Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1902-01-17
BUILT OF WHALEeONE.
From Frame TO Seats, This Summer House
is Museum.


is Museum.
A summer house made from the
bones of d giant whale, with the jaw
bone entrance large enough for a man
on horseback to ride in without bend
ing his neck, is an attraction on Sulli-
vans Island, across the bay from
Charleston. Sections of ''ribby" back
bone are used for comfortable seats in
this unique resting place, and Captain
John H. Devereaux. on whose hand
some lawn the curiosity stands, has
refused to accept an eXorbitant price
from a museum, anxious to buy it for
perpetual preservation. 1he shrill
winds from the sea and the great
waves which frequently ride through
the island in the hurricane season,
have added the bleach to what was
once the monster whale of the South
Atlantic waters. This whale was cap
tured in the harbor of Charleston, af-
ter the most desperate sea battle ever
fought here with an invading enemy.
When the whole city Joined in the bat
tie, with steamers and tugs and row
slugs of lead and steel were fired, the
soa monster had to submit, and his
mighty head was laid low. They
dragged him to the island beach, from
which there came n stencil which rose
to heaven as the sun beat down upon
the dead and lacerated giant A coun-
Gil of war was held. Men took wis
nd funeral
pyres We're laid and the flames and
the fire which spread out over the
sand covered habitation, cCnTeyed the
news that his whaleship was being
cremated so that his ashes Inight
drift back to the sea from whence
he had come.
There was a time when dates were
reckoned from the year the great
whale was killed. But other things
storms and hurricanes, and earth
quakes-came on and the battle with
the sea devil was of less Importance.
The man who looks upon the iawbones
at Captain DevereauX's handsome
summer palace can reason on the ease
with which Jonah passed down by the
palate of the whale. Even q horse
could have galloped down the throat.
When the whale turned into the har-
Dor entrance and swan toward the
wharves and the battery he played
out by the graveyard" where the
water was deepest. He was cutting
and plowing through the water when
the pilots picked him off with the
glasses and the word Went out, forth
with, that an enemy was within the
bar. The small boats moved cautious
ly toward the graveyard, where the
sea monster was cutting antics il
twelve fathoms of water, and when
tne attacking force increased in num-
bers the battle was begun. Every mis-
sile and every weapon within reach
was used with more or less effect on
his whaleship. When his snout was
lifted above the water his troubles
started afresh and the attacking army
closed in. The animal could not with
stand the attack and his life blood
ceased to flow. Then his body drifted
back and forth with the changing tide
and lodged on the island beach, where
he soon let it be known that he was
there.
Wagons loaded with rich cord wood
came up, and this was placed around
the whale, while buckets of oil assisted
in urging the fires to burn. Out of
the ashes the great bones were saved,
and the pick of them was secured by
Captain DevereauX, who planned the
summer house by his gate. The chief
credit for the death of the whale was
due to General Wilmot DeSaussure
and Captain Frank Porcher, two ex-
pert sports men of Charleston.
1t was recently printed here that
Captain DevereauX had refused fat
tering offer from the Smithsonian In
stitute for the bones now in his posses
session, but he has refused to SELL
The Sunny South.