The Somerset reporter., 1895-12-17
ROARED LIKE A LION.
A COASTER CAPTAINS STORY OF !
REMARKABLE WHALE.

Length and Had Queer Looking Head.
Tried 10 swamp the Schooner.
No, said Captain J. A Crohsman
Of South Portland, I'VE didn't encouu
ter the sea serpent, but we had strange
experience with whale, and | don I
believe anybody ever had tire like be
fore. I've been at sea, man and boy,
since l was years old and never saw
the like Of the whale we encountered |
never saw whale before that didn't
blow, bnt the one we met dldn I, but it
gave "a roar that was awful
1T sounded like the lions in Central
park New York, said Miss Houston,
who was one Of the party that had the
strange encounter.
ut certainly was more like the roar
of lion tban 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 # coal
Besides the captain and crew NJ, Cross.
man, her daughter and Miss Houston
were on board.
The schooner was about ten miles of
Wood island and making good Roadway
under full SAIL, the mate, Merrill Cross.
man, at the wheel, When there was a
sudden eomm0tion ahead, and the great
head shot up into the air and was on a
level with the deck.
One Of the crew first sighted the
strange creature and called Captain
Crossman, and in 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 lunches, through which
the wicked looking eyes of the creature
cleaned. They expected the whale, if
such, would blow, but it did not then
or after Once narrow thread Of what
looked like steam shot up, but not a
drop of water was sent into the air AS
they looked at the creature it 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 it was very broad; that 1t tapered
almost to point, and that it was not
very thick through the thickest part
The creature was about IS to so feet in
length and had very broad tail, very
different from that Of an ordinary
whale. In fact, at the time there Were
three or four whales i'll sight, and they
had no difficulty in noting the points of
difference between them and the stran-
ger
The great creature went down head
first and then made a series of attempts
to strike the side of the schooner with
its tail 1t did not succeed and swan
around them, roaring loudly, III 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 i'll two. 1t was very fortu-
nate that they We're not forced to lower
their boat, as it proved later to be leak
ing and would not have carried half
their number safely to land.
For more than an hour the whale con
tinued its remarkable acrobatic perform.
ance, standing ON its head, with its
tail waving i'll the air most of the time.
1t seemed bent on hitting the schooner,
and 1t took the best Of good seamanship
to prevent an encounter.
At last the whale seemed to get tired
of what had been fun at first, and il
headed for the westward,
Captain Crossman is of the opinion
that this strange whale must have been
mistaken for sea serpent many times.
Seen but short distance off, the head
would look more like that of a great
serpent than Of whale.
The creature. while making its long
and repeated attempts to hit the schoon-
er, continued its roaring when above
water. 1t would scrape against the side
Of the schooner and then would draw
off, seem to be calculating the distance,
and then strike. The schooner was kept
Off at the right moment, and the crea-
ture missed the vessel every time. 1t
was an odd experience, and for time
there was something closely resembling
panic, the women being badly fright
encd.
Miss Houston said that the sight Of
that great mass standing almost upright
in midoeean was something not to be
forgotten Captain CrossmaD is uncer-
tain whether the whale is natural
fighter or whether 1t was frightened
when 1t came up out Of the water, and
as result of its confusion made the re-
peated attempts to sink the schooner
one of the crew hit it with bolt, and
many times Captain CroSsman said he
could have hit il with board from the
deck He did not venture to do anything
to further arouse It's anger and let it 60
i'll peace Portland Me } Press