Southwest-sentinel. [volume] (Silver City, N.M.) 1883-189?, 1896-04-07

NAtnM AWtut-ht Woa AtHnty Ne4t N
t.sneth and Had = ouser Lookins Heed.
Tried 20 swamp tl,l sshesnsr.
"No, said Captain J. A. Croauman
u South Portland. 1--WE didn't encoun-
tor the sea serpent, but We had autranFs
experience with a whale, and don't
believe anybody ever had the like be-
fore I've boon at sea, man and boy,
since was 3 years old. and never saw
The like Of tho whale we encountered. /
never saw a whale before that didn't
blow, but the one we met didn't. but Il
gave a roar that was awful
''It sounded like the lions in Central
PARK, New York, F" said Miss Houston,
who was one Of the party that bad the
strange encountor.
1T certainly was more like the roar
Of lion than anything else 4 can think
o., said Captain Croasman.
Tho schooner Grace Webster, Captain
Cro0sman, was on her way from New
York 20 Portland with 4l4 tons Of coal
Besides the captain and crew Mrs. Cross
man, her daughter and Miss Houston
were on board.
The schooner was about ten miles on
Wood island and making good headway
under full sail, tho mate. Merrill Cross
man. at the wheel, when there was =
sudden commotion ahead, and the great
head shot up into tho air and was ON q
lo7ol with the deck.
One Of tho crew frst sighted the
strange creature and called Captain
Crossman, and IN q 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 grent bunohes, through which
the wicked looking eyes Of the creature
cleaned. They expected the whale, II
such, would 'biow. I" but Il did not then
or after. Once narrow thread Of what
looked like steam shot up, but not ,
drop Of water was sent into the air. As
they looked at the creature Il roared
savagely, and then drew close mp 70 the
side Of the schooner, giving them ample
time to observe tho head, and all agree
that It was very broad that Il tapered
almost 20 a point, and that it was not
very thick through the thickest part.
The creature was about 70 to so feet in
length and had very broad tail, very
different from that Of an ordinary
whale in fact, at the time there wero
three or four whales In sight, and they
had no dihhculty in noting tho points Of
difference between them and the stran-
ger.
The great creature went down head
FIRST and then made series Of attempts
to strike the side Of the schooner with
its tail 1t did not succeed and swan
around them, roaring loudly, in evident
anger. Then 1t 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 fortu-
nate that they were 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 it's remarkable acrobatic perform
ance, standing on is head, with lite
tail waving in the air most Of the time.
Il seemed bent on hitting the schooner,
and It took the best Of good seamanship
to prevent an encounter.
At last tho whale seemed TO get tired
Of what had been fun at first, and it
headed for the westward.
Captain Crossnan Is Of the opinion
that this strange whale must have been
mistaken for d sea serpent many times.
Seem but short distance or, the head
would look moro like that OF q great
serpent than Of a whale
The creature, while making It's long
and repeated attempts TO hit the schoon-
or, continued its roaring when above
water. Il would scraPo against the side
Of the schooneE and then would draw
on, seem TO bo calculating tho distance,
and then strike. The schooner was kept
on at the right moment, and the crea-
ture missed the vessel every time. Il
was an odd experience, and for a time
there was something closely resembling
. panic, the women being badly fright
ened.
Miss Houston said that the sight Of
that great mass standing a almost upright
IN midocean was something not to bo
forgotten. Captain Croaaman Is unoer-
tain whether the whale is a natural
fighter OF whether it was frightened
when IL came mp Cot Of the water, and
Rs result of its confusion made tho ro-
peated attempts 70 sink the schooner
Ono OF the crew hit it with a bolt, aud
many times Captain Crossman said he
could hayo hit It with board from tho
deck. He did not venture 10 do anything
10 further arouse its anger aud Let it 90
Ia peace. Portland (Ma Press.