Evening Republican, Volume 18, Number 28, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 2 February 1914 — Whale Rubbed Against Keel [ARTICLE]

Whale Rubbed Against Keel

Story From Gulf of Big Shock to Fishing Boat When Homeward Bound.

Pensacola, Fla.—The crew of * the fishing schooner Lottie G. Howard received a fright out in the gulf when homeward bound. The vessel ran onto a whale almost twice the length of the boat, and the monster proceeded to scratch its back on the keel of the vessel.

When the Howard arrived here the members of the crew told their story. Bn route to Pensacola from Campeche snapper banks the Howard recently encountered a school of four whales, not one of which was less than a hundred feet in length. According to Captain Reppette, the first Intimation of the presence of the monsters In the vicinity of the smack was when one of them endeavored to pass underneath the vessel and in doing so, came in contact with the keeL

It was exactly at the noon hour and Captain Reppette was In his cabin recording the time. When the vessel was struck by the whale he felt a succession of jars, and his first Impression was that the smack must have struck an uncharted hank or that the rigging was falling,down. He made*for the deck on the run and from members of the crew learned that the smack had ran across the whale. So great was the jar resulting from the smack's contact with the whale that dishes lb the galley were dashed to the floor. Captain Reppette believed that the shook had sprang some of the seams

in the vessel, and it was not until he had sailed many miles that he was satisfied there was no danger of a leak. Captain Reppette stated that his smack was making about nine miles an hour at the time, and be is confident that the whale suffered severe injuries.