Grand River times. [volume] (Grand Haven, Mich.) 1851-18??, 1853-11-23
A REMARKABLY VICIOUS WHALE.

"A hEmAhhADLl NlClOUS WHALE.
The Edgartown Gazette publishes the follow
ing particulars relative to the attack upon and
final capture of an ugly whale by boats crew
from the ship Hector, of New Bedford, furnish
ed by Capt. Thos. A. Norton, who was the first
mate of the Hector at the time
In October, 1882, when in lat. II s., lon. 80
W., the ship ninety days from port, we raised
large whale The joyful cry was given of" there
she blows" and every thing on board at once
assumed an aspect of busy preparation for the
capture The boats were lowered and the chase
commenced. When we got within about three
ships length of him he turned and rushed furi
ously upon u.s. He struck US at the same mo-
ment we fastened to him. He stove the boat
badly, but with the assistance of sails, which we
placed under her bottom, and constant baing,
she was kept above water The Capt. John o.
Morse, came to our assistance. told him he
had better keep clear of the whale, but he said
he had a very long lance, and wanted to try it
upon the rascal Capt. nj. went up to the whale
when all at once he turned upon the boat, which
he took in his mouth, and held right up on end
out of the water and shook it all to pieces in
moment. The men were thrown in every di-
rection, and Capt. Morse fell from distance of
at least 80 feet into the water. Not being sat-
isfed with the total destruction of the boat, he
set TO work and chewed up the boat kegs and
lantern kegs, and whatever fragments of the
boat he could find floating on the water. AT
this stage Of the fight told Capt. Morse that
if he would give me the choice of the ships CON-
pany l would try him again. 1t was desperate
work to all appearance, and up to this time the
vicious fellow had it all his own way. The cap
tain was in favor of trying him from the ship,
but finally consented for us to attack him again
from boat. With picked crew we again APP
preached the whale, now lying perfectly still, APP
parenty ready for another attack, as the event
proved. Seeing our approach he darted towards
coming together every moment with tremend-
Gus energy We gave the word to stern ALL
which was obeyed in good earnest. AS we pass
ed the ship, heard the captain exclaim, there
goes another boatp She did 60, to be sure,
through the water, with all speed, but fortunate
y not to destruction. The monster chased us
in this wayAfor half mile or more, during most
Of which time his jaws were within six or eight
inches of the head of the boat. Every time he
brought them together the conclusion could be
heard at the distance of at least n mile. in
tended to jump overheard if he caught the boat
Told Mr.. Mayhem, the third mate, who held the
steering oar that the whale would turn over
soon to spout, and that then would be our time
to kill him. After becoming exhausted he turn
ed over to spout, and at the same instant we
stopped the boat and buried our ances deep in
his life.' One tremendous CONFUSION of his
frame followed, and all was still. He never
troubled us more. We towed him to the ship,
tried him out, and took ninety barrels of oil from
him.
"When we were cutting him in we found two
irons in his body marked with the name of the
ship Barclay, and belonging to the mates boat.
We afterwards learned that three months before,
when the same whale was in lat. 5 S., lon. l05
w., he was attacked by the mate of the ship
Barclay, who had desperate struggle with him,
in which he finally lost his life.
"Capt. Norton, at the time of the adventure
with this whale, had seen some SERVICE but he
freely confesses that never before nor since
Though he has had the buttons bitten off his
shirt by whale) has he come in contact with
such an ugly customer as this rogue whale as
he was termed in sailor parance. He seemed
possessed Of the spirit of demon, and looked
as savage as hungry hyena. Our readers may
imagine the effect such an encounter would have
upon a crew Of green hands, During the fright
full chase of the boat by the whale their faces
were of livid white, and their hair stood erect.
On their arrival at the first port they all took to
the mountains, and few if any of them have ever
been seen since.
"Capt Norton informs us that whale was
never before known to attack boat before be-
ing struck. In this case the whale had evident
ly experienced much trouble from the irons left
in his body, and took the first opportunity which
presented for revenge. Taken altogether, we
think this will rank high among the whaling sto-
ries of our day."