The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1911-02-09
FOUND A WHALE
Forty Foot Mammal Seen Floating Near
Coles Island Dead.
MONSTER Was LANDED

MONSTER WAS LANDED
Two Young Ladies First Discovered
the Big Fish Floating in the Ocean.
Was Hauled Ashore and VIII Boil
Down the BIubber and Preserve
she Frame.
The News and Courier says Capt.
w. R. Hernandez ana members Of .
! his family succeeded in landing
| forty-foot whale on the beach at
Coles Island, near Stono, Sunday
afternoon. The monster, which was
quite dead, was seen floating around
the inlet near Capt Hernandez's home
Sunday afternoon. Immediately the5s
captain got busy, and with the assist
ance of members Of his family the
immense carcass was landed Sunday
afternoon, after working all Sat
urday night and most of the Sab
bath. How the monster came to be
in these parts is not known, and {.
the cause of his death is as much a {.
mystery as his presence.
The whale was first seen by Phoeb
| and Nellie Hernandez. They were
walking on the beach Sunday after
cn nfinaH prpqf
bulky object floating about in the in
| let. Being unable to make out
what it was, they fastened to the
house and notified their father. Mas
ter Charles Hernandez put his yacht
in order in all haste and carried his
father out on the water to inyesti-
gate. Capt. Hernandez soon discov-
cred that he had a whale in his
hands, which is about as unwieldly
proposition as having an elephant
on ones hands. AS soon as he
learned that the big fish was quite
dead Capt. Hernandez set about get
ting it ashore.
Secured with strong ropes, the !;
whale was towed by the little. yacht
as far as possible toward the beach.
Reaching a point where they coulo
not drag it with the aid of the tide,
Capt. Hernandez put the block anu
tackle system int operation. The
rope was carried around pine tree =
nearby and the captain, son and his
two daughters began to "haul in. -:
It was a difficult proposition. even /.
with so many on the rope TO bulge
the fish. It was not until high tide
Sunday that they succeeded. in drag
ging their catch up far enough to be
left high and dry at ebb tide.
It was suggested to Capt. Heran-
dez that he bring the whale to the
city and have it exhibited, as the one
which was caught in the harbor soma
thirty years ago was exhibited at
Pregnall's ship yard. Capt. Herman
dez had a conference with Mr.. S. j..
Pregnall, proprietor of the ship yaru-
and they agreed that it would not
pay to bring the whale to The city,
for by the tive it arrived it wouiu
be in stage of decomposition, which
would be dangerous to the health Of
the whole community.
1t will be remembered that some
time III the SOS 45-foot whale Was
caught in the harbor at Charleston.
The skeleton of this whale is now
the property of the Charleston Muse
um. Prof Rea; head of the Museum,
when asked if he did not think the
skeleton of the present whale would
be a splendid addition to the Muse
um, said that the skeleton Of whale
took up so much room that it was
almost impossible to allow space for
two specimens, unless they were or
different types He said that it took
more than a month to clean the skel-
eton and put it in condition to be
exhibited. He said that he was very
anxious to get the exact measure
ments Of the whale at Coles Island
and all the particulars about it pos
sible.
Builder of Boats.
Capt. W. R. Hernandez, as his
name shows, Is of Spanish descent.
He came to Charleston from Green
vile county when he was quite
small boy It was not long after his
arrival that a big whale was caught
in the harbor and later exhibited at
pregnall's ship yard. Capt. Herman
der is builder of boats. He says
that he has had very little experience
as whaler, but when the occasion
arises he is fully prepared to land
the biggest fish that "foats.' When
asked how about landing the biggest
one that swims, he replied that he
would be willing to tackle the prop
osition-only he would prefer them
floating.
The carcass Of the whale at Coles
Island has, been gnawed but very
little by sharks and other scavengers
OF the sea, showing that it has NOT
tlong been dead. Capt. Hernandez
states that the flesh Is perfectly
sound, and that SO far there is no
perceptible odor.