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| author | www-data <www-data@mail.pglaf.org> | 2026-06-28 18:36:04 -0700 |
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| committer | www-data <www-data@mail.pglaf.org> | 2026-06-28 18:36:04 -0700 |
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diff --git a/78974-h/78974-h.htm b/78974-h/78974-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..7e37dd9 --- /dev/null +++ b/78974-h/78974-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,9963 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html> +<html lang="en"> +<head> + <meta charset="UTF-8"> + <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1"> + <meta name="format-detection" content="telephone=no,date=no,address=no,email=no,url=no"> + <title> + Whalers and Whaling | Project Gutenberg + </title> + <link rel="icon" href="images/cover.jpg" type="image/x-cover"> + <style> + +body { + margin-left: 10%; + margin-right: 10%; +} + +h1,h2,h3,h4,h5,h6 { + text-align: center; /* all headings centered */ + clear: both; +} + +p { + margin-top: .5em; + text-align: justify; + margin-bottom: .5em; +} + +hr { + width: 33%; + margin-top: 2em; + margin-bottom: 2em; + margin-left: 33.5%; + margin-right: 33.5%; + clear: both; +} + +hr.chap {width: 65%; margin-left: 17.5%; margin-right: 17.5%;} +@media print { hr.chap {display: none; visibility: hidden;} } + +div.chapter {page-break-before: always;} +h2.nobreak {page-break-before: avoid;} + +table { + margin-left: auto; + margin-right: auto; +} +table.autotable { border-collapse: collapse; } +table.autotable td, +table.autotable th { padding: 0.25em; } + +.tdl {text-align: left;} +.tdr {text-align: right;} +.tdc {text-align: center;} + +.pagenum { /* uncomment the next line for invisible page numbers */ + /* visibility: hidden; */ + position: absolute; + left: 92%; + font-size: small; + text-align: right; + font-style: normal; + font-weight: normal; + font-variant: normal; + text-indent: 0; +} /* page numbers */ + +blockquote { + margin-top: 0; + margin-bottom: 0; + margin-left: 5%; + margin-right: 5%; +} + +.center {text-align: center; text-indent: 0;} + +.right {text-align: right;} + +.smcap {font-variant: small-caps;} + +.allsmcap {font-variant: small-caps; text-transform: lowercase;} + +figcaption {font-weight: bold;} +figcaption p {margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: .2em; text-align: inherit;} + +/* Images */ + +img { + max-width: 100%; + height: auto; +} +img.w100 {width: 100%;} + + +.figcenter { + margin: auto; + text-align: center; + page-break-inside: avoid; + max-width: 100%; +} + +.figleft { + float: left; + clear: left; + margin-left: 0; + margin-bottom: 1em; + margin-top: 1em; + margin-right: 1em; + padding: 0; + text-align: center; + page-break-inside: avoid; + max-width: 100%; +} +/* comment out next line and uncomment the following one for floating figleft on ebookmaker output */ +.x-ebookmaker .figleft {float: none; text-align: center; margin-right: 0;} +/* .x-ebookmaker .figleft {float: left;} */ + +.figright { + float: right; + clear: right; + margin-left: 1em; + margin-bottom: 1em; + margin-top: 1em; + margin-right: 0; + padding: 0; + text-align: center; + page-break-inside: avoid; + max-width: 100%; +} +/* comment out next line and uncomment the following one for floating figright on ebookmaker output */ +.x-ebookmaker .figright {float: none; text-align: center; margin-left: 0;} +/* .x-ebookmaker .figright {float: right;} */ + +/* Footnotes */ +.footnote {margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%; font-size: 0.9em;} + +.footnote .label {position: absolute; right: 84%; text-align: right;} + +.fnanchor { + vertical-align: super; + font-size: .8em; + text-decoration: + none; +} + +/* Poetry */ +/* uncomment the next line for centered poetry */ +/*.poetry-container {display: flex; justify-content: center;} */ +.poetry-container {text-align: center;} +.poetry {text-align: left; margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%;} +.poetry .stanza {margin: 1em auto;} +.poetry .verse {text-indent: -3em; padding-left: 3em;} + + +/* ******************** */ +/* BEGIN CUSTOMIZATIONS */ +/* ******************** */ + +/* Transcriber's notes (includes pagebreak before) */ +.transnote {background-color: #EAFEEA; + color: black; + font-size:small; + padding:0.5em; + margin-bottom:5em; + font-family:sans-serif, serif; + page-break-before: always; +} + +/* TOC */ +.toc-container { + display: flex; + justify-content: center; +} + +/* faux-h1 nobreak */ +.fh1 { + font-size: xx-large; + font-weight: bold; + text-align: center; + page-break-before: avoid; +} + +/* faux-h2 centered */ +.fh2 { + display: block; + font-size: x-large; + text-align: center; +} + +/* misc text formatting */ +.small {font-size: small;} + +/* right-justify but not quite */ +.right {text-align: right; padding-right: 2em;} + +/* illustrations */ +.illowp10 {width: 10%; max-width: 5em;} +.illowp100 {width: 100%; max-width: 50em;} /* landscape image */ + + +/* Poetry indents */ +.poetry .indent0 {text-indent: -3.0em;} + + </style> +</head> + +<body> +<div style='text-align:center'>*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 78974 ***</div> + + + + + + +<p class="fh2"><i>16. WHALERS AND WHALING</i></p> + + +<p class="fh2"><i>The Nautilus Library</i></p> + + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> +<div class="chapter"> +<p class="fh2"><i>THE NAUTILUS LIBRARY</i></p> +</div> +<table class="autotable"> +<tr> + <td class="tdl">1. MYSTERIES OF THE SEA</td> + <td class="tdr"><i>by</i> <span class="smcap">J. G. Lockhart</span></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td class="tdl">2. SEAMEN ALL</td> + <td class="tdr"><i>by</i> <span class="smcap">E. Keble Chatterton</span></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td class="tdl">3. PERIL OF THE SEA</td> + <td class="tdr"><i>by</i> <span class="smcap">J. G. Lockhart</span></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td class="tdl">4. SEA WOLVES OF THE MEDITERRANEAN</td> + <td class="tdr"><i>by</i> <span class="smcap">E. Hamilton Currey</span></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td class="tdl">5. SEA VENTURERS OF BRITAIN</td> + <td class="tdr"><i>by</i> “<span class="smcap">Taffrail</span>”</td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td class="tdl">6. THE CRUISE OF THE “ALERTE”</td> + <td class="tdr"><i>by</i> <span class="smcap">E. F. Knight</span></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td class="tdl">7. THE STORY OF H.M.S. “VICTORY”</td> + <td class="tdr"><i>by</i> <span class="smcap">Professor Geoffrey Callender</span></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td class="tdl">8. STRANGE ADVENTURES OF THE SEA</td> + <td class="tdr"><i>by</i> <span class="smcap">J. G. Lockhart</span></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td class="tdl">9. SMUGGLING DAYS AND SMUGGLING WAYS</td> + <td class="tdr"><i>by</i> <span class="smcap">H. N. Shore</span></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td class="tdl">10. SEA ESCAPES AND ADVENTURES</td> + <td class="tdr"><i>by</i> “<span class="smcap">Taffrail</span>”</td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td class="tdl">11. THE BUCCANEERS</td> + <td class="tdr"><i>by</i> <span class="smcap">A. H. Cooper-Prichard</span></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td class="tdl">12. THE LOSS OF THE “TITANIC”</td> + <td class="tdr"><i>by</i> <span class="smcap">Lawrence Beesley</span></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td class="tdl">13. GREAT STORMS</td> + <td class="tdr"><i>by</i> <span class="smcap">L. G. Carr Laughton</span> <i>and</i> <span class="smcap">V. Heddon</span></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td class="tdl">14. A GREAT SEA MYSTERY</td> + <td class="tdr"><i>by</i> <span class="smcap">J. G. Lockhart</span></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td class="tdl">15. THE DIARY OF A RUM-RUNNER</td> + <td class="tdr"><i>by</i> <span class="smcap">Alastair Moray</span></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td class="tdl">16. WHALERS AND WHALING</td> + <td class="tdr"><i>by</i> <span class="smcap">E. Keble Chatterton</span></td> +</tr> +</table> + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> + +<div class="chapter"> +<h1>WHALERS AND WHALING</h1> +</div> +<p class="center"><i>by</i></p> +<p class="fh2">E. KEBLE CHATTERTON</p> +<br><br> +<figure class="figcenter illowp10"> + <img class="w100" src="images/nautilus.jpg" alt="Nautilus"> +</figure> +<br><br> +<p class="center"><i>London</i><br> +PHILIP ALLAN & CO. LTD.<br> +<i>Quality House, Great Russell Street, W.C.1</i></p> + + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> + +<div class="chapter"> +<table class="autotable"> +<tr> + <td class="tdl"><i>First Edition</i></td> + <td class="tdr"><i>1925</i></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td class="tdl"><i>Second Edition</i> (<i>Nautilus Library</i>)</td> + <td class="tdr"><i>1930</i></td> +</tr> +</table> +</div> +<br><br> +<p class="center small"> + <i>Printed in Great Britain by</i><br> + UNWIN BROTHERS LIMITED, LONDON AND WOKING +</p> + + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> +<div class="chapter"> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_5">[Pg 5]</span></p> + + + <h2 class="nobreak" id="PREFACE"> + PREFACE + </h2> +</div> + + +<p>I have endeavoured in this volume to present +as vivid a picture of whaling ships, and the lives +of those serving in them, as I can obtain from contemporary +accounts, with the object of showing to +the reader, whilst still one sailing-ship whaler survives, +what were the adventures and enterprise of +an industry which forms one of the most romantic +sections of maritime history.</p> + +<p>This is the story of ships and men whose business +took them out not on a few weeks’ trip, but on long +cruises often lasting for several years north, south, +east and west, up to the Arctic, down to the Antarctic, +and round the world. Whaling is at once an ancient +and a modern profession of the sea, which has called +forth some of those high qualities of courage and +seamanlike skill which have been exhibited by Britons +and Americans, Dutchmen, Norwegians and others +in different generations and varying vessels.</p> + +<p>I have laid particular stress on the hard experiences +and mode of life which these seamen have been compelled +to undertake, and have tried to show the +brilliant successes as well as the great depressions +through which the occupation has had to pass. +Finally, in the chapters which deal in detail with that +very recent but highly prosperous steam whaling, +the reader will be able to see an amazing revival +which links the Norsemen of a thousand years ago +with their descendants to-day.</p> + +<p>It is hoped that this record may help to encourage +still further that deep sea call which has sounded +throughout the ages, and has become clearer still +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_6">[Pg 6]</span>during the last ten years. So many letters continue +to reach me from readers all over the world that +it has become impossible to answer them save a +few: but with the passing of the last days of sail it +is a joy to know that a new and fresh enthusiasm +for the sea and its ships has grown up so lustily.</p> + +<p>I have to acknowledge my indebtedness to +Scoresby, Bennett, Weddell and other authorities +of the past; to Mr. Robert McNab’s <i>The Old Whaling +Days</i>; and to the interesting Interdepartmental Report +published by H.M. Stationery Office dealing with +the Dependencies of the Falklands.</p> + +<p class="right"> + E. KEBLE CHATTERTON +</p> + + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> +<div class="chapter"> + <h2 class="nobreak" id="CONTENTS"> + CONTENTS + </h2> +</div> + + +<div class="toc-container"> +<table class="autotable"> +<tr> + <td class="tdr"><span class="allsmcap">CHAPTER</span></td> + <td class="tdl"></td> + <td class="tdr"><span class="allsmcap">PAGE</span></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td></td> + <td class="tdl">PREFACE</td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_5">5</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td class="tdr">I.</td> + <td class="tdl">INTRODUCTION</td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_9">9</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td class="tdr">II.</td> + <td class="tdl">THE NORTHERN QUEST</td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_23">23</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td class="tdr">III.</td> + <td class="tdl">WHALING ENTERPRISE</td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_31">31</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td class="tdr">IV.</td> + <td class="tdl">FLUCTUATING FORTUNES</td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_41">41</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td class="tdr">V.</td> + <td class="tdl">IN THE DAVIS STRAITS</td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_52">52</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td class="tdr">VI.</td> + <td class="tdl">THE OLD WHALE-SHIPS</td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_62">62</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td class="tdr">VII.</td> + <td class="tdl">“THERE SHE BLOWS!”</td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_72">72</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td class="tdr">VIII.</td> + <td class="tdl">WHALERS AND SEALERS</td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_83">83</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td class="tdr">IX.</td> + <td class="tdl">ABOARD AN AMERICAN WHALER</td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_99">99</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td class="tdr">X.</td> + <td class="tdl">CREWS AND CAPTAINS</td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_115">115</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td class="tdr">XI.</td> + <td class="tdl">WHALING ADVENTURES</td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_122">122</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td class="tdr">XII.</td> + <td class="tdl">THE PERSONAL ELEMENT</td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_132">132</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td class="tdr">XIII.</td> + <td class="tdl">THE WAY THEY HAD IN THE WHALERS</td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_139">139</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td class="tdr">XIV.</td> + <td class="tdl">IN THE SOUTHERN SEAS</td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_150">150</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td class="tdr">XV.</td> + <td class="tdl">WAR AND THE WHALERS</td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_159">159</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td class="tdr">XVI.</td> + <td class="tdl">THE THIRTY-TWO SHIPS</td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_173">173</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td class="tdr">XVII.</td> + <td class="tdl">FINDING THE NEW WHALING GROUNDS</td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_181">181</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td class="tdr">XVIII.</td> + <td class="tdl">THE SOURCE OF WEALTH</td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_191">191</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td class="tdr">XIX.</td> + <td class="tdl">PROBLEMS AND PRACTICE</td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_201">201</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td class="tdr">XX.</td> + <td class="tdl">MODERN WHALERS AND THEIR METHODS</td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_215">215</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td class="tdr">XXI.</td> + <td class="tdl">THE PRESENT WHALING INDUSTRY</td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_226">226</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td class="tdr">XXII.</td> + <td class="tdl">COLONIAL CONTROL</td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_244">244</a></td> +</tr> +</table> +</div> + + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> +<div class="chapter"> + + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_9">[Pg 9]</span></p> + + +<p class="fh1">WHALERS AND WHALING</p> +<br> + + + <h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_I"> + CHAPTER I + <br> + INTRODUCTION + </h2> +</div> + +<p>The story of whaling is really linked up with +that of exploration, especially of the northern +regions, from the very first. Greenland had been +discovered by the Norse in the ninth century, and +during the following century two colonies had been +founded there, but later on there ensued a long +interval. However, towards the end of the sixteenth +century there was a wonderful burst of commercial +ambition in Northern Europe and a desire to find +both new markets as well as new resources. The +solution lay in discovering fresh territories and unknown +sea routes. Merchants banded themselves +together into small companies, fitted out ships and +placed their goods aboard.</p> + +<p>Now the Dutch were fired with similar motives +to the English. During long years of herring fishing +they had both become wealthy and built up a fine +race of seamen, to say nothing of a splendid fleet of +ships. The desire was to reach China and tap Chinese +wealth; but instead of going all the way down the +Bay of Biscay and round the Cape of Good Hope +or the Horn, it was desired to find a route north +about. For this reason we find the Dutch fitting out +a squadron of four ships which were despatched with +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_10">[Pg 10]</span>William Barentsz, a distinguished Dutch navigator, +as pilot, starting off in 1594 to seek for the North-East +Passage. This voyage was fruitless and the ships +returned home. Another expedition under the same +pilotage was attempted, and this also failed. But in +1596 by the munificence of Amsterdam a third +expedition was sent out, consisting of two ships, +and during this voyage Barentsz discovered Spitzbergen, +doubled the north-east cape of Nova Zembla +(which had already been discovered by the English +navigator Willoughby), but unfortunately one of the +two ships became embayed in the drifting ice, and +this was Barentsz’s vessel.</p> + +<p>It became necessary to leave her, and the crew +built a hut ashore, where they suffered much cold, +many hardships, and the unwelcome attention of +Polar bears. Barentsz died in those winter quarters +at Nova Zembla during 1597, and it was not until +1871 that a Norwegian explorer came upon these +winter quarters and discovered part of Barentsz’s +journal. There arrived in Amsterdam, however, by +way of Lapland, some of his crew. Now the value +of these expeditions lay in the news which was +brought back concerning, among other things, the +whales which were to be found in those northern +regions, and this information was presently to be +made use of by Barentsz’s countrymen.</p> + +<p>But in the year 1630 one of the English syndicates, +the Russia Company, sent out from London three +ships to go whaling off the coast of Greenland. One +of these ships was the <i>Salutation</i>, and when she had +reached her destination, she sent her boat ashore +with eight men to get venison, having provided +them with a couple of dogs, a firelock, lances and +a tinder-box. The <i>Salutation</i> brought up off the shore, +but next day the weather came on thick, the wind +blew hard from the north, and the ship was compelled +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_11">[Pg 11]</span>to clear out to sea. Left behind, these eight +men found themselves in a difficult situation, but +they were able to shoot their deer. They came across +a rough house which had been built by Dutch whalers +who fished off here and had been used to protect +the coopers whilst employed making casks for oil. +A number of old unserviceable ships’ boats which +other whalers had left behind on the shore were used +as firewood. By means of their harpoon the crew +were able to kill walrus, and they could roast the +meat. As the weeks sped by and the cold increased, +and their clothes became tattered, they made needles +out of whalebone, made thread out of rope-yarn and +thus sewed their rags together. For a lamp they +found a piece of lead, put in some rope yarn as wick, +filled the lead utensil with whale oil left behind by +the coopers, and thus were able to have a light and +make themselves fairly comfortable.</p> + +<p>When the food began to run low, they limited +themselves to one flesh meal a day, but on Wednesdays +and Fridays ate of such scraps of whale fat as +had been thrown aside by the previous whalers after +the oil had been pressed out. Finally this also ran +short and they killed a bear and ate that for three +weeks. But after months of this kind of life there +arrived off the coast a Hull whaler. And the latter, +realizing that in the previous year eight men had +been left behind, sent a boat ashore to inquire. To +their mutual joy the Hull whalers and the eight men +met, but the latter presented a strange, uncouth +sight, black with soot and smoke, and their clothes +in tatters. Presently the rescuers took them aboard, +and thus the men reached England, where the Russia +Company made awards to them for the distress +endured during those long nights and days.</p> + +<p>During that seventeenth century the Greenland +Company of Holland took great pains to continue +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_12">[Pg 12]</span>their peaceful penetration in that northern region, +and even left there seven volunteer sailors in order +to get definite data concerning the weather and keep +a careful journal of their observations. This was in +August 1633, and the whaling fleet then went back +to Holland, and the journal was kept faithfully until +the following April, when it ended on the last day. +For when some Dutch whalers arrived in Greenland +in June they found each of the seven men lying +in his own locker dead, since they had perished of +scurvy and cold: so whilst the whaling fleet fired +a volley from their guns the men were buried on +Midsummer Day. In that same year 1633 the fleet +which had landed these seven men in Greenland +landed seven other sailors to winter at Spitzbergen. +The latter happily survived and were brought home +in the year following.</p> + +<p>But seven other volunteers now took their place +and kept a journal of their observations as long as +possible, and these men recorded the fact that there +were plenty of whales about. But when once more +the whaling fleet came out from Holland in 1635 +they found all the seven men dead, some of them +having apparently died in agony, for their knees +were drawn up to their chin. This seems to have +been the last occasion when the Dutch left winter +observers behind, but the information obtained was +to add to the slender knowledge then possessed. It +was in 1646 that a dramatic surprise awaited a Dutch +whaling ship that had been sent off to the Spitzbergen +district under John Cornelius.</p> + +<p>Leaving the Texel in May, the ship was near +Spitzbergen a month later, but owing to the presence +of ice was prevented from anchoring. On putting +out to sea two whales were sighted in the offing, +so Cornelius sent his boat with a good crew after +the mammals. But whilst the boat was rowing up +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_13">[Pg 13]</span>and down, awaiting an opportunity to attack one +of the big creatures, they discovered a large ice shoal +floating some distance away, and something thereon +which they supposed to be bears. The harpooner, +however, insisted that these were no bears and persuaded +the rest to row alongside. There was a certain +amount of reluctance and argument, but, behold, +when the boat approached it was found that there +was no bear but a man waving a signal of distress!</p> + +<p>Thereupon everyone pulled as hard as he could, +and finally, to their utter amazement they discovered +four living men and one dead. By the former’s +language they realized that here were four Englishmen, +so they took them into the boat and rowed +them back to the ship. The condition of these men +was pitiable, for they had eaten nothing for a long +time except a leather belt, which they had divided +up amongst themselves. The whaler’s surgeon took +charge of these four who had suffered so terribly +from cold and hunger, and in spite of his best +endeavours, three of them died within a week, but +the fourth was brought back safely to Delft and so +got a passage home. It was from him that the story +was learned, how his vessel had been wrecked on +that ice shoal with a crew of forty-two. Seventeen +of them with the captain had started off in the ship’s +boat to make the land, and it was then to return +for the rest: but nothing was ever heard of her, and +as a gale of wind sprang up soon after she had +started, the boat unquestionably foundered before +reaching land. The remaining twenty-four on the +ice lived on the provisions as long as they lasted, +some of the two dozen separating on to different +ice shoals in the hope that at least one might drift +ashore and so preserve life. But not one of these +other parties was ever seen again, although Cornelius +sent his boat to cruise in search of them. It was +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_14">[Pg 14]</span>indeed a real miracle that even one man had been +picked up: and it would be difficult to imagine any +surprise of the sea more enthralling than when this +poor sailor was seen waving to the whaleboat. But +still the whale-ships continued to come north to +these waters, and if we cannot trace every voyage, +at least we know that the rewards were sufficiently +tempting and the knowledge sufficiently reasonable +to make the risks worth while.</p> + +<p>Modern whaling is just sixty years old, for its +period is carefully marked by the introduction of +the harpoon-gun, which was made successfully in the +year 1865. The effect of this was to revolutionize the +industry, which has had a most varied and a most +romantic life. Originally the harpoon, as used for +capturing whales and large fish, was just a flat piece +of iron, triangular in shape, with sharp barbs. This +was attached to a wooden handle, and to the latter +was made fast the long rope. But the toggle-iron +came as an improvement with its pointed shaft and +pivoted crosspiece, so that after the shaft had pierced +well into the fibrous tissue below the blubber, the +crosspiece, at the pulling of the rope, instead of lying +up and down the shaft was set at right angles and +thus prevented the shaft from being withdrawn.</p> + +<p>The harpoon-gun, whether fired from the shoulder +or from a swivel-gun mounted on a pivot, enabled +the harpoon or toggle-iron with line attached to be +aimed with accuracy and to strike with such force +that the rorquals or finbacks, which had previously +been left untouched, could now be hunted. For in +that order of mammals which we call cetacea, the +larger members of the family are the whale, and these +are subdivided into the whalebone whales and the +toothed whales. The whalebone whales, again, are +further divided into the right whales, the finbacks +or rorquals, the humpback, the grey whale of the +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_15">[Pg 15]</span>Pacific, and that rare pigmy whale whose whalebone +is so valuable. The right whale has no dorsal fin, +and its cervical vertebræ are fused into a solid mass. +The Greenland right whale, with its great head and +arched mouth, made itself well known in the Arctic, +being about 50 ft. long. A smaller species, known +as the southern right whale, became known in the +waters of the southern seas.</p> + +<p>The toothed whale class have no whalebone but +they have teeth, whereas the whalebone genus has +not. Now in the toothed whale class are included +such species as the cachalot, the bottlenose, the +grampus and the narwhal. The cachalot, or sperm +whale, with its great head itself measuring about +one-third of its total length, is sometimes as much +as 60 ft. long, and has over a score of teeth on its +lower jaw. It is a characteristic of this cachalot that +he can remain under water for twenty minutes at a +time. The sperm whale goes about in schools, does +not frequent either Polar region, but is commonest +in tropical and sub-tropical seas. And just because +it was hunted with great zest during the earlier part +of the nineteenth century it naturally became scarce. +The late Frank T. Bullen in his sea classic <i>The Cruise +of the Cachalot</i> has left for us a most entertaining +description of the methods employed during the old +sailing-ship days for hunting this mammal. The +impelling motive which sent those old-time whalers +to sea after the cachalot was the great commercial +reward; for the sperm oil from the blubber, and the +spermaceti contained in a cavity of the great head, +are valuable as an ingredient of ointments and in +the making of candles. The use of gas and electric +lighting, however, during the nineteenth century +somewhat modified this use. Sperm oil, none the +less, is a well-known lubricant in great demand. +Ambergris was yet a third of the important entities +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_16">[Pg 16]</span>found in the cachalot, and this, after extraction from +the whale’s intestine, was found of great value as a +basis for the manufacture of perfumery. The teeth, +too, make valuable ivory. Thus, in a word, the +hunting of the cachalot was a most important +industry.</p> + +<p>At the beginning of the twentieth century whaling +seemed to be drawing to its close by reason of the +cachalot’s scarcity. But in the year 1904 the discovery +of a new whaling ground in sub-Antarctic seas gave +such a fresh impetus that the industry reached a +success hitherto unprecedented. The rorquals have +declined alarmingly in numbers, and it was because +of this that at the present time the industry in those +waters depends almost exclusively on the blue whale, +which is the largest animal known, measuring up to +100 ft. There are still a certain number of sperm +whales being caught off the South African coasts.</p> + +<p>It is, however, to be noted that the zeal with which +the industry was carried on in the north led to the +reduction in the number of whales, so that no other +animals of this class returned to the areas which had +once been so plentiful. The Greenland whaling, for +instance, has for that reason long since become +extinct, yet at one time it was very famous. Spitzbergen, +where the whale was once found in great +numbers, has been similarly deserted. But at the date +of writing it is quite possible that the ancient whaling +occupation, which has trained some of the finest of +the world’s seamen under sail, may receive a still +further development: for by an arrangement between +the British Colonial Office and the Government of +the Falkland Islands an expedition has been organized +for a most detailed study of the whaling problem, +and that historic ship <i>Discovery</i>, which Scott used for +polar work, was specially selected, and then in the +spring of 1925 fitted out at Portsmouth. The results +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_17">[Pg 17]</span>of this new expedition, with a mass of scientific facts, +may quite conceivably give an entirely new life to +whaling hitherto undreamed of.</p> + +<p>Certainly English ships had been engaged in this +important occupation of whale-hunting ever since +the end of the sixteenth century. The port of Hull +was especially noted for this trade right away down +till about 1868, when, owing to the scarcity of the +mammals, the industry died a natural death. The +very last whaling voyage from that port was made +by the <i>Truelove</i>, which had been built in Philadelphia +104 years previously. This vessel was one of the most +remarkable craft that ever sailed the seas, and it would +be difficult to find many ships in all maritime history +which so ably justified the builders. Seventy-two was +the number of whaling voyages which the <i>Truelove</i> +made, and 500 were the whales which she captured. +And besides all this activity she put in a good deal +of time in such voyages as the Oporto wine trade, +and even as a “Letter of Marque.” During the +American War of Independence she was captured +by the British and that was how she came to be +owned in Hull and in 1784 began her career from +the Humber as a whaler. It was in 1806 that at the +age of forty-two she made her first trip to the Davis +Straits, and went off there again in 1831. Her last +voyage as a whaler was in 1868, but five years later +she visited Philadelphia, where she was given a hearty +welcome and returned across the Atlantic to be +broken up.</p> + +<p>In these days of steam it is a little difficult to +realize how important was this whaling industry +when those old ships with their somewhat heavy +lines went lumbering along to the northern waters. +Whitby, Scarborough and London used to send +whalers to the Arctic, and in the year 1821 no fewer +than sixty-one whalers sailed out of Hull, thirty-two +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_18">[Pg 18]</span>for that area between Greenland and Spitzbergen, +and twenty-nine for the Davis Straits. But it was the +English colonists in America who first got the +whaling fishery on a systematic basis, when they +began the sperm whaling about the end of the seventeenth +century owing to the proximity of Greenland +and other prolific breeding grounds. The result of +this was to build up a whole chapter of history and +romance which will ever be regarded as one of the +most interesting in the whole maritime development +of Northern America. It is only comparatively +recently that the great American people in their +literature, their pictures, and even in their cinematograph +films have awakened to the wonderful +importance of that old whaling period, which did so +much towards attracting easterners to the sea and +shipbuilding.</p> + +<p>Formerly England was chiefly content to import +from American colonists such products of this +whaling fishery as she required. But then arrived the +War of Independence, and it became necessary for +the old country to obtain those commodities direct +which hitherto she had largely left to her colonies +to supply. Thus it was that even from the year 1775 +ships were sent out from British ports to engage in +the sperm whale fishery. They were only ten in +number, and owned chiefly by the firm of Messrs. +Enderby. But in the following year this trade was +encouraged by a Government bounty ranging from +£100 to £500, and the number of whaling ships went +on progressively increasing until the year 1791.</p> + +<p>In one of Edmund Burke’s speeches of the year +1775 on the subject of conciliation with America he +addressed the House of Commons on the matter of +the New England fisheries, and I cannot resist +quoting here his remarks, for they shed a most +illuminating light on what was the British attitude +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_19">[Pg 19]</span>at the period. With reference to the remark concerning +the Falklands, we must remember that these +islands had been discovered in the sixteenth century, +but at first were regarded as not worth having; in +fact, two years before Burke’s speech was delivered +Britain temporarily occupied West Falkland but +abandoned it, and eventually the growth of the +Falklands’ importance was attained owing to the +increase of the whale fishery. It was by the irony of +fate that off this territory was to be fought in 1914 +the only decisive naval battle of the Great War.</p> + +<p>“As to the wealth which the Colonies have drawn +from the sea by their fisheries,” Burke told the House, +“you had all that matter fully opened at your bar. +You surely thought those acquisitions of value, for +they seemed even to excite your envy. And yet the +spirit by which that enterprising employment has +been exercised ought rather, in my opinion, to have +raised your esteem and admiration. And pray, Sir, +what in the world is equal to it? Pass by the other +parts, and look at the manner in which the people +of New England have of late carried on the Whale +Fishery. Whilst we follow them among the tumbling +mountains of ice and behold them penetrating into +the deepest frozen recesses of Hudson’s Bay and +Davis’s Straits, whilst we are looking for them beneath +the Arctic Circle, we hear that they have pierced +into the opposite region of polar cold, that they are +at the Antipodes and engaged under the frozen +Serpent of the south. Falkland Island, which seemed +too remote and romantic an object for the grasp of +national ambition, is but a stage and resting-place in +the progress of their victorious industry. Nor is the +equinoctial heat more discouraging to them than the +accumulated winter of both the poles. We know that +whilst some of them draw the line and strike the +harpoon on the coast of Africa, others run the longitude +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_20">[Pg 20]</span>[i.e. steer due south] and pursue their gigantic +game along the coast of Brazil. No sea but what is +vexed by their fisheries. No climate that is not witness +to their toils. Neither the perseverance of Holland, +nor the activity of France, nor the dexterous and +firm sagacity of English enterprise ever carried this +most perilous mode of hardy industry to the extent +to which it has been pushed by this recent people, +a people who are still, as it were, but in the gristle +and not yet hardened into the bone of manhood.”</p> + +<p>But so inexperienced were British seamen in sperm +fishing that for some years it was necessary to appoint +an American commanding officer and harpooner to +each ship until competent officers could be trained. +At this period whaling was carried on principally off +Greenland and Ireland, off the Western Islands of the +Azores, the coast of Africa, Brazil and the Falklands. +It was not till 1788 that the Enderby whaler <i>Emilia</i> +rounded Cape Horn and was the first to inaugurate +sperm whale fishery in the Pacific. It was a brief but +successful voyage, and thus she was a pioneer in that +ocean for future profit. For the cachalot grounds +were gradually discovered, and to such an extent +that in 1819 the British whaler <i>Syren</i> first revealed +that unexplored and valuable tract off the Japanese +coast. So prolific with the sperm whale was this +locality that even after its yield had been considerably +diminished by frequent whaling, it was possible to +obtain 40,000 barrels of oil there by the fleets in the +early nineteenth century.</p> + +<p>The next spheres of whalers to be hunted were in +the Indian Ocean. The industry went on prospering, +and there were few seas in the world that did not +see either British or American whalers cruising. It +was these or none other: for the other nations were +now making but feeble efforts to engage in this work. +But by about the time Queen Victoria came to the +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_21">[Pg 21]</span>throne whaling in the South Seas had already passed +its prime. Money was scarce in those days and the +return from the heavy investment of capital in South +Sea whalers was both slow and already risky, so that +not more than thirty or forty whaling ships were +cruising the warmer waters by the year 1840. An +additional reason for this lay in the fact that the +colony of New South Wales was now engaged in +obtaining the sperm oil from its fishery at a much +less cost of time and capital, and able to export it +into England.