Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1858-09-04
SHEPHERDSTOWN JEFFERSON COUNTY, VA~ SATURDAY MORN
Capture of d Whale in Virginia waters


A CORES spondenl of The Alexandria Ga
zel,e, writing. from Gloucester Court
House, on the 9Th inst, announces the
capture of whale in North River in that
county, on the 9th inst. He says:
Before daybreak the negroes on Mr..
Warner 7. TalIaierro's plantation were
very much alarmed by loud and unusu-
al noise near The bathing house, and on
rousing up the famiIy,they found whale
had grounded on a shoaI. Means were at
once adopted TO secure him, but when
alarmed, he tapped himself off, but not
finding his way out Of the river, was seen
through that and the next day, and on
Wednesday, after being repeatedly fired
into by Or. z. Taliaferro, was driven
ashore between the residences Of Mr.. W.
T. Taliaferro, and his son, Mai. G.. TaIis-
feno. My boys were down yesterday to
see his majesty, and the oldest, who is
fond of natural history, soon identified
him as "BalenopIera" Of La Cepede, ,or
the Baleua Of LinnBus-the Finner OF
the Whaers. He is forIy-three feetlong
and about twenty feet in circumference.
The best description of this variety OF the
whale will be found in "Scrosby's Are
tic Regions d. not believe q fish,
may call him so-of this variety has ev,
er been found in our waters. The Gram,
pus has frequently been found ashore ir
York River Crowds have h0cked TO Sc,
him, and the negroes are filed with won
der, and their comments are vastly anu
sing. They think his capture IS quite al
important event, as they verify believe he
would have eaten up half of our fisher
men. This is male, and The female i:
said to have been seen with him, but
doubt il.
In BED WITH RATrLEsNAKE.-We
have frequently heard of snakes visiting
houses and of their sometimes hayiog
been found in and under beds, but We dC
not reSolect ever having heard of so p,
markablo an escape from a. awful deal.
from a snake as the folIowiag, related Il
US by Mr.. +. w. Bliss, Vho was presen
when it occurred. About five weeks agr
two children of Mr.. Jacob ScheIl, ivin!
about three and half miles west from
W Washinglon--the one aged hine and lhr
other four years-becomin weary from
the excessive heat, lay down on the bee
shortly after dinner, and were soon fas
asleep. Sometime during the afternoon
MIR. Schell and our informant, who AaC
been at work in the field, were compeIe,
10 seek the house for shelter from hea
Wy shower. They had scarcely entered
when Mrs. Schell went 10 the bed to re.
place some Of the covering which had be
come misplaced, when the horrible sigh
met her eyes, the head of huge rattle.
snake projecting from between The chill
dren and its body in close proximity to
theirs. Mr.. S. was Of course much
frightened, and there is not much doubl
but that it would have terminated fatally
to at least one of the children, had it not
been for the providenlal arrival Of the
two men, who, with presence of mind,
quietly moved them from either side OF
the bed al The same time, without alarm
ing the snake, thus undoubtedly saving
their lives. His "snakeship" was then
unceremoniously dispatched. |! proved
to be very large one, with six rattles in
its tail. How il goI there is mystery.
Peoria UniOn.