The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1895-12-03
A ROARING WHALE.
Which, According to Report. stood on Its
Head and Waved Its Tall In the Air.

Which, According to Report. Stood on Its
Head and Waved Its Tall In the Air.
From the Portland Press.
NO." said Captain ]. A Crossman of
South Portland last evening, I'VE didn't
encounter the sea serpent, but we had a
strange experience with a whale, and 1
don't believe anybody ever had. the like
before. I've been at sea, man and boy.
since l was years old. but never saw
the like of the whale we encountered, /
never saw a whale before that didn't
blow, but the one we met didn't but 1t
did give a roar that was awful" 49,.
1T sounded like the lions in Central
Park, New York." said Miss Houston,
who was one of the party that had the
strange encounter. 70
1T certainly was more like the roar of
a lion than anything else can think Of"
said Captain Crossman.
The schooner Grace Webster, Captain
Crossman, was on her way from New
York to Portland with Ala tons OF coal.
Besides the captain and crew, Mrs. Cross
man, her daughter and Miss Houston
were on board. .,
The schooner was about 10 miles of
Wood island and making good Roadway
under full sail. the mate, Merrill Cross
man, at the wheel, when there was
sudden commotion ahead, and then
great head shot up into the air and was
on leNel with the deck. Pc
One of the crew first sighted the
strange creature and called Captain
Crossman, and in a moment all on board
but the man at the wheel were looking
at the strange sight. They saw before
them an enormous head, one mass OF
great punches, through which the wicked
looking eyes of the creature cleaned.
They expected the whale. If such. would
blow" but IL didn't then or after. Once
Of rha fLa
steam shot up. but not a drop of water
was sent into the air. AS they looked at
the creature IL roared savagely, and then
drew close up to the side of the schooner,
giving them ample time to observe the
head, and all agree that 1t was very
broad; that 1t tapered almost to a point,
and that 1t was not very thick through
the thickest part. The creature was
about rs to so feet in length and had a
very broad tail. very different from that
of an ordinary whale. In fact, at the
time there were three or four whales in
sight, and they had no difficulty insaot-
ing the points of difference between
them and the stranger.
The great creature went down head
first, and then made a series of attempts
to strike the side of the schooner with its
tail. Ii did not succeed and swan around
them. roaring loudly in evident anger.
Then It went down and under the
schooner.
Captain Crossman. who had watched
for this movement. gave orders to be
ready to lower the boat. fearing that the
whale might come up under them and
break them in two. IL was very fortunate
that they were not forced TO lower their
boat, as It proved later to be leaking.
and would not have carried half their
number safely to land.
For more than an hour the whale con-
tinued his remarkable acrobatic perfor-
nance. standing on his head with his tail
waving In the air most of the time. II
seemed bent on hitting the schooner and
IL took the best OF good seamanship 10
prevent an encounter.
At last the whale seemed to get tired