</p> + +<p>Leaving out the great changes which have taken +place in the value of money during the last eighty +years, it is worth while noticing some of the details +of cost. To fit out a whaler in London for the +southern seas—“South-Seaman” was the name they +were wont to give her—used to require anything from +£8,000 to £12,000. She was seldom away less than +two and a half years, but this was not infrequently +exceeded. And if the result, as latterly had become +the case, were unsuccessful, all that capital had been +tied up uselessly. On the other hand, a whaler might +come back from the South Seas to London with +250 tuns of sperm oil which would realize £80 a tun: +£24,000 in return for the capital expended, but with +the ship still afloat and some of her stores remaining.</p> + +<p>An average cargo in the prosperous times +amounted to 160 tuns of oil, and the largest cargo +which an early nineteenth-century British whaler +ever brought into the country was 330 tuns. This +was in the <i>Rochester</i>, Captain Smith, the year being +1830; but the largest sperm oil cargo ever taken into +the United States up to that date in one whaler was +4,050 barrels, or more than 500 tuns. The British +whaler <i>Tuscan</i> was away from 1833 to 1836, and +during those three years sighted sperm whales on +90 different days. She was able to kill and secure to +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_22">[Pg 22]</span>the ship no fewer than 78 of them, and arrived home +with 1,953 barrels, or 244 tuns of oil, which was a +remarkably good cargo. But if we select the period +from 1820 till 1832 we find that the amount of sperm +oil brought into Britain by British whalers rose from +2,264 tuns to 5,576 tuns.</p> + +<p>We have to remember that the use of lamps and +machinery was increasing during those early nineteenth-century +days, and this gave a greater demand +for the sperm oil. One author writing on this subject +in the year 1840 remarked: “The very general +adoption of gas for the purpose of illumination, and +which might reasonably be expected to lessen the +demand for oil, has not had that effect—on the +contrary, it would appear that the increased light +of the shops and streets rather induces persons to +add to their domestic illumination in a proportionate +degree.”</p> + +<p>During those early years of the nineteenth century +the American whalers numbered a fleet of about 350, +many of which were engaged exclusively in hunting +the sperm whale. Such an American ship was owned +by a syndicate of small capitalists which included +the master and officers. In Britain the custom rather +was for one merchant to own several of these craft. +The size of whalers at that time varied from 250 to +400 tons burthen. The “South-Seaman” and the +Greenlander had to go out light and return with +their cargoes already consisting of the produce +separated from the non-lucrative parts of the whale. +It was a series of long voyages, and unlimited time +was essential both for the searching of indefinite +areas and for the extraction of the oil when the +capture had been made.</p> + + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> +<div class="chapter"> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_23">[Pg 23]</span></p> + + + <h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_II"> + CHAPTER II + <br> + THE NORTHERN QUEST + </h2> +</div> + + +<p>The desire to find both the North-East and the +North-West Passages has at various times and +in all sorts of ships attracted the sailors of Northern +Europe towards the Arctic Seas, but with long lulls. +Thus, after the times of Hudson and Fotherby there +ensued an interval until the zeal for Polar discovery +was kindled in the reign of George III. Papers were +read before the Royal Society, and eventually two +vessels of the Royal Navy, <i>Racehorse</i> and <i>Carcass</i>, +were despatched, the young Horatio Nelson serving +in the latter. Hitherto all these northern expeditions +had been fitted out by merchants with a desire to +find either a passage and trade route for their goods, +or areas suitable for capturing whales. But this +Georgian enterprise was the first effort which had +the pursuit of science as its sole object. Starting out +in 1773, it was away only from May to September, +but the resultant information was hardly such as to +enthuse the desire for discovery, and those northern +regions again fell into oblivion until there came into +notice a man named Scoresby.</p> + +<p>William Scoresby was born in 1789 at Whitby, +that historic port which at one time harboured a +fleet of whalers, and also those famous Geordie brigs +which used to fetch the coal from Newcastle to +London. Cook, the great explorer, was apprenticed +to one of these Whitby colliers over forty years +before Scoresby saw the light, and from this Yorkshire +haven some of the finest English sailors set +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_24">[Pg 24]</span>forth in the eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. +Now Scoresby’s career is a most interesting one, +for he was a product of a severe school of seamanship; +he was made to rough it on board from an +early age, he became one of the greatest whaling +captains in history, a distinguished explorer, and +was given that unique distinction of being elected +a Fellow of the Royal Society, publishing some +valuable matter dealing with the practical side +of whaling and the scientific study of the Arctic +regions.</p> + +<p>He was only eleven when he made his first Greenland +voyage, he was but seventeen when he made the +nearest approach to the North Pole that had ever +been fully authenticated, being at that time mate of +his father’s Greenland whaler. It was the information +which Scoresby and others of this industry accumulated +that provided the necessary data for the great +explorers of the nineteenth century: we can never +be too grateful to those pioneer whalers who risked +their lives and ships among the ice in uncharted seas. +Sailing, towing, boring, warping, they opened up a +track with the object of pursuing the whale: but each +voyage brought back more and more intelligence +concerning winds and tides and ice-barriers. Scoresby +used to land at Spitzbergen and elsewhere, climbing +summits, making observations, studying the bird life +and doing many things quite outside the sphere of +mere whaling. After he became of age he continued +to make these Greenland voyages annually, but the +most important of his discoveries were made in the +year 1822 when he sailed in the 321-ton ship <i>Baffin</i>, +with a crew of fifty. He left Liverpool on March 27th +bent on whaling, but never an opportunity was +missed of adding to scientific knowledge, and after +passing the eightieth degree a month later, he reached +the main northern ice. The first whale was caught +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_25">[Pg 25]</span>on May 6th, but soon his ship became involved in +the floating ice and only with difficulty was she +extricated.</p> + +<p>Now these waters had been fished for many +generations and were therefore becoming unproductive, +so the only satisfactory results were to be +obtained on the eastern shores of Greenland. Along +here Scoresby penetrated to parts that had never +been explored, and after naming these bays and forelands +and peninsulas, he went further east in search +of his whales. It was during one of these attempts +that a harpooner had just got his weapon into the +whale when the latter started off with such speed +that the line was jerked out of its lead and the boat +nearly swamped. The harpooner, a real expert, tried +to catch hold of the line and replace it in its proper +position, when he got caught by a sudden turn, +dragged overboard and drowned.</p> + +<p>Several more whales were taken, and after further +exploration, being surrounded by icebergs, Scoresby +altered course, and on August 15th had the good +luck to sight and strike five whales, of which three +were taken. This completed his cargo and the <i>Baffin</i> +returned home after a voyage that was successful +both financially and scientifically. And to that knowledge +which Scoresby brought home, other venturers +added in subsequent years. But Scoresby was just +one of a long line of seamen who had been attracted +by the magnetic north. The opening up of the waters +in these high latitudes, even if there was neither a +north-east nor a north-west passage for the English +merchants’ goods, set going a new industry whose +profits had not even been suspected. It had been +really a lucky find whilst searching for a route to +India north-about. The news spread, and thus there +had come English, Dutch, French and Spanish ships +by the early seventeenth century, with the inevitable +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_26">[Pg 26]</span>jealousies too. Each nationality tried to elbow the +others out of these valuable waters, and occasionally +there was an actual encounter. It would be difficult +to support the claim of the seventeenth-century +English whalers as “lords of the northern seas,” and +we can well understand how much foreign nations +resented this exclusive claim.</p> + +<p>The Dutch Whaling Company even sent out seven +stout, well-armed ships, and in 1618 there came a +crisis when an English whaler was captured and +sailed off to Amsterdam. However, the Dutch Government +deemed it prudent to restore this vessel, +her cargo and crew: but those who had made the +capture were also rewarded. And finally, since there +was room for all, since there were just as big whales +in those northern seas as ever came out, it was +decided to divide up the areas in the neighbourhood +of Spitzbergen among the various national whaling +fleets, in order that the industry might flourish +peaceably. The Dutch especially found in this activity +a great source of wealth, and it is largely due to their +diligence and resource that whaling progressed. Some +of their methods and actual words (for example +“flensing”) are in use to this day. This applies +especially to the operations employed in getting the +oil from the whale after capture.</p> + +<p>English and Scottish fishermen of all kinds have, +especially since the sixteenth century, learnt much of +their art from the Dutch: even their very vessels for +years were unquestionably influenced by the fishermen +the other side of the North Sea. Let us, then, not +forget the debt we owe to Holland in regard to our +present subject. The difficulty was as follows. Having +arrived in Spitzbergen waters, those ships were of +such small tonnage that after harpooning two or +three big whales, the vessel was full up. Therefore +the Dutch evolved the practice of extracting the oil +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_27">[Pg 27]</span>and bones, in fact concentrating all the valuable +products into such a space that not three but +numerous whales could be used. It was for this +purpose that they installed ashore boilers and +tanks, coolers and all necessary apparatus of a +factory. The whales had only to be killed, brought +ashore, and then the produce was compressed out +of them.</p> + +<p>Here the dead mammals were “flensed,” that is +to say, cleared of blubber and bone. Here, in these +isolated latitudes, collected during the summer +months quite a village population from Holland. +Here were furnaces and stores and everyone hard +at work, and the bay full of whaling ships. Such, +indeed, was the activity that in 1697 there were no +fewer than one hundred and eighty-eight of these +vessels, having on board the extracts of nearly two +thousand whales. But as has happened over and over +again in the history of whaling, all this excessive +fishing had the result of frightening the mammals +so that the latter forsook the neighbourhood and +migrated from Spitzbergen to near that great bank +of ice in the Greenland Sea. It was this which caused +Spitzbergen to lose its flourishing existence. To +bring the captured whales two thousand miles across +such an ocean was impracticable: so, as the whale +would not come to the furnaces, the furnaces had +to be brought across to Greenland together with all +the rest of the plant. Thus, as we have seen in +Scoresby’s voyaging, the vessels had to skirt the +frozen icefields—and even anchor to this barrier—in +order to capture the elusive mammoth of +the sea.</p> + +<p>So it was that by the end of the seventeenth century +Spitzbergen, which had been discovered by +Barentsz only a hundred years previously, had become +practically denuded of whales. But in addition +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_28">[Pg 28]</span>to the other nations mentioned, the Russians also +showed an interest in this means of wealth. It was +in the year 1743 that, in spite of this diminished +condition which had been reached, a vessel was sent +out from Archangel whaling to Spitzbergen with a +crew of fourteen hands, and had got within a couple +of miles of the eastern side when suddenly their ship +became surrounded by ice. The position became +critical, and then four of them resolved to make for +the shore leaping from one ice floe to the other. On +land they found a ruined hut that had once been used +by former whalers, and next day they were about to +inform their shipmates when to their horror it was +seen that the ship had disappeared. A heavy gale had +dispersed ship and ice floes. Nor was she ever seen +again.</p> + +<p>Now these four men, left to their own resources, +lived on that island for the next six years and three +months. They had neither clock nor watch, nor +navigational instrument, but they made a cross-staff +and were able to take an altitude of the sun when it +was visible. They succeeded in keeping such good +reckoning of time that after all those months they +were not more than four days out. On that craggy +island, where there was not so much as a tiny +tree, nor a blade of grass, three of the four men +lived and survived. They had a gun and shot wild +deer until their ammunition gave out. They then +made themselves pikes out of some pieces of iron +which they found, and thus killed an aggressive Polar +bear whose flesh fed them, whose skin clothed them, +from whose entrails the string was made to complete +a bow which had been fashioned from a bit of +wreckage that came ashore. Thus armed, they were +able to fill their pantry with reindeer meat. One of +the men did not die till the end of six years, and +the three survivors then became despondent and +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_29">[Pg 29]</span>wondered how long it would be before they would +be eaten up by the bears.</p> + +<p>But then a marvellous thing happened on August +15, 1749; for to their utter amazement a ship was +seen to seaward. These three men now set to work, +lighted fires on the hills, hoisted a flag-staff with a +reindeer’s skin as flag, and thus attracted the ship, +which came to anchor. Now the arrival of this vessel +was miraculous, for she had encountered head winds, +been unable to make her destination, and therefore +altered course to East Spitzbergen just opposite to +where these men happened to be. Then, after placing +on board her reindeer fat, hides, fox skins, their bow, +arrows, spears and lances made with their own hands, +they were brought back to Archangel after having +been long since given up for lost.</p> + +<p>It so happened, when this vessel came in, that +the wife of one of these three survivors was standing +by the water. Suddenly she recognized her long-bewailed +spouse, and unable to wait till the ship was +secured to the pier, the woman threw herself forward +to embrace him, fell into the water, and was saved +only with difficulty.</p> + +<p>Who was the very first ever to catch a whale in +northern waters it would be impossible to say. The +Vikings, who colonized Greenland and afterwards +withdrew, certainly hunted these mammals. In the +early part of the eighteenth century the Esquimaux +used to go whaling in their canoes, whose frames +were made of wood or whalebone, covered over +with the skin of seals except for a hole large enough +to receive the steersman. Thus decked, these little +craft used to go out with primitive harpoons pointed +with teeth of walrus. To the barb was attached a +thong, at the extremity of which was a bladder which +served as a buoy. All that the hunter had to do was +to get up to the whale, hurl this simple harpoon into +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_30">[Pg 30]</span>him and then leave the whale to tear about in his +agony till he bled to death. The bladder-buoy +indicated his position, and the creature was then +towed ashore to be stripped, and thus there were +food and light for another long winter’s season.</p> + + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> +<div class="chapter"> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_31">[Pg 31]</span></p> + + + <h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_III"> + CHAPTER III + <br> + WHALING ENTERPRISE + </h2> +</div> + + +<p>The effect of over exertion in the Spitzbergen +area had been to break up that sectional monopoly +arranged between nations. The whale had gone +elsewhere, the hunting was now of the free-for-all +kind, and the scene had shifted to Greenland.</p> + +<p>This free trade naturally caused a greater number +of ships to be fitted out than before, both in Holland +and England. In the latter country there had been +formed “The Company of Merchants of London +trading to Greenland” with a subscribed capital of +£40,000, which was presently increased. But within +less than a decade every penny was lost owing to bad +management and lack of supervision. The eighteenth +century was hardly a period of high ideals, and +morality was at a pretty low ebb. Honour and trustworthiness +were conspicuous enough by their absence. +What then could you expect? If you sent men +in such an age to the desolate regions of Greenland, +at a fixed salary, without any interest in the business, +and simply ordered them to get whales, how can +you wonder if these men, far away from the vigilance +of their owners, preferred to come ashore, hunt the +deer and make themselves as comfortable as they +could without chief consideration for the shareholders? +They were sure of a certain pay whether +they got a thousand whales or none. Thus it was +that financial disaster came to the company, and by +the irony of fate the last ship, after having made the +really excellent catch of eleven whales, got wrecked.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_32">[Pg 32]</span></p> + +<p>But this unfortunate company’s failure was of +national importance, seeing that other countries were +becoming rich by the industry. You will remember +that this was a period of reckless finance. The wealth +of the country was beginning to increase, thanks to +overseas trade and the growth of the Mercantile +Marine, principally in respect of the Honourable +East India Company. But in those days investment +was not easy, and it was difficult to get interest for +one’s savings. Then came the South Sea Scheme in +1720, and the resulting “Bubble,” when sane men +seemed suddenly to go mad, all save Walpole. The +South Sea Company was dealt with leniently in the +end, it was not even dissolved, and carried on a +legitimate business. Turning its attention now to +whaling, it placed a great deal of its capital in this +enterprise; for the Government was encouraging, +and exempted from all tax the produce of the +country’s whaling.</p> + +<p>In the year 1725 the South Sea Company built +a dozen fine large whalers, and gave them a +thoroughly good equipment with all the necessary +cordage, casks and gear. In the spring this squadron +set forth and returned with only twenty-five whales, +which hardly paid the cost of equipment. In 1730 +twenty-two ships were sent out, but they returned +with only a dozen whales, so that the loss this year +was £9,000; and eventually after eight years the +company had to give up whaling altogether. It was +a sad blow to British enterprise, and the more so +since it concerned the sea. The very existence of the +nation during the next critical hundred years was +to depend on ships and crews; whatever could be +done by way of encouragement must be attempted, +but who was likely to invest his money where so +much had already been lost?</p> + +<p>In 1732 the Government again tried to help, by +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_33">[Pg 33]</span>offering a bounty of twenty shillings a ton to every +ship engaged in the whaling trade exceeding two +hundred tons. This caused several private individuals +to come forward, but the success was not great. In +1749 the dying industry was still further helped by +increasing the bounty to forty shillings, and this made +the undertaking worth while, so that three years later +there were forty whalers sailing out, and their +number even rose to eighty-two after still another +three years had passed. That which was at the back +of the Government was the value of whaling as a +nursery for seamen, of whom the country possessed +a comparatively small number. If crews could be +trained in merchant ships, there was always at hand +a large crowd which could be impressed for the +ships of war.</p> + +<p>But this bounty system, like all such arrangements, +was an artificial stimulant; and it was very costly. +Thus, when about £600,000 had been expended by +1769, it was thought that whaling was now able to +support itself; so eight years later the bounty was +reduced to thirty shillings. The effect of this was to +show that the industry was not yet sufficiently strong +to exist unsustained, for the number of ships dropped +to about a third, and the forty shillings had to be +granted as before. But by this time, as we have +already seen in a previous chapter, the War of +Independence had made a great difference, and +British whalers were about to use the southern seas +to great advantage. So well did whaling now prosper +that in 1787 the bounty was able to be reduced to +thirty shillings, and eight years later to twenty +shillings, but still the industry went on increasing.</p> + +<p>Thanks to American tuition at first, British sailormen +now relearned the art which their forefathers +had excelled in. Continental politics wiped out Holland +as a rival in fishing and whaling for twenty +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_34">[Pg 34]</span>years, and this period was too long to allow of the +old habits and the old Dutch whaling crews to return. +The future, therefore, in respect of whaling lay +between British and American ships until the firm +establishment of steam vessels. And that which may +be called the golden age of whaling followed during +the next fifty or sixty years. We shall now be able, +with this outline clear before us, to consider the +whalers in far greater detail.</p> + +<p>The building and fitting out of whaling fleets was +no small matter, and it is a matter for deep regret +that with the extermination of the Greenland right +whale these fleets gradually diminished, and with +them disappeared in time those fine builders of strong +wooden ships. These artists of the adze must not be +forgotten, for on them and the designers depended +the very safety of the ships. These early nineteenth-century +whalers no longer carried on their work in +bays and on the outer rim of the icefields. Starting +out early in the season, they would penetrate into +the heart of the Arctic, and had to be able to withstand +the crushing and collision by the ice pressure. +Every whaler was of the nature of a discovery ship, +specially strengthened externally by iron plates at +the bows and hardwood sheathing, with stanchions +and cross-bars inside the hull so as not to locate but +spread the ice pressure over the whole construction.</p> + +<p>Dundee became at last the final British whaling +port as long as it was possible. Even after the Greenland +industry fell on evil days, stout wooden whaling +vessels were built at this port, and as late as the +period 1893 to 1911 right whaling was still undertaken +by an average of seven or eight vessels from +here. By the year 1912 there was only a single whaler +sailing out of here, and I believe that to-day Dundee +commissions not even her. When Captain Scott’s +Antarctic Expedition of 1900-4 was being got ready +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_35">[Pg 35]</span>he had for this venture built the <i>Discovery</i> at Dundee, +practically on the lines of a whaler. And for this +purpose some of the veteran shipwrights came back +to their old work in order to construct this special +type of ship. No riveter of steel plates could have +done the job.</p> + +<p>On Derby Day, June 1910, I was on board Scott’s +last ship, the <i>Terra Nova</i>, and watched her start half +an hour later from the Thames for his final expedition +to the Antarctic. This auxiliary steamship was a +genuine whaler, barque rigged, of 399 registered +tons, built at Dundee in 1884 of wood by A. Stephen +& Sons. That great whaling expert Scoresby used +to recommend 350 tons as the most desirable size +for a whaling ship on the grounds that its hold would +normally be filled with whale produce, and it could +carry the requisite crew and boats: but that it was +usually difficult to fill a vessel of greater tonnage, +and thus there would be empty, unearning space for +the proprietor. The Dutch held the opinion that the +ideal whaler should measure 112 ft. long, 29 ft. beam, +and 12 ft. depth, carrying seven boats and about +fifty men. The <i>Terra Nova</i>, which is representative +of the finest achievement of the whaler after auxiliary +steam had been introduced into these ships, measured +187 ft. long, 31.4 ft. beam, 19 ft. depth. The engines +were placed right aft, the funnel abaft the mainmast, +and the bows were specially strengthened. The +modern steel-built steam whaler measures from 98 to +115 ft. in length over all, 18 to 22 ft. in beam, with +moulded depth 11 to 12 ft. 9 in. But we shall deal +with these in a special chapter.</p> + +<p>Most noticeable, of course, in these old-time +wooden whalers was the crow’s-nest placed high +up on the main topmast or t’gallant-mast. It was +made of canvas or light wood, from which a careful +look-out was maintained for the whales. Here, too, +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_36">[Pg 36]</span>the captain when farthest north would sometimes +remain with spy-glass and speaking trumpet, conning +the ship as in a temperature many degrees below +freezing-point he watched the surrounding ice +through which his vessel must needs thread her way. +The Greenland whalers usually left their home port +so as to make a departure from the Shetland Isles +about the first week in April and arrive within the +Polar Seas before the end of that month.</p> + +<p>Scoresby’s Land is still shown marked in modern +maps of Greenland, and it was customary at one +time for the whalers to spend a few weeks along +this coast in what was known by the crews as the +Seal-fishers’ Bight. They would go farther north +among the icefields a little later. But in the early +nineteenth century it was the practice to sail straight +away north without delay. Let us follow with them +and see their methods, which are so different from +modern whaling but resembled the custom of the +South Seamen already noted.</p> + +<p>Having once reached the Greenland icy seas, the +seven boats were kept ready for immediate launching, +and aloft a constant watch was kept for ice and +whales. These boats, whose design can be traced +right back to those early Viking craft, and is largely +copied in the oared “whalers” of the Navy to-day, +were 25 to 28 ft. long, and about 5½ ft. in beam. +Sometimes in rowing off to the unsuspecting whale +a circuitous route was taken, and strict silence was +maintained to prevent the mammal becoming +alarmed. We mentioned on a previous page the +importance of the harpoon-gun which was made in +the year 1865. But even by 1830 a gun of sorts was +in use, though not generally employed. When the +first boat had got the harpoon fastened into the whale +and the line was about to be run off entirely, the +boat would signal to one of the other boats by +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_37">[Pg 37]</span>holding up one, two or three oars to indicate the +need of more line.</p> + +<p>The handling of the line once fast was the work +of an expert, like the playing of a fish by a skilled +angler. It had to be veered in such a manner that the +bows of the boat were not pulled below the level of +the water. And the turns round that bollard had to +be done smartly without any bungling. The way the +line went whirling round the bollard was likely to +surprise a novice, and the friction was so severe that +water had constantly to be poured over it to prevent +it catching fire. So, also, the boat that was signalled +to come along for his line to be bent had to be +equally smart: for if it was not in time, then the first +boat having come to the end, might be compelled +to cut, and thus lose not merely the whale but +harpoon and lines too.</p> + +<p>The activity with which the city fireman to-day +tumbles out and rushes to his fire-engine on the +ringing of the bell was rivalled only in the old whaler +days when the look-out from aloft had sighted a +whale. The watch on deck would rouse those below +by stamping with their feet and shouting “A fall! +A fall!” This word was taken from the Dutch “val” +meaning a whale. And out the men would tumble +in their sleeping garments, with no time to dress, +in spite of the atmosphere being well below zero. +To a fresh hand this first experience was alarming, +and he imagined that the ship was foundering.</p> + +<p>These early nineteenth-century British whalers +were self-contained without a shore station; and +having caught the whale, his tail was pierced after +death with two holes through which ropes were +passed, and then the mammal was towed to the ship. +He was secured alongside and then the flensing +began. There is a Dutch word “spek,” which means +blubber or fat. And the leading hands in this flensing +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_38">[Pg 38]</span>operation were known as “speak koning” or blubber +kings. Another important personage was the “speksioneer,” +who directed the cutting. To each seaman +the captain would go round with a dram of grog, +giving a double allowance to the blubber kings and +speksioneers. Under the direction of the last named +the harpooners set to work with their blubber spades +and great knives to make long parallel cuts, and the +two kings on deck stowed the pieces in the hold, +the carcase being turned round as convenient by +blocks and the windlass. Of course as long as the +station at Spitzbergen lasted all the oil was extracted +ashore: but when the whale migrated to Greenland +it was customary to take the blubber back to the +home port.</p> + +<p>The dangers to the Greenland whalers were increased +by the fact that the cetaceans were mostly +found on the very borders of the ice-barrier, and in +the heyday of prosperity the wonderful sight of a +hundred vessels has been seen along this ice-margin. +Multiply this by the number of the boats, and you +can picture what a sight it was in those latitudes with +several hundred craft strung in a continuous line, +making it almost impossible for any whale to escape: +for he was hemmed in from diving below the ice and +he was surrounded by boats as soon as he showed +himself in the clear water. The height of the sport +was when the ice was not solid but broken up into +numerous small islands: for then the men would +have to leap on to the frozen surface, run along with +harpoon and lance, and attack in the opening wherever +the whale came up to breathe. In such chases +anything might happen before the whale was killed, +possibly with the loss of a man or two. And then +would come the difficult and arduous task of cutting +the creature up small enough to be dragged across +the ice to the ship.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_39">[Pg 39]</span></p> + +<p>But besides the Greenland whaling there was also +the region of the Davis Straits which began to be +hunted by the Dutch at the beginning of the eighteenth +century and by the British ships somewhat +later. The Davis Straits whaling was found very +remunerative, but it was found also very dangerous, +for many fine vessels got wrecked. In the year 1814 +the British whaler <i>Royalist</i> was here lost with all +hands, and three years later a similar disaster overtook +the <i>London</i>. Icebergs, of course, were the great +peril here.</p> + +<p>Possibly no section of the Mercantile Marine ever +ran so many continuous hazards as the whalers of +the North. Quite apart from the usual perils of the +sea were the special risks arising from boat-work, +and the dangers to the ship itself in uncharted seas +with bergs and ice of all kinds. Add to this the +incessant bad weather with bitter cold, and you can +appreciate that only tough, hard-case seamen were +likely to make a second voyage. But those who +persisted, after the manner of Scoresby, amassed such +Arctic knowledge as would have filled a whole shelf +full of books. Perhaps these men could hardly realize +it at the time, but they were building up a national +seamanhood whose descendants were to form the +backbone of our steamship companies and trawler +fleets. As to the value of these to a country we can +wish for no better evidence than those long eventful +years of the Great War, when troops and material +were moved all over the seven seas, when thousands +of mines were swept up and enemy submarines +chased and sunk. It takes generations to build up +a race of seafarers, but when once the tradition has +been set going, when once it has become the thing +for the son to follow in his father’s steps aboard a +vessel, you have one of the most valuable national +possessions imaginable. And in those ports there +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_40">[Pg 40]</span>grow up a number of yards, with slips and docks, +building better and better types of ships as the years +go by. The whaling industry was certainly responsible +for a great deal of good to Britain, quite apart +from the amount of money obtained from the whale +produce. And on the Atlantic coast of America, is +it not true that the home ports of the whalers have +always been those of the finest seamen in the country? +Certainly it was the English colonists and their zeal +for the Greenland fisheries which were responsible +in that country at the first.</p> + + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> +<div class="chapter"> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_41">[Pg 41]</span></p> + + + <h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_IV"> + CHAPTER IV + <br> + FLUCTUATING FORTUNES + </h2> +</div> + + +<p>In certain parts of the east and north-east coasts +of Britain one still comes across old buildings, +such as in King’s Lynn, which remind us of their +intimate connection with the Greenland whaling +occupation of more than a century ago. Leaving in +April, the ships would as a rule start back not later +than August. But, just as the whale had migrated +west from Spitzbergen after being mercilessly hunted, +so that area between Spitzbergen and Greenland +which the crews called the Greenland Sea had begun +to show signs of thinning by the second decade of +the nineteenth century.</p> + +<p>And since the Davis Straits area was found to +yield a more ample return, it was to this neighbourhood +that the centre of interest now shifted gradually. +This necessitated longer and therefore more costly +voyages, and certainly far more dangerous. But the +results were so good as to outweigh these drawbacks. +Up to about 1820 three-fifths of the northern whalers +were still using the Greenland Sea, and two-fifths +were trying the Davis Straits. But ten years later +there were not more than four ships fishing in the +former, and thus we come to a fresh development +in our subject. And here at last Government exploration +was to do something for the fisherman. +Strictly speaking, of course, the whale is not a fish: +but by time-honoured custom generations of sailors, +statesmen and others have spoken of the whale-<i>fisheries</i>, +and with this proviso it is permissible so +to refer to the matter.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_42">[Pg 42]</span></p> + +<p>In 1818 Ross’s naval expedition went north +through the Davis Straits and explored Baffin’s Bay. +With him went Parry, who was to make further +Arctic voyages in the next and some subsequent +years. So far as the whalers were concerned one +important result from these Government expeditions +was to make known a number of admirable localities +which had previously been scarcely frequented. The +first man to have discovered this bay, or rather sea, +was William Baffin, who after going whaling in +1613-1614 off Spitzbergen, joined Captain Bylot in +1615 aboard the <i>Discovery</i> to look for the North-West +Passage by Davis Straits. This passage was +never discovered until in our own time when the +70-ton <i>Gjoa</i> set out from Christiania in 1903 and after +three and a half years navigated safely that which +had frustrated three centuries of seamen, and then +arrived at San Francisco.</p> + +<p>But if Baffin failed in his primary purpose he +discovered and charted what we now call Baffin’s +Bay. His observations were discredited during the +seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, but were +verified by Ross in 1818, and actually used by the +Franklin expedition. It is a huge area over eight +hundred miles long and about a third of that wide; +and thanks to the information confirmed by Ross +and Parry there was now available a whaling ground +just at a time when it began to be needed most. So +the whalers soon began sailing from the east and +north-east coasts of Britain, usually in March, and +crossed the Atlantic to the Davis Straits, and then +till the beginning of May hunted the whale off the +north coast of Labrador or by the mouth of the +Cumberland Sound. This was known as the south-west +fishery. They would next cross to the eastern +side of Davis Straits and fish along the western side +of Greenland: this being done, they moved further +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_43">[Pg 43]</span>up in July to Lancaster Sound and even to Barrow’s +Strait, which is right in the Arctic regions in lat. 74° N. +On their way down Baffin’s Bay they used to fish +the western shore, especially at such places as Pond’s +Inlet and Home Bay. Three or four whales made +quite a fair average catch in one season, but as many +as nine were sometimes caught by one ship.</p> + +<p>If a ship had been unlucky she might remain in +Baffin’s Bay as late as October looking for whales. +The expression used by the crews when a vessel had +captured none was to say she was “clean.” Now one +of these ships from Peterhead was clean on the last +day of September, having been out all those months, +but by October 27th she had caught five whales and +got back to Peterhead with an average cargo. But +the toll of losses in those lonely seas naturally +mounted up. In the year following Ross’s voyage +there were lost up there ten whalers out of sixty-three. +In 1821 eleven out of seventy-nine, and in the +following year seven out of sixty whalers never came +back. These disasters were brought about principally +owing to having been crushed by the ice or squeezed +out of the water on to the ice whilst trying to get +across to Lancaster Sound.