The New era. [volume] ([Portsmouth, Va.]) 1845-1847, 1846-03-19
II H E N f. w E r. A =.
From the Richmond Enquirer.
FISH OF THE SEA.

] YORK TOWN, March y, 1916.
AS we have been much grafed for the last
two days with the inspection of some strange
visIters from the vast numbers that inhabit the
wateTy portion of our world, thought it would
not be undressing to you and your readers to be
informed Of their pecularilies of appearance their
magnitude and numbers. Suffice it to saw, that
on Saturday morning last, whilst our oystermen
were departing from Wormley's creek to pursue
their accustomed occupation of catching those
valuable shell fish, for which our waters are SO
famed, to their surprise and amazement, on the
South shore, at the mouth of the creek where
lies an extensive shoal or fiat, were to be seen.
resting at apparent ease, twenty eight huge, long,
black fish, ranging in length from seven to eigh-
teen feet, and reaching in diameter from eighteen
inches or two feet to six and half feet, accord
ing to their respective lengths. When approach
ed, they were perfectly passive and gniescent,
suffering persons to punch them every part,
yet were all obviously alive. Of course, these
surprisingly strange visiters supplant, with most
oil their new acquaintances, all other things in
their devoted attention-as the obvious certainty
OF taking them all ashore and reducing their rich
treasures of blubber to liquid oil, promised them
much more lucrative employment than oysters
or any thing else. Twenty eight of them have
been taken ashore on that side and two on this
side of the creek, which two last made their APP
pearance there the day after
L rom the description of the Celadnus fish in
Godsmith's Animated Nature, these are doubt
less species Of the Whale called the Grampus.
They are of rich, shining ebony COLOR having
two inns, from nine to twelve inches in width and
from twelve inches to two and half feet in.
length, according to their size, on the breast be-
tween eighteen inches and three feet from the
nat part of their heads; having also fin of
greater or less dimensions about the centre of the
pack, which seems to act rudder or guide
with an expansive tail transverse their bodies,
reaching In breadth from fifteen inches to three
feet, according to size; and, also, peculiarly
roud shaped head, which, when cut off, is a solid
block of blubber. Their eye is about the size of
that of the OK. and is just above the termination
OF the lncisiOn of the mouth. The lower Jaw is.
small and thin, the upper constituting the bulk
OF the head having seven and eight teeth, round
sharp pegs, from half to three quarters of an
inch long in each jaw bone, and new tooth lust
appearing in each. On the back of the neck is
an orIflee about three inches wide, through which
they spout water. The male fish of this species
is generally the largest, he being of the greatest
dimensions herein recited. From some of the
females were taken young bucks, measuring from
three to four feet, according to the size of their
mothers. One of these fish had one of his Jaw
bones badly broken, and the mouth thereby much
diseased.
Doubtless, the late tremendous blow and great
eruption in the mighty deep brought these very
''N'"i "''" uHOAPCStOu NISileIS 10 our SIOIeS.---
The largest we thought to weigh upwards of
two thousand pounds. The skin, when peeled off.
"a specimen of which is herewith sent, y is that
OF the finest oil cloth !; beneath this lies sub
stance or coat resembling lamp black, and be-
meath that the blubber or fat, which is white like.
that of a hog. ranging from one to four inches in
thickness according to the size and condition of
the animal. The internal conformation is not I'M
like that of the horse, that the brains lie be-
low the head, that vast block of fat, and back of
the two fins the inner part of the mouth is rough.
and hard as a rasp Their exact similltude is
not to be found in the plates of Goldsmith's
Animated Nature. His description of the pecu-
llarltles of the GTampus in many respects answers
TO the character of these fish, So all who have
observed them have concluded, that they are of
that species They have truly been the observ-
ed of all observers for the last three days--that
prevailing and all-Pervading principle in man,
curiosity, actuating and constituting all who
could to go and see them. Should we be at fault
in our understanding Of them, be pleased, if you
can, to tell us what they are and by so doing.
you will oblige, besides many others, your friend
and most obedient servant, w N
We have submitted the court plaster ebony
skin of the monster to an old Salt" who pro
nounces it to belong to the Black fish - species
Of whale. We have no doubt, that our worthy
correspondent is correct in designating the sstran-
gers" as of the Grampus kind. We can vouch
for the above narratiYe-for, though strange, it is
loco a G.t,e