Transcribe Ward, Henry L. Letter to Ward, Henry A. (1884-03-02)

ybg Ward's Natural Science Establishment, No. 2 College Avenue (opposite University), Beaufort, S. C. </s Rochester, N. Y. >Mar. 2 1884 Dear Father,

    I reached here 10:30 this morning and

am now at the Sea Island Hotel. Met Mr. White who introduced himself as Col. White. Took great pains to impress upon me that he was a practicing MD. and Surgeon, but is now a lawyer and some sort of a judge. Also referred several times to the fact that he saved you $100. in buying the whale and that he had a chance of making something on it as the telegraph operator here had been authorized by some unknown party to offer $200. for it. As I judge the man, he is of common education, in moderate circumstances and wants to make something handsome out of the bargain. Now as to the whale itself. She was harpooned out side of the harbor stripped of blubber and baleen (which is valued at $2,000!!) and then towed to Paris Island ^the harbor^ about two to three miles from Port Royal village. The skin (as they say) was cut across the top of the head and the frontal bones dropped in 4 fathoms of water also the flippers were cut loose at the same point and sank. The Capt. of the vessel that caught her says that he can locate the spot where these were dropped and