</p> + +<p>Owing to the necessary doubling of the strength +in building these northern whalers; owing also to +their equipment of boats and cordage and casks and +implements, the capital needed was greater than that +for sending a merchantman to sea. On the other +hand, no cargo was required to be taken out, no +capital needed for purchasing homeward freights, for +it was there in the sea for the asking. And in good +seasons the reward was well worth the money expended. +Moreover, if these staunch-built vessels +could possibly avoid accidents, they were good for +an exceptionally lengthy service. The initial cost of +a 350-ton whaler varied in different decades. In 1813 +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_44">[Pg 44]</span>the 354-ton <i>Esk</i> of Whitby, including the sum of +£1,700 expended on her outfit for her first voyage, +cost £14,000. Ten years later £10,000 would have +covered the entire outlay, and by 1830 such a ship +could have been provided for £8,000. Half the +amount went to pay for the hull and spars: the +balance being for sails, rigging, casks, line, and fishing +gear. The sum of £1,700 just mentioned covered the +provisioning, insurance, advance money to the seamen; +but prices varied at different ports, Leith being +cheaper than Aberdeen and Hull being the most +expensive of all.</p> + +<p>The master and harpooner received no pay but +were wisely given a certain sum for every whale +struck and for every tun of oil extracted. The seamen, +in addition to their wages, were allowed a +bonus if the voyage were prosperous. About the +year 1830 quite one-third of British whaling belonged +to Hull, and thirty-three whaling ships sailed out +from the Humber that year to the Davis Straits. +These averaged about 330 tons: but in this season, +which was a very bad one, eight of the thirty-three +came home “clean,” that is to say, without having +killed a whale, and six never came home at all, having +been lost in the ice. Thus fourteen of the fleet failed +to earn a penny dividend. The return on the owners’ +capital fluctuated in ninety years according to the +market price of the oil: which was £18 a tun in 1742, +£60 in 1813, but £24 in 1830. There was, therefore, +always something of the gambling element in the +whaler industry. It was only by an average number +of seasons, and with fair luck in regard to sighting +whales and avoiding ice, that such ships could ever +be expected to pay their way.</p> + +<p>On the other hand, a whaler might be fortunate +beyond all expectation, as the Peterhead <i>Resolution</i>, +which in 1814 made (including bounty) about +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_45">[Pg 45]</span>£11,000. Again, the personal practical knowledge +and the skill of a good skipper had a lot to do with +success. Scoresby’s father in twenty-eight seasons +brought home oil and bone to the value of £150,000 +from the North. During the eighteenth century +London had been the principal whaling port, but +by 1830 there were only a couple of ships which +used to leave the Thames for the northern whaling +seas. Decentralization was going on and other ports, +almost exclusively on the North Sea, were usurping +this trade. The reason is not hard to find, for the +two biggest ports of London and Liverpool were +now concerned more with the vessels carrying cargoes +to and from the Indies or America. Presently +the China clippers and the Australian packets, and, +later, the newly built ocean steamships, were to +occupy the attention of these two ports. Thus in the +year 1818 there were eight English whaling ports—Hull, +London, Whitby, Newcastle being the principal—with +Berwick, Grimsby, Liverpool, and Lynn +all about equal, but Hull being far and away the +leading centre. By 1830, however, when London +owned only a couple of whalers, Liverpool had none +and Lynn had none, nor had Grimsby any; Hull +having thirty-three out of the total of forty-one. But +in Scotland matters were different, and in 1818 +Aberdeen was the chief whaling port, with Leith +second, Dundee third, and Peterhead fourth. By 1830 +Peterhead owned thirteen whalers, Aberdeen ten, +Dundee nine, Leith seven: the other Scotch ports +sending ships to this fishery being Burntisland (Firth +of Forth), Greenock, Kirkcaldy, and Montrose.</p> + +<p>Where the fortunes by whaling depended so entirely +on the movements of the mammal, to say +nothing of the sea’s own perils, it was natural enough +that not merely local but national enterprise should +have varied from epoch to epoch. As I have shown +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_46">[Pg 46]</span>in another volume, the migration of the herring into +the North Sea was responsible for bringing that +wealth to Holland which enabled her to rise to the +importance of a great sea power. In like manner the +whale has played pranks in the careers of communities +and individuals. And, without boring the reader +too much, we may illustrate this by a few facts from +history. Many people in our own time have often +asked the question what is the practical good of all +those Arctic and Antarctic expeditions which we +have recently seen go forth. Apart from their +exhibition of gallantry and endurance, what is likely +to evolve for the good of the human race?</p> + +<p>The answer is that a large mass of scientific data +has been brought home, which may be of untold +value at any future stage in the world’s development. +Exactly in what respect these facts can be applied +cannot always be immediately apparent. But the +demand for whale oil in modern social life, such +as in soap-making, glycerine for explosives, and the +manufacture of margarine, is likely to increase rather +than otherwise. Now these expeditions have thrown +light on the habits and the homes of the whales +from which these essential products come, and the +sending forth by the British Government of a further +research expedition in 1925 is evidence of the +economic belief in the whale’s possibilities. The +information which Ross and Parry were able to +bring from Baffin’s Bay largely revolutionized the +industry, and there is no reason why the possession +of the largest and best whaling steam fleet in the +future may not be of the highest value to a country +in need merely of those three articles alone, quite +apart from the other products which are available. +And in these days of many inventions who can +limit the possibilities or foresee the value of this +old-time pursuit? Who can say whither the whale +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_47">[Pg 47]</span>will wander? Where has he not wandered in the +past?</p> + +<p>We know from Hakluyt that already by the ninth +century the Norwegians were hunting this animal +off their coast. In the twelfth century whaling was +being carried on in the North Sea off the east coast +of Scotland, for Malcolm IV granted to Dunfermline +Abbey one-tenth of all the whales and “marine +monsters” which might be taken in the Firths of +Forth and Tay: and in the following century +Alexander II allowed half the blubber of these whales +for providing the altar candles in that abbey. We +know, too, that as early as 1575 the Basques used +to hunt whales in the Bay of Biscay, and afterwards +went north even to Iceland, Greenland and Newfoundland, +so that within twenty-five years it was +no strange sight to find fifty or sixty Biscayan and +Icelandish whalers at work in northern waters.</p> + +<p>From 1598 Hull sent regularly for some years +whalers to Iceland and the North Cape, and, after +Hudson had rediscovered it, to Spitzbergen in the +seventeenth century. It was from 1610 that the +English syndicate known eventually as the “Russia +Company” began. Two discovery ships, the <i>Marie +Margaret</i> of 160 tons and the <i>Elizabeth</i> of 60 tons, +were both lost, but a Hull ship managed to bring +home the cargo. At that time, you see, whaling was +like finding a gold mine. It was untapped wealth; +the mammals had not been scared, and the rewards +were immense. So, also, in 1594 an English whaling +expedition had been sent from the west country to +Cape Breton. There are references among the Pepysian +manuscripts during the seventeenth century, +too, in regard to English whalers proceeding for this +purpose to Greenland seas.</p> + +<p>But we see vessels being sent out from Bayonne, +St. Jean de Luz, St. Sebastian, Bremen, Hamburg +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_48">[Pg 48]</span>and Amsterdam—in the latter case, of course, by +way of the Zuyder Zee and the Texel. The importance +of whaling to Holland rivalled that of the +herring, especially during the seventeenth and +eighteenth centuries, and many people have failed +to realize how for generations this helped to build +up that country’s wealth. If ever a nation raised itself +by the sea it was the Low Countries, and the three +main sources were—the herring fishery off their very +coasts, the whale in northern waters, and the spice +trade in the Dutch East Indies. Let us consider the +whaling. In 1671 they sent no fewer than 155 vessels +to Greenland which brought to Holland 630 whales’ +produce. During the years of 1672-4, until the signing +of the Peace of London, they were so busy with +naval operations that the whaling men could not +be spared from the fighting fleet: but in 1675 there +were 148 Dutch whalers at work, and that brief rest +to the whale was rewarded by the ships bringing +back the produce of 881 mammals. In some seasons +they killed as many as 1,600 and even 2,000.</p> + +<p>Now, unfortunately, the English had in the meantime +allowed their rivals to go on helping themselves +to these riches, and practically retired from the +industry. This is just one of those intermissions which +have characterized the occupation throughout its +history. We alluded in a previous chapter to the +sudden interest in the first quarter of the eighteenth +century by the South Sea Company after the “Bubble” +had burst. How this came about is as follows. It was +Henry Elking who drew up a report for the Court +of Directors of that company in the year 1722. At +this time the Dutch were in practical possession of +that trade which the English had at one time so +enthusiastically pursued. Other nationalities were a +bad second, but our forefathers had lost heart. +Elking felt very deeply on the matter and submitted +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_49">[Pg 49]</span>his opinions to the Company plainly and with +restraint.</p> + +<p>“It will be found upon Examination,” he wrote, +“a very great Mistake, that the English cannot +manage this Trade, which the Hollanders, Hamburgers, +Bremers, French and Spaniards, all carry +on to Advantage, and by which means they are made +rich, even out of our Pockets, who sit still and buy +those Goods of them for our ready money.” Elking +worked up the feelings of jealousy that all this wealth +should be passing to our late enemies and sea-rivals. +He contended, even, that whaling was more advantageous +to the Dutch than were their East Indies, +seeing that whaling took no money out of the +country to purchase imports in the East, but brought +home wealth without paying. It was the Dutch, let +us remember, who had as recently as 1719 been +the first to send whalers into the Davis Straits, +and only two years later there were 355 foreign +ships at work on these plentiful grounds. Why +should the English be so despondent and unenterprising +when the Dutch and other seamen were +enriching themselves?</p> + +<p>Elking made out a strong case, claiming that +English-built ships if more costly were stronger and +lasted longer. In Holland living and labour were +cheaper than with us, and so vessels could be built +more inexpensively. But, on the other hand, the +Dutch whalers had to import many of their skippers, +harpooners, steersmen for the boats, and even seamen +from such localities as Jutland, Holstein, Scotland, +Norway, Bremen and Friesland. These were +taken on for the season and then returned to their +homes. Numbers of Englishmen had also served in +these Dutch whalers, and were quite as expert as +their employers. This lull which had been going on +in English whaling enterprise since the last quarter +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_50">[Pg 50]</span>of the seventeenth century was most unfortunate for +England.</p> + +<p>What was the kind of craft to employ? Elking +considered that the most suitable whalers were flyboats, +cats or hagboats; “and should be very strong +built, and doubled at the Bow, to resist the Shocks +of the Ice.” The size varied from 200 to 500 tons, +the former carrying four boats and twenty men and +boys, while the latter had seven boats with a crew +of fifty men and boys. The complement of a 300-ton +whaler at that time with six “shallops” as they used to +call the boats, consisted of one chief harpooner who +was the whaling expert in command of the whole +expedition; one master of the ship, five other harpooners, +six boat-steersmen, six “managers of the +Lines,” one surgeon, one boatswain, one carpenter, +two coopers, sixteen “common sailors” and two or +three boys: total, forty-two or forty-three to the ship.</p> + +<p>These ships were worked in three watches, except +that when a whale was sighted all hands were called. +When the ship reached the ice-barrier she was +anchored to the ice by a great “nose-hook.” The +word “cachalot” was introduced by the French +fishermen, the English whalers employing the word +“pot-fish” or spermaceti fish. But though there was +some sort of whaling industry off the east coast of +Scotland in the early seventeenth century, and a +hundred years later it extended north from the +Orkneys, yet it had become unprosperous and languished +as in England. But the revival of British +whaling dates from 1725, when the South Sea Company, +convinced by Elking’s arguments, sent their +dozen ships which they had caused to be built +specially on the Thames for this northern trade. They +were each of about 300 tons, and at Deptford a wet +dock was reserved for them, where also the boiling +houses were erected for extracting the oil.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_51">[Pg 51]</span></p> + +<p>The unhappy result of this South Sea Company’s +northern whaling adventure we have already observed. +But the fact remains that the Dutch and +foreign monopoly was from now seriously contested. +There were periods of depression and despondency +again, but the bounty offered by the Government +saved the industry from dying a natural death. Thus +if we take the year 1788 we find that, in spite of +everything, British whaling had been so resuscitated +that 255 vessels of under 300 tons were now sailing +north from London, Hull, Liverpool, Whitby, Newcastle, +Yarmouth, Sunderland, Lynn, Leith, Ipswich, +Dunbar, Aberdeen, Bo’ness, Glasgow, Montrose, +Dundee, Whitehaven, Stockton, Greenock, Scarborough, +Grangemouth, Queensferry, and even +from Exeter.</p> + +<p>A great recovery had been made and this list of +ports shows how universal was the interest now +taken. The founding of the Dundee Whale Fishing +Company at this time was to give that town a special +importance which was to last for several generations. +For it was the introduction of steam into the Dundee +whalers during the year 1858 which was to alter the +whole future of whaling. At the close of the eighteenth +century the manufacture of jute had been +introduced to British industrialists, though it was +a long time before it became popular. About the year +1850, after being introduced to Dundee for less than +twenty years, jute manufacturing in that town became +extensive, and it was the large consumption of whale +oil required in the jute fabrication which gave to +Dundee the leading position in that trade. Thus it +was that the building of whaling ships so long +survived at this Scotch port.</p> + + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> +<div class="chapter"> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_52">[Pg 52]</span></p> + + + <h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_V"> + CHAPTER V + <br> + IN THE DAVIS STRAITS + </h2> +</div> + + +<p>The Government bounty to encourage British +whaling ceased in 1824; the wealth which was +coming in exceeded that of the Dutch even in the +latter’s most prosperous year, and there seemed every +likelihood of the pursuit becoming most satisfactory. +The produce in 1814 obtained from Greenland and +Davis Straits had amounted to over £700,000, but +this was an exceptionally good year. In 1829 the +figure had dropped to about half that, but the price of +oil had also fallen. In addition, about £50,000 must +be added for the revenue from that newer South +Seas fishing.</p> + +<p>It was in that year there occurred an incident in +the Davis Straits which well illustrates the keenness +and even the jealousies among the whalemen. The +date was August 23, 1829, and five or six boats of +the Peterhead whaling ship <i>Traveller</i> were at work +in the straits when one of the boats harpooned a +whale. Away darted the monster, so that the +<i>Traveller’s</i> boat was quickly coming to the end of +her line. The “foregoer” or “foreganger” had been +hove over by the harpooner, a turn had been taken +round the “billet head” or bollard, and the usual +signal indicating to the rest of the fleet that a whale +had been struck was made, and the jack hoisted. +That line was revolving round the bollard at such +a rate that smoke was issuing with the friction.</p> + +<p>Of the boats in the vicinity, that of the whaler +<i>Princess of Wales</i> from Aberdeen came alongside the +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_53">[Pg 53]</span><i>Traveller’s</i> boat in friendly fashion, as was the custom +among whalers, and bent her line to the line of the +<i>Traveller’s</i> boat. Eventually the whale diminished his +fury and was approached, but now a boat from the +barque <i>Thomas</i>, owned by the Dundee Union Whale +Fishing Company, came up and also harpooned the +animal, which at once made off with such rapidity +that one of the men in the <i>Traveller’s</i> boat was thrown +under the thwart. The going was terrific, for this +boat encountered in its course an ice floe and several +of the men had to leap out and guide the craft past +lest it should be smashed to pieces: in fact, the pace +was so fast that some of the hands were left behind +on the ice. A third turn had to be taken round the +bollard, but still the whale rushed on.</p> + +<p>It was about this time that a second harpoon from +the <i>Traveller’s</i> boat got home, making three in all, +and finally the whale was killed. But then came a +squabble, for the men in the <i>Traveller’s</i> boat naturally +claimed the catch as theirs, but the <i>Thomas’s</i> boat +violently opposed this and demanded the prize for +themselves. In fact they were so determined and +threatening that the <i>Traveller’s</i> men had to withdraw +and watch the other people tow it away. But the +matter did not end there, and the case came on for +trial in Edinburgh during the following March, +when Joseph Hutchinson and other Peterhead +merchants, owners of the <i>Traveller</i>, brought an +action against the Dundee Union Whale Fishing +Company. There was never much doubt as to the +result, and the <i>Traveller’s</i> owners were awarded the +sum of £600, which was the agreed value of the +whale.</p> + +<p>The year 1830 stands out as one of the most +disastrous years which ever happened to British +whaling. After the Greenland Sea had been mostly +fished clean, the grounds used by the whalers had +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_54">[Pg 54]</span>been shifted chiefly to the entrance of Davis Straits. +This was known as the South-West fishery. But in +course of time this, too, had become fished out and +the whales had departed for more distant corners of +the Arctic. The information brought home by Ross +and Parry that whales had been seen in large numbers +further up Baffin’s Bay, and on the north-west side, +naturally soon attracted the ships to those remote +latitudes. At the same time a much greater degree +of risk was undertaken by reason of the ice, for at +the beginning of the season the ice comes floating +down from the north.</p> + +<p>The whalemen’s custom was to take their ships +up the eastern side of Baffin’s Bay past the rocky +promontory marked as the Devil’s Thumb, and +across that mighty Melville Bay where the snow and +ice perpetually cover the lofty shore. It was into this +bay that the south-west wind blew the loosened +fragments of the barrier ice, which, unable to find +an outlet from this lee shore, created a tremendous +danger to shipping. In this year 1830, then, the +whalers had left their British ports by the end of +March, but owing to head winds did not reach the +entrance to Davis Straits till the end of April. The +sea this year was beautifully open as they made their +way up the eastern side of Baffin’s Bay, sighting very +few whales.</p> + +<p>Above Disko Island the ice delayed them a week, +but at last the fleet of fifty sail reached the opening +of Melville Bay on June 10th, about a month earlier +than usual. From now on there follows a series of +incidents so thrilling and amazing that imagination +could hardly invent happenings more astounding: +the record is more like a chapter out of a boy’s +adventure story. For the south-west wind had +crowded Melville Bay with ice floes so that whichever +way those whalers looked it was an alarming sight. +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_55">[Pg 55]</span>What was to be done? The hope was to find an +opening to the westward and thus gain the intended +fishing ground; and, as a fact, an opening was discovered. +Whaler captains, like all fishermen, were +in keen competition the one against the other, and +every ship knew that the first to get through this +ice to the open water stood the best chance of +reaching the whales first. Thus it was that the <i>St. +Andrew</i> of Aberdeen wriggled her way through, +and she was followed by twenty-two more. The +rest of the fleet were coming along, too, but now +the ice closed and made an impenetrable bulkhead +between the first twenty-three and the rear, +which tried independently but ineffectually to get +through.</p> + +<p>With the <i>St. Andrew</i> were the <i>Baffin</i> and <i>Rattler</i> +of Leith, the <i>Eliza Swan</i> of Montrose, the <i>Achilles</i> +of Dundee, and the French whaler <i>Ville de Dieppe</i>. +On June 19th there sprang up a fresh S.S.W. gale +which piled the masses of ice against them. The sight +of these six vessels with their heavy-built hulls and +great yards against the white ice hemming them in, +unable to proceed further, was impressive as a +picture but indicative of future destruction. However, +the little squadron had taken what shelter they +could under the lee of a large floe and in water that +barely floated them. They had also hauled themselves +so close in single line ahead, bow to stern, +that it was possible to walk along the six decks +continuously.</p> + +<p>And then on the night of June 24th the sky became +black, the gale worked up to its full anger, and the +ice began pressing against the ships terribly. In order +to relieve this pressure, hands were set sawing the +ice so as to form a wet dock, but soon came a great +floe which nothing could withstand. Lifting up the +<i>Eliza Swan</i>, the floe hurled her against the <i>St. +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_56">[Pg 56]</span>Andrew’s</i> bow with such force as almost to wrench +the former’s mizzen mast out in the ship: and then +the floe passed from under, damaging both stem and +keel. It next struck the <i>St. Andrew</i> amidships, snapping +about twenty of her timbers, and then passing +along the line dashed against the <i>Baffin</i>, <i>Achilles</i>, <i>Ville +de Dieppe</i> and <i>Rattler</i> with such energy that within +fifteen minutes these four strongly built, specially +fortified whalers designed for Arctic work were for +the most part converted into mere fragments of +wood.</p> + +<p>With the grinding of the merciless ice and the +crunching of stout timbers; the shouts of the deep-throated +men; the snapping of thick masts; the +crashing of yards; the howling of that bitter gale +over the icy white expanse, there was enough going +on to unnerve most people. Suddenly made homeless, +many of these seafarers were but lightly clad +and just able to leap on to the frozen surface. The +<i>Ville de Dieppe</i>, partly filled with water, was the least +unfortunate, for she touched bottom, remained upright +during the next fortnight, and from her were +salved stores and provisions. Some were also taken +from the <i>Baffin</i>, and boats were hauled on the ice +to form some sort of shelter.</p> + +<p>We mentioned just now the <i>Princess of Wales</i>, +belonging to Aberdeen. This whaler, together with +the <i>Resolution</i> of Peterhead, the <i>Laurel</i> of Hull, and +the <i>Letitia</i>, also of Aberdeen, had been able to get +further to the north-west, and cut out for themselves +a wet dock in the ice. They were lying side by side +and imagined themselves quite safe, but this gale +drove the floes against them, piercing the hulls of +<i>Resolution</i> and <i>Letitia</i>, filling them with the sea. The +<i>Laurel</i> was lying between them and was so compressed +as almost to be raised out of the water: but +for a while she remained, and quickly provisions +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_57">[Pg 57]</span>and stores were placed aboard her from the two +wrecked whalers. On the 2nd of July, however, the +gale seemed to be worse than ever, and within ten +minutes the <i>Laurel</i> and also the <i>Hope</i> of Peterhead +were destroyed. But we have not yet completed the +list.</p> + +<p>Other whalers of the twenty-three had penetrated +in their eagerness further north, even as far as lat. 76°. +Among these were two ships, the <i>Spencer</i> and <i>Lee</i>, +of which the latter escaped with only shattered +timbers, whilst the former had filled and become +a complete wreck. The Whitby <i>William and Ann</i> was +crushed to pieces quickly, the <i>Dordon</i> of Hull was +raised up by the ice into safety, and the <i>Old Middleton</i> +of Aberdeen was wrecked. So also of those which +had remained south of the ice barrier, many encountered +disaster, but thus far not one officer or man +out of the whole fleet had been lost. Some had +narrow escapes in reaching the ice, some even found +themselves in the water before they could get time +to snatch a few clothes. And then on that glacial +surface a thousand seafarers set to work making +themselves as comfortable as they could with bits +of sail as tents. Anyone who has ever been associated +with shipwrecked sailors knows how adaptable they +are to sudden changes of circumstances: how +they will even joke and magnify any element of +happiness that remains. Nor were these whaler-men +any different. They had been accustomed to cold and +the rigours of northern fishing, some of them for +twenty or thirty years. Tough, hard-case, plucky, +ignorant of most things except their seamanship and +their whaling; rough, chafing against discipline, +easily tempted by a drop of alcohol, they were a +strange crowd to be responsible for, on that ice, +beyond the immediate control of their officers.</p> + +<p>Some of these sailors rejoiced that for once they +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_58">[Pg 58]</span>were independent beings, free from having to obey. +Others treated the affair as a holiday: but certain +of them got hold of the salved wine and spirits and +became drunk. What with this newly sprung canvas +village, the roisterous alcoholic shouts of the British, +the singing and dancing of the French, no wonder +that the wags named it Baffin’s Fair. There were +really two villages, in fact, that of the wrecked ships +which had got north of the barrier, and that of the +vessels which had foundered to the south. Between +the two there was such regularity in communication +that the southerners used to call it the “north mail.” +Possibly there was more to drink in that southern +section.</p> + +<p>But presently the deaths began to happen: some +through exposure and cold and fatigue, but some +through too much alcohol, tumbling into the holes +of the ice intoxicated. On the whole, however, the +discipline was not bad. The third week of July passed, +the <i>St. Andrew</i> with the <i>Eliza Swan</i> and other ships +at the northern end tried to get away to the westward, +and their crews towed the ships through gaps. But +some of these vessels were so unlucky as to be driven +still further north even above lat. 76° 2′ and the men +employed their time catching a few whales and +dragging them through the holes. It was not till +September 10th that they succeeded in making open +water: though others had got clear a week or two +sooner. The most depressing sight was when a +certain Greenock ship was thoroughly ice-surrounded +and she watched other vessels one by one move away +out of their icy fastness. The captain died and the +mate began to despair of ever getting the ship clear +till the following year. The latter thereupon took one +of the boats with a dozen men and left the ship to +look for some of the Danish settlements.</p> + +<p>But, after the mate had gone, the ice began to +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_59">[Pg 59]</span>move, and after a few hours’ sawing, the ship found +herself in fairly clear water. The position now was +this. There were on board not merely the ship’s own +crew, but those of the wrecked <i>Princess of Wales</i> and +of the <i>Letitia</i>. But the last of the officers had gone +away in the boat, taking with him the charts and +log-glasses; yet still the crew decided to carry on. +For about a week this vessel, whose name was <i>John</i>, +was navigated cautiously, anchoring every night. +But then the crew became emboldened, and one +night the watch on deck sighted a line of breakers, +but he came to the conclusion that it had been +caused only by a stream of ice: so no alteration in +course was made. The next thing was that the <i>John</i> +was ashore, and although built of teak she was a +total wreck by the morning. Fortunately there were +sighted the <i>Eliza Swan</i> and the <i>Duncombe</i> of Hull, +who picked up the crew and brought them safely +home.</p> + +<p>The net result of this season’s disaster to the +whaling fleet in the Davis Straits was the loss of +twenty fine ships belonging to Hull, Aberdeen, +Leith, Dundee, Peterhead, Whitby, Montrose, +Greenock and Dieppe. The news reached Peterhead +and Hull in October by returning ships lucky enough +to have survived. Throughout these fishing towns +the effect was pathetic. Financially the loss of these +nineteen British whalers, and the cost of repairing +twelve which were damaged, the details as to wages, +stores and so on, amounted to over £142,600, quite +apart from the failure to bring home that produce +which they were sent to fetch. Thus the total loss +this season was close on £300,000. And having +regard to the value of money a hundred years ago, +these figures are extremely significant. Whaling had +begun to be a prosperous concern, the bounties had +been discontinued, the Baffin’s Bay area had seemed +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_60">[Pg 60]</span>to hold out excellent prospects. But such a universal +disaster as this to nine of the principal ports was +such that many were disinclined to risk their savings +in such ventures again. The industry fell on bad +times, the shock had been too heavy, and by the +year 1849 there were only fourteen British whalers +at work. But it was the United States of America +which especially kept the occupation going, for in +this last-mentioned year that country possessed 596 +whaling ships of 190,000 tons manned by 18,000 +sailors. Having regard to the English pioneer work +in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, and the +vast sums of money which had been expended, the +enormous bounties, and the years of persistent effort, +the condition to which British whaling had descended +was thoroughly disheartening. Gradually the northern +grounds became deserted, and attention was turned +more and more to those southern seas about which +Burke in the previous century had spoken with such +eloquence. The last voyage to Arctic seas had by no +means been made, but various efforts were taken to +find the whale in areas of the world less forbidding +than those which had brought such disaster and +financial loss.</p> + +<p>But even outside the Arctic regions British whaling +was to be spasmodic rather than regular both as to +area and continuity. It was Captain Cook who in +1775 first reported whales in the southern seas, and +then the American and British whalers began their +profitable voyages thither. But in the year 1833 there +sailed from London the 300-ton whaler <i>Tuscan</i> for +a three-year whaling voyage round the world, and +in her was allowed to travel as passenger a surgeon +named F. D. Bennett, who was a Fellow both of +the Royal College of Surgeons and of the Royal +Geographical Society. This scientist went in order +to study the anatomy and habits of the southern +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_61">[Pg 61]</span>whales and the mode of conducting the sperm-whale +fishery—a subject which up till then had not been +touched in our literature. He has described the South +Sea whaling ship and the life on board so well that +we may first look at the vessel through his eyes.</p> + + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> +<div class="chapter"> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_62">[Pg 62]</span></p> + + + <h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_VI"> + CHAPTER VI + <br> + THE OLD WHALE-SHIPS + </h2> +</div> + + +<p>“In external appearance,” says Bennett, “the South-Seaman +is principally distinguished from the +ordinary merchant-ship by the number and form of +her boats; by the presence of some short spars, +affixed to one of her sides, to protect the hull when +the blubber is being removed from the whale to the +deck; and, when cruising, by her lofty spars being +down, her sail shortened, and her mastheads manned. +Interiorly, one side of the deck, at the waist of the +ship, has a platform, or covering of planks, to receive +the more bulky parts of the whale, taken on board: +an extent of 10 ft. of the corresponding bulwark +being adapted for temporary removal, to facilitate +that object. To the head of the mainmast are attached +pulleys (‘cutting-blocks and falls’) which communicate +with the windlass, and which are employed to +raise the blubber, during the flinching of a whale. +But the most conspicuous and peculiar object on +the deck is the edifice called the ‘try-works,’ and +used for boiling the oil. This is a square building, +10 ft. in length by 5 ft. in height, extending across +the deck, a short distance behind the foremast, +and constructed of firmly cemented bricks, and +strengthened with iron. Its summit is flat, and +excavated for chimneys, as well as for the reception +of two iron cauldrons, or ‘try-pots,’ beneath each +of which there are corresponding furnaces. The +entire fabric is based upon a cistern of water; and +an additional sheathing yet further protects the deck +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_63">[Pg 63]</span>from the effects of intense heat. Each boiler, or ‘try-pot,’ +is large enough to contain 136 gallons of oil, +and communicates, by a spout, with a large copper +cooler, placed on the corresponding side of the +works. This building, which is erected on the deck +previous to the ship leaving her port, is retained +only until the cargo is complete, or whaling relinquished, +when the whole is broken up.”</p> + +<p>Of course she went to sea with plenty of casks, +some of which for convenience in stowage were in +packs ready to be put together as required. Others +were filled with fresh water and served as ballast. +Four iron tanks, usually fixed between decks, could +also carry oil. In a South-Seaman the total number +of officers and men was about thirty and consisted +of master, surgeon, mates, boat-steerers or +harpooners, boatswain, carpenter, cooper (for constructing +the barrels), armourer and steward. The +boat-steerers were petty officers, holding rank between +the mates and the able seamen: their duties +being to steer the respective boats, look after the +equipment and harpoon the whale. In most cases +captain and crew depended for their pay on the +profits of the voyage, or received as wages a share +of the cargo’s value when the latter reached London. +A South-Seaman’s crew sailing out of that port +received among themselves a third or a fourth of +the cargo’s realization; the residue being divided +up among the owners and for the cost of the voyage. +The captain received from an eleventh to a fifteenth +share, whilst an able seaman usually got a one-hundred-and-sixtieth.</p> + +<p>Fully provisioned for three years with everything +of the best, there were very keen competition and +much secrecy. But if two whalers happened to sight +each other on a cruising ground each scrutinized +the other to ascertain whether he had recently captured +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_64">[Pg 64]</span>whales. The practised eye could tell by glancing +up at the cutting-falls; and if there remained any bits +of a whale’s skin in the strands, it was known well +enough that whales were not far away. Considerable +latitude and discretion were allowed by owners to +the masters as to where they should go. Obviously, +as every captain was financially interested, it was to +his benefit that he should voyage where the chances +were best. Thus, some ships would go round the +Horn to the South American coast, thence westward +along the neighbourhood of the Equator towards +Japan, thence back across the Pacific to work the +Mexican and Californian seas. Others would prefer +sailing round the Cape of Good Hope to Indian +waters, whilst some small American whalers confined +themselves to the North Atlantic, especially +off the African coast, the Western Isles, and Equator, +with great success.</p> + +<p>It is customary to see in an old whaler’s log-book +or journal the entry of the day’s work preceded by +the figure of a whale’s head if a sperm whale were +sighted that day. If, however, whales had been +captured, you find as many flukes sketched erect as +there had been mammals caught. In the case of a +whale found dead, and taken, the fluke in the book +was shown reversed. This was the British custom. +In American journals the capture of a whale was +shown by a sketch of the mammal in the left-hand +column. If there were also a sketch of a ship in that +margin, it denoted that a vessel had been sighted +that day. Thus, there was a kind of primitive visual +method of logging events.</p> + +<p>As to the gear of the British whaling ships, their +boats were necessarily of very great importance. +Double-ended, steered not by a rudder but by an +oar on the port side secured by a grommet, the +steering oar was very long and needed a thoroughly +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_65">[Pg 65]</span>experienced man. These boats were from 27 to 30 ft. +long and 4 or 5 ft. broad, of not more than 1/2 in. +planking. The double-ended design was not merely +for weatherly qualities but so that the boat could +be rowed as easily stern first as bow first. Speed, +handiness and buoyancy were the main features +aimed at. The reason for these qualities will best be +appreciated from actual incidents.