The Roanoke daily times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1895-1897, 1896-01-02
ROARED LIKE A LION.
A COASTER CAPTAINS STORY OF a
REMARKABLE WHALE.


Tried to Swamp tho Schooner.
"No," said Captain J. A. Crossman
of South Portland, 1--WE didn't encoun-
ter the sen serpent, but we had astrango
with u whale, and I don't
believe anybody ever had the like be-
fore. I've\been at sea, man and boy,
since was 8 years old, and never saw
the like of the whale we encountered.
never saw whale before that didn't
blow, but the one we met didn't, but it
gave roar that was awful"
''It 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 than anything else can think
Of" said Captain Crossman.
Tho schooner Grace Webster, Captain
Crossman, was on her way from New
York to Portland with Ala tons of coal
Besides tho captain and crew Mrs. Cross
man, her daughter and Miss Houston
were on board.
Tho schooner was about ten miles off
Wood island and making good Roadway
under full sail, the mate, Merrill Cross
man, at tho wheel, when there was q
sudden commotion ahead, and the great
hoad shot up into the air and was on
level with the deck.
One Of tho crow first sighted tho
strange creature and called Captain
Crossman, and in q moment all on
board hut the man at the wheel were
looking at tho strange sight. They saw
before them an enormous head, ono
mass of great lunches, through which
the wicked looking eyes of the creature
cleaned. They, expected the whale, if
such. would "blbw," but it did not then
or after. Once Il 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 it reared
savagely, and then drew close up to the
side of the schooner, giving them ample
timo to observe the head, and all agree
that it was very broad; that it tapered
almost to al point, and that it was not
very thick through tho thickest part
Tho creature was about G,5 to so feet in
length and had n very broad tail, very
different from that of an ordinary
whale. In fact, Mt the time there wero
three or four whales in sight, and they
had no difficulty i'll noting tho points of
difference between them and the stran-
ger.
Tho great creature went down head
first and then made q series of attempts
TO striko tho side Of the schooner with
its tail. 1t did not succeed and swan
around them, roaring loudly, in evident
anger. Then it wont down and under
the schooner.
Captain Crossman, who had watched
Tor this movement. gave orders to- be
ready to lower tho BOAT, fearing that the
whale might come up under them and
break them i'll two. 1t was very fortu-
nate that they wero 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 wha CON
tlnued its remarkable acrobatic perform
ance, standing Oh its head, with its
ail'waving i'll the air most OF the time.
1t seemed bent on hitting the schooner,
and it took tho best of good ;Reamanship
to prevent an encounter
At last tho whale seemed to get tined
of what had been fun at first, and it
headed for tho westward
Captain CrOssman is of the opinion
that this strange whale must have baen
mistaken for SEES serpent many times
Seen but short distance off, tho head
would look moro like that of Il grant
serpent than of a ayhale
Tho creature, while making its long
D1,1 to6 mr. {,> 4
en-, continued its roaring when above
water 1t would scrape against the side
OF tho schooner and then would draw
OF, seem to be calculating the distance,
and then strike. The schooner was kent
OF at tho right moment, and the crea-
tnre missed tho vessel every time. It
was an ,odd experience, and for time
there WAS something closely resembling
panic, tho women being badly fright
ened.
Miss Houston said that the sight of
that great mass standing almost upright
i'll midncean was something not to be
forgotten. Captain Crossman is uncer-
tain WHISTLER tho whale is a natural
fighter CT whether it was frightened
whom it 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 it with board from the
deck. He did not venture to do anything
to further arouse its anger and let it go
in peace. -Portland (Mc Press.
"A Story About John wnnamakcr.
ran across my old friend Jim Bid
die of the Biddles Of Philadelphia yes
10. Il ell Ii.