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Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 17, Issue 1005, 1 May 1871, Page 2

Most people familiar with nautical affairs have read or heard of that strange tale of the sea which relates how the American brig Essex was attacked by a «perra whale in the South Pacific,, and had her side .stove in, and an adventure somewhat similar, though happily unattended by the same disastrous results, has befallen the ketch Elizabeth, Oapt. Short, which arrived here yesterday from Manawatu. As we are informed, while the ketch was standing across the entrance to the harbor, three whale*, one very large and the other two smaller, suddenly appeared on her broadside, coming " stern on " with great velocity, as if they meant to charge. Before coming in actual collision with the vessel, they suddenly dived, but so close were they that in going down their tails overhung the deck. The centre-board was down, and in passing underneath the whales struck it so violently as to rend it quite up. The pugnacious cetacesa appeared immediately on the Other side, some of them bleeding profusely from the effects of the collision. They headed back for the vessel, and kept in unpleasant proximity to her for some time, but the rude rebuff they received from the centre-hoard probably deterred them from striking her again. —Evening Post, April 22. A youth, asserting in the most posi tive manner that society was rapidly gaining in morality, was asked to state the grounds of his belief, when he said, "I have personal knowledge of three umbrellas having been returned to their owners."