</p> + +<p>Thus, while cruising, the whale-ship <i>Tuscan</i> one +day sighted on her voyage out in the Atlantic a school +of small whales. Boats were lowered away as quickly +as possible in pursuit, and three whales were soon +harpooned. One of these mammals escaped by the +harpoon drawing, a second sank immediately after +death, the third, however, was captured, brought +back to the ship and taken on deck. It measured +only 16 ft. and produced about thirty gallons of oil. +That was a comparatively easy catch. But on another +occasion the same ship sighted quite a number of +cachalots moving so rapidly to windward that the +oared boats were unable to get near them. On a +third occasion a couple of whales were harpooned +in the midst of a school, but one of the boats whose +harpoon had penetrated the mammal was, whilst +securing the victim, so severely lashed by the flukes +of another whale that the officer and harpooner were +both thrown into the sea. Fortunately the rest of +the crew had the presence of mind to cut the rope, +and the harpooned whale was allowed to escape in +order to rescue the two shipmates. But the boat was +too badly damaged to be of further service. The +second whale, after being harpooned, “sounded” to +the depth of a tub and a half of line, then rose fiercely +to the surface of the sea and went off, towing the +boat in a wild, mad fury to windward. Before long +two other boats had succeeded in getting their +harpoons into the beast, but the whale still continued +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_66">[Pg 66]</span>its pace alive, and could not be killed by nightfall: +so, in spite of all their efforts, the boats +had to cut their lines and return to the ship +unrewarded.</p> + +<p>Often it was merely the handiness and good oarsmanship +which saved the men from disaster. On one +occasion four of the boats were launched after +sighting a school of sperm whales, and three boats +made their captures satisfactorily. But the fourth +cachalot was of the dangerous fighting type and as +mad as a Spanish bull. This young male had been +pierced by a couple of harpoons, but was in no +mood to start flight as desired. Instead, he attacked +his attackers and rushed his head towards the boat. +By clever steering and hard rowing this onslaught +was evaded, but the whale next tried to crush the +boat with his jaws, turning on his back. The reception +of a lance wound negatived this effort by causing +him to close his mouth. But the monster was still +determined and struck the boat with such a blow +that it was nearly overturned, and then he drove +his jaw clean through the boat’s planking. Of course +the water came rushing in, and only by lashing the +oars across the gunwale could the half-immersed +crew remain. The harpoon line was quickly cut and +the monster was allowed to escape. Scarcely visible +in the waves, the men were eventually picked up +by the other boats and taken aboard the ship, which +came bearing down to them.</p> + +<p>Yes: whaling, especially when there was any sea +running, was always more or less risky, and there +was no telling what might happen, any more than the +toreador knows what his animal is about to perform. +There was the instance when three boats had each +harpooned a whale, while the fourth had got his +weapon into an adult bull whale. The latter now +went tearing along towing the fourth boat, but the +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_67">[Pg 67]</span>line crossed that of another whale already made fast, +and so drew the second boat towards the bull, which +struck it a blow with his flukes. This capsized the +boat, keel uppermost, so that the crew were swimming +about or supporting themselves with the oars. +Thereupon the men in the boat which had been +engaging the bull had to cut the harpoon line and +rescue their friends.</p> + +<p>Fortunately the capsized boat was undamaged and +soon righted and emptied. There followed another +exciting chase after the bull, which was so strenuous +and fast that the boats soon got out of sight from +the ship. Finally, by the greatest exertion the oarsmen +overtook the bull, managed to secure the line which +was trailing astern from the whale, made fast to this, +got right up to the bull and finally captured him. +It had been a long and thrilling day which did not +end till ten that night, when all the cachalots were +brought back to the ship and afforded 116 barrels of +oil. Sometimes these incidents resulted in fatal termination +to men’s lives: but in any case it was only +the fine boatmanship and cool heads which enabled +them to win through.</p> + +<p>Besides the steering, there were five other oars, +fifteen feet in length and named respectively harpooner, +bow, midship, tub and after oar. The row-locks +were muffled with mats, and in order to secure +the oars across the gunwales when the boat was +shattered and sinking, lifelines were attached to the +sides, the steering oar being lashed in the centre. In +the bow was a small platform, sunk below the level +of the gunwale, named the “box,” with a thigh-board +to receive the lower extremities of the harpooner +as he stood to hurl his harpoon or his lance. +At either end of the boat mats were spread to afford +a firmer footing to steersman and harpooner, the +former also having a small platform. Axes and knives +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_68">[Pg 68]</span>were placed ready for use to cut the line whenever +necessary.</p> + +<p>In the bows were placed a couple of harpoons +and a couple of lances, with reserves in other parts +of the boat. The line had to be coiled carefully in +tubs which were placed on the floor between the +seats. This line led through a deep groove lined with +lead, at the stem. Aft it led to a stout pillar or bollard +called a “loggerhead,” which was used to take the +strain when the line had been secured to the whale. +Woe betide any man if that line got foul whilst it +was running out at such furious pace! In each boat +were provided a mast and sail, kegs of fresh water, +drogues of wood sometimes fastened to the harpoon +line so as to hinder the whale’s progress; and whifts +of small coloured flags in order to buoy the dead +whale so that it could easily be sighted.</p> + +<p>There is an old chantey⁠<a id="FNanchor_1_1" href="#Footnote_1_1" class="fnanchor">[1]</a> which used to be sung +by the British whalers who were engaged in the +Greenland industry, which relates the operations of +the whaler and the work of the boats in several +verses. Two of them run as follows:</p> + +<div class="poetry-container"> + <div class="poetry"> + <div class="stanza"> + <div class="verse indent0">We struck that whale, the line paid out,</div> + <div class="verse indent0">But she gave a flourish with her tail;</div> + <div class="verse indent0">The boat capsized and four men were drowned,</div> + <div class="verse indent0">And we never caught that whale, brave boys,</div> + <div class="verse indent0">And we never caught that whale.</div> + </div> + <div class="stanza"> + <div class="verse indent0">“To lose the boat,” our captain said,</div> + <div class="verse indent0">“It grieves my heart full sore;</div> + <div class="verse indent0">But oh! to lose four gallant men,</div> + <div class="verse indent0">It grieves me ten times more, brave boys,</div> + <div class="verse indent0">It grieves me ten times more.”</div> + </div> + </div> +</div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a id="Footnote_1_1" href="#FNanchor_1_1" class="label">[1]</a> Reproduced in <i>Roll and Go</i>, by J. C. Colcord. Boston, 1924.</p></div> + +<p>Mr. Arthur C. Watson, who recently published +in the American monthly <i>Yachting</i> some interesting +extracts from the journal of Captain Ephraim Harding +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_69">[Pg 69]</span>of the whaling ship <i>Arab</i>, gives the following entry +under the date of Thursday, June 15, 1843. It should +be mentioned that the island of Johannah was at the +northern end of the Mozambique Channel.</p> + +<p>“At 4 p.m. sent the boat in. Saw the <i>Sally Ann</i> of +New Bedford and the <i>Bengal</i> lying there. Captain +Borden, of the <i>Sally Ann</i>, after leaving here some +days previous on a cruise for whales, fell in with +them to windward of this island. He lowered his +boats in pursuit, and after chasing them for several +hours, came up with them. In the act of striking the +whale, he received a blow on his legs from the whale’s +flukes, which broke them both. His right leg was +broken in two places below the knee, and the upper +bone of his left leg was broken. He immediately +left the whales and came on board the ship, crowded +on all sail for this place, where he arrived in fifteen +hours after the accident. He immediately had assistance +from an English doctor who was on board a +vessel here. He is now getting along well.”</p> + +<p>The British South-Seamen whaling ships usually +carried four boats suspended over the sides of the +vessel, their keels resting upon iron cranes. These +boats were stationed on the quarter, or waist, or +bow of the ship, and were commanded by the master +and the three mates. When the boats were launched, +the captain of the boat took his place aft with the +steering oar, whilst the harpooner rowed the foremost +oar: but when the assault on the whale commenced, +these two officers usually exchanged stations. +The whaling boats were capable of carrying twelve +people, so that they could always go to the rescue +of a second boat and then continue after the whale. +Few sports or occupations connected with the sea +could afford more thrilling, wholesome excitement +than was found in these nice-lined craft. Manned +with a sturdy, tough, hard-case crew full of the +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_70">[Pg 70]</span>experience of many a chase, it was a real man’s life +for those who were happy roving and roaming all +over the oceans. No one but a real sailorman could +have endured it otherwise. Bennett, the ship’s surgeon, +wrote of the oared whale-boat with enthusiasm +and referred to her as “swift and handsome,” +“buoyant and graceful in her movements, she leaps +from billow to billow, and appears rather to dance +over the sea than to plough its bosom with her +keel.”</p> + +<p>But besides the fine seamen and the good boat, +the harpoon line had to be of the best possible +cordage that could be manufactured. Tarred hemp +was selected, two-inch, three-stranded and extremely +strong, the complement for each boat being 220 +fathoms, so that when the whale got away with the +harpoon in him there might be as much as a quarter +of a mile of line rushing through the sea and then +the boat at the end of that. Coiled with great care +in two tubs in one long continuous line, each end +was kept exposed so that one end was ready to be +attached to the harpoon, while the other with a +spliced loop could be connected with the line of +a second boat, should the entire length need to be +increased. And every additional fathom of course +meant further drag through the water for the whale +to pull.</p> + +<p>The harpoon was three feet long, arrow-shaped, +made of the finest wrought iron and fixed to a heavy +pole, five feet long. A dexterous throw would plant +this weapon up to its socket into the mammal and +would hold so tenaciously that when the whale was +finally dead and the harpoon withdrawn it would +sometimes be found to have been twisted throughout. +The lance was kept keenly sharpened for +destroying the harpooned whale, and was secured +to the boat by a seven-fathom line and stick. The +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_71">[Pg 71]</span>skill lay in quickly darting and withdrawing it from +the whale, sometimes killing the creature by a single +wound at a vital spot. The instrument used for +separating the blubber from the whale and cutting +it into suitable portions was called a spade, being +made of a triangular steel plate and very sharp.</p> + +<p>So much, then, for the ships, their boats and +equipment. Let us now get a close insight into the +technique which had to be employed before the +whale could be captured.</p> + + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> +<div class="chapter"> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_72">[Pg 72]</span></p> + + + <h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_VII"> + CHAPTER VII + <br> + “THERE SHE BLOWS!” + </h2> +</div> + + +<p>With a careful look-out being maintained +from the masthead, the ship was at all times +ready to lower boats and begin. But there were signs +which indicated that the whales could not be far +away. Such items as floating pieces of cuttle-fish, or +oily tracks left by the recent passage of cetaceans, +caused the look-out man to be doubly watchful. But +such obvious phenomena as a whale spouting summoned +every man to eager activity. “There she +blows!” would go up the cry, “there again!”</p> + +<p>And then within a couple of minutes would be +the boats properly manned and pulling to windward. +If the whales were to leeward, then the boat would +also hoist sail to run down. The whale-ship herself +remained directing operations from her masthead +by an arranged code of signals. And now watch the +harpooner. Standing in the bow of the boat, he +waited until he was in a favourable position to strike. +The first harpoon was followed by the second immediately +afterwards. At first the whale in his painful +shock would take violent plunges, throwing his +dangerous flukes high in the air, lashing the sea till +it obscured the men and threatened to overwhelm +them.</p> + +<p>After that the animal would begin tearing along +the surface of the water at a great pace, towing the +boat after him, oars “apeak”—that is to say, resting +at an acute angle with the gunwale, ready for use. +The line secured to the loggerhead, the boat, down +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_73">[Pg 73]</span>by the stern as the bow rose over the sea, went +crashing, leaping, thudding over the waves and +throwing the spray to port and starboard. There +was never anything like that till the coming of the +fast motor-boat days. A stern wave, high above the +gunwale’s level, threatened every moment to rush +down into the little craft. Harpooner and steersman +now changed places, and the lance was ready to give +the knock-out blow as soon as the boat could be +hauled up close enough to the whale.</p> + +<p>But then the whale would get the notion to +“sound,” or dive straight down deeply, only to +reappear: whereupon the boat approached and the +lance attack went on until the creature was surrounded +by a crimson sea. And then through sheer +feebleness he seemed to be dying, until, in a final +flurry, he started off again towing the boat at an +exciting speed, lashing the waves with his tail, +steering all over the sea. But then death would come, +and the great, inert mass would lie like a billowed +rock at the mercy of his captors. Sometimes these +boats would rush into action with sail still set and +not lower away until the harpoon had got deep into +the whale. But there was a whaleman’s expression +“to be gallied,” meaning to be alarmed; sometimes +the school of whales became so “gallied” that they +would all make off, or dive for a time, not showing +themselves till a long way ahead and in a totally +different direction—after the manner of tactics which +enemy submarines sometimes employed during the +war.</p> + +<p>A female cachalot or a young male usually took +out not more than a tub and a half of line, though +an adult was known to sound so deeply that he +needed three continuous lines. Sometimes, though +not frequently, the whale was killed immediately +by the harpoon, or by a single lance-blow. There +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_74">[Pg 74]</span>was a certain amount of luck in finding the sperm +whale, as in any other pursuit. The American whaling +ship <i>Arab</i>, which left Fairhaven in the fall of 1842, +had been at sea about a year, sailed 20,000 miles, +crossing the North and South Atlantic and the Indian +Ocean, and during the whole of that voyaging had +never once seen so much as the spout of a sperm +whale, only to find the latter in plenty off the coast +of Arabia, in one day killing as many as nine, and +on another seven. “There she breaches!” would go +the glad cry, “there she blows!” But then for several +ensuing months sperm whales would not be seen +again, and the ship would be compelled to sail to +another part of the globe, only to find that a large +number of other whaling vessels were already +cruising in that area.</p> + +<p>During those voyages dogged by weeks and +months of ill-luck, everyone on board from the +skipper downwards was feeling in a state of perpetual +irritation as one whaling ground after another was +tried unsuccessfully. The Azores, the Crozets, Tristan +da Cunha, Madagascar, Ceylon and other equally +distant localities would be visited with heart-breaking +failure. Sometimes whales would be sighted at dusk +but missed at daylight. Then there would be days +of bad weather, the ship labouring heavily, injuring +those useful boats badly. Captain Harding of the +<i>Arab</i> mentioned in his journal that on July 22nd +the gale had been blowing continuously for twenty-five +days.</p> + +<p>The result of this kind of seafaring was that the +men deserted often at the very first opportunity, and +for that reason stringent precautions were taken to +prevent them getting ashore. The ship would therefore +usually avoid inhabited islands, but on some +lonely atoll the men would be allowed shore leave +for their health’s sake. If the ship did visit now and +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_75">[Pg 75]</span>again some island where the natives cultivated and +prospered, as likely as not small-pox would be found +raging, and the whaler, still short of drinking water, +would be compelled to proceed elsewhere. On this +occasion the more daring seamen would remain till +a native canoe came out trading alongside, then +wait for the great opportunity, get out through the +open porthole, hide at the bottom of the boat and +so be ferried ashore. But those less lucky than +himself might have to serve three monotonous +years, and even then end the voyage with little +reward.</p> + +<p>The discipline of a merchant ship and that of a +whaler in the eighteen-forties were two quite different +things. In the former it was strict: in the latter +it was slack. But on getting clear of the port, watches +and boats’ crews were chosen for the voyage until +the new hands arrived at some Pacific harbour to +replace those who had run. In the boats the water +breakers were always kept filled, and there were +biscuits. Every day whilst cruising the whaler’s boats +were examined to see that everything was ready—harpoons +and lances as sharp as razors, the lines in +the tubs free from kinks and as supple as silk. The +look-out man would be aloft at the royal masthead. +“There she blows!” would be answered by the +captain below bellowing, “Where away?” “Two +points on the lee bow, sir,” would answer the man. +Up into the rigging armed with his spy-glass would +spring the skipper. “Keep her off a couple of points,” +he would order as every man began to forget the +weeks of monotony in that sudden excitement. +Presently officers and their boats’ crews would be +away as soon as the ship got up to the school of +sperm whales that were swimming unsuspiciously +along. The main topsail would have been backed +just before lowering the boats, and in order not to +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_76">[Pg 76]</span>scare the whales away, everything was done as +quietly as possible.</p> + +<p>But, just before getting up to the school, the +steersmen would find the cachalots had sounded, +so there was nothing for it but to wait twenty +minutes till the mammals breached again: but then +away went the boats whilst the pursued, with a +“Choo’o, choo’o, choo’o,” went spouting from their +blow-holes close ahead, and the harpooner was just +about to do his work. It was a tense moment, but +when pulling towards a whale no oarsman was +allowed to look round. Eyes in the boat! Otherwise +he was given a tap on the head from the officer in +charge that made the oarsman see a whole constellation +of stars. When the boat had got so near +to the whale that it was touching, the expression +used was that it was “wood and black skin.” And +if the harpooner should fail to avail himself of the +opportunity he would be “broken” as soon as he +got back to the ship; for sometimes men, like whales, +became gallied either from nervousness or excitement. +Moreover there was a difference in technique, +which had to be appreciated. The harpooner might +have only recently joined the ship, although anything +but a novice in his art. Perhaps he had been accustomed +only to hunting the right whale and not the +sperm. In the former case a long dart was used, and +the manner of approach was towards the fore +shoulder: then, after fastening the harpoon into the +whale, the boat was quickly backed out of the way +of the beast’s flukes or there was speedy disaster.</p> + +<p>The harpooner’s attack on a right whale was made +from a distance of from a couple to ten yards. But +the sperm whale would be “fastened” by running +the boat to the corner of the flukes alongside, and +then attacking at from four to six yards. It was +always a remarkable fact that as soon as one whale +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_77">[Pg 77]</span>had been struck all the rest of the school were aware +of it, and then the surrounding water became as if +an earthquake had disturbed it, and the whole gallied +school were rushing off to windward. Frantic with +anger was the boat’s officer as he exhorted, +threatened, encouraged the crew to row after the +whale that had been missed by the unskilful harpooner. +Perhaps for an hour that boat would be +pulled to windward till human strength could toil +no more, and then it would be turned round to go +down wind towards the hove-to ship, now almost +hull down.</p> + +<p>On one occasion a cachalot had as many as seven +English harpoons in him and attached three entire +boats’ lines, or about three-quarters of a mile of +cordage, together with one line-tub and numerous +drogues. But in spite of all this dragging him back, +the whale succeeded in getting right away solely by +superior speed. Two days intervened, and then this +same whale was sighted again by a totally different +whaler, who managed to kill him. Later on, those +two ships met in port, and the victor returned to +the original attacker those seven harpoons and lines +left in the whale. Usually if the harpooner were able +to fasten solid into one whale all the other boats +would be able to fasten each on to another whale: +for it was an observed fact that when one whale had +been made fast, the school would remain and give +the other craft also a chance. Blackfish were especially +lively creatures and wont to breach out of the water +right over a boat, but if no whales were about these +were captured, as they yielded several barrels of oil +which fetched a good price.</p> + +<p>Three years was by no means an excessive time +for a whaler to be away from her home port, and +Captain J. D. Whidden mentions in his <i>Old Sailing +Ship Days</i> that during the year 1848 he signed on +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_78">[Pg 78]</span>at Tahiti aboard the whaling ship <i>George</i>, which had +already been out forty-seven months, and had encountered +such ill-luck that she had taken only about +1,200 barrels of oil. It is hardly surprising that during +such a lengthy period most of her crew had at various +times deserted, so that only four of her original ship’s +company now remained in her. She took only one +more whale, became so short of provisions that she +had to speak another whaler after rounding the +Horn, and beg a few stores, and there was not a bit +of tobacco in the <i>George</i> for over a month. One such +voyage as this usually cured a man of further desire +to go whaling.</p> + +<p>After the cachalot was dead it usually floated, +but sometimes it could be kept from sinking only +with great difficulty. On certain occasions, also, after +the carcase had been secured to the ship’s side, it +became necessary to chop away the iron chain supporting +the body: for in the case of a big whale +which suddenly began to sink, this was the only way +to prevent serious damage to the vessel. But normally, +after the boats had got the cachalot alongside +and secured parallel to the ship, the work commenced +of removing the blubber and other valuable +parts. A staging was erected over the vessel’s side +where the officers operated after the bulwarks had +been removed. The rest of the crew, having overhauled +the cutting-falls attached to the masthead, +proceeded to man the windlass.</p> + +<p>The ship was now hove-to, and presently the sea +would become red with blood, and a school of sharks +for the next few hours would voraciously devour +the pieces of fat which got adrift, but never touching +the flesh of the whale itself. The work of removing +the blubber was called “cutting in,” and the first +operation was to use the spade on the lard between +the eye and the pectoral fin. A large hook was then +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_79">[Pg 79]</span>passed through and connected to the tackles, one +hand lowering himself down for the purpose on to +the dead whale, being careful not to let the sharks +get a chance at him. The windlass then began to +revolve, and assisted by spades, the blubber was +separated from the carcase, and then stowed in the +ship’s hold. The blubber after being cut into slips +was then placed in the boilers in order to extract +the spermaceti and the sperm-oil, the refuse being +utilized as the fuel for the furnace in boiling, giving +a clear, fierce flame. This boiling process was technically +known among whaling men as “trying out,” +and on a dark night following the day’s hunting, +the sea would witness the strange sight of a vessel +exuding clouds of smoke, and flames bursting out +illuminating ship and rigging, whilst the vessel still +went sailing along and weird, stained figures with +strange implements worked away near the fires. At +a date long before ever a steamer’s funnel was seen +on the southern ocean, a British man-of-war once +came across a British whaling ship thus engaged, +and became alarmed at this flaming picture. Coming +up so as to speak the whaler, the naval vessel hailed +and inquired what the crew were doing. The latter’s +master replied laconically, “Trying.” “Trying?” +repeated the man-of-war’s captain. “Trying? Trying +what? To set your ship on fire?”</p> + +<p>All the same there was danger during this boiling +if a sea or shower of rain caused the oil, already +highly heated, to reach the fires below. But if all +went well, the oil was eventually placed in the cooler +adjoining the try-works, transferred to casks and +stowed in the hold. Three days was the average time +for “cutting in,” “trying out” and getting into casks +the clear oil of the biggest species of whale.</p> + +<p>Every service has its own particular adherents and +experts, but there was a divided opinion amongst +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_80">[Pg 80]</span>sailormen concerning these ships. The clipper seaman +was accustomed to the steady routine of a well-run +vessel; and unless he were a deserter, or for +some reason was without a ship, he was not attracted +by the whaler with its long spells of comparative +idleness, its strenuous spells of disagreeable work, +and its long voyages of several years. On the other +hand, the master of the whaling ship was not anxious +to take the clipper sailor. Provided the whaler had +its experienced mates, its skilled harpooners too, it +was preferable to train a raw crew than sign on a lot +of disgruntled hard-case fellows who would cause +trouble during those long, monotonous days away +from land.</p> + +<p>But the sea always has called men to leave the +land, and to some there was an especial appeal to +adventure which only a voyage in these whalers held +out: for it combined the love of fighting with travel +right round the world long before steam navigation +came into the sphere of possibility. There were two +well-known mottoes which the inexperienced soon +learnt to know. “A dead whale or a stove boat” +warned him that though the whale was an ugly, +clumsy, stupid brute of some seventy tons displacement, +yet he was sometimes nearly four times longer +than the length of the whaling boat; so that the +vicious fifteen-foot-wide cachalot’s tail and the +twenty-foot jaw of the right whale were remembered +in the advice, “Beware of a sperm’s jaw and a +right whale’s flukes.”</p> + +<p>There is on record the incident of three boats +having been destroyed by one blow of the whale’s +tail. But a sperm’s great lower jaw with its twin rows +of glistening teeth has snapped off the forward end +of a boat with two of its men with terrifying suddenness. +In the year 1819 the American whaling ship +<i>Essex</i> of Nantucket had an experience such as shows +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_81">[Pg 81]</span>the sperm’s strength in an amazing manner. Owen +Chase was the name of the <i>Essex’s</i> mate and he had +been left on board in charge of the ship whilst the +master and second mate were out after a whale. +Chase was heading the <i>Essex</i> down towards them +when he saw the sperm lying on the surface and +apparently considering the ship. It then settled just +below the surface, as whales do when making an +attack. The cachalot now headed for the <i>Essex</i>, so +Chase ordered the helm up to avoid the brute. +Unfortunately the ship had too little way on just +then to get out of the attack that was coming; for +the sperm struck the ship on the bow with such a +collision as nearly threw all hands on their faces, +the impact being like the striking of the hull against +a rock.</p> + +<p>This animal had now become the attacker instead +of the intended victim, and after passing right below +the ship’s hull, scraping the keel, came to the surface +and exhibited his anger by thrashing the water with +his tail and snapping his jaws. But he had done the +necessary damage, and now the <i>Essex</i> began to sink. +Chase started the pump, signalled the boats to return, +and even as he was getting provisions ready for the +boats, along came the whale again at about six knots, +flinging the surf in all directions, thrashing about +with his terrible tail, and again struck the ship on +the windward side just below the cathead, so leaving +the bows completely stove in. Thus avenged of man’s +insults, the whale made off to leeward, and was never +seen again. But the unfortunate <i>Essex</i> was utterly +done for and soon foundered. The crew then underwent +an appalling experience for ninety days in the +boats, so that some of them died by starvation and +the rest kept themselves alive only by eating their +flesh and the flesh of one other who died after the +casting of lots: a dreadful situation that none the less +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_82">[Pg 82]</span>has occurred more than once in the days of the sailing +ship. The mate’s boat was subsequently picked up +by the British brig <i>India</i> of London; and the captain’s +boat a few days later by another whaler named the +<i>Dauphin</i>.</p> + + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> +<div class="chapter"> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_83">[Pg 83]</span></p> + + + <h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_VIII"> + CHAPTER VIII + <br> + WHALERS AND SEALERS + </h2> +</div> + + +<p>Right away south of the line which joins +Fremantle and the Cape of Good Hope, in +fact, so near to the Antarctic continent as to be in +latitude 50° S., there lies one of the most lonely and +desolate islands in the world, mountainous, glaciated, +wind-swept. Totally uninhabited, it possesses any +number of deeply indented bays and coves, and it +is one of those few spots on the map where depots +have been placed in case some shipwrecked mariners +should have the misfortune to find themselves cast +away here.</p> + +<p>Its name is Kerguelen or Desolation Island—whichever +you like to call it. The former reminds +one of its French discoverer, Kerguelen Trémarec, +who found it in 1772: but the other name is more +suggestive of the place’s true character. During the +years that followed it was visited by whalers and +sealers, but otherwise no ship had any attraction to +call there. Still, in 1893 the French Government +established an unwatched depot at Hillsborough Bay +in a cave at the foot of a cliff, a black cairn against +some grey rocks having been erected to indicate the +position. The entrance to the cave has been closed +by stones, and above it is the inscription: “Vivres +et Vêtements.” Thus the modern adventurer would +be able there to find boxes of preserved beef, barrels +containing clothes and blankets, biscuits, and boxes +of matches. But now that the days of the sailing +ships are past, and steamships are able to keep to +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_84">[Pg 84]</span>the trade routes, it is very unlikely that this distress +depot will be required.</p> + +<p>But this story begins just a hundred years ago and +we shall see it through the eyes of John Nunn, an +Ipswich seaman who was born in 1803. Nunn was +a typical British sailor of the early nineteenth century, +brought up to the sea, longing to know something +of the world beyond the limits of the British +Isles, and destined to have a whole chapter of +adventures before he should die. His father was an +east-coast smack-owner, but after helping him for +a time, John served for a while aboard one of those +Revenue cutters which were employed on the look-out +for smugglers. Sometimes there were quite +exciting chases, and even an exchange of shots: but +before long John found this semi-naval service too +restricted for his liking and wanted to go foreign.</p> + +<p>So it happened that he signed on aboard the 400-ton +sailing ship <i>Royal Sovereign</i> in the year 1825. This +vessel was about to leave the Thames to look for +seals on Kerguelen Island, but ever since Captain +R. Rhodes of the whaler <i>Hillsborough</i> had visited the +place in 1799 there had been vessels going out there, +after the whales and seals. Rhodes had busied himself +surveying many of the harbours on the lee (or east) +side whilst his crew were away sealing and whaling; +for the right whale used to frequent these bays and +fjords in large numbers. One has to remember all +these many inlets in order to appreciate the somewhat +unusual method adopted by the early nineteenth-century +pioneers who came here. The nature +of the coast made it too risky a business for these +unwieldy, unhandy ships to go smelling close to +the land, so they used to take out from England +half a dozen of the usual whaling boats, but also +they carried in frame a 40-ton cutter. Having arrived +at Kerguelen the big ship would moor herself in +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_85">[Pg 85]</span>some safe and sheltered bay, the frames of the 40-tonner +would be taken ashore, the pieces reassembled, +the craft rigged like a contemporary cutter yacht, +and then the crew would go cruising right round +the island, in and out of the bays, skirting the +pinnacles, landing, capturing and flensing the seals, +and then boiling down the blubber. The whaleboats +would also be employed hunting the whales quite +close in.</p> + +<p>Thus each of these voyages to Kerguelen was in +the nature of an expedition, since the ship would +settle herself in her bay for two or three years +and be partly unrigged whilst the small craft went +about their business. And when the time came that +the vessel had all the oil on board, the 40-tonner +would be hauled well above high water, entrenched +in a roughly made dry dock, and there she would +remain until the expedition returned for another +spell. In this way, of course, there were several of +these deserted cutters left on the island at various +dates. They were not called cutters but “shallops,” +that old word which had come into seamen’s +vocabulary from the Dutch and was often used to +indicate smaller fore-and-aft-rigged vessels.</p> + +<p>Now several years before the <i>Royal Sovereign</i> set +forth there had reached Kerguelen a ship called the +<i>Frances</i> from London, and she had taken with her +in frame her shallop; and there was another vessel +named the <i>Favourite</i> which arrived with her shallop +about the same time as the <i>Royal Sovereign</i>. After the +departure of these two ships, the shallops had both +been hauled up the beach in a bight at the south +side named Greenland Bay—name enough to suggest +that a British whaling vessel had once been here.</p> + +<p>In August 1825 the <i>Royal Sovereign</i> anchored herself +in Greenland Bay, and then proceeded to fit out +these two shallops, which for convenience we shall +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_86">[Pg 86]</span>speak of by the name of their mother ships. In nine +days both the <i>Frances</i> and the <i>Favourite</i> were caulked +and paid ready for sea, each being launched by +digging them out of their dry dock, and then by +bousing them down and hauling them along the +beach they reached the water. They were then towed +alongside the <i>Royal Sovereign</i>, where the masts were +stepped and the little craft rigged. After the sails +had been bent, some of the <i>Royal Sovereign’s</i> crew +transferred to them, and next morning, towing the +whaleboats astern, they started off for Royal Sound +to the N.N.E., and the latter went ashore to slaughter +the seals and sea-elephants.</p> + +<p>Here the opportunity was taken of bringing off +from the beach great stones as ballast, the seal +blubber being brought off also in rafts, but each +shallop had also a dinghy. Finally, when the seals +in this neighbourhood had been killed, the <i>Frances</i> +sailed back to put the produce aboard the <i>Royal +Sovereign</i>. The <i>Frances</i> next proceeded along the +windward or western shore of Kerguelen, the crew +consisting of James Lawrence of Rotherhithe (one +of the <i>Royal Sovereign’s</i> mates); John Nunn, and John +Richardson and James Stilliman, both of Burnham, +Essex. There were plenty of suitable small harbours +on that west coast where the <i>Frances</i> could anchor +for the dark hours, and one night whilst in Young +William Harbour, when it was so still that there was +not so much as a ripple on the water, the crew were +suddenly alarmed by a fin-whale which rose alongside +the shallop. His tail came in contact with the +<i>Frances’s</i> hull, shook her violently, and then disappeared. +Perhaps there never were any people in +the world so superstitious as the old-fashioned seamen +until the introduction of steam navigation +knocked many of these primitive ideas to bits. But, +any way, the shallop’s crew thought this whale +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_87">[Pg 87]</span>incident was most ominous, and later on Nunn +dreamed that the shallop was wrecked. Gloomy +people? Well, no doubt the desolation of the island +had got on their nerves.