Fayette County herald. [volume] (Washington [Washington Court House], Fayette County, O. [Ohio]) 1860-1???, 1879-12-11
A Monster Whale.

"When we started from Pier No. 1
this morning." said Capt. Al Foster
last night, after he had returned from
mis- Thanksgiving Goldfish expedition,
eve had on board 1913 passengers. The
William Fletcher is not large boat,
but she could carry this number very
comfortably. Some of them wanted to
run to the south ard; but the weather
was so fine and the water so smooth
that made up my mind to go to east
ard, thinking we should get better
fishing there. We hove off to Hog Inlet,
and fished for an hour; but though
nearly every one had line over the
side, nobody even got bite. This was
rather discouraging. For three years
no such thing had occurred with me
before, and l didn't know what to make
of it. At last l hauled up the anchor
and run further to the south. was at
the wheel myself, and we were between
the shores of Sandy Hook and Rocka-
way; and about eight miles southeast
of the Highlands, when saw a jet of
water rise into the air about half a
mile ahead. 1t was followed by anoth-
er and another of the same kind. I
knew at once that it was caused by a
whale, but as the spout was not more
than twelve feet high, thought it a
very small one, as full-grown whale
usually throws up the water about forty
feet. However, large or small, knew
it would be a curiosity to my passen-
gers. Nobody on board had noticed it
but myself; so, after l had pointed it
out to my brother, I told him to send
the boys forward to have look at it.
1t was almost dead ahead, and with
very little alienation of the steamers
course / bore directly down upon it.
The whale continued to spout at in
tervals, and though he did not send the
water higher than at first, l began to
think, as got closer, that he was not
quite so small as l had supposed. He
frequently threw his body half way out
of the water, and l could see that he
was black. When we were within a
quarter of mile of him judged that
he was about fifty feet, but the nearerI
approached the larger supposed him
to be. At last 1 slackened speed and
ran very slow toward him. He made
no effort to get out of our way, and
seemed to be Indifferent as to whether
he came in collision with us or not.
The passengers were greatly excited,
and wanted to see him still closer; so
to satisfy them ran on until there was
not more than fifteen feet between our
bow and the whale. Suddenly he
Whirled around and swan across our
bows. Up to thai point had been
keeping a little to one side of him, so as
to pass without touching him, but now
l saw there was great danger of col
lision, and as the creature rose high in
the water was able for the first time
to see nearly his entire length. At the
very lowest estimate he must have
eighty feet, and some of the
passengers, good judges of such mat
ters, were satisfied that it was not less
than $50 feet long. 1t was clear that it
would never do for US to strike such a
as that, so | threw the wheel
hard-a starbOard. and just shaved by
his tail. tell you there were not
many inches to spare.
81 have seen a good many whales in
my time" added the Captain, "but
never one so largeas that before. Nor
have ever seen one, until this morn
ing, nearer than half a mile from
where l was. The water, just where
we saw this fellow, was deep, but had
he run in toward the shore on either
side he wOuld soon have been aOrOtlnd-
may say that after this experience we
found other fishing grounds and very
catching a great many cod,
and more blackfsh than / have seen
taken on any excursion have made
this season. My brother caught one
eight pounds" "
Several of the passengers who were
in the William Fletcher corroborate
Captain Fosters story of the whale