Evening star., 1923-03-15
THRONGS FLOCK TO
POTOMAC TO VIEW
WHALE WASHED ASHORE
Continued from First Page.)

from the Smithsonian institution,
the exact type of whale probably
will be determined. No one up to
this time has been able to classify
II because whales are uncommon
sights in the Potomac river. Mr..
Beatley. husband OF the woman who
first discovered the huge fish. de-
clared it to be the largest ever seen
in this section" In the forty-five years
he has lived around Walnut Point.
"WBalinE Expedition" Departs.
DR.. Leonhard Stejneger. head GU
rator of biology of the National Mu-
scum, who dispatched the whaling
expedition" yesterday afternoon from
Washington, believes the whale was
driven into the coast or UP the river
by enemies or in search of food be-
fore 1t died He is anxious to obtain
the body, as he stated the knowledge
OF whales that frequent the coast is
not as extensive as could be desired,
and that the specimen, IL good one.
Will help In the study OF these man.
mails. Without word from the eXpe-
dition as to what kind of whale IT
was. DIR. Ste1neger said II could be
finback or bottle-nosed whale. but
If it should turn out to be sperm
whale 1t would be a comparatively
young one.
Aside from proving to be one OF the
greatest sources of interest North
cumberland county has experienced in
many years the whale. by Its report
ed presence ct the mouth of the Coan
river. originated new sport at the
naval air station. Anacostia, ID. c.
whale hunting in a seaplane.
Goes Whale Hunting in Plane.
Believing the whale to be high and
dry on the shore. a star reporter was
requested by DIR. Stejneger Of the
museum to secure a picture or the
animal II possible. SO taking with
him a camera OF intricate manipula-
tion. and having enlisted the aid of
the naval air service, through Lieut..
RutlidGe Irvine. executive officer OF
the air station here, the reporter leit
the Washington base at 11:o5 O'CLOCK
in an "HN" seaplane. piloted by Lieut..
"whaler" was tiny little ship. prob
ably the smallest and most deiicdte
piece of construction that ever went
in search Of a whale.
Climbing to an altitude or 2.oOo
feet, Lieut.. Reuschel headed south,
ward and the little silver-colored
ship bounced around in the AR az
ninety knots an hour until Coloniai
Beach. Va. was reached. And tnen
the search began, because there was
nothing on the maps Of the air sta
ton here to indicate where Coan
river might be. Information was II,
hand that It perhaps was several
miles below Colonial Beach. so Lieut..
Reuschel, who had recovered 1,ouO
feet after dropping low over lhhl-
gren. Md, then dived to a couple nun
dred feet edged over to the snore ilhe
and looked for Il whole or Coan river
or both.
Searches Each Inlet.
That section of the Potomac below
Colonial Beach is bordered by rag
eed shoreline, numerous fnlets. out
let's. bays, lakes and peninsulas being
in evidence for many miles. into
each of these Lieut.. Reuschel nosed his
little plane and carefully around the
edges he searched. A landing was
finally decided upon in a little bay
wherein was boat containing two
colored men. The site OF seaplane
close at hand and heading right Tor
their boat had considerable enect on
the occupants, for they either knew
nothing about a whale or Coan river
or were too scared to talk. SO Lieut.
Reuschel again took the air ana ,ne
flight was continued until Reedrille.
on the Great Wicomico river. was
reached. An excellent landing was
effected In the rough water or the
harbor and after being blown around
By the wind hither and thither WORD
was finally gotten to him that he had
passed Coan river.
Fishermen Give Clue.
Back up the bank of the Potomac
he again proceeded, and. seeing moth
ing more than had been observed on
the way down. he landed again In the
oh r1lr nm
the shore. Here some dehnite news
was received-the whale had been
seen and II was about fifteen miles up
the river, lat the next group OF
houses" to be exact In taking on
was doused with the surf, and time
out was called until all hands wiped
the water off their goggles and races
In the air once more. Lieut.. Reu-
schel throttled down the motor and
the gas was getting low. Well go
back to Dahlgren," he said. gas up
and come down here after that whale.
II we have to go to Hampton roads.
he declared. That step determined
upon and with minds made up the
plans were suddenly upset by the ap-
pearance on the left bank of the river
Of q group OF houses" The plane
landed, raced up to the shore and was
met by the community. The place
/
mouth of the river. which. too. was
the Coan, lay the whale. the commu-
nifty said.
Takes on in Running Sen.
We'll give the natives a treat" said
Lieut.. Reuschel, as he took off into the
running sea-" and he did. The fifth
landing was affected, pictures of the
whale were taken, Mrs. Beatley and
others were interviewed. and fearing
the engine would get too cold, the re-
turn trip was started. Up the river
at ninety knots an hour and at an alti-
tude of 1000 feet. the little I'M sped
At Dahlgren. when the concrete
that the plane was just out of gas
Lieut. Reuschel had been flying about
three hours and five minutes on q
three-hour supply.
in the tank. which is located on the
upper wing and after delay Of half
an hour, the return trip--into the
/. teeth Of heavy wind, was completed
at 4:5o pm.
| The pictures. however, were the
only things that suffered on the trip.
! The camera, large one, was In
i the front cockpit with the reporter,
| and right behind the twelve-cylinder
| Wright motor, which. in turning over
! tne pTopeltcl az huHuEeu ESVO-
| lutions a minute, Jared the plates to
/ the extent that one was broken and
| spoiled the entire lot.
| Although he has been in the Naval
| air service for a considerable period,
| Lieut.. Reuschel had never gone hunt
| ing whales in a seaplane. He got a.
| kick" out of the expedition and ex-
/ pressed the hope that another whale
would soon afford an opportunity to
scan the Potomac river or any other
nearby body of water