</p> + +<p>It was at the beginning of November this year +that the <i>Frances</i>, after visiting the northern end of +the island, got caught in a heavy snowstorm and +fog. And then, whilst trying to beat out of a bay +of Saddle Island, which is separated by a narrow +strait from the main island at the north-west corner, +the <i>Frances</i> missed stays: for these old-fashioned +cutters with their indifferent sail plan and baggy +canvas and bluff hulls were anything but handy, and +before the shallop could be persuaded to come round +she was hard on the rocks of this ironbound coast. +She quickly started leaking, but the crew managed +to get ashore with a few things, and then she sank +in seven fathoms. The position was not a cheerful +one, for as they looked up at the rugged, precipitous +scenery there was nothing to suggest the least comfort +in that bitter climate. However, they wandered +about and presently discovered a cave, which they +entered with their scant provisions and secured the +entrance against the cold blasts by means of the +<i>Frances’s</i> jib. Here they settled down as best they +could, but walking further along they came to a bay +where there was another shallop named the <i>Loon</i> +which had been previously left by a whaler or sealer.</p> + +<p>This roused hopes, and it was just possible +that the <i>Favourite</i> and her whaleboats might one day +come along here in the course of their duties. They +could hardly dare to hope that this might be the +case, but everything possible should be done. They +accordingly chalked a sentence on the bows of the +<i>Loon</i> in case anyone should come along. “Look in +the cabin,” were the warning words, and then inside +the shallop were left a description and the direction +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_88">[Pg 88]</span>of the cave. In the meantime a good look-out was +being kept for the shallop to come along, but the +weather was bad and often thick. Day after day sped +by, until a whole fortnight had elapsed, and the +provisions were running desperately short; when +one day these men heard voices on the beach, and +next there came running along some of their old +messmates. For the crew of the <i>Favourite</i>, commanded +by the <i>Royal Sovereign’s</i> third mate, had landed in the +bight at the strait, seen the chalked notice, and then +begun to search for the cave. It was sheer good luck, +for the <i>Favourite</i> had not intended calling in there: +but she had been caught in a squall by Saddle Island +and lost her main boom. She therefore had run into +the strait to take the <i>Loon’s</i> mast for the purpose, +the crew had then seen the chalked marks, and so +the others were found.</p> + +<p>After the new boom had been finished, the +<i>Favourite</i> with the survivors on board proceeded +south to Greenland Bay, where they came alongside +the <i>Royal Sovereign</i>. Now in the careers of most men +this wreck and those hardships which followed +would remain the outstanding experience of a lifetime. +But there are some people who seem born for +adventure and cannot avoid exciting events. The +<i>Favourite</i> was now sent on another cruise, and the +old shipwrecked crew of the <i>Frances</i> went in her, +except for Richardson. Sailing off again to the north-west, +they continued their work and went still +further round the island to the north-east corner, +where they were compelled to lie weather-bound in +a bay called Christmas Harbour for eleven days. +They put to sea, but had to run back. Again they +started, but had to shelter in Africa Bay. They were +without a dinghy, and it was always a difficulty to +get the craft hauled near enough to the shore for +fetching fresh water. But at last they sailed round +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_89">[Pg 89]</span>the north-west corner once more and found themselves +anchored by Saddle Island, which had been +so unlucky for them in the past.</p> + +<p>And now an extraordinary thing happened. It was +the day after Christmas, the <i>Favourite</i> was still at +anchor, but she suddenly sprang a leak. Possibly the +cause was that she had been so badly knocked about +by the seas, and originally so hurriedly put together, +that she was in no sense of the word staunch. But +any way she went down and left these men for the +second time in that neighbourhood without a home. +They hung on for a time, and since there was no +dinghy they unshipped the boom, the cabin steps, +the main and fore hatches; and with these they made +a raft and reached the beach. Everything on the +island was now as miserable-looking as it could be. +The sea was bitterly cold, and the land was covered +with snow: they therefore took up their abode in +the <i>Loon</i>, which was still there. The food ran out at +once, but they lived on the seals which they killed.</p> + +<p>The outlook, however, was not a pleasant thought. +Seeing that both shallops from Greenland Bay had +now been lost, it was extremely unlikely that the +<i>Royal Sovereign’s</i> captain would be able to send anyone +to find them. Moreover the surf was so bad in +the neighbourhood of Saddle Island that the boats +would not be able to land. To this dismal consideration +had to be added the stern fact that there +was now nothing to eat: for after eight days not +even a penguin was obtainable. They managed, +however, to find the 12-foot dinghy which the +<i>Favourite</i> had on a previous occasion left at the island, +and in her the men now transferred themselves to +the main island. Here there awaited them a severe +tussle. Weak through lack of food, they set out to +look for seals which they could kill with their clubs; +and having with the utmost difficulty crossed a high +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_90">[Pg 90]</span>ridge or mountain they were just able to descend +to a beach where they found and killed sea-elephants. +These animals would afford both food and blubber +for fuel: but the weather was so bitterly cold that +the men’s hands were benumbed from the animals’ +blood freezing over them a complete covering of +ice.</p> + +<p>With great toil these weary, hungry men hauled +themselves over that mountain and got back to the +<i>Loon</i> with their food, but were too weary that day to +cook it, so they fell asleep till morning. Six more +weeks passed and they considered themselves lucky +to have the shelter of this shallop, but they could +not think of remaining here for ever, so they decided +to try raising the <i>Favourite</i>, and thoughts of making +for the Cape of Good Hope in her even crossed +their minds. Seamen are always more or less versatile, +but in those days, when their heads were not crammed +with mechanical knowledge and their brains were +slow to reason but their courage had not been +affected by faring in ships of mammoth tonnage, +such sailors were accustomed to voyaging in quite +small craft, and thought little of it, as we shall see +before the end of the chapter. It is since the days +of steam that we have got into our heads the +erroneous idea that the ocean is suitable only for +big ships: but the recent voyages of quite small fore-and-afters +are bringing us back to a right knowledge +and correct judgment.</p> + +<p>So these men set to work on the <i>Favourite</i> which +had treated them so badly. They began by removing +the ballast at low tide, and then they secured four +casks to her, some pieces of timber, and the 12-ft. +dinghy with the idea of floating her off as the tide +rose. But unfortunately the <i>Favourite</i> had sunk too +deeply in the sand and there was not a sufficient +rise of tide, and it was soon evident that the task +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_91">[Pg 91]</span>was hopeless. They therefore contented themselves +with turning a whale-lance which they possessed +into a saw, and thus managed to cut away the mast +close to the deck. Then, having unrigged her, they +towed all the gear and spars to the shore.</p> + +<p>And since the <i>Favourite</i> was impracticable, they +determined to start away in the <i>Loon</i>. This was a +long job; she needed repairing and caulking and her +seams had to be stopped. But the crew set to work +with a will, some oakum for caulking was made +out of the shallop’s hempen cable, pitch was obtained +close to a volcanic burning mountain, the mast was +stepped by using the bowsprit as improvised sheers, +the rigging was set up, and at last with great difficulty +she was floated off, to their unmitigated joy. +Aboard her were those much-prized tools, lances, +seal clubs (rather like a policeman’s baton), knives, +spears. The dinghy was secured astern, and at last +with a northerly wind blowing the <i>Loon</i> sailed away +to the southward past that burning mountain and +its hot springs, past the ice-covered scenery, anchoring +at night in different bays. And all this time they +wondered and thought about the <i>Royal Sovereign</i>. +Would she still be waiting for them in Greenland +Bay? Would it still be possible to reach her before +she started back for England? The thought seemed +too wonderful to realize, and so the little <i>Loon</i> +continued on her way to the southern end of the +island.</p> + +<p>At last the shallop rounded the promontory and +entered Greenland Bay. Gone! The bight was empty: +there was not a sign of the <i>Royal Sovereign</i>. It was +a grievous disappointment, yet it was really inevitable. +The next thing now was to settle on a site +and make themselves as comfortable as the circumstances +allowed. For if they were destined to live +on Desolation Island they would still need shelter +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_92">[Pg 92]</span>and food. It was therefore resolved to build a hut +near Shoalwater Bay at the south-east corner of the +island. Thither they sailed in the shallop with their +goods, such as they possessed, and what they could +find on the beach of Greenland Bay. That done, they +took the <i>Loon</i> back to Greenland Bay, unrigged her +and hauled her well up the beach.</p> + +<p>A minor expedition now began, partly by land +and partly by sea. For the dinghy was hauled over +a neck of land into the Royal Sound and then +launched again: the intention being by this amphibious +journey to avoid the open water outside. It +was whilst this boat was crossing the sound that +a school of whales came in, giving the men a rare +fright. One whale passed right under the boat, lifted +her out on his back and then allowed her once more +to float. Adventure after adventure! These men had +never been fated for a humdrum life in England! +And now they rowed as fast as they could, but the +whale chased after them, and dived below the boat +as before. Nunn believed that the reason was found +in the white under-water of the boat’s hull, which +resembled the underneath part of a whale.</p> + +<p>After these excitements the boat reached the +opposite shore in safety. Here they landed, turned +the boat up with its keel to windward, used her as +a temporary hut and slept. It was hard going after +that, and the distance was long: but at last they got +the boat and themselves to Long Point at the south-east +corner of Kerguelen, where they set to work +and made a proper hut out of turf blocks. On the +whole, considering what they had come through, +this habitation was not so bad, and the blubber lamp +burned inside cheerfully. There were any number +of the black-fish whales in the neighbourhood, and +the little community might have been worse off. But +always at the back of their minds was the possibility—even +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_93">[Pg 93]</span>the hope—that before long some ship for +whales or seals would come to Desolation Island. +They were keeping always a good look-out where +the hut was erected, but it was some distance round +the corner, in a bay called Shallop Harbour, that a +vessel approaching from the north-east was likely +first to call.</p> + +<p>It would be a terrible tragedy if she were to visit +Kerguelen without the men knowing. And so this +possibility was avoided by the following precaution. +It was now August 1827, and two long years had +passed since the <i>Royal Sovereign</i> had arrived there. +Surely a vessel might come any time now: so they +made a board, took it overland to Shallop Harbour +and stuck it up in such a manner that no ship entering +there could fail to notice and read the inscription +which was cut out. That latter directed the observer +to “Hope Cottage,” as they had named their turf +hut by Long Point. It was forty-eight miles over +rough ground and snow, but after four days and +nights on the journey the men got to Shallop +Harbour, erected the sign and came back to the +hut.</p> + +<p>And so at last there came a dramatic incident, for +one day an object was observed seaward. “Look!” +cried one of the survivors from the hut. “Did you +see that great albatross? Over that rock there!” The +other man looked. “Why, bless me,” he answered. +“That’s no albatross: it’s the peak of a cutter’s sail.” +Thereupon with keen enthusiasm they ran down to +the beach and signalled in case they had not been +seen: but the cutter hoisted her Union Jack to show +they had been observed, hove-to and sent her boat +ashore. The meeting need only be imagined, but +there was no time to waste as there was a nasty +surf and the cutter was anxious to get under way +at once. The lonely men were not long in going +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_94">[Pg 94]</span>aboard, and as the cutter proceeded round the east +side of the island there was an exchange of yarns.</p> + +<p>To begin with, she was found to be the <i>Lively</i>, +belonging to one of Messrs. Enderby’s whaling +ships named the <i>Sprightly</i>, a schooner-rigged vessel +which had recently arrived out from England and +was now lying at Howe Foreland. Her shallop <i>Lively</i> +on entering Shallop Harbour had noticed that board +with its message, and then, after returning to the +<i>Sprightly</i>, the captain had given them permission to +search the coastline with telescopes and find the +missing men. And as the <i>Lively</i> came round the +corner, every glass was scanning the beach until these +living objects were seen signalling and answered by +the Jack. It was thus that after two and a quarter +years the <i>Royal Sovereign’s</i> men got back to better +food and better accommodation. But it was to be +no picnic for them even now. Having been taken +into the <i>Sprightly</i>, the latter’s captain now split up +his men into two parties, so that in each division +there should be available the help and knowledge +of the <i>Favourite’s</i> late crew. The <i>Sprightly</i> had three +five- or six-oared whaleboats, and these were sent +to various bays to bring back seals and sea-elephants.</p> + +<p>Now the right whales were wont also to visit +Kerguelen’s bays and natural harbours. And it +happened that one day whilst in Whale Bay, on the +east side, a man aboard the <i>Lively</i> suddenly cried +out: “There she spouts!” and pointed seaward. +Every man on deck saw it at once—a fine 90-barrel +whale. Instantly all was excitement, as the men +thought of the fine addition the animal would make +to their wages. A boat was immediately lowered and +gave chase with a fine enthusiasm. Frantically the +men pulled at their oars, and soon the boat was up +to the whale. The harpooner was unfortunately +somewhat inexperienced, and though he hurled the +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_95">[Pg 95]</span>harpoon and struck the cetacean, it made fast in the +shoulder, which was too far for’ard. The correct +technique was to approach the whale by its tail and +come along the animal’s starboard side. Then as the +boat got quite close, the harpooner, his legs against +the thigh-boards in those two semicircular openings +of the bows, would warn the boat’s crew to be ready. +Immediately after he would endeavour to strike the +whale “between wind and water” just abaft his fore +fin. “Give way, lads,” would come the exhortation, +and then the order “Shear off,” at the very moment +when he cast the harpoon. “’Stern—<i>hard</i>!” would +be the final instruction, and the men would start +with their oars backing the boat for all they were +worth, just as the whale began smacking things about +with his tail.</p> + +<p>In the present instance the whale speeded up like +the wind itself, the line fairly leapt out of the oval +tub between the after thwart and the one just ahead. +Through those chocks at the bows—iron-made to +prevent fire arising through friction—the line ran +racing out from its neat coils, the “line manager” +(as he was called) supervising it at the tubs, and all +ready in the boat was the mop with a bucket to +keep wetting the line and prevent it catching on +fire. Somewhere handy were the blue lights ready +in case night overcame the boat and she wished to +signal to the <i>Lively</i>. The pace was thrilling and the +incident had happened so suddenly. Jumping, +banging, smashing against the waves, cleaving the +water with her fine bows and casting the spray on +either side, the boat went madly on as the 10-knot +whale in its progress spooned up a mass of sea foam +which came roaring, swishing, curling, hissing over +his nose and sped by the boat’s gunwales all snow-white +and bubbly.</p> + +<p>But now the whale was like a wild horse with the +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_96">[Pg 96]</span>bit between its teeth, and mischief guided him to +head straight for some rocks and a cluster of barely +covered pinnacles, which seemed certain to puncture +the boat, until at the last moment he altered course +and made a tack right out to sea. Speed? The animal +never slowed up an instant, minutes flew past, the +miles added up and the whaler men began to get +a little anxious. How long could this be continued? +How long could the whale keep this effort going? +Would they ever see the <i>Lively</i> again? For she had +long since vanished out of sight. So they all got +their weight on to the line and endeavoured with +their full strength to haul the boat up to the whale +that they might get the lances into the brute. But +it was an utterly futile effort at that pace. If you have +ever tried from a motor-boat to haul in the dinghy +whilst travelling quickly, you will know how +impossible was their task.</p> + +<p>But now the crisis had been reached, three hours +had passed, they had travelled at least thirty miles +from the land and night had come on. It was dreadfully +disappointing, but prudence insisted that they +had gone far enough in that lonely ocean and they +might never get back to windward. If a gale sprang +up they would have a very small chance, and some +of them in the boat had experienced their full share +of exciting adventures. Thus, with deep reluctance +they had to cut the line, the boat gradually lost its +way, but the whale with the harpoon still in his +shoulder went tearing off, raising a mountain of +foam at his “bows” just as before.</p> + +<p>Three hours of glorious life! There was nothing +now remaining but to pull back towards the shore, +and it was as likely as not that the <i>Lively</i> would be +missed. But finally they burned a blue light, and to +their great relief they were answered by the shallop, +which came running down the moonlight and picked +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_97">[Pg 97]</span>them up after as fine a bit of hunting as could ever +be wished. For some months longer the <i>Sprightly</i> +and <i>Lively</i> continued to work around Kerguelen, +and then the former’s captain decided to visit the +Crozet Islands—not in the schooner, but in the +shallop. This uninhabited group had been discovered +only fifty-six years previously, and the skipper was +anxious to get any seals that might be there. It was +quite an undertaking to let that shallop make such +an ocean voyage, but leaving most of his men behind, +he set off in the <i>Lively</i> to the north-west.</p> + +<p>This group is another of those lonely localities +where there are now provision depots in case a +vessel gets wrecked. Actually in December 1906 the +Norwegian whaling ship <i>Catherine</i> was wrecked on +these very islands; yet the crew managed to find the +depot, but it had been almost demolished by the +gales, and the food was practically unfit for consumption; +however, they managed to find plenty +of seals and penguins.</p> + +<p>The <i>Lively</i> returned safely to Kerguelen, and then +at last both she and the schooner <i>Sprightly</i>, having +concluded their work, weighed anchor and both of +them sailed away across the South Indian Ocean to +Table Bay, a distance of 2,095 miles. There they +remained only four days, but Nunn and his fellow-adventurers, +late of the <i>Favourite</i>, were treated with +some distinction. And then, passing up the West +African coast, they at length came out of the Atlantic +into the English Channel. Both ships reached the +Downs safely, but after this long voyage the little +<i>Lively</i> almost at the very end of her journey from the +other side of the globe got caught in bad weather. +She had rounded to and was close-reefing her mainsail +when along came a heavy sea which washed a +couple of men over the side, drowning one, but the +other was saved. After this distressing incident as +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_98">[Pg 98]</span>a finale, the two craft came up the Thames and the +expedition ended.</p> + +<p>That island, which was the scene of so many +adventures, had been discovered, as we have mentioned, +by de Kerguelen Trémarec. This Breton +noble had sailed from Lorient in 1771, and then, +passing by way of Mauritius, reached his destination +in the following February, yet the vile weather and +the perpetual fogs made his sojourn off the lonely +island quite short, and he returned home. But in the +spring of 1773 he started off again and landed at +what he had named “South France” in December +of the same year. Although this was the local midsummer +he found the weather so bitter with gales +and fogs, and the island so desolate and barren, that +he changed the name now to the “Land of Desolation,” +declaring that he would rather live in Iceland +than down there, and came home. However, posterity +has shown its sympathy with this disappointed +explorer by calling it Kerguelen Island. He was not +the last Frenchman to visit there, for some of his +own countrymen in our own time sailed out there +in a ketch, after calling at Brixham, with the idea +of engaging in whaling: but the expedition was +destined to end disastrously.</p> + + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> +<div class="chapter"> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_99">[Pg 99]</span></p> + + + <h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_IX"> + CHAPTER IX + <br> + ABOARD AN AMERICAN WHALER + </h2> +</div> + + +<p>Among the most important harbours in +America from which the whalers of the nineteenth +century used to set forth must be mentioned +New Bedford, Nantucket, Fairhaven, Newport, +especially. These names have become so welded to +whaling history that it is difficult to think of these +ports without conjuring up a mental vision of an +old-fashioned ship with her white-painted ribbon +on a black hull cruising along the lonely ocean under +short sail ready to launch one of those conspicuous +boats as soon as the eager scanning look-out hailed +the deck.</p> + +<p>At these places there grew up whole families of +whaling people whose life interest was wrapped up +in this subject, who married and intermarried those +who built or sailed or part-owned the ships. At the +beginning of the nineteenth century there were eight +or nine thousand people living at Nantucket all +practically dependent on the whaling industry. Herman +Melville wrote of Nantucket as “more lonely +than the Eddystone Lighthouse,” and amusingly +suggested that the people here “are so shut up, +belted about, every way enclosed, surrounded, and +made an utter island of by the ocean, that to their +very chairs and tables small clams will sometimes +be found adhering, as to the backs of turtles.” +“What wonder, then, that these Nantucketers, born +on a beach, should take to the sea for a livelihood!”</p> + +<p>And it is Melville who has enabled us to reconstruct +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_100">[Pg 100]</span>for ourselves those little mosaics, which, +pieced together in their right places, give us a true +picture of what a Nantucket whaler looked like! +“She was a ship of the old school,” he says, “rather +small if anything, with an old-fashioned claw-footed +look about her. Long seasoned and weather-stained +in the typhoons and calms of all four oceans, her +old hull’s complexion was darkened.... Her venerable +bows looked bearded. Her masts—cut somewhere +on the coast of Japan, where her original +ones were lost overboard in a gale—her masts stood +stiffly up like the spines of the three old kings of +Cologne. Her ancient decks were worn and wrinkled.... +She was a thing of trophies.... All round, her +unpanelled, open bulwarks were garnished like one +continuous jaw, with the long, sharp teeth of the +sperm whale, inserted there for pins, to fasten her +old hempen thews and tendons to.”</p> + +<p>And the pride of service was never more eloquently +expressed than in Captain Peleg’s remark +in connection with the merchant service as opposed +to his own. “Marchant service be damned. Talk not +that lingo to me. Dost see that leg?—I’ll take that +leg away from thy stern, if ever thou talkest of the +Marchant Service to me again. Marchant Service +indeed! I suppose now ye feel considerable proud +of having served in those marchant ships!” Could +anything be more discriminating?</p> + +<p>So we think of these veteran vessels as owned by +well-to-do, retired Quaker skippers of the most strict +narrow-mindedness, yet possessed of such a knowledge +of ocean life as could hardly be surpassed by +any other seafarers in the world. Those lengthy +voyages and their Puritanical personality, and those +long hours alone brooding and entering up their +journals, created a special type of humanity—strong, +independent, fanatically conservative, dominant, of +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_101">[Pg 101]</span>an enclosed kind of piety, yet most wonderfully +wide-awake to the main chance of remunerative +whaling and a hard business bargain. The life of +such a part-owner could be divided into several well +bulk-headed chapters, each ending up one separate +section of a full career. Cabin boy, boatman, harpooner, +mate, captain, ship-owner, sexagenarian, retirement, +capitalist. These nine would make chapter +headings for the biography of any of these whaler +skippers. But right till the end they were the keenest +superintendents and the sternest critics of ships and +men. Taskmasters? Melville sums one of these old +men up in a single sentence. “They told me in +Nantucket, though it certainly seems a curious story, +that when he sailed the old <i>Categut</i> whaleman, his +crew upon arriving home were mostly all carried +ashore to the hospital, sore exhausted and worn out. +For a pious man, especially for a Quaker, he was +certainly rather hard-hearted, to say the least. He never +used to swear, though, at his men, they said; but +somehow he got an inordinate quantity of cruel, +unmitigated hard work out of them.”</p> + +<p>But if the largest owner of an American whaler +were a retired skipper, the other shareholders would +consist of widows, fatherless children and chancery +wards, each owning “about the value of a timber +head, or a foot of plank, or a nail or two in the ship. +People in Nantucket invest their money in whaling +vessels, the same way that you do yours in approved +state stocks bringing in good interest.”</p> + +<p>Whilst lying in her home port the whaler used to +have a kind of wigwam erected on deck abaft the +mainmast, made of bone taken out of jaws of the +right whale. This tent was the last thing to be stowed +before heaving up the anchor; it was symbolical of +the packing away of shore authority. But when the +vessel was about to leave Nantucket for her three +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_102">[Pg 102]</span>or four years’ voyage, and the last rigger had been +sent ashore, she was hauled out from the wharf and +the skipper would tell the chief mate to muster +all the hands—“blast ’em”—whilst the pilot was +busy taking the ship out, his position being forward. +Some profane chantey would be presently heard +reaching the shore as that mixed crew got active to +their work of walking round the capstan. The old +man aft would be stamping about in a rage, hating +audibly with his Quaker “thous” and “thees,” +hurling at them insults and exerting his authority +from the very first.</p> + +<p>Then at last the pilot would drop over the side +into his little sailing-boat, the last tie with the land +would be separated and it would be a long time +before any of the crew ever was allowed to use his +legs on solid earth. We in these days of quick +passages in steamships with wireless conversation +going on all day and all night hardly realize the utter +isolation of a four-year whaling voyage under a +tyrannous martinet for skipper. If any man had the +least feelings of sentiment, if the comfort of a home +port and the heart-strings of affection meant anything +at all to him, the beginning of these long trips was +something unforgettable. We find this home-sickness, +this desperate deep-burning loneliness coming +out even in the skippers’ journals, which would never +be soiled by a glance from any of their crews: but +it is there right enough. The womenfolk would be +there on the wharf, tear-eyed, anxious, but hopeful +that after a few years the ship would come back full +of a fortune. At last a shout from a deep-throated +retired captain, a warning to the harpooners not to +“stave the boats needlessly ... white cedar plank is +raised full three per cent. within the year. Don’t +forget your prayers, either, Mr. Starbuck, mind that +cooper don’t waste the spare staves. Oh! the sail-needles +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_103">[Pg 103]</span>are in the green locker! Don’t whale it too +much a’ Lord’s Day, men; but don’t miss a fair +chance either, that’s rejecting Heaven’s good gifts.” +And with this last expression of his crowded, mingled +thoughts, the principal proprietor would have +watched his old ship gradually get smaller as she +made her way to the open sea.</p> + +<p>That night the long roll of the Atlantic would +begin its game with the ship, the blocks would whine +and creak, the rigging would take up its strains, the +canvas would belly to the fresh breeze and the mast +heads swing backwards and forwards across the sky +of stars as the watch below was clewing up its +harbour memories till they could be let loose again +after many months. Strangers began to size each +other up, enmities and friendships began to be +formed: but both would be broken and reconstituted +long before the first man had deserted at the +first opportunity.</p> + +<p>As a general rule you will always find that islanders +take to the sea in some sort of way: for ships and +seafaring can never be allowed out of their minds +for long. It used to be the custom for British Greenland +whalers on the outward voyage to call at the +Shetlands and fill up with the rest of their crew, and +on the return trip leave them where they found them. +In the Nantucket whalers it was frequently the habit +to call at the Azores, outward bound, and ship quite +a few natives. American whale-ships had been calling +there for years, so you would find in a Nantucket +ship North Americans, Portuguese, coal-black niggers, +Dutchmen, Frenchmen, Manxmen, Maltese, +natives from the Pacific Islands, Spaniards, and +Britons, too. The ship might be American but the +crew were international—or without a nation. If +half the failures in this world are caused by men not +knowing what they want and not being able to +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_104">[Pg 104]</span>identify it when they see it, then you might say that +the fo’c’sle of a whaler was full of failures. The ship +attracted men from all parts of the world as sensitively +as the magnet affects the compass needle. +Some of these hands were just drifting about the +globe without any aim other than to remain alive. +A ship was synonymous with a home: a whaling +voyage was a sort of guarantee that for three or +four years any way there would be grub, somewhere +to sleep, and possibly a tolerable amount of money +to draw at the end.</p> + +<p>Bullen’s description of a New Bedford whaler +bears out Melville and the rest. “Truculent-looking +men accompanied us to our several boarding-houses, +paid our debts for us, finally bringing us by boat +to a ship lying out in the bay. As we passed under +her stern, I read the name <i>Cachalot</i>, of New Bedford: +but as soon as we ranged alongside, I realized that +I was booked for the sailor’s horror—a cruise in a +whaler. Badly as I wanted to get to sea, I had not +bargained for this, and would have run some risks +to get ashore again; but they took no chances, so +we were all soon aboard.... A more perfect contrast +to the trim-built English clipper-ships that I had +been accustomed to I could hardly imagine. She was +one of a class characterized by sailors as built by +the mile, and cut off in lengths as you want ’em, +bow and stern almost alike, masts standing straight +as broomsticks, and bowsprit soaring upwards at +an angle of about forty-five degrees. She was old-fashioned +in her rig as in her hull.... I was rudely +roused from my meditations by the harsh voice of +one of the officers, who shouted, ‘Naow then, git +below an’ stow yer dunnage, ’n look lively up +agin.’... Tumbling down the steep ladder, I entered +the gloomy den which was to be for so long my +home, finding it fairly packed with my shipmates. +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_105">[Pg 105]</span>A motley crowd they were. I had been used in +English ships to considerable variety of nationality; +but here were gathered, not only the representatives +of five or six nations, but ’long-shoremen of all kinds, +half of whom had hardly ever set eyes on a ship +before! The whole space was undivided by partition, +but I saw at once that black men and white had +separated themselves, the blacks taking the port side +and the whites the starboard.”</p> + +<p>You can imagine this motley crew on the first +night out. The greenhorns, prostrate with seasickness, +were wondering why they had been such fools +as to come aboard for an adventure of this sort. +The officers, often enough bullying and sometimes +of Portuguese nationality, were trying to get the +ship into full working order, yet half the crew were +just waking up to the fact that this was no home +after all. But after a few days Portuguese and nigger, +American and Briton, would settle down to the life +and to the salt junk, hard biscuit and hot drinks +sweetened with molasses. Only one thing aboard +the ship was really satisfying: and that was the long +sleep after the trick at the helm. Steering? This was +a strange mechanism in the old ships, for the wheel +was fixed to the tiller and the whole affair was moved +athwart the ship, so that it needed no ordinary +sailorman to control her.</p> + +<p>But if she was aged and her fo’c’sle was foul, yet +on deck she was kept spotlessly clean. Flush-decked, +she was of about 350 tons, with the try-works +measuring about ten feet by eight erected in the +waist. Right aft were the galley and skylight by the +taffrail, the wooden cranes for the boats being of +course along the bulwarks. These boats were each +fitted with a centreboard, a mast and two spritsails +in addition to the oars and other gear, so that by +the time her men had launched and got into her she +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_106">[Pg 106]</span>was already well loaded. Having slipped across the +Atlantic and reached the sperm grounds, there were +plenty of eyes looking out so as to earn that bounty +of extra ’baccy which went to the first man who +should report a whale. Plenty of false alarms came +from the greenhorns, and it was usually the veteran +who won the prize. And then the comparative comfort +of passage-making gave way to frantic energy—hunting +the whale in the boats for hours, then towing +him alongside, slinging him securely, flensing him, +and keeping the try-works going all through the +night, and finally cleaning ship once more.</p> + +<p>Out of a crew of say thirty-seven, twenty-four +would be ordinary seamen. Fresh water except for +drinking was forbidden. After all what was the sea +for besides floating ships? But it is hope and the +expectation of the future which keep men going as +it did in those ships. The shares of profits, or as +these shares were known, “lays,” had been reckoned +in accordance with each man’s duties and usefulness. +One two-hundredth share of oil at 200 dollars a tun +meant £4 a barrel, but a greenhorn might be allotted +only one two-hundred-and-seventy-fifth share of the +clear net profits. This was just better than nothing +and referred to as “a long lay.” But from that would +have to be deducted the charge for that assortment +of fairly good but high-priced clothes which the +captain issued from the ship’s slop chest; in addition +to the tobacco, matches and soap, also bought from +the ship at extortionate terms.</p> + +<p>Thus the whaler’s life was likely to appeal only to +three classes of men: those who had been compelled +to leave the land to avoid gaol or starvation, those +who thought they were going to see the world and +gain adventures, and those who were determined +to work their way up till they owned a whaling +ship of their own. It was only the latter who ever +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_107">[Pg 107]</span>stuck to the occupation for voyage after voyage. +No one who sympathizes with humanity can wish +that those conditions should ever return. Better +education has raised the standard of living aboard +all kinds of ships: the difference between then and +now is really much more than merely half a century.</p> + +<p>You remember Melville’s account of how the +Nantucket <i>Pequod</i> whaler met the British whaler +<i>Samuel Enderby</i> at sea and hailed her with “Ship +ahoy! Hast seen the White Whale?” and Ahab +ordered his boat to be manned and lowered with +him in it to the water, and rowed alongside the +London vessel. Ahab had lost a leg, so how was +he to clamber up the English ship’s side? It was +then that the English skipper took in the situation. +“I see, I see!” he shouted. Then to his men, +“’Vast heaving there! Jump, boys, and swing +over the cutting-tackle.” The <i>Samuel Enderby</i> had +only recently been cutting up a whale and the great +tackles were still aloft and the massive blubber-hook +still attached to the end. So this hook was lowered +to Ahab, who slid his solitary thigh into the curve +and was swung on board and exchanged yarns with +the London skipper.</p> + +<p>Melville speaks enthusiastically about that name +Enderby, which will be found mentioned in our +present volume more than once. He speaks of this +London ship as named “after the late Samuel +Enderby, merchant of that city, the original of the +famous whaling house of Enderby & Sons; a house +which, in my poor whaleman’s opinion, comes not +far behind the united royal houses of the Tudors +and Bourbons, in point of real historical interest.” +Ever since that memorable year 1775, when this firm +fitted out the first English ships that ever went +hunting the sperm whale regularly, it had sent ship +after ship into southern waters; though ever since +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_108">[Pg 108]</span>1726 the Coffins and Maceys had been sending their +whalers from North America into the Atlantic. When +the Enderby ship <i>Amelia</i> rounded the Horn and was +the first of all vessels ever to harpoon whales in the +Pacific and came home with a full cargo, she was +but setting the fashion which was soon to be followed +by British and American whalers. It was this +same pioneering firm, too, which in 1819 sent out +that exploration ship, the <i>Syren</i>, and made known +the Japanese whaling grounds. Her skipper, however, +was Captain Coffin of Nantucket. Melville +refers to the <i>Samuel Enderby</i> as a fast-sailing ship, +an hospitable ship. “Fore and aft, I say, the <i>Samuel +Enderby</i> was a jolly ship; of good fare and plenty; +fine flip and strong; crack fellows all, and capital +from boot heels to hat-band.”