Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1866-04-27
The Whale Captured Off Wilmington, NORTH
DIV netE Carolina. f6f,. add

|
I The Wilmington Journal gives the follow
| ing facts relative to the capture of whale
below that city: baa q-
The whale recently captured is of the fin
back species, and was first seen about sun
rise on Tuesday, March 20, and soon after
grounded on an oyster rock near Smithville
He got clear, however, and started up the
channel, agitating the water more than an
ordinary steamboat. He shortlysafterward
ran aground again, this time opposite the res
idence of Mrs Stuart. Mr.. Warren, a gen.
tlemenain Smithyille, fred at him while in
this position !; but she appeared perfectly re-
CARELESS Of the shot, and extricatlng himself
again, started up the channel.ioA small
schooner, named the Planet, then started in
pursuit, and found him stuck on Snow s,marsh
opposite Fort Fisher; but on coming, up with
him it was discovered that he had again sue
ceeded in extricating himself, and was ma
king directly for the schooner. The move
ment on the part of the whale caused a great
deal of CONSERVATION among the crew Of the
vessel, which was Immediately faced about,
and all haste was made from the scene of ac-
tion but on proceeding short distance they
observed that the whale, who was probably
as badly frightened as the crew, had also
changed his course, and was making all speed
in an opposite direction, and was in a short
time seen to run ashore near the place where
he had just gotten off. fTnril3 ra;d5e
A small boat was sent to reconnoitre his
position. Finding him fast aground, and
the tide falling, the schooner proceeded to
Smithyille to get the assistance Of the sloop
Flash, and also to obtain the services of a
gentleman residing in Smithville, who had
several years experience in the whaling bus
mess. AZ, s ~. .,
On their return, the tide having fallen
considerably, the huge monster was discov-
cred to be almost entirely out of the water.
The first object was to kill him accordingly
hole was cut in his side, and the old wha-
Ter ran his sword in, until his arm was al
most entirely imbedded in his body. His
heart was eventually pierced, but even then
it was nearly two hours before he had ceased
to breathe In his fury, he. could throw a
stream of water six inches in diameter fully
hundred feet high His dimensions were
ascertained to be as follows: ffty-six feet
long, and twenty seven feet in circumference
The head is about one-third of the entire
length. The jaws are sixteen feet long on
either side, and nine feet wide across the
throat. The tail is about twelve feet wide,
and serves him as a weapon. He is only
about half grown, and weighs thirty-six tons,
er seventy-tWo thousand pounds.
To give some idea of his immense weight
it is stated that even after the upper jaw and
skull were cut away, it was impossible, ow-
ing to the immense weight, to get the. under
jaw on the deck of the schooer, SO it must re-
main in. the water until the flesh decays be-
fore the bones can be saved. -
The cal sass would have made sixty barrels
of oil, if facilities could have been obtained
for cutting and drying up the blubber. As
is, only about twenty-five barrels, or eight
hundred gallons, have been saved. 5r