Rammed by a Whale.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 7719, 23 January 1905, Page 3

Rammed by a Whale.

SCHOONER SUNK AFTER AN EXCITING BATTLE.

A graphic account has reached Liverpool of an encounter im the North Atlantic Ocean with a huge sperm whale, as, a result of which the Danish schooner Anna was wrecked and had to he abandoned by the crew, who were rescued in an exhausted condition.

Tile Anna was making the voyage from Iceland to New "Brunswick, and I was about twenty days out when on the afternoon of September 28 a whale was seen spouting some distance in the offing. Shortly afterwards more spouts were shot upwards within a few hundred feet of the vessel, and the whole seemed to be angrily moving in a circle. As the Anna sailed slowly past at a speed of about four and a half knots, her crew could easily discern tho manoeuvres of the monster, which lashed the water funously with its tail. Suddenly he made a dash for the ship.

It came full tilt at (l tremendous speed, and struck the vessel amidships with its head. There was a tremendous crash, and some of the crew were thrown off their feet. A hole was Stove in the side of the ship below the water-line, and the stom of the vessel was broken. The .whale, however, had received its coup de grace. Its colossal carcase rose slowly to the surface, revealing two Wg gashes in its head and side, and from its wounds blood poured profusely, dyeing the water all around. Jhe vessel began to leak, and all hands were placed at the pumps., but ,*s the weather grew worse the shin commenced to sink. After thirty-nine hours of continuous exertion, it was decided to abandon the Anna. \ lifeboat was provisioned and manned chl W^4 h ° PO,nt of tei "{T latched when it was noticed by the Johnston liner Quernmore. It was early morning and a ga'c was blowing but after several gallant attempts on tho part of the cr»w of the Johnston lifeboat, the " whalers " were transferred to the Quernmore.