</p> + +<p>But the first American ship, says Mr. R. McNab +in his interesting monograph on New Zealand +whaling, to take up bay whaling in the South Island +of New Zealand was the <i>Erie</i>, which sailed from +Newport, Rhode Island, bound for the South Pacific +in April 1832, and got back to Newport again in +June 1835 with 200 barrels of sperm and 1,800 of +black oil. During the next few years, American +whalers continued to frequent these waters, and the +trade became considerable, for the early American +whalers brought home such favourable news of their +success. By these ships letters from New England +were taken to the South Atlantic and New Zealand. +So by 1836 such whalers as the <i>Samuel Robertson</i>, +<i>Favourite</i>, <i>Mary Mitchell</i>, <i>Jasper</i>, <i>Erie</i>, <i>Vermont</i> +and others sailed across from New Bedford, Fairhaven, +Nantucket, Poughkeepsie and other ports.</p> + +<p>In the <i>Mary Mitchell’s</i> journal of 1836, still in +possession of the Nantucket Historical Society, we +are able to see into the mind of her skipper day by +day. Can we not almost see for ourselves the character +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_109">[Pg 109]</span>of this Captain Samuel Joy as he entered up his book +after reaching safely Cloudy Bay, on the north-east +shoulder of South Island? The date is Friday, +April 22nd, and the punctuation is typical of this +sailor type:</p> + +<p>“Heavy S.E. gale bad Sea steered down past Cape +Campbell looking for the harbor. At 5 saw it bearing +N.W. steered for it and at 6 happily came to an +Anchor. thus after much toil fatigue and Labour we +are happily Arrived at our port it now only remains +for us to be thankful to God for his preservation +and safe Guidance of us thro these dark times—I +shall ever esteem it as a merciful interposition in my +favor that thro divine Providence I have been +enabled to conduct this ship thro this Passage on a +Coast without any person on board acquainted with +it any more than myself and to the Lord be the Praise +Amen Latter strong S.E. wind. Employed Clearing +Ship Ther 58 Bar. 30.30.”</p> + +<p>Two days later arrived the <i>Jasper</i> and <i>Erie</i>. The +<i>Mary Mitchell</i> having been moored, yards and topmasts +were sent down, and boats were sent out +whaling. Lugsails were now made for the boats and +the hands kept busy. But we can see that there are +always two aspects to ship life: one is as it appears +from the angle of the mates and men, the other is +as viewed through the anxious captain’s eyes. Everyone +who has had command of a vessel knows this +well enough: the others are apt to forget this fact. +Thus under April 30th Captain Joy writes: “The +Second mate is no officer the fourth Mate is worse +I can express my opinion of the others hereafter.” +Then apparently there was some friction with some +of the English whalers, for twenty boats had come +into a bay. “Commences with fine weather,” Joy +writes under Saturday, May 7th, “at 4 boats returned +at 6 heavy S.E. gale sent on shore 22 cedar boards +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_110">[Pg 110]</span>Latter went out myself with 4 boats saw nothing +wind blew up from S E heavy came into the Neck +landed about 20 boats there and the most Blackguard +language used from 5 english boats there Sparing +no person at all in Short I hope I shall ever keep +clear of English Ships again as they have no +Authority.”</p> + +<p>Joy was his name but sorrow was his experience, +for these daily entries are full of woes and disappointments. +Thus Friday, May 27th, was another +disheartening day: “fore part fresh S E wind at 4 +boats returned 1 calf got today Latter part much +fine rain went out with 4 boats the 4 mate a lame +hand one of our steersman stopped to Save his oar +and did not strike the whale O dear.” And even the +next day when his boats captured a whale and a calf +he could but exert himself to write: “We now have +hope I live in hope Latter part fine weather went +out with 4 boats—Sick.”</p> + +<p>However, Joy must have withdrawn his animosity +towards the British whalers, for on June 2nd he was +able to make a satisfactory bargain: “fine weather +at 5 boats returned I got an anchor from an English +ship for 40 lbs tobacco and a steering oar Latter fine +weather went out with 4 boats and the Captain Got +a large whale wafted and anchored him.” Other +ships arrived from New England, but apparently Joy +was not anxious for the society of his fellow humans. +Whales were again killed, and then comes this +delightful little summary of what happened on +June 20th: “fore part cloudy began to boil at 5 +boats returned got a Whale anchored him outside +at 7 broke the cook’s head for getting rum +from the Shore contrary to law Latter part strong +N W wind went out with 4 boats the others +boiling.”</p> + +<p>It is the simple unforced sincerity of this whaling +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_111">[Pg 111]</span>captain which makes his journal so readable in spite +of his quaint confusion of thoughts and absence of +stops or commas. Joy was not an exception but a +product of his time and environment when these +wooden whalers contained hard-case seamen and +peppery skippers. To criticize the crews is not to +free the captains from blame: but discipline had to +be maintained, even after a fashion, in these as in +any other ships. Joy went on quarrelling with other +whaler-masters as we learn from the sentence, “this +day I formally noted the different masters that I +would not agree in case my boats were stove +that I would give up my claim to any Whale +obliged to cut from in consequence of being +stove.”</p> + +<p>Anyone with a little imagination and the knowledge +of the ways of men can see how the deadly +monotony of the life in such a distant place with +Maoris to consort with was bound to make the +crews dismal, disgruntled, and disgusted with life +generally. There is an expression unofficially used +to-day in the Royal Navy which describes exactly +the condition into which these whaler men had +descended through sheer boredom and mental +weariness. Some who read these pages will recognize +the phrase “b——y minded.” It is not pretty, but +it is truthful. And the first thing that a man in that +condition does is to break out of the ship, go ashore +and get drunk as soon as opportunity presents itself. +Joy’s men were thus disposed whilst the ship lay +in semi-commission and the boats hunted for the +whales. “John Wood left ship without leave got +drunk I floged him and put him in irons Latter +raining let the prisoner out of irons on promise of +amendment” runs the laconic statement. And a few +days later: “I cannot well leave the Ship in charge +of the 4th mate he can do nothing in the boat and +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_112">[Pg 112]</span>has been Sick and dozey 1/2 the time we have been +here.” But finally this mate who also had “a difference +with some of the crew requested his discharge” +and went off: “a good riddance,” Joy +wrote.</p> + +<p>Boats went on being stove, arguments continued +between captains, but in August Joy began to refit his +ship, topmasts were sent up, and on September 1st +he was so pleased with life that he could write: “I +feel better to-day.” Presently topsails were bent, the +fine weather began to break up, wood and water +were fetched from the shore and preparations made +for putting to sea. Boats were painted, harpoon lines +coiled, the anchors hove in and stowed, and on +September 27th, in company with two other New +England whalers, the <i>Mary Mitchell</i> got under way. +The season there had ended.</p> + +<p>Although British, French and American whaling +ships were using these New Zealand waters at that +time to the number of forty, one-half of these were +American, the average size being of 333 tons, but +New Bedford and Fairhaven were the principal ports +sending ships. In the year 1832 whaler-ships of 350 +tons from New Bedford, Nantucket and New London +were working to the following “lay” or scale +of remuneration: The captain received one-fifteenth, +Chief Mate one-twenty-fifth, Second Mate one-forty-fifth, +Third Mate one-fiftieth, boat-steerers one-hundredth +each, ordinary seamen one-hundred-and-seventy-fifth +each, in the South New Zealand whaling; +additional help was also obtained from the +shore, where a few men who had deserted from some +previous whaler could usually get a temporary job +and bring along a few Maoris with them.</p> + +<p>In one entry Captain Joy wrote that “the Second +Mate had his boat robbed in his absence of a bottle +of rum, it being customary to carry it here so that +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_113">[Pg 113]</span>in case of a hard drag to give it to the boats crew +but they will carry no more from this ship as I will +turn it all into the sea first.” The practice was to +take a bottle in each boat and give each man a drink +after a heavy whale had been brought in. But, +unfortunately, there was a rum shop ashore whither +the crews were enticed from their duty and came +aboard their ship insolent and incapable, with the +result that someone’s head got smashed, but it was +not always the captain who came off best in the +mutual rupture. It was the old story. As Conrad +wrote twenty years before he died, “ships and men +both rot in ports.”</p> + +<p>By the year 1839 the number of American whalers +on the New Zealand coast reached the unprecedented +number of thirty-seven, whereas five years previously +there had been but one. Nothing could be more +eloquent of the migration of whales than the change +of grounds which these ships from across the world +had been compelled to make. Still, as the reader will +find in the course of our inquiry, the fleets have been +obliged in different generations to do this over and +over again. But, as showing the intimate connection +that has always existed between whaling and exploration, +it may not be out of place to mention that all +this American development of Southern Pacific +whaling culminated in the natural desire to explore +and survey the seas still further south.</p> + +<p>And so it all culminated in an American naval +officer, Charles Wilkes, taking out from Hampton +Roads an expedition in 1838 consisting of six vessels +which were reduced to four. The Antarctic continent +was discovered, and Wilkes Land shown on the +modern maps remains as a further reminder that this +industry of hunting leviathans is capable not merely +of bringing into existence large fleets and employing +considerable numbers of men, but of sowing the +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_114">[Pg 114]</span>seeds for future international complications if ever +those extreme southern areas, through the advent +of aerial navigation or scientific discovery, become +of first-rate importance in the development of the +world and its commerce.</p> + + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> +<div class="chapter"> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_115">[Pg 115]</span></p> + + + <h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_X"> + CHAPTER X + <br> + CREWS AND CAPTAINS + </h2> +</div> + + +<p>In the last chapter we have been able to see from +Captain Joy’s journal something of the anxieties +of an American whaler’s skipper in the South Seas. +There is an old American whaling chantey which +contains the following among its verses, and hints +at the way the crew considered their duties aboard +these ships:</p> + +<div class="poetry-container"> + <div class="poetry"> + <div class="stanza"> + <div class="verse indent0">They send you to New Bedford, that famous whaling port,</div> + <div class="verse indent0">And give you to some land-sharks to board and fit you out.</div> + </div> + </div> +</div> + +<p>In the boarding house full of the usual thieves and +liars the future whaling crews were to listen to all +sorts of yarns concerning the famous ships of the +day. Men were embroidering incidents, and interested +parties were telling of the fortunes to be made +whaling:</p> + +<div class="poetry-container"> + <div class="poetry"> + <div class="stanza"> + <div class="verse indent0">They tell you of the clipper-ships a-going in and out,</div> + <div class="verse indent0">And say you’ll take five hundred sperm before you’re six months out.</div> + </div> + <div class="stanza"> + <div class="verse indent0">It’s now we’re out to sea, my boys, the wind comes on to blow;</div> + <div class="verse indent0">One half the watch is sick on deck, the other half below.</div> + </div> + </div> +</div> + +<p>And then of course comes a reference to the captain +as in so many chanteys:</p> + +<div class="poetry-container"> + <div class="poetry"> + <div class="stanza"> + <div class="verse indent0">The Skipper’s on the quarter-deck a-squinting at the sails,</div> + <div class="verse indent0">When up aloft the lookout sights a school of whales.</div> + </div> + <div class="stanza"> + <div class="verse indent0">“Now clear away the boats, my boys, and after him we’ll travel,</div> + <div class="verse indent0">But if you get too near his fluke, he’ll kick you to the devil.”⁠<a id="FNanchor_1_2" href="#Footnote_1_2" class="fnanchor">[1]</a>⁠</div> + </div> + </div> +</div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a id="Footnote_1_2" href="#FNanchor_1_2" class="label">[1]</a> Given in J. C. Colcord’s <i>Roll and Go</i>.</p></div> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_116">[Pg 116]</span></p> + +<p>There is no question that the whalers had their +own chanteys, just like the other merchant sailormen. +There were, for instance, “The Boston Come-All-Ye,” +“There She Blows,” “Blow Ye Winds” (from +which the above extracts are taken), “Coast of Peru,” +“Rolling Down to Old Maui” and “A Dead Whale +Or A Stove Boat.” As to the latter, Melville shows +that in the eighteen-forties this was still the custom +in the whaling service. Many readers will remember +the following passage out of <i>Moby Dick</i>:</p> + +<p>“‘What do ye when ye see a whale, men?’</p> + +<p>“‘Sing out for him!’ was the impulsive rejoinder +from a score of clubbed voices.</p> + +<p>“‘Good!’ cried Ahab, with a wild approval in his +tones; observing the hearty animation into which +his unexpected question had so magnetically thrown +them.</p> + +<p>“‘And what do ye next, men?’</p> + +<p>“‘Lower away, and after them.’</p> + +<p>“‘And what tune is it ye pull to, men?’</p> + +<p>“‘A dead whale or a stove boat.’”</p> + +<p>But we are able to get a little knowledge of the +life aboard a British South Sea whaler from no less +an authority than the journal of Captain John +Balleny in the season 1830-9, when he was working +the New Zealand waters whilst commanding Messrs. +Enderby’s whaling and sealing schooner <i>Eliza Scott</i>. +Unfortunately the records of British whaling are far +less complete than in the case of the American ships. +Therefore every scrap of information that can be +found is of the utmost value to us. So let us see how +matters appeared to this English skipper.</p> + +<p>From the first we cannot but admire his sensible +treatment of his crew. They needed shore leave and +he granted it. “December 9th. This day is fine. Gave +the men 4 muskets and let them go into the woods +to shoot and stretch their legs. Having no means of +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_117">[Pg 117]</span>obtaing [<i>sic</i>] fresh provisions but by the hook and +gun Capt Freeman [of the <i>Sabrina</i>] and myself have +generally endeavoured to provide for part of the +crew, and I think a run on shore will do the men +good, in point of fact the whole crew seem so disappointed +in not being able to run as they expected +that they are in a state little short of downright +mutiny. Therefore I have allowed them to go and +ramble in the woods but have always refused the +boats unless with an officer.”</p> + +<p>But none the less Captain Balleny was always +anxious lest his men would desert at the first opportunity. +“In the afternoon saw a whale boat sailing +up the harbour for which I was extremely sorry as +it will afford an opportunity for the men to run.” +And sure enough two days later, when Balleny +awoke and went on deck he found that five of his +men had stolen a boat and made off. “This is a +serious loss but as the rest of the crew seem perfectly +content and willing to try their luck I still do not +despair, indeed the remaining crew seem glad these +people have gone and they all say they will now +be comfortable. Two of these men were certainly +two of the greatest blackguards I ever had on board +a ship and I had a great deal of trouble with them +on the passage out; more mutinous rascals could +not be, & they have, I think, seduced two of the +others from their duty. As for the 3rd. he had been +much in Sydney and perhaps was the ringleader of +the whole. I deplore now more than ever my long +passage out, as I might perchance have saved them +altho’ I am aware it was their intention to run when +they shipped, but I could not carry sail on the +schooner and on unstowing the vessel here I found +a sufficient reason.” For the lowest tier of casks +ought to have been filled with water ballast, but +were now found “perfectly empty and it becomes +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_118">[Pg 118]</span>no longer a matter of wonder the ship would not +bear her canvass, but a matter of wonder she got +here at all.”</p> + +<p>On Christmas Day Captain Balleny dined aboard +another vessel, and the latter’s mates were allowed +to dine aboard the <i>Eliza Scott</i>. “I told Mr. Moore, +my chief mate, that I laid no embargo on his grog +drinking on this day only to remember and keep +within bounds of moderation. At 10 I returned on +board and the only one sober was my 2nd. mate +Mr. McNab. About 2 o’clock it blew so hard that +both vessels drove & had to let go the 2nd. anchor. +The mate still that stupid that I could not get him +out of his bed.” And on Boxing Day the much-worried +skipper writes, whilst it was still raining +heavily and blowing a gale of wind: “The mate +appears not to have gotten the better of his intemperance +and has been exceeding impertinent so much +so that I am inclined to turn him forward. This is +not the first time or act of intemperance and impudence. +It is now become almost time to put an end +to it. From his conduct I am more than ever convinced +he was accessory to the departure of the men +and boat & is, I think, endeavourg to sow the seeds +of dissension amongst the people.”</p> + +<p>But things were no happier aboard the other ship, +for on the fourth day of January, Balleny saw signals +of distress flying, so “went on board & found 3 men +had deserted.” But fortunately we have also the <i>Eliza +Scott’s</i> log, presumably kept by the Chief Mate, and +we see the other side of the case. First with regard +to the men: he writes under date of that same +December 11th, “The Cooper in a most Mutinous +Manner declared he had not sufficient to eat and +with respect to Grog he said he considered it as +much his as mine and that everyone in the ship had +a right to an equal share.” And on the next day, +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_119">[Pg 119]</span>“This Morng Smith the Yarmouth fisherman as he +calls himself brought up the Bread Barge so heaped +up as to run the risk of scattering the Contents +and on my simply requesting him to be careful +he was exceedingly Insolent and when he went +forward the Carpenter exclaimed in loud voice that +he was saucy and Independant and did not care +a damn. It appears to me that the whole Crew are +in a state of Mutiny or at least are endeavouring +to make a Disturbance....” But the Chief Mate’s +own account of that drink incident of Boxing Day +is as brief as it is personal: “Strong Gales, at daylight +let go the Second Anchor—Employed variously +about the Rigging &c. N.B. at 3 the Captn struck +the Mate before all hands on the Quarter deck for +nothing.”</p> + +<p>Thus, what with troublesome mates and drunken +crews and the ever-present possibility of losing +several hands by desertion as long as the ship was +at anchor, every whaling or sealing skipper had a +merry old time. But friction was caused between +shipmasters in consequence of the deserters joining +up in another whaler. McNab instances the following +letter which was sent by Captain Francis Neil, of +the American whaler <i>Navy</i>, to Captain Bateman, of +the British whaler <i>Cheviot</i>, who had been compelled +to find some of his crew enticed away and had +retaliated by seizing some of the <i>Navy’s</i> boats. The +letter at least shows that the American had a keen +sense of justice, or rather of retribution.</p> + +<blockquote> +<p> + “<i>Ship ‘Navy,’ Oct. 7, 1836.</i><br> + <span class="smcap">Manna.</span>⁠<a id="FNanchor_1_3" href="#Footnote_1_3" class="fnanchor">[1]</a> +</p> + +<p> + “<span class="smcap">Dear Sir</span>, +</p> + +<p>“I received your letter of the 6th instant, and +as you request my opinion in writing, tending the +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_120">[Pg 120]</span>loss you sustained by part of your crew deserting +you and joining a shore party employed by —— +of Sydney, I am well aware that your men were +taken from Cloudy Bay in the barque and to my +certain knowledge distressed your ship much. It is +my opinion had not these men been enticed from +your vessel you would have had double the quantity +of oil you now have, your crew being much reduced; +but as Captain —— told me there was ‘no law in +New Zealand’ I commend you for having taken the +boat as part payment for the injury sustained.</p> + +<p class="right"> + <span style="margin-right: 2.5em;">“I remains dear Sir</span><br> + <span style="margin-right: 4.0em;">“Yours</span><br> + <span style="margin-right: 2.0em;">“<span class="smcap">Francis Neil</span>.”</span> +</p> +</blockquote> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a id="Footnote_1_3" href="#FNanchor_1_3" class="label">[1]</a> The name of an island.</p></div> + +<p>Off the New Zealand coast the whaling was done +principally by vessels from the United Kingdom and +America, but others came from Sydney and Hobart +Town. It was because the whale had been hunted +from the trade routes that vessels from London and +New Bedford had been forced to come so far south, +and this in turn suggested the industry to the two +colonial towns mentioned, which enjoyed the advantage +of being much nearer to these new whaling +grounds. This meant, obviously, that the Australian +whalers could spend a much longer period of their +cruise in the actual localities where the cetacean was +found: and a quicker return was made for the +capital expended.</p> + +<p>But the decadence which had set in with regard +to English whaling and whaler skill prevented the +Americans from having a serious rival down south +during the period of the eighteen-thirties. In the year +1838 the merchants and shipowners whose vessels +were not doing too well in the waters of Greenland +and the Davis Straits petitioned the Treasury Lords +that an investigation be made in the conditions of +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_121">[Pg 121]</span>the South Pacific whaling trade; for they alleged +that for a considerable time whalebone had reached +London which pretended to have been British caught +yet was American or foreign. But, owing to it having +a British certificate, it came into England without +paying the duty of £94 a ton. It was suggested that +British ships were meeting American whalers on the +high seas, buying the whalebone, incorporating it +in their own cargo and thus arriving with it in a +port of the United Kingdom. And this complaint +embraced the ships from Sydney and Hobart Town. +There is undisputable evidence that American ships +did actually sell whalebone to English ships, for +such trafficking is recorded in at least one American +whaler’s log.</p> + +<p>But all these jealousies and disputes between +individuals and between the whalers of both nations +were almost inevitable. The whale belonged definitely +to no particular sea and to no particular nation or +ship. The initiative was entirely to the cetacean, and +wherever he chose to wander, thither the fleets had +to follow irrespective of what flag they wore. +Skippers naturally tried their best to keep secret the +locality of their pet grounds: but just as to-day the +trawlermen cannot preserve for long the secrecy of +their newly found areas, so it was with the whalers. +After a season or two there would be a squadron +of ships where there had been one: and in the year +following would come an entire fleet to pick up the +wealth from the sea.</p> + + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> +<div class="chapter"> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_122">[Pg 122]</span></p> + + + <h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_XI"> + CHAPTER XI + <br> + WHALING ADVENTURES + </h2> +</div> + + +<p>It was by no means unusual or an isolated incident +for the harpooner as he stood there in the bows +of the boat to be killed by the cachalot’s tail sweeping +through the air and cutting the boat off clean to the +water’s edge. One day about the beginning of the +nineteenth century the British whaler <i>Perseverance</i> was +off the Brazilian coast and her captain was out in +one of the boats, and the cachalot had just been +attacked, when the animal knocked the captain with +his flukes out of the boat lifeless, killing at the same +time one of the crew. The whale escaped, but, +judging by the harpoons afterwards found in it, was +destroyed by a boat from an American whaler.</p> + +<p>On another occasion, at the end of August 1831, +after the British whaler <i>Tuscan</i> in the North Pacific +had sighted sperm whales, when the master and +second mate had lowered their boats, there was left +on board the chief mate in charge of the ship. This +officer’s name was Young. Presently, whilst attacking +a large whale, the second mate’s boat was so smashed +by the whale that the other boat had to receive both +crews and harpoon-line. Young, who had been +watching the proceedings, now lowered his boat +and came to assist. It was well known among whaling +men that after a cachalot had been attacked, some +other mammal in the same school would come to +his fellow-creature’s assistance, either by getting the +line in his mouth and severing it, or by instituting +a counter-attack.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_123">[Pg 123]</span></p> + +<p>Now in the present incident, whilst the cachalot was +approaching his end, spouting blood and becoming +more feeble, another of his breed came along and +commenced to strike the boats with his flukes to aid +his dying comrade. The fresh cachalot therefore now +lashed his tail across both boats and swept Young +out of his, throwing him a distance of forty yards, +killing him instantaneously, besides doing injury to +the boat itself. But the harpooned whale was killed, +and the interfering cachalot went off with many lance +wounds in him.</p> + +<p>The sperm whale is notoriously gregarious, but +when a lone cachalot is found, he is always an aged +bull. A school of whales consists of from twenty +to fifty and comprises cows, their young, and at +least one bull of the largest size who acts as escort. +A pod consists of young males. A body of whales +is formed by two or more schools cruising in company, +and are often seen making a passage towards +a definite locality. Bennett, already quoted, to whom +I am greatly indebted for much information obtained +at first hand, says that when pierced by the harpoon +the sperm whale will tow the boat at over fifteen +miles an hour, but until struck the mammal will not +average more than ten miles when pursued. The +same authority mentions observing one cachalot +which continued below the surface for fifty-five +minutes. When whales are attacked, it is the females +which render assistance to each other, but the males +prefer to retreat from their injured comrades. There +is not the slightest doubt that when a cachalot has +been harpooned, other whales even miles away show +their consciousness of the fact, make off or come +down to assist, possibly informed by the transference +of sound through the plunging antics of the angered +whale. Sperm whales have been occasionally washed +up on to British coasts, and during the recent war, +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_124">[Pg 124]</span>when some of us were on anti-submarine patrol off +the Atlantic coast of Ireland, there were not a few +occasions when a whale was reported as a German +U-boat.</p> + +<p>Sea travellers, especially in the old sailing-ships’ +days, have told strange tales, but there is a true and +curious incident which occurred to a whaler named +the <i>Foxhound</i> in the southern ocean about the year +1817, one day when most of the crew were below +at dinner. One hand on deck heard a loud splashing +and raised the alarm. Another went up into the rigging +and saw something projecting from the ship’s +side: and this turned out to be the beak of a swordfish +broken off, which after having penetrated right +through the copper sheathing and solid timbers protruded +for most of a foot within the hold. That portion +on the outside was afterwards sawn off and a lead plate +nailed over it. A few months later, when the <i>Foxhound</i> +reached Sydney, it was found impossible to +withdraw this portion of the swordfish, and there +it remained until the ship reached England, when +it had to be cut out.</p> + +<p>Narrow escapes to individuals in such a vocation +as whaling were inevitable: but it would be difficult +for anyone to have a much nearer approach to death +than that of the officer in charge of a boat engaged +in killing a certain loose cachalot. The latter flung +its flukes so close to the officer’s head as to knock +his hat off without doing further damage. Another +whale actually bit in two the thick pole of a harpoon +which had been fixed into the body of a companion. +Nor was this an isolated occasion, for on another +date when a cachalot had freed his mate by biting +off the harpoon line, it became itself entangled in +the line so that it could not escape but was killed +by the lance without having been harpooned. All +the same, the creature put up a magnificent fight, +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_125">[Pg 125]</span>and one blow from his flukes nearly broke off the +stem and hurled the crew into the sea. On yet another +day, a whale after smashing the boat with his +flukes gave the crew an unpleasant time whilst +keeping his jaw immediately over their heads for +some very long moments. And this jaw extended +fourteen and a half feet, or over half the length of +the boat; for they measured it on deck later, when +the whale had given them three more hours of +hunting before it was killed.</p> + +<p>It was characteristic of some sperm whales that +they preferred rather to attack with their jaws than +their tail, and would rush open-mouthed against the +boat in an endeavour to crush it with their teeth, +for this purpose turning and swimming on the back. +There have been boats’ crews so alarmed by this +that they have leapt into the water and remained +there until the danger had passed. Just ninety years +ago a fighting whale turned round to attack the +boats, injured them, and chased them right back to +the ship, where it remained for some time in spite +of the lances which were hurled at it.</p> + +<p>Many people who read the wonderful voyage of +Captain Slocum round the world alone will remember +the occasion when his vessel was invaded by +undesirable natives and he managed to frighten +them away by scattering tacks along the deck, which +were trodden on by the bare-footed people with +instantaneous effect. But this was a device that +Slocum must have learnt from old lore; for there +was a whaler named the <i>Syren</i> one day off the Pellew +Islands, and the boats were chasing a whale, when +the natives came aboard in their craft so threateningly +as to drive the remainder of the crew aloft. Now one +of these men then remembered that a packet of tin-tacks +had been left in the top for some purpose, and +he now proceeded to strew them about the deck. +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_126">[Pg 126]</span>The immediate result was that the natives became +terrified from the soles of their feet upwards, and +screamingly dived into the sea.</p> + +<p>I believe that the first time an Englishman ever +saw the American flag flying was aboard a whaler, +and that was a vessel named the <i>Bedford</i>, which came +into English waters via the Downs one February +day with 487 butts of whale oil. A contemporary +periodical alluded to her as “American built and +manned wholly by American seamen. She wears the +rebel colours and belongs to Nantucket.” A few days +later there arrived in English waters the whaler +<i>Industry</i>. But one of the most famous whaling ships +ever built is the <i>James Arnold</i>, launched in New +Bedford as far back as 1852. Indeed she is one of +the most remarkable craft ever built, and she is a +connecting link with the days of romance and the +present mechanical age. For between the month of +May 1853 and the month of October 1894 this fine +old vessel made a dozen long whaling voyages—sometimes +a cruise lasting for over four years—and +during this entire period of over forty years’ work +brought home to her owners as much oil and whalebone +as sold for 876,425 dollars; or, reckoning five +dollars to the pound, she netted £175,285. Now in +the year 1894 the price of oil dropped to 56 cents +a gallon, so in the following March her owners sold +her for £1,000. She was then fitted out at New +Bedford and sailed to Chili, where she commenced +a second career. Ever since she has been under the +Chilian flag she has made whaling voyages each year, +with a brief interlude as a merchantman, and is still engaged +catching whales in the old-fashioned manner +with harpoon and lance. Her catch has averaged +twelve hundred barrels, and in twenty-six whaling +years sailing out of Valparaiso she has made for her +new owners about £70,000. Thus, up to date, the +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_127">[Pg 127]</span><i>James Arnold</i> has produced the magnificent sum of +£245,285 from whaling alone. This, I think, is a +record which must take some beating.</p> + +<p>The neighbourhood of New Bedford has by long +tradition been the home of whaling ships and whaling +skippers. Therefore, as long as they lasted, the <i>James +Arnold</i> had a New Bedford captain even after passing +under the Chilian flag. But now this fine race of +whaling masters has died out, so the old ship is +navigated by a Chilian skipper, yet the actual whaling +operations of killing are carried out by sailors +educated in the art by New Bedford men. Constructed +of oak and copper fastened, this three-masted ship, +with her old-time band of white running round the +hull and the black, square ports, keeps up the continuity +of an industry that has seen revolutionary +changes in ships and methods. Her gross tonnage +is a little more than 345, length 115 ft., beam 27.6 ft., +depth 17.6 ft., and in spite of all these seventy-odd +years of wandering over the waters of the globe she +is still tight and staunch, and the oldest whaling +ship in the world that is actively engaged in the +business.</p> + +<p>The <i>James Arnold</i> was built by the brothers Jethro +and Zachariah Hillman, and there used to be a saying +that a Hillman ship never leaked. Well, these same +New Bedford builders in the year 1841 launched the +whaling barque <i>Charles W. Morgan</i>, and she exists +to this day, though not actively. At the moment of +writing she is receiving that honour and preservation +which she richly deserves. Just as the <i>Victory</i> in +England has recently been transformed into a kind +of Nelson shrine commemorative of the last of the +three-deckers, so the American nation are treating the +<i>Charles W. Morgan</i>. Last autumn, after the hurricane +which wrecked the whaler <i>Wanderer</i> on the Cuttyhunk +rocks, the <i>Charles W. Morgan</i> was left as the +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_128">[Pg 128]</span>last American whaler afloat, although she had not +engaged in that industry since 1906.</p> + +<p>Like the <i>James Arnold</i>, this <i>Charles W. Morgan</i> is +square sterned in accordance with the contemporary +design, copper fastened and copper sheathed. In +the latter part of her career she used to sail +for many years from San Francisco to the North +Pacific and Japanese whaling grounds. But it was +the competition of the modern steam whalers which +proved too keen for her, and she came back to the +Atlantic. For most of twenty years she lay secured +to a wharf at Fairhaven, opposite New Bedford, yet +was occasionally taken to sea on behalf of the moving-picture +business. But thanks to the enormous interest +concerning old ships which is now being shown by +America, the <i>Charles W. Morgan</i> was acquired in 1924 +and a concrete crib was built for her to be floated +into for the last time from the sea, and thus remain +as an interesting and perfect example of what a real +whaling ship looked like; for in a very short time +otherwise, who will be alive to speak authentically? +So it was decided to refit her according to the original +sail plan; for she began her career as a full-rigged +ship but in 1867 was cut down to a barque. Certain +of the parts salved from the wrecked <i>Wanderer</i> were +used in refitting the <i>Charles W. Morgan</i>, and thus +it will now be possible for posterity to consider in +actuality three of the most famous sailing ships of +a glorious age restored to their correct rig: the +<i>Victory</i> at Portsmouth, the <i>Cutty Sark</i> at Falmouth, +and the <i>Charles W. Morgan</i> near New Bedford. In +these three vessels we perceive the romance of the +sea handed down for others to enjoy and be inspired. +And if only we possessed an old East Indiaman to +make up the quartette, we might rest assured that +the glamour of an ancient glory would never be +forgotten.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_129">[Pg 129]</span></p> + +<p>The <i>James Arnold</i> and the <i>Bartholomew Gosnold</i> discovered +a new whaling ground off New Zealand, +and for several years worked it until the secret came +out. This <i>James Arnold</i> has led a charmed life, for +there are some ships which always seem to cheat +disaster, just as in the Great War certain vessels +blundered over and over again through minefields +and submarine zones without the slightest incident. +When the American Civil War broke out, the <i>James +Arnold</i> was sent into the Atlantic, and although the +rebel cruisers in 1862 and the following year destroyed +twenty or thirty whaling ships, the <i>James Arnold</i> was +never captured. It is a commentary on the change +in the affairs of whaling that when this vessel was +built, there were over six hundred whaling ships +and barques and over sixty brigs and schooners +engaged as whalers. But in the year that she passed +under the Chilian flag these numbers had dropped +to forty-seven ships and barques and twenty-five +schooners. By the year 1923 there were not +more than a dozen of the old-fashioned sort +under sail and employing the time-honoured +methods.