The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1891-09-08
CAPT. CASTLES WHALE.
A Monster OF tho Deep Uses Pilotboat
for u Scratching-Post.


One night the pilotbopt Lady Mine,
Capt. Stove Castle, was lying bccalned
about ten miles southwest OF the main
Faralloncs, says the San Francisco
Examiner. Not u ship was In sight,
and the captain improved the oppor-
tunity to shift the. schooncr's canvas
for her lighter summer suit. All
hands were engaged on the work, and
to secure more room the yawlboat
used for boarding vessels was hcaved
over tho side md made fast nstern by
Six or eight fathoms of painter.
The sea was full of whales, lolling
about on the CLASSY surface, playing
and blowing, and emitting an unplcas-
ant, oily odor, us whales are wont to do
when the sun is shining, the air is still,
and the water smooth. One particular
~ big fellow of the finbacl, variety,
commonly called California grays, man
ifested much interest and camc along
side to investigate. The first notice of
his approach was received from n ire
mcndous flock of small scabirds that
SKINNED ulong the surface. flying
down to snatch their food of parasites
every time the whale came to the sur
face. All tho birds flew away when tho
whale sounded Il cablo's length from
the Lady Mine, and the crew thought
he had taken his departure. In this
they were erroneous. for in about two
minutes the schooner set up Il violent
rocking, n huge black bulk suddenly
doomed up alongside, there was Il sound
as of escaping steam, and half the deck
was wet with Il cloud of ill-smelling
spray.
1t was IN awful big whale Tor u fin
back. 1t WIS longer than the Lady
Mine, which measures cighty-thrco
feet
When he came up he touched the
schooner, but did it very gently, not
with jar or bump, but with 4 slow
upheaval that simply showed the vessel
off sideways and carccncd her over q
little until her round bottom Slid Off the
monsters back. The whale appeared
highly delighted, and repeated the per-
fo:lnancc. For two hours he was never
two hundred yards from the Lady Mine,
and half the time when he was above
water the crew could have touched
him by simply extending their hands
over the side. a dozen times he rubbed
against her side, but always with the
same gcntlcncss that characterized his
first contact, and often his huge fin
protrudcd above the rnil rs big as u
boat sail
lie was an old bull and his back and
head were literally covered with
barnaclcs. 1t was TO rid himself of
these that he rubbed up against tho
boat, the crew soon learned. Several
times it looked very scary to sec the
terrible bulk rising swiftly from tho
depths of clear water, but he was con-
sidcratc enough to always slacl,cn
speed just before striking, so that tho
contact amounted to no more than n
gentle push.
The crew did not mind tho whale
using the Lady Mine for backscratch-
or as long as he continued good naturcd
nbOut it, but they did protest ngninst
the odor and finally made al attempt
to drive him away. The bontkccper
proddcd him with u sharp pointed spin
maker boom Just as he rose near tho
schooner's stern.
Down he went like flash and in his
furry he preached directly across the
little yawls painter, which was hang
ing slack foot or 80 beneath the sur
face of the water. One of his flulses
caught the line and as the sever
nj tons of blubbcr and whalcmcat went
down the yawlboat went too. Tho boc,
plunged under with terrific dash and
the oars and loose bottom-boards of the
boat flew for yards around in all direc-
tons
The entire boat was lost to sight for
over minute, when it popped up like
cork, full of water, but right and
tight and perfectly uninjured. The
crew used garnishcd language, bailcd
the boat out, gathered up the gear that
strewcd the surrounding ocean, and
hauled the rescued craft aboard
The whale manifested no anger
whatever, but returned in few minutes
as if nothing had happened. Tie rubbed
off couple or three moro barnaclcs as
gently as before, flirtcd his monstrous
tail contemptuously. and took his de-
parturc.
EAST INDIAN BARBERS.