Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1846-03-13
To The Editors NJ lie Enquirer:
w., -. Mat o,t &c az

To the Editors NJ Inc Enquirer
YoRx Town, March 9h 1916.
AS we have been much gratitied for the last
two days with the inspection Of some strange Vi
sirers from the vast numbers thai inhabi, the wa
tafy portion Of our world, thought j, would not
be uninteres;ng 10 you and your readers 10 Be in
formed Of their pccuiia:ilies Of appearance, their
ma snude and numbers. Suffice il 10 say, that
on Saturday morning last, whilst our oys!ermen
were departing from Wormleys creek TO pursue
li.elr accustomed occupation Of catching those
valuable Shell FISH, Tor which chr waters are so
famed, 70 their surprise andS amaZement, on me
South shore, al the month oil The crrel;. where
lies an extensive shoa or fiat, were 10 tc seen,
resting at apparent ease, t:cr,y-righl huge, long,
black FISH, ranging in length IRON: seyen 10 eigh
teen feet, and reaching in Giame:er from eighteen
.,.-..e, :. t:-o fee, 10 six aId halt feet, accord
ing 10 their respective lengths. When approach
ed, they were perfectly passive and qniescent
suffering persons 10 punch them on every part,
vet we're all @. ;iousIy alive. or course, these
surprisingly strange v:si:e-s supplant, with most
Of their ncw acquaintance, all oiner things 10
their devoca aitrDtion-aS the obvlons certainty
OF taking them all ashore ami reducing their rich
treasures OF bluhber TO liquid oil, promised them
or any thing else. Twen,y-eight OF thcm have
been taken ashorc cn that side and Two on this
side OF the creek, which two last made .hc!- ap-
pearance there the day ;..::c..
From the description of the Ccladnus fish in
Goldsmhs Animated Nature, these IRE doubt
Jess a species of the Whale called the Grampus
They are OF rich, shining ebony color having
two fins from nine 10 twelve inches in width and
from twelve inches 10 two and hall feet in
to,r no
Tween eighteen inches aud three feet from the
fat part oil their heads; having also fin OF
greater or less dimensions about the centre Of the
back, whcl! seems 10 act as rud1er or guide;
with an expansive tail transverse their bodies,
reaching in breadth from fifteen inches 10 three
feet according 10 size; and. also, peculiarly
ronni-shaped head, which, when cut eff, 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 incision OF The mouth. The lower Jaw is
small and Thin, the upper constituting the bulk
OF The head; having seven and eight '"cth, round.
sharp regs, from hall 10 three quarters oil On
inch long in each jaW-bone, and a new tooth Just
appearing in each. On the back cf The neck is
an oriice about three inches wide, through which
they spout water. The male fish OF This species
is generally the largest he being VI The greatest
Dimensions herein rcc;;c!. From some Of the
females were taken young bucks, measuring from
ibfec 10 four ieel, according 10 the size OF their
mothers. One Of these fish had one OF his Jaw
bones badly b,o..en and The mouth thereby much
diseased
Doubtless, The late tremendous blow and great
eruption in the mighty deep brought these very
novel and unexpected visitors 10 our shores
The largest We thought 10 weigh upwards Of
two thousand pounds. The skin. when peeled off,
"a specimen OF which is herewith SENT is that
Of lhc finest oil cloth beneath this lies Sub.
sance or coat resembling lamp.black, and be-
neaIl that the bub5cr or la, which is white like
that Of hog, rang ing from ore 10 four inches IN
thickness, according TO The size and condition oi
The animal. The internal conformation is rot
unlike that OF the horse, save that the brains lie
below Inc head that vast block OF fat, and back
Of The Two fins; the inner part OF the mouth is
rough and hard as rasp. Their exact simii-
tude is not 10 be found in the plates Of Gold
smiths Animated Nature. His description Of
the pcculiarities of The GraDpus in many res
poets answers 10 line character of these iISh. 80
all who have obscrvcd then have concluded, liz.
they are Of that species. They have truly been
The observed oi all observers Tor the last three
days--thf, prevailing and alperyating princ-
Pile in man, curio;!tR, acuating and constrainiug
al vino could 10 g. and see them. Should we y.
al fault in our understanding ci iacm te i.>dsed,
II Won can, Ia tel us Wnnt tneE 1tc dHi ny -
doing you will oblice besides many others, your
friend and mos; obecienl servan., w. y.
I'VE have submitted the court-rlais;er-ebony
skin Of The monster 10 an old "Sal,," who pro
nounces ii 10 belong 10 The "Black fish" species
Of whale We have 10 doubt, that our worthy
correspondent is correct in designating The "srsn-
gers" as Of the Grampus kind. We can vonch
for the above narraivc-tor thon:h strange, il is
doubtless l-ue "h,i s,ory."-Enquirer.]