a lovely weekend Dizzy-Dick.

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    1. Yes, and from the way we have poluted their waters, It is a wonder that they haven't declared war on us. A few years back, my wife and I used to like to drive on uninhabited parts of the Gulf Coast beach at night and go swimming in the warm waters until she got brushed by a shark.

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