</p> + +<p>The loss of the <i>Wanderer</i> was on this wise. That +fine old barque, which was the last American-owned +whaler to sail on a whaling cruise, was lying with +all stores on board at the State Pier, New Bedford, +on Monday, August 25, 1924, and at 9 a.m. the tug +hauled her into the channel and she was headed +south to Mischaum Point at the entrance to Buzzards +Bay. Here she anchored whilst her captain went +back on the tug to collect the rest of his crew. +The glass was falling slowly but surely. Now that +evening it came on to blow hard from the N.E., +and throughout Tuesday there was the worst +storm known for about seventy years, so that it +reached hurricane force, destroying on land trees +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_130">[Pg 130]</span>and buildings, whilst wrecking a number of +boats.</p> + +<p><i>Wanderer</i> parted her heaviest cable, and then +dragged her second anchor as the wind had gone +round to the N.W. She was carried across to the +island of Cuttyhunk and piled up on the rocks, and +thus another historic ship came to an untimely end. +I have had the privilege of seeing some unique photographs, +which were courteously sent to me by Dr. +J. Richard Taylor, of Fairhaven. It happened that as +the <i>Wanderer</i> was leaving on her last journey, Dr. +Taylor was about in his motor cruiser, and the first +picture showed the <i>Wanderer</i> leaving the State Pier +at 9 a.m. with a tug secured to the barque’s starboard +side. Another picture showed the tug towing the +whaler past Fort Rodman, and she was shown again +at 10.50 a.m. just before anchoring off Mischaum +Point. These most interesting wreck pictures portray +her as she appeared when the gale had left her on +the rocks of Cuttyhunk Island. This island, by the +way, has a stone tower memorial which is of great +historical interest to all who think about the sea. +The name of Bartholomew Gosnold we mentioned +just now as being commemorated in a whaler. But +the original Gosnold carries us right back to the +time when Queen Elizabeth was recently dead.</p> + +<p>For it was on Lady Day, 1602, that Captain +Bartholomew Gosnold in command of the ships +<i>Concord</i> and <i>Dartmouth</i> sailed from Falmouth, crossed +the Atlantic from England to North America and +coasted along the east and south shore of Cape Cod, +and landed at what is now called Cuttyhunk Island +on May 24th. Here he built a house and “a little +fort,” but giving up the settlement sailed for England +on June 17th, reaching Exmouth on July 23rd. +Gosnold thus formed the first English settlement in +New England, and his is now the name of the township +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_131">[Pg 131]</span>in which Cuttyhunk lies. Thus, by a chain of +incidents, the spot which the <i>Wanderer</i> finally chose +as her resting-place, after roaming over the seven +seas, now has become doubly historic in the realm +of maritime events.</p> + + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> +<div class="chapter"> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_132">[Pg 132]</span></p> + + + <h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_XII"> + CHAPTER XII + <br> + THE PERSONAL ELEMENT + </h2> +</div> + + +<p>It used to be the custom—certainly among the +whalers of the Greenland and Davis Straits—after +the whale had been brought alongside the ship for +the harpooners, before getting to work on the +animal’s dissection, to arm their feet with spurs. +This was in order to prevent their slipping, and +Scoresby relates a curious accident which he once +witnessed in this connection.</p> + +<p>Attending on these men were usually a couple of +boats with one or two boys, who would be ready +to pass along the harpooners’ knives, blubber-spades +and so on. Boat-hooks would naturally be used for +holding on to the dead animal. Now whilst these +harpooners were busy flensing, and one of these +men was standing on the whale’s jaw-bone, a lad +in the boat clumsily and accidentally, whilst keeping +the craft alongside, thrust the point of his boat-hook +through the ring of the harpooner’s spur and simultaneously +hooked on to the jaw-bone. The harpooner +presently found himself in the water and held by the +foot. He managed to catch hold of the boat’s gunwale, +but by this time the point had been reached +when the blubber and whalebone had been extracted +and the carcase was just being let go. And the position +now was that the unfortunate expert was fastened +to this sinking carcase.</p> + +<p>It seemed only a question of a few seconds before +carcase would pull man below the surface of the +sea, and he was just about to let go the gunwale +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_133">[Pg 133]</span>when some of his shipmates threw a rope round +his body. With all that weight suspended from him, +the harpooner was in great agony, but what he feared +most was that he might be dragged below: so in +spite of his pain he shouted to his pals to haul away +at the rope, and this was the actual means of saving +him, for eventually the carcase was hooked with a +grapnel and the man was freed. But he had been +quite as near to death as it is possible for any human +to approach.</p> + +<p>These harpooners at work separating the blubber +fat worked under the direction of the specksioneer, +or head fat-cutter, the expert of experts on the subject +of whales. But if in the seventeenth-century +Dutch whalers the specksioneer (or more correctly +the “specksynder”) was in supreme control of a +whaler, and the captain was a mere sailing master, +just as in the sixteenth century expeditions were +under the leadership of a landsman, the British +Greenland whaling ships of the eighteenth and nineteenth +centuries were under the command of seafaring +captains and the specksioneer was merely a +senior harpooner and not in supreme command. It +is interesting as showing that the handling and +navigation of the ship were considered of greater +importance than expert knowledge of the whales +themselves. But it is also a fact that in the course +of years the sailing master had amassed all the available +information about whales, their cruising +grounds, and their habits, and the methods of +hunting them. In the American early nineteenth-century +whalers the specksioneer was of greater +authority than in contemporary British ships and +sometimes took charge of the deck. For this reason, +as support to his authority, the specksioneer lived +apart from the crew. In the modern steam whalers, +dealt with towards the end of this volume, we find +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_134">[Pg 134]</span>that the twentieth-century practice is rather to give +back to the harpooner, or gunner, that supremacy +of place which he occupied three hundred years ago. +Divided authority always has its drawbacks, and so +long as the sailing master is responsible for his ship +and the harpooner cares only for getting the maximum +of whales it is conceivable that there will be +a clashing of wills sooner or later. On the grounds +of discipline and unity of purpose there is everything +to be said for the principle of captain and specksioneer +being one and the same person.</p> + +<p>For the purpose of overcoming the jealousies and +arguments, the disputes and violent quarrels on the +whaling grounds it became necessary for the Dutch +during the seventeenth century to impose on their +ships drastic regulations, which had to be subscribed +to by every captain, specksioneer and officer. In the +British Arctic whalers the official Government regulations +were not necessary, for the custom of the +industry was usually respected, although litigation +did sometimes arise, of which an instance has been +given in another chapter. But there were two plain +and simple traditions which in actual practice had +the value of laws. Firstly, there was the question of +a whale which had been harpooned or fastened. This +was the most fruitful source of animosity: for harpoons +from two or more boats, all of different ships, +might penetrate the whale, especially in the case of +a long and difficult hunt. The first boat would +naturally claim the whale as his, and the last boat +of all, who finally had brought about the animal’s +death, might insist that the prize was his. In order +to avoid such disputes the British custom of the sea +was that a whale which had been fastened, or in any +way was in possession of a boat, belonged to that +boat which maintains connection or possession, no +matter whether the whale were dead or alive. +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_135">[Pg 135]</span>Secondly, a whale that was loose and unfastened, +dead or alive, was fair game for all; but there were +occasions when this last-mentioned custom presented +difficulties. Supposing, for example, that a ship’s boat +had been hunting a certain whale all day, harpooned +him, been towed for many miles by him, and then +with the oncoming of night and owing to the distance +from the ship, it had become necessary to cut the +line. What then? Next day, or perhaps weeks later, +some other ship might find that whale many miles +away but with the harpoon still in him, and the +name of the ship on that harpoon. Perhaps the whale +might be harpooned again and chased for a long +while and then killed. Whose was that whale? Did +it belong to the ship whose harpoon had been +identified? Or did the spoil go to the final vessel?</p> + +<p>The following is an instance which occurred in the +Greenland fishery. Several whalers were beating to +windward along the edge of the ice, the vessels being +under easy sail, for it was blowing a gale accompanied +by snow. But when the wind and snow eased up and +the ships made towards the ice, two vessels, distant +from each other about a mile, both sighted a dead +whale within some loose ice. Now, since this whale +was not “fastened” she was fair game for either ship, +and there ensued a keen race as to which should +reach the animal first. But the two vessels were most +evenly matched, and there was no such thing as +superiority in their sailing ability. So keen was the +contest that each captain had hopes of harpooning +without lowering boats, and in the bows of both +ships was standing an officer ready to let drive his +harpoon so soon as the whale was reached.</p> + +<p>Now it must have been apparent that two evenly +matched sailing ships both heading for the same +small object in a big sea would converge and collide. +This indeed happened when within a few yards of +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_136">[Pg 136]</span>the whale, and actually the shock was so violent +that bow struck bow with such force that the two +craft rebounded. Harpoons were hurled at the whale +but fell short. And then a keen seaman who was +second mate of the lee ship dived overboard into +those bitterly cold waters, swam off to the whale, +seized its fin and announced to the world that the +prize was his. It was a plucky if somewhat foolish +act: for he found himself unable to climb up and had +to remain shivering in that Arctic water. Somehow +in the excitement and joy that the other vessel had +been outwitted, this second mate’s captain neglected +to worry about his officer’s unpleasant predicament +hanging on to the dead whale. Instead of at once +lowering a boat, the skipper was more concerned +with mooring his whaler to a suitable piece of ice.</p> + +<p>But in the meantime ship number two had tacked +and the master of her had lowered a boat, got into +it and rowed off to the solitary mariner still hanging +on to the dead whale. So he called to the mate, whose +shivering hand was still on the fin. “Well? You’ve +got a fine fish there,” said the skipper. “Yes,” agreed +the unhappy mate. “But don’t you find it very cold?” +asked the captain, beholding the livid lips. “Yes, I +do,” answered the mate. “And I’m almost starved: +I wish you’d let me come into your boat until ours +arrives.” “Certainly,” approved the charitable but +wide-awake skipper. The boat was rowed alongside +the whale, and, in fact, the man was assisted on +board the boat with the greatest enthusiasm.</p> + +<p>But immediately afterwards the clever old skipper +struck a harpoon into the carcase of the whale, +hoisted his flag and claimed it as his prize; for it +was now loose and was anyone’s property until this +moment. There was no question as to the right of +the new owner, nor was it even disputed. But skipper +number one was wild with anger when he realized +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_137">[Pg 137]</span>the trick which had been played. There remained +nothing to be done except to see several hundred +golden sovereigns’ worth of whale going aboard his +rival ship, and then he turned round and cursed his +over-gallant mate for having been such a fool as to +let go of that fin. There are, indeed, times when one +is praised less for bravery than for astuteness. But +I presume that mate would in future leave daring +enterprise to others who thought nothing of the +encouragement by gratitude.</p> + +<p>Whaling could not be learnt in a few weeks or +even a season: and especially was this true of the +Greenland industry, where the conditions of ice and +weather were difficult problems. Experience, judgment, +perseverance, seamanship, good navigational +ability and that indescribable special fisherman-sense +which is able to know where the fish are: these were +the qualities which went to make the successful +whaler captain. Seamanship was perhaps more +important than at first consideration you might +imagine. When there was such similarity of build +in these more or less standardized ships, there was +not a great deal of difference in the respective speeds: +therefore the personal element came into the matter. +After the fleet had penetrated up the Davis Straits, +for example, and been prevented from advancing +owing to the obstructing ice, there might one day +show itself a narrow opening just big enough for +a skilful skipper to work his ship through. If he +could do this before the sea was ready for the general +advance, then he would have the pick of the sea, +he would get whales and possibly fill up his holds +before the other ships could sail through. Taking +whaling as a whole, success depended far more on +the captain’s character and skill, and next on his +harpooners, than on the ship herself. The first thing +requisite was whaling knowledge: but when the +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_138">[Pg 138]</span>captain had brought his ship to the right area, the +rest depended on the look-outs and the harpooners.</p> + +<p>Seamen are singularly child-like: and whaler crews +were of this sort, too. If they began to lose confidence +in the “old man” or in the harpooner’s skill, +they would lose all heart in the cruise, become discouraged, +lack spirit, and consequently would allow +golden opportunities to pass by. Thus, bad officers +would ruin any whaling vessel, and she would come +home, if not “clean,” at any rate with an indifferent +cargo. On the other hand, nothing succeeds like +success, and nothing gave the men greater confidence +than the capture of several whales by clever harpooning. +It satisfied them that the harpooner knew +his business and was worthy of their assistance, it +encouraged them as they reflected on the monetary +reward which was accumulating; and it assured +them that should the animal’s tail one day give them +a stove boat, it would be just one of those inevitable +accidents of their calling. If one of the boat’s crew +had the misfortune to get his foot foul of the harpoon +line after the whale had been struck, then it was just +a case of “his own b——y fault” that for the rest of +his life he would not have a complete pair of feet.</p> + +<p>But had this happened in a boat whose harpooner +was “gallied,” nervous or inexperienced, then that +crew would have been ruined for the rest of the +voyage, the incident would be discussed in the +fo’c’sle, and even the best of the other boats’ crews +would become infected with just that spirit which +prevents success. Thus it was the personal element +which mattered most in whaling.</p> + + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> +<div class="chapter"> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_139">[Pg 139]</span></p> + + + <h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_XIII"> + CHAPTER XIII + <br> + THE WAY THEY HAD IN THE WHALERS + </h2> +</div> + + +<p>Just as in this first quarter of the twentieth +century we are at pains to get together every +possible detail of the dying sailing ship—there are +but four canvas-driven ocean-goers at the time of +writing that still fly the Red Ensign—before the last +of a fine race disappears from existence; so with the +passing of the sailing whaler and the establishment +of the steam “catcher” it is meet that we should set +down all those items which illustrate the life and +methods of the old-time vessels. And in this chapter +we shall not confine ourselves to the routine of the +northern whalers.</p> + +<p>The crude harpoon-gun which was in existence at +the beginning of the nineteenth century had been +improved by a gunsmith at Hull, though between +1772 and the next twenty years the Society of Arts +had by giving premiums to whaler-men and others +tried to encourage improvements both in the gun +and the harpoon itself. But the Hull evolution had +produced a weapon with an inch-and-seven-eighths +bore, the gun being about two feet long, of wrought +iron and working on a swivel. A special arrangement +was devised to lessen its liability to miss fire. The +shank of the harpoon was double, ending in a knob +which fitted the bore of the gun. This gun could +fire its harpoon about forty yards, but owing to +the difficulty in working this gun it was never in +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_140">[Pg 140]</span>universal use and the old-fashioned method of +hurling the hand harpoon continued to be employed +even long after Svend Foyn introduced his new gun +and system.</p> + +<p>The whaling gear was overhauled and fitted on the +voyage out to the whaling grounds. The four +fathoms of 2¼-inch hemp of the “foregoer” or “foreganger” +was now spliced to the harpoon’s shank, +every harpoon being stamped with the name of the +ship and the master, so that there could be no +question as to which ship had a right to any particular +cetacean, for there was a good deal of jealousy +and argument bound to arise when more than one +ship’s boats had fastened to the same whale. Great +care was taken of the harpoon’s point, and after it +had been sharpened and cleaned it was protected by +a bit of oiled paper or canvas.</p> + +<p>The complete outfit for each of the boats consisted +of a couple of harpoons, at least a dozen lances, +five to seven oars, a “jack” or flag on a pole as a +signal that the whale had been harpooned; a tail-knife +for making holes in the animal’s tail through +which the towing rope could be passed after he was +killed; a rest in which the stock of the ready-to-use +harpoon was supported at the bow; an axe for cutting +the line, a bucket for bailing or for wetting the line; +a snatch-block, grapnel, boat-hooks, mallet, swab, +grommets and one or two other items. It was in the +bigger (six-oared) boats that the harpoon-gun was +ever carried, and these craft also were fitted with +a winch for hauling in the lines after the whale had +been fastened. In these whaling boats you never saw +a rudder: steering was always done by means of a +long oar. Why was this? The answer is that speed +was of the utmost importance, and everyone well +knows that as soon as you put your helm over in +a boat, the rudder acts as a drag. Many an inexperienced +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_141">[Pg 141]</span>coxswain in a modern eight-oared racing +craft has learnt this to his cost.</p> + +<p>And this long steering oar was convenient for +getting the boat round when the rowers were at +rest. But generally for quickly sculling the boat out +of a narrow gat where the ice would not allow of +oars; for quick manœuvring, and for approaching +the whale without making that noise inseparable +from several blades being dipped—this stern oar was +essential. Each whaling ship split up its crew into +as many divisions as she carried boats: but when the +ship was making a passage the crew were divided +into two watches in the usual manner.</p> + +<p>The whaling service had its standard of efficiency, +and in its own way it was unique. In regard to +boatmanship, quite apart from general seamanship, +this standard has seldom been equalled. Thus if the +vessel were already cruising in an area where whales +could be expected, the boats were always ready for +immediate use, hanging from their davits or cranes, +complete with all stores, and within one minute of +the order being given after the sighting of the whale, +at least two boats properly manned could be in the +water. Every sailor to-day would admit that this +showed first-class organization and discipline up to +a point. In the crow’s nest, whilst cruising about the +whale area, was one of the officers, or even sometimes +the captain himself with his telescope sweeping +the sea. If the fish sighted were large, then two boats +were sent: if there were more than one whale, then +more than two boats were ordered away; and when +every boat had been sent off the ship was said to +have “a loose fall.”</p> + +<p>Such was the zeal for efficiency that when cruising +in fine weather and whales were expected at any +hour, a boat might be already in the water towing +astern. Greenhorns in these boats with little experience +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_142">[Pg 142]</span>in rowing were sure of many cursings and +several impressive blows on the head from the officer +in charge: for smooth, steady rowing without catching +“crabs” was essential. “There were two greenies +in each boat,” mentions the late Frank T. Bullen, from +whose classic, <i>The Cruise of the Cachalot</i>, we have +quoted more than once, “they being so arranged +that whenever one of them ‘caught a crab,’ which +of course was about every other stroke, his failure +made little difference to the boat’s progress. They +learned very fast under the terrible imprecations +and storms of blows from the iron-fisted and iron-hearted +officers.”</p> + +<p>Elsewhere in these pages I have spoken of the +whale as elusive: this adjective exactly fits him. +Scoresby says “that a whale seldom abides longer +on the surface of the water than two minutes, that +it generally remains from five to ten or fifteen +minutes under water, that in this interval it sometimes +moves through the space of half a mile or +more, and that the fisher has very rarely any certain +intimation of the place in which it will appear.” Still, +an experienced harpooner considered himself successful +if his whale reappeared within a couple of hundred +yards. But just as in the case of the modern submarine, +so the whale under way, submerged just +below the surface, leaves an eddy in his progress. +The hand-harpoon was effective at a range of not +more than ten yards: the old-fashioned harpoon-gun +at about thirty yards. The head was impenetrable, +so it was never aimed at.</p> + +<p>Bullen’s service aboard a whaler was from 1875 +onwards, and he has left behind invaluable information +concerning the life aboard one of those New +Bedford vessels. But Herman Melville in his <i>Moby +Dick</i> based his yarn on his whaling voyage aboard +the <i>Acushnet</i> in the eighteen-forties: and his vivid +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_143">[Pg 143]</span>description of the lowering of these boats is too +precious not to be quoted.</p> + +<p>“‘There she blows! there! there! there! she blows! +she blows!’</p> + +<p>“‘Where-away?’</p> + +<p>“‘On the lee-beam, about two miles off! a school +of them.’</p> + +<p>“Instantly all was commotion.</p> + +<p>“The sperm whale blows as a clock ticks, with the +same undeviating and reliable uniformity. And +thereby whalemen distinguish this fish from other +tribes of his genus.</p> + +<p>“‘There go flukes!’ was now the cry from +Tashtego; and the whales disappeared.</p> + +<p>“‘Quick, steward!’ cried Ahab. ‘Time! time!’</p> + +<p>“Dough-Boy hurried below, glanced at the watch, +and reported the exact minute to Ahab. The ship +was now kept away from the wind, and she went +gently rolling before it. Tashtego reporting that the +whales had gone down heading to leeward, we confidently +looked to see them again directly in advance +of our bows.... One of the men selected for ship-keepers—that +is, those not appointed to the boats, +by this time relieved the Indian at the mainmast head. +The sailors at the fore and mizzen had come down; +the line tubs were fixed in their places; the cranes +were thrust out; the mainyard was backed, and the +three boats swung over the sea like three samphire +baskets over high cliffs. Outside of the bulwarks +their eager crews with one hand clung to the rail, +while one foot was expectantly poised on the gunwale. +So look the long line of man-of-war’s men about +to throw themselves on board an enemy’s ship....</p> + +<p>“‘All ready there, Fedallah?’</p> + +<p>“‘Ready,’ was the half-hissed reply.</p> + +<p>“‘Lower away, then: d’ye hear?’ shouting across +the deck. ‘Lower away there, I say.’</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_144">[Pg 144]</span></p> + +<p>“... The men sprang over the rail: the sheaves +whirled round in the blocks; with a wallow, the +three boats dropped into the sea; while, with a +dexterous, off-handed daring, unknown in any other +vocation, the sailors, goat-like, leaped down the +rolling ship’s side into the tossed boats below.</p> + +<p>“Hardly had they pulled out from under the ship’s +lee, when a fourth keel, coming from the windward +side, pulled round under the stern, and showed the +five strangers rowing; Ahab, who standing erect +in the stern, loudly hailed Starbuck, Stubb, and Flask +to spread themselves widely, so as to cover a large +expanse of water.</p> + +<p>“And then the exhortations of the officer to urge +the crew to row towards the whale, which had now +come into sight again, blowing right ahead:</p> + +<p>“‘Pull, pull, my fine hearts alive; pull, my children; +pull, my little ones,’ drawlingly and soothingly +sighed Stubb to his crew.... ‘Why don’t you break +your backbones, my boys? What is it you stare at? +Those chaps in yonder boat? Tut! They are only five +more hands come to help us—never mind from +where—the more the merrier. Pull, then, do pull: +never mind the brimstone—devils are good fellows +enough. So, so; there you are now; that’s the stroke +for a thousand pounds; that’s the stroke to sweep +the stakes! Hurrah for the gold cup of sperm oil, +my heroes! Three cheers, men—all hearts alive! +Easy, easy; don’t be in a hurry—don’t be in a hurry. +Why don’t you snap your oars, you rascals? Bite +something, you dogs! So, so, so, then; softly, softly. +That’s it—that’s it! long and strong. Give way there, +give way! The devil fetch ye, ye ragamuffin rapscallions; +ye are all asleep. Stop snoring, ye sleepers, +and pull. Pull, will ye? pull, can’t ye? pull, won’t +ye? Why in the name of gudgeons and ginger-cakes +don’t ye pull? pull and break something! pull, +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_145">[Pg 145]</span>and start your eyes out! Here!’ whipping out the +sharp knife from his girdle; ‘every mother’s son of +ye draw his knife, and pull with the blade between +his teeth. That’s it—that’s it. Now ye do something; +that looks like it, my steel-bits. Start her—start her, +my silver spoons! Start her, marling-spikes!’”</p> + +<p>Yes: there was something personal, very human, +inspiring and thrilling in those fine boat hunts which +used to go on from these old ships during the longest +voyages which were ever made by men. Melville +refers to the life aboard the Nantucket whalers with +their sharing-out system of remuneration, their +common luck, their common vigilance as tending in +some cases “to beget a less rigorous discipline than +in merchantmen generally; yet, never mind how +much like an old Mesopotamian family these whalemen +may, in some primitive instances, live together; +for all that, the punctilious externals, at least, of the +quarter-deck are seldom materially relaxed, and in +no instance done away. Indeed, many are the Nantucket +ships in which you will see the skipper +parading his quarter-deck with an exalted grandeur +not surpassed in any military navy; nay, extorting +almost as much outward homage as if he wore the +imperial purple, and not the shabbiest of pilot-cloth.”</p> + +<p>Scoresby says that during the capture of a whale, +the line would with its friction sometimes cut a +groove in the bollard about an inch deep and therefore +they used to put a plate of brass, or iron, or +lignum vitæ where the line passed over the stem, +otherwise in one season’s successful whaling the boat +would be cut right through to the water’s edge. A +really experienced harpooner was always careful not +to have too many turns round that bollard. Sometimes +it was a great temptation so to do, when the +whale was apparently never going to cease his progress. +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_146">[Pg 146]</span>The harpooner naturally desired to retard the +animal and to increase the drag by not slackening +up the line: but too many turns sometimes meant +that the line would get entangled, it could not be +eased off when an obstacle of ice came across the +boat’s path. Then suddenly the boat would be drawn +beneath the ice, or smashed to small pieces of wood—unless +an axe was able to be applied in time.</p> + +<p>Not even the greatest expert could ever say how +long a period would elapse between the harpooning +of the whale and the final capture. Scoresby says that +the average time was not exceeding an hour, but +he himself remembered the occasion when it took +twenty-eight minutes; and another when after sixteen +hours the whale actually escaped from its line. +But, apart from the ice, the worst enemy of the +Arctic whalers was that succession of thick fogs +which were to be expected in June and July. Not +merely did they endanger the ships, but they interfered +seriously with the actual whaling operations. +Even if the animal were fastened, the boat would +be towed immediately away from the ship’s sight +and the boatmen lose all sense of direction and +distance. The ship’s bell or horn could signal for +a certain distance: but if the boat were beyond the +hearing of a gun, then both shipmaster and boat’s +officer had every reason to become anxious. A gale +frequently follows in the wake of a fog: but up +there hunger was always waiting to follow the +biting cold. Death from either or both was always +threatening.</p> + +<p>The persistency of some whales is well illustrated +by an incident which happened to a boat in June +of 1812 when the Whitby whaler <i>Resolution</i> had +reached her northern hunting-ground. The boat had +fastened the whale when close to the edge of a small +ice-floe, and then a second boat came along with her +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_147">[Pg 147]</span>lines and bent on to those of the first. The whale +was towing so furiously that it seemed likely to pull +the boat’s bows under. Two or three men went aft +but the stern was still well out of the water, and the +harpooner was enveloped in the smoke of the line’s +friction round the bollard so that he was invisible. +Finally the bow of the boat was pulled below the +sea, but the crew leapt overboard and succeeded in +getting on the ice.</p> + +<p>The whale was still visible, and now there occurred +the strange phenomenon of the ships themselves +working their way through the tricky ice channels +and going off in a general chase: for the animal +already was anyone’s property who was able to +capture it. The boats in the neighbourhood also +chased and within an hour three harpoons were fixed, +but the whale now making his way below a large floe, +drew all the lines out of the second boat that was +fast: and since the latter’s officer could get no further +assistance, he secured his line to a hummock, but +the line broke. There still remained two boats fast, +and they were both dragged, in this mad advance, +against a floe and one of the harpoons drew out. +That left one boat still being towed, but with six +or eight lines out.</p> + +<p>There followed a species of excitement which made +a sensitive nature almost delirious: for the whale +next went blundering through great blocks of ice +with the boat astern, and occasionally the stout line +would get hung up, then with a twang suddenly +slip clear, and with the speed of a bird the boat +would rush forward over ice, into the water again, +and then the onrush would continue. Finally the +sportive mammal was seen towing only the sunken +boat and any amount of line, but the drag of nearly +four miles of ropes and immersed craft must have +been something tremendous. Thanks to a good +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_148">[Pg 148]</span>breeze, the ship was able to chase under all sail, and +after nine miles from the spot, the vessel came up +and sent a couple of spare boats off. But one of the +harpooners unskilfully allowed the whale to see the +boat approaching, and after resting awhile it made +off in alarm. However, the boats were placed at +suitable points, the whale rose and was promptly +harpooned three times more in addition to being +lanced vigorously, so that finally it was killed after +a magnificent display of pluck and persistence. +Altogether this animal had taken out six miles of +line and sunk one boat.</p> + +<p>It is this side of whaling—the virile drama between +men of the sea and the leviathan of the deep—that +gives the work a thrill which is absent in most other +occupations. Rapid thinking, quick judgment, active +limbs; dexterous management of harpoon, of lines, +and of boat itself were essential. It was a battle of +wits as well as of courage, with such items as fog +and ice to make the contest more varied; and the +big monetary reward always being dangled ahead +of the men in the boat. In other kinds of fishing +there are dangers of varying degree, but chiefly +in respect of weather alone. In whale-catching the +excitement, the risks, the cool nerve required in the +days of sail can be compared only with big-game +hunting on land. In describing his first whale, +Bullen mentions the horror with which he realized, +after having harpooned the whale, that “down went +the nose of the boat almost under the water, while +at the mate’s order everybody scrambled aft into the +elevated stern sheets. The line sang quite a tune as +it was grudgingly allowed to surge round the loggerhead, +filling one with admiration at the strength +shown by such a small rope. This sort of thing went +on for about twenty minutes, in which time we quite +emptied the large tub and began on the small one.... +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_149">[Pg 149]</span>Mr. Cruce, the second mate, had got a whale and +was doing his best to kill it; but he was severely +handicapped by his crew, or rather had been, for +two of them were now temporarily incapable of +either good or harm. They had gone quite ‘batchy’ +with fright, requiring a not too gentle application +of the tiller to their heads in order to keep them +quiet. The remedy, if rough, was effectual, for the +‘subsequent proceedings interested them no more.’”</p> + + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> +<div class="chapter"> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_150">[Pg 150]</span></p> + + + <h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_XIV"> + CHAPTER XIV + <br> + IN THE SOUTHERN SEAS + </h2> +</div> + + +<p>By the year 1849 British whaling had reached a +very low level, ship after ship having given up, +and only fourteen vessels under that flag being so +employed. But then Charles Enderby, a British merchant, +a Fellow of the Royal Society, and the greatest +authority in the country on the southern whaling +industry, made a big effort to remedy this.</p> + +<p>Enderby’s family name is, like other pioneers in +the whaling enterprise, connected with exploration, +and perpetuated by that Antarctic, desolate district +known as Enderby Land, which was visited in 1831 +by Captain Biscoe in one of the ships owned by +Enderby’s firm. It was this same Biscoe, by the way, +who visited in 1832 the west coast of Graham Land, +which to-day is such an important whaling neighbourhood. +Now in the years from 1839 to 1843 Sir +James Clark Ross (nephew of Sir John Ross who +explored Baffin’s Bay) was in command of that <i>Erebus</i> +and <i>Terror</i> expedition into the Antarctic Seas, and in +1847 he published his <i>Voyage of Discovery and Research +in the Southern and Antarctic Seas</i>.</p> + +<p>It was in the same year this volume appeared that +Charles Enderby published his pamphlet, which +caused a great deal of interest in England. Ross had +made a lengthy stay at the Auckland Islands in 1840 +and reported that “in the whole range of the vast +Southern Ocean no spot could be found combining +so completely the essential requisites for a fixed +whaling station.” Enderby seized on this idea, and +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_151">[Pg 151]</span>formed a corporation called the Southern Whale +Fishery Company. The object was partly commercial, +and partly patriotic. For the British whaling industry +was moribund. Between 1838 and 1845 the produce +of the American whale fishery had, on the contrary, +averaged 37,459 tuns, but during 1845 it had risen +to 43,064 tuns or the equivalent of £1,420,447, +whereas in that year the entire British whaling +whether in the north or in the South Seas did not +amount to more than 5,564 tuns, or £249,181: and +there was the further point that those eighteen +thousand seamen in American vessels were a very +fine national asset. Enderby’s attitude was, therefore, +this: If we can only believe Ross we can revive the +southern whaling industry, we can cease depending +on America for our whale produce, and at the same +time we shall be raising up a fine seamanhood, which +is very much to be desired on patriotic grounds.</p> + +<p>The arguments, therefore, were almost identical +with those of Elking in regard to the Dutch a hundred +and twenty-five years previously. Just as then +Holland possessed almost the monopoly, so now it +was in the hands of America. Such arguments as +these not infrequently succeed in obtaining support, +and because Britain owned but fourteen whalers, +and the good feeling which to-day exists between +the two countries was then largely that of suspicion +and jealousy, Enderby’s proposition was well received +by statesmen, the peerage, the Royal Navy, +and by the leading merchants of the City of London. +His plan was to have a whaling station formed at +those uninhabited Auckland Islands which lie a +hundred and eighty miles south of New Zealand, +and had been discovered only as recently as 1806. +A small fleet of whalers should be built and sailed +out, Enderby’s plan being to create a settlement at +that out-of-the-way spot. Obviously it would be +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_152">[Pg 152]</span>impossible for the whaling fleet to bring back the +produce, but the intention was that these ships +should operate solely in those southern waters, land +their oil at Auckland Islands, refit, and then go off +on a further cruise. For transportation of the produce +from here they would rely on those sailing ships +visiting Australia and New Zealand, which would be +glad of the oil freight to take back to England.</p> + +<p>The British Government became more than interested, +gave their full approval, and in fact granted +in 1849 a Royal Charter of Incorporation to the +company which Enderby formed, the capital being +fixed at £100,000. This national undertaking, which +was to prevent the nation’s dependence on America +for its whale produce, and to employ so many seamen, +somehow appealed very strongly to the early +Victorians. A big public dinner was given to Enderby +in April of that year, presided over by Rear-Admiral +J. W. D. Dundas, C.B., M.P., attended by Government +Ministers, merchants of the City of London, +ship-owners and so on. The usual laudatory speeches +were made, and Enderby was spoken of as about to +make what was really a voyage of discovery. “Whoever +had paid attention to the commerce of this +country,” said Mr. Labouchere in his speech, “could +not but regret that so important a branch of trade as +the Southern Whale Fisheries should have been +suffered by this country to decline, and to be almost +entirely transferred to the United States of America.”</p> + +<p>It showed Enderby’s own belief in the scheme +that he elected to go out with that expedition personally, +and he was sure that if the British Whaling +Industry was to be re-established, this was the means +of doing it. The old-fashioned method of a vessel +going on a three-and-a-half years’ cruise and carrying +her accumulated cargo about with her seemed to +Enderby disadvantageous. So the Southern Whale +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_153">[Pg 153]</span>Fishery Company was given a good send-off, the +Government had made a grant of these Auckland +Islands to Enderby and his two brothers, he himself +being made Lieutenant-Governor. Two ships, the +<i>Samuel Enderby</i> of 395 registered tons, and the <i>Fancy</i> +of 321 tons, set forth from England in August 1849, +Charles Enderby himself being in one of them, and +reached the Auckland Islands in December. In the +former was a crew of picked men, but in the other +ships no such precaution was taken. The <i>Brisk</i> of +265 tons sailed soon after these two, and among the +fleet eventually got out there were the <i>Sir Edward +Parry</i>, <i>Sir James Ross</i>, <i>The Earl of Hardwicke</i>, <i>Lord +Nelson</i> and <i>Lord Duncan</i>.</p> + +<p>But in spite of all that enthusiasm of the public +dinner, in spite of all that had been prophesied, this +scheme turned out a failure and the whaling was +eventually abandoned, not without a certain amount +of bad feeling and recrimination between Enderby +and the Court of Directors, who eventually sent out +a couple of representatives to supersede Enderby. +There were mutual charges of mismanagement, the +company exhausted the whole of its capital and +the Aucklands station was abandoned after twenty +months’ occupation. Port Ross had been this +pioneer’s headquarters, and he had taken out thirty-seven +men and eighteen women, and set to work to +cultivate the ground, make roads and erect dwellings. +But we need not stop to inquire as to which party +was responsible for the failure of the plan: it is sufficient +to emphasize that it never succeeded either as a +settlement or as a fishery.</p> + +<p>A certain amount of cruising was done, and sperm +whales were sighted; but only a few were ever taken +by the ships. Enderby complained that in this respect +the loss was owing to the company’s mismanagement +on two counts. Firstly, the whalers had been built in +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_154">[Pg 154]</span>such a way that they could carry not more than 115 +tuns of oil, whereas they ought to have been able to +contain 185 tuns. Secondly, the company had paid +£8,200 each for ships which could have been built +and equipped in America for £5,000 each. But +thirdly, the whole success of the whaling enterprise +depended on the personnel. By 1847 there were +practically no men in England expert in hunting the +“common” whale, since this occupation had been +long abandoned.</p> + +<p>But in North America plenty of these men would +have been available, and have made all the difference +between success and failure; for a bad “headsman” +in a boat would always spoil the morale of fresh, +green hands, and in the end ruin all prospects of the +voyage. The directors of the company, Enderby +complained, had sent out only four of these experts, +who were not enough for the boats of one vessel, let +alone eight. The chief ability of a whaling master—his +supreme recommendation—should be his capacity +for killing whales. This duty demanded both +courage and activity, and such endowments were to +be found usually only in men of the age of twenty to +twenty-eight. These men could always obtain high +wages, and a good young captain with a reputation +had never any difficulty in picking the best officers +and crew: consequently, where every whaling +voyage was a separate adventure, it paid to obtain +only the finest whaling masters. And it was just +because these did not at that time exist in Britain +that the Company should have gone to America for +them, where they could have been found in abundance +without the slightest difficulty. There was another +matter that caused trouble in this Auckland settlement. +Drink, that curse of so many otherwise happy +ships, became one of the problems with which +Enderby had to wrestle until he was compelled to +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_155">[Pg 155]</span>destroy all spirits except those kept for medicinal +purposes. American whalers, with a few exceptions, +were run on temperance principles.</p> + +<p>Thus this Auckland whaling venture turned out +hopelessly, and its failure was due chiefly to the plain +fact of the British lack of expert leaders in this highly +specialized work. There was this in common between +the northern and the southern whaling: the amount +of physical risk though different in kind was similar +in degree. The true whales in the north were not +usually combative, but there was always the great +risk of ice and heavy weather. The sperm whaling in +the southern seas was bereft of ice danger until right +down in the approach to the Antarctic: but the +cachalot is a bolder, more mischievous, fighting +animal, threatening that destruction to boats and +ships which we have already noticed. In the attempts +to make whaling flourish, British effort in the warmer +seas, such as the Pacific for example, has never +rivalled all those generations of effort which were +made in the Arctic areas. But to-day whatever future +whaling may seem to possess rests on that Antarctic +part of the world which we shall discuss in due +place.</p> + +<p>It is characteristic of some sperm whales that they +prefer to use their dangerous jaws, when attacked, +rather than employ their tail. The mammal turns on +his back, keeping its jaw suspended ominously over +the boat. Sometimes this used to put such fear into a +boat’s crew that they would all take a leap into the +water and remain there till the danger passed. In +1836 an American whaler in the South Seas had one +of her boats in this manner nipped right in two, but +fortunately none of the crew on this occasion was +injured. Incidentally it may be mentioned that +during the early part of the nineteenth century there +had come a change in the building of the carvel +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_156">[Pg 156]</span>whaling boats, the wood being sawn out of straight-grained +oak, and then bent by steam or boiling water, +being thus rendered more elastic than when sawn. +At the same time they were stronger and lighter. +This practice had been for a long time employed for +the clinker-built boats, but not for the carvel, and +its introduction was made by Thomas Brodrick, a +Whitby shipbuilder.</p> + +<p>The whalers in the Greenland Sea or Baffin’s Bay +well realized that their greatest enemy was not the +whale but the ice. In the warm southern seas every +boat-launching might lead to a fatal risk. Thus, for +example, in the year 1835 the whaler <i>Pusie Hall’s</i> +boats, four in number, were out after a whale which +chased them back to the ship, killed one of the boat’s +hands, bit one of the officers, and for quite a time +resisted all the lances hurled at it from the bows of +the ship. One particularly notorious fighting whale +was an individual who used to cruise off the New +Zealand coast, and was easily recognized by his +white hump. He was well known to the crews and +went by the name of “New Zealand Tom.” Another +celebrated fighter used to inhabit the Straits of Timor, +and he was at last killed only after he had nipped off +with his jaws a boat’s bows.</p> + +<p>During the year 1836 the South Sea whaler <i>Arabella</i> +was cruising off the Society Islands when the +whale, after being harpooned, turned suddenly +round, hit the boat with his head, broke it in two +and then swam through it. In such circumstances as +these the experience, the coolness and skill of the +man in charge of the boat meant all that Enderby +insisted. One nipped boat, one incident of raw hands +being left to swim about looking up at those threatening +jaws, was quite enough to make the crew nervous +for the rest of the ship’s voyage. But a good man with +knowledge and courage, vigorous and determined, +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_157">[Pg 157]</span>could make light of these incidents and inspire his +men to further efforts.</p> + +<p>In the throwing of the harpoon lay the great skill, +but if through nervousness or lack of experience the +line became entangled, the boat might be drawn +below the water almost instantaneously: and there +are instances on record where boats mysteriously and +rapidly disappeared from what was surmised to be +this cause. A smart man of course was on the look-out +for such an occurrence, and some officers always +used to have an axe ready in the hand while the line +was running out: for a quick, sharp blow and the +immediate severance of the line were the only things +which could save lives and boat.</p> + +<p>Yes: a novice in charge was too dangerous. Perhaps +the ideal was a man of about twenty-six years +of age, who had been brought up in whalers since he +was a lad. He had been out in boats under experts, +he had learned all the tricks which an angry whale +could play, and he was young enough to enjoy +fighting yet old enough to know how. We all understand +how dangerous in a small sailing craft is a raw +landsman, who has not yet learned the importance of +ropes running clear through blocks and fairleads: +most accidents come through that neglect. It was the +same with the harpoon line. The third mate of the +whaler <i>Melantho</i> lost his life through the harpoon line +suddenly getting out of the fairlead and carrying +him right out of the boat; and notwithstanding that +the line was forthwith cut, allowing the whale to +escape, before the mate could be picked up he had +been grabbed by a shark and had disappeared.</p> + +<p>Or, again, take the case of the whaler <i>Seringapatam</i> +in the Straits of Timor. A whale had been fastened, +but the creature came so close that one of his flukes +actually grazed on the chest the boy who was pulling +the after oar. Owing to the collision against the +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_158">[Pg 158]</span>whale some coils of harpoon line were thrown over +the shoulders also of the man at the tub-oar, and +whilst the whale hurried on, the unfortunate fellow +was pulled overboard. His body was at length +rescued, but found to be lifeless, entangled in the +line. His shipmates could do nothing for him.</p> + +<p>Accidents such as these were the risks which +might happen to any boat, on any occasion: and they +tended to ruin the enterprise for the whole three +years that remained. This, in turn, meant a loss of +dividends, and a reluctance on the part of the owners +to finance any more whaling cruises. Thus, the prizes +went to the survivals of the fittest and most experienced +young men who had been able to avoid such +dispiriting disasters.</p> + + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> +<div class="chapter"> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_159">[Pg 159]</span></p> + + + <h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_XV"> + CHAPTER XV + <br> + WAR AND THE WHALERS + </h2> +</div> + + +<p>If we had come across a northern whaler in the +early Victorian days, we should have found she +was a full-rigged ship of not more than 450 tons; +and if we had come across her at sea with her maintopsails +backed and her courses clewed up and a +number of birds swooping around her, we should +know even from a distance that she was just cutting +up the whale which had been recently caught. And +as you came nearer you would have heard the men +at the capstan heaving away to an old whaling +chantey:</p> + +<div class="poetry-container"> + <div class="poetry"> + <div class="stanza"> + <div class="verse indent0">’Tis well nigh sixty years ago,</div> + <div class="verse indent0">On March the twentieth day,</div> + <div class="verse indent0">When we set sail from Yarmouth Roads,</div> + <div class="verse indent0">And bore due North away.</div> + </div> + </div> +</div> + +<p>And, after a few narrative verses concerning the +whaling operations, there would come the final +cheery words:</p> + +<div class="poetry-container"> + <div class="poetry"> + <div class="stanza"> + <div class="verse indent0">Singing “Aye, lads, give way, lads,”</div> + <div class="verse indent0">We’re bound to the north countree,</div> + <div class="verse indent0">Where icebergs grow and whales do blow,</div> + <div class="verse indent0">And sunsets you never see.</div> + </div> + </div> +</div> + +<p>Dreadful doggerel it all seems to the modern +sailor, with his extra master’s ticket and scientific +knowledge: but those were the days of simple ships +and plain seamen. So you would hear the song end +abruptly as that long strip of blubber was hauled up +from the whale’s carcase alongside. The “blanket-piece” +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_160">[Pg 160]</span>they used to call it. And then you would be +able to watch those busy men on the whale’s back +working away with their spades and cutting another +piece. That was before the days of steam affected +these vessels. But even those Arctic whalers of about +1870 were still fully rigged, their engines were of +very small horse-power, and just useful for getting +the ship out of some awkward surrounding ice. +Otherwise they were sailing ships and practically did +all their passages under canvas. They went out with +coal in their oil tanks, which were cleaned out on +reaching the grounds and then filled with the whale +produce. But their fuel consumption was very small.</p> + +<p>As one examines the lines of such a vessel, one +notices that this three-master has not a straight stem, +but a moderately rounded forefoot with a straight +keel and a very short counter. Her sides were about +as solid as one of Nelson’s wooden walls, and her +bows were protected with sheets of iron to resist +the ice. The total complement was about fifty, the +men being berthed forward and the officers aft. The +single funnel was immediately abaft the mainmast, +and as you walked along the raised poop deck you +would have noted the engine-room skylight, sometimes +a light flying bridge, then the companion-way +to the saloon and the officers’ cabins leading out of +it. The steering wheel was right aft, there was a +pump wheel just behind the mainmast; while forward +there were the capstan and fo’c’sle hatch, and +then came the big hold for the whale produce. In lieu +of a figure-head you would notice that she carried a +carved harpoon.</p> + +<p>The Norwegian whalers of this period were small +and built of their native fir with a few sheets of iron +sheathing, hoping to avoid being seriously caught in +the ice. The Norwegian steam-whalers were both +ancient and slow; but there were also some ketch-rigged +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_161">[Pg 161]</span>craft of about 40 tons with a crew which +varied from nine to seventeen. This smaller type +sometimes used her squaresail for driving the ship +astern, if she got caught in the ice and saw an opening +clear astern.</p> + +<p>But during the American Civil War there came an +additional peril to those whalers which used to sail +from the western coast through the Bering Straits +into the Arctic. And the destruction of whaling ships +by those Confederate cruisers <i>Shenandoah</i>, <i>Alabama</i> +and <i>Florida</i> was one of the biggest shocks that ever +came to the industry. “The whaling industry of New +England,” says Mr. Arthur C. Watson, “saw the +handwriting on the wall during the Civil War. +Petroleum had been discovered, and the ship merchants +and captains knew what the consequences +were to be. They realized that the decline in their +business was permanent, and that, as the years came +on, more and more of their craft would be forced +out of the running. It was merely a coincidence that +the war and the mineral oil discovery should be contemporary +events, but the war had a part of its own +to play in the decay of the industry—a dramatic +part, in fact, which made the port of New Bedford +shudder for its future far more than did the news +about petroleum.”</p> + +<p>When the <i>Shenandoah</i> in June 1865 came up the +Bering Straits she was rewarded for her trouble by +capturing and burning five whaling vessels. But on +the next day she captured at anchor quite a fleet of +whalers, with the exception of the <i>Favorite</i>, commanded +by Captain Young, who resisted the Confederate’s +officer coming on board not merely with +words, but with a display of guns and fire-arms. But +the <i>Favorite’s</i> crew got frightened and deserted, so +that after removing the ship’s ammunition they took to +the boats and left Captain Young by himself. The +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_162">[Pg 162]</span>latter, when the <i>Shenandoah’s</i> next boat came off, had +no alternative but to surrender when he found there +was nothing for his guns to fire, and on being taken +prisoner he was put in irons. On that day nine +whaling ships were lost to their enemy.</p> + +<p>But during that same month the <i>Shenandoah</i> made +numerous other attacks on whaling fleets, burned +thirty-four fine ships, and employed four others for +taking the captured whaling crews back to the shore. +These losses to this section of seafaring were such +that ship-owners were pretty well ruined. Nor were +these by any means all. Everyone knows the daring +story of the <i>Alabama</i>, how she was built by Messrs. +Laird of Birkenhead as a wooden barquentine-rigged +screw steamer of 1,040 tons under her yard designation +as “No. 290,” and that on July 29, 1862, under +the pretence of doing her trial trip she slipped +down the Mersey out to sea and made for the Azores, +where she was met by two other vessels which +brought her armament. But many readers will have +forgotten the blows she struck at the American +whaling ships.</p> + +<p>Her commanding officer was Captain Raphael +Semmes, and she at once began to show what she +could do. “I resolved to strike a blow at the enemy’s +whale-fishery, off the Azores,” he wrote. “There is a +curious and beautiful problem—that of Providence +feeding the whale—connected with this fishery.... +It is because of that problem that the Azores are a +whaling station. The food which attracts the whale to +these islands is not produced in their vicinity, but is +carried thither by the currents—the currents of the +ocean performing the same functions for the finny +tribe that the atmosphere does for the plants. The +fishes of the sea, in their kingdom beneath the waters, +have thus their highways and byways, as well as the +animals upon the land, and are always to be found +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_163">[Pg 163]</span>congregated where their great food-bearers, the +currents, make the deposits.”</p> + +<p>The American whalers had been fond of this +ground and found it profitable, the season usually +ending about the beginning of October, when the +first gales began to blow and the whales migrated to +other feeding grounds. But here was the <i>Alabama</i> +off here by the beginning of September, so she had +several weeks in which she could hope for success. +It was that old area, of course, where English ships +in the sixteenth century used to lie in wait for the +richly laden carracks making for Spain and Portugal. +And so on the night of September 4 we find the +<i>Alabama</i> hove-to off Fayal under her topsails, and +the next day the light easterly weather with a cloudy +sky came as ideal conditions for the cruiser to begin.</p> + +<p>She had not long to wait, for a ship was sighted +lying to, and then the cruiser made sail, hoisted +United States colours and ran down to within a few +hundred yards of her. The strange ship also hoisted +United States colours and revealed herself a whaler. +She had that very day harpooned a whale, and a big +one at that. She had just got the animal alongside +and the yard tackles in the usual way were hoisting +him partially out of the water to be flensed, when +the <i>Alabama</i> sprang a ripe surprise by now hoisting +true Confederate colours.</p> + +<p>The name of the whaler was the <i>Ocmulgee</i>, of Edgartown, +Massachusetts, whose master Semmes described +as “a genuine specimen of the Yankee whaling +skipper; long and lean, and as elastic, apparently, as +the whalebone he dealt in. Nothing could exceed the +blank stare of astonishment that sat on his face, as +the change of flags took place on board the <i>Alabama</i>. +He had been engaged, up to the last moment, with +his men, securing the rich spoil alongside. The whale +was a fine ‘sperm,’ and was a ‘big strike,’ and had +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_164">[Pg 164]</span>already been denuded of much of its blubber when +we got alongside. He naturally concluded, he said, +when he saw the United States colours at our peak, +that we were one of the new gunboats sent out by +Mr. Welles to protect the whale fishery. It was +indeed remarkable that no protection should have +been given to these men by their Government. +Unlike the ships of commerce, the whalers are obliged +to congregate within small well-known spaces of +ocean, and remain there for weeks at a time, whilst +the whaling season lasts. It was the most obvious +thing in the world that these vessels, thus clustered +together, should attract the attention of the Confederate +cruisers and be struck at.”</p> + +<p>For at that time there were not more than half a +dozen important whaling stations in the world, and +as already mentioned, the <i>Shenandoah</i> was able in the +North Pacific to repeat the successes of the <i>Alabama</i> +in the Atlantic. During the Great War it became +necessary latterly to send armed craft to protect the +British fishing fleets in the North Sea, but, as Semmes +says, “the whalers, like the commerce of the United +States generally, were abandoned to their fate.” It +thus became perfectly easy to strike a blow at American +whaling with such force that it never recovered. +It has been estimated that these cruisers did damage +to the extent of £310,000, including £100,000 worth +of oil lost. In addition to that sum must be reckoned +the loss of twenty-three fine New Bedford whaling +ships which were intentionally sunk at the entrances +to Confederate harbours in order to block them up. +Thus the unfortunate owners and fishermen seemed +to have been dealt blows right and left. Who could +expect that with such circumstances whaling could +ever become again what it once was?</p> + +<p>But to return to the <i>Alabama</i>: there were taken +out of the <i>Ocmulgee</i> not merely the thirty-seven unhappy +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_165">[Pg 165]</span>people but meat and stores, by which time +night had come on. It was too late to think of burning +her, for the flames against the nocturnal sky +would only scare the other whalers somewhere in +the vicinity. “I had now become too old a hunter to +commit such an indiscretion,” remarked Semmes +humorously. “With a little management and caution, +I might hope to uncover the birds no faster than I +could bag them. And so, hoisting a light at the peak +of the prize, I permitted her to remain anchored to +the whale, and we lay by her until the next morning, +when we burned her; the smoke of the conflagration +being, no doubt, mistaken by vessels at a distance +for that of some passing steamer.”</p> + +<p>Later on, after capturing a Boston schooner, the +<i>Alabama</i> chased a whaling brig, which by her number +of boats and other characteristics showed her +occupation unmistakably. But she was eventually +allowed to go, for she proved herself a genuine Portuguese; +and this was the only foreign whaler that +the <i>Alabama</i> came across, for the whaling monopoly +was so thoroughly in American hands by this date. +But in that same afternoon Semmes gave chase to a +vessel in the north-west and came up to her about +sunset. She was flying American colours and her +master unsuspectingly presumed the steamer had +been sent to act as escort. The American vessel was +found to be the New Bedford whaler <i>Ocean Rover</i>, +and already she had been cruising about the world, +true to her name, for three years and four months, +and had sent home one or two cargoes of oil, but +was now going back there with eleven hundred +barrels after her long voyaging, having determined +to visit the Azores grounds in order to fill up what +empty casks remained. But the <i>Ocean Rover</i> was now +to end her last voyage of all. Semmes had her hove-to +until morning about four miles from the land, and +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_166">[Pg 166]</span>the whaler’s captain asked permission to land in his +own boats. Semmes suggested that this was rather a +long distance to pull, to which the Yankee skipper +replied, “Oh! That’s nothing. We whalers sometimes +chase a whale, on the broad sea, until our ships +are hull-down, and think nothing of it.”</p> + +<p>So, the sea being smooth, the six whaleboats were +allowed alongside the <i>Ocean Rover</i>, and for two hours +the men worked hard transferring provisions, personal +effects and whaling gear as well as the ship’s +cat and parrot. The whaler’s skipper declined +Semmes’s suggestion that the boats were too heavily +laden to be safe. “No,” insisted the whaler, “they’re +as buoyant as ducks, and we shan’t ship a drop of +water.” And he was right, for they got to the Flores +shore all right.</p> + +<p>By morning the <i>Alabama</i> had captured the <i>Alert</i> +of New London, whose stores were extremely welcome +as she was only sixteen days out of her home +port. And now after burning the schooner <i>Starlight</i>, +the <i>Ocean Rover</i> and <i>Alert</i>, the <i>Alabama</i> drew close +to a large schooner which had to have a blank cartridge +fired before she would heave-to. She was +boarded and found to be the whaler <i>Weathergauge</i> of +Provincetown, Massachusetts, six weeks out. Semmes +said that American sailing ships were notable for the +whiteness of their canvas, which was made out of +American cotton, so the cut of the sails and the taper +of the spars usually showed the nationality: but on +one occasion the <i>Alabama</i> had a good chase all for +nothing, the vessel being a Dane although she +seemed a real Yankee.</p> + +<p>After the <i>Weathergauge</i> whaler had landed her +crew in the ship’s boats, she was burned, and presently +steering off to the north-west the <i>Alabama</i> +tried fresh ground, and sighted the New Bedford +whaler <i>Altamaha</i>, five months out. She had not had +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_167">[Pg 167]</span>much whaling luck and was comparatively “clean.” +She was now burned, but owing to absence of oil +did not burn so furiously. It was now the middle of +September, and on the night after the capture of +<i>Altamaha</i> there was an exciting chase. About half-past +eleven a large sailing ship passed to windward, +and visible in the bright moonlight. Both ships were +close-hauled on the starboard tack, the strange vessel +being about three points on the <i>Alabama’s</i> weather +bow, and evidently realized that the <i>Alabama</i> was +now pursuing, for the stranger set both her royals +and flying jib. This suited the Confederate perfectly, +as her best sailing was when she was on a wind, and +few ships could beat her under that condition. The +stranger had got a good start, but the <i>Alabama</i> was +footing so quickly that within a couple of hours she +was on the other’s weather quarter, having both +fore-reached and got to windward of the stranger. +When the range came down to a mile, Semmes had +a blank fired to cause the fleer to heave-to. But the +latter now bore away a little, eased her sheets and +began getting out her stuns’l booms preparatory to +setting more canvas.</p> + +<p>The <i>Alabama</i> therefore eased sheets also, and was +so well handled that before the pursued could get +her foretopmast stuns’l set, she was at point-blank +range. Semmes fired a second blank and then the +stranger hauled up her courses and steered up into +the wind. Was she a neutral or a prize, after all? +Semmes sent his boarding officer to her with instructions +that if she were the latter he was to hoist a light +as soon as he got aboard her. Followed a brief lull as +the oars quickly rowed the boat away from the +cruiser. But now up went a light to the stranger’s +peak, and so the two vessels remained near to each +other till morning. She was found to be yet another +whaler, the <i>Benjamin Tucker</i>, eight months out of +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_168">[Pg 168]</span>New Bedford, with 340 barrels of oil. After her crew +had been taken off and some of her stores salved, such +as tobacco, she was set on fire.</p> + +<p>And so matters went on, for the next vessel to be +caught was the whaling schooner <i>Courser</i> of Provincetown, +Massachusetts, with a young man as +skipper. The difficulty now was exactly that which +confronted the German raiders during the Great +War: in fact, Semmes’ tactics are so similar to those +of such ships as the <i>Moewe</i> and <i>Seeadler</i> that one can +only suppose that German naval officers must have +paid considerable study to the Confederate <i>Alabama’s</i> +operations. When the auxiliary sailing ship +<i>Seeadler</i> in the South Atlantic had sunk so many +vessels away from land she found all those survivors +a nuisance: for they had to be fed and they took up +a great deal of space. Von Luckner, her commanding +officer, got over this difficulty by capturing one more +ship and sending the other crews away in her with +strict orders to make for the nearest South American +port. Semmes now ran back towards the Azores, +anxious to get rid of all this crowd, which was +seriously inconveniencing the ship, for he had the +crews of three vessels. Towing eight whaleboats he +approached Flores and sent seventy shipless seamen +in the oared craft to the land, and as they pulled away +from the cruiser it seemed as if a regatta were being +held in the Atlantic. After they had gone, and just +before the <i>Courser</i> was set on fire, Semmes used her +as a target, and gave his men practice in gunnery.</p> + +<p>Resuming now her north-west course, which had +been interrupted, the <i>Alabama</i> with a fine south-west +wind sighted, chased and overcame a large ship +which turned out to be the whaler <i>Virginia</i>, twenty +days out from New Bedford. After three and a half +hours the contest was over. Semmes says the master +of the ship was greatly surprised at the <i>Alabama’s</i> +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_169">[Pg 169]</span>speed. Fortunately there still exists in America the +statement of Captain Shadrach R. Tilton, then in +command of this whaling ship, and Mr. Arthur C. +Watson, who has had access to it, says that Tilton +told of Semmes with his heavy black moustache +waxed by a servant every morning and of how the +Confederate’s captain always wore white kid gloves. +These little touches of personal pride exactly agree +with Semmes’s somewhat bombastic tone of writing, +very much after the manner of certain German naval +officers who published their experiences of the +Great War.</p> + +<p>Tilton stated that “the pirate ship overtook us in +latitude 39° 10′; longitude 34° 20′. She first showed +British colors, but when a quarter of a mile from +the <i>Virginia</i> she set Confederate colors and sent an +armed boat’s crew aboard. I was informed the vessel +was a prize to the <i>Alabama</i>, and ordered to take my +papers and go aboard the steamer. The pirates then +stripped the ship of all valuable articles, and at 4 p.m. +set fire to her. I went on the quarterdeck of the <i>Alabama</i> +with my son, when they sent us into the lee +waist with the crew. All were ironed except two +boys, the cook, and the steward. I asked if I was to +be ironed, and the reply was that the vessel’s purser +had been in irons aboard the United States vessel, +and his head shaved. He proposed to retaliate. We +were put in the lee waist with an old mattress and a +few blankets upon which to lie. The steamer’s guns +were run out, the side and the ports could not be +shut. So when the sea was rough and the vessel +rolled, the water washed the decks and we were wet +all the time. Often we would wake at night with a +sea pouring over us. Our food consisted of beef, +pork, rice, ham, tea, coffee, and bread. Only one of +our irons was taken off at a time. We were always +under guard. On October 3rd we fell in with the +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_170">[Pg 170]</span>schooner <i>Emily Farnham</i>, to which we were transferred, +after signing a parole.”</p> + +<p>Semmes as a matter of fact had the torch applied +to <i>Virginia</i> rather late in the afternoon, so the wreck +was still visible whilst she burned after nightfall. +But a still more exciting chase was to take place the +next day when it was blowing hard. The look-out +man at <i>Alabama’s</i> masthead reported a barque in +sight. The latter saw that the cruiser wore round and +thereupon made off at once under all sail. Running +down before the wind, <i>Alabama</i> held on to t’gallant +sails although the masts whipped as if they would go +over the side; and it was the same with the other +ship. There was a nasty sea running, but the cruiser +leaped along so quickly that within three hours the +barque was within range. The cruiser was employing +that ancient and perfectly legal ruse of flying false +colours, but Semmes does not explain whether he +lowered these English colours down before opening +fire, as he unquestionably should.</p> + +<p>After <i>Alabama</i> fired, the barque hoisted her flag +and clewed up her t’gallant sails, hauled up her +courses and waited. The former took in his t’gallants, +furled his courses and reefed his topsails. It was +blowing so hard now and the sea was so bad that +Semmes even hesitated to lower his boats: but it was +evident that presently the wind would be of gale +force, and unless the barque were captured at once +she would be able to escape in the darkness and +tempest of the night. Therefore he ordered two of +his best boats to be lowered, whilst the cruiser lay +hove-to but to windward of the prize, so that the +boats could row down to leeward. The <i>Alabama</i> +would then run down to leeward so that the boats +could again have a favourable chance. This, of +course, is the recognised manœuvre approved by +every expert in seamanship, and it was accomplished +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_171">[Pg 171]</span>successfully. The boats with their human loads of +prisoners went rushing down the sea valleys and +over the crests, came under the lee of <i>Alabama</i>, who +threw them a rope, and so the captors and captives +got aboard. The ship had been set on fire before +shoving off and was found to be the whaler <i>Elisha +Dunbar</i>, twenty-four days out from New Bedford.</p> + +<p>But the wind and sea prevented Semmes from +sailing this crew back to the Azores, where quite a +Yankee population was now being congregated. +Under close-reefed topsails the <i>Alabama</i> remained +for several days, and the wind coming north she +drifted some distance south. It may be mentioned +here that Captain Gifford of the <i>Elisha Dunbar</i> afterwards +stated quite definitely that the <i>Alabama</i> had +“fired a gun under our stern, with the St. George’s +cross flying at the time. Our colours were set, when +she displayed the Confederate flag ... there were +sixty-five barrels of sperm oil on deck.”</p> + +<p>The break-up of the weather had put an end to the +whaling season rather sooner than would ordinarily +have been the case, so Semmes resolved to change his +cruising ground and make towards the Newfoundland +Banks. After capturing other merchant ships he +came up with the New Bedford whaler <i>Levi Starbuck</i>, +bound on a thirty months’ voyage to the Pacific, and +she, too, was captured and then burnt. In like manner, +too, the Confederate cruiser <i>Florida</i> in 1864 was +operating in the Atlantic, and among others she sank +the New Bedford whaler <i>Golconda</i>. For the latter it +was particularly hard lines as she had been away +from home for most of five years, she was just ending +her cruise, and had even thrown overboard the +previous day her “try-works” used for boiling the +last whale down, and there was no intention now +but to sail home as quickly as possible with the oil +cargo. It was just as the whaler was passing through +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_172">[Pg 172]</span>the Gulf Stream that she was caught by the Confederate, +whose officer came aboard, took a few +barrels of sperm oil, set her on fire in the cabin, at +the main hatchway and forecastle, and left her to +burn. The unfortunate crew were subsequently put +aboard a schooner.</p> + +<p>Thus in this Civil War those American whalers +which had built up such an interesting section of +history, and brought so much wealth into North +America, received a terrible setback. We may well +sympathize with owners and skippers and crew, for +it was the breaking of a fine tradition which will ever +be remembered. But all over the world whaling was, +with the advent of steam and the diminishing of the +sperm whale, now to undergo a change from those +days when long voyages of several years were the +rule, and the ship was the floating peregrinating +factory and open boats were the whale-catchers. +Those ancient methods have gone never to return.</p> + + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> +<div class="chapter"> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_173">[Pg 173]</span></p> + + + <h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_XVI"> + CHAPTER XVI + <br> + THE THIRTY-TWO SHIPS + </h2> +</div> + + +<p>That great disaster in the Arctic during the +year 1830, when nineteen British whaling ships +and one French were lost, and over a thousand men +temporarily lived on the ice, was destined to be +repeated but on an even greater scale by the calamity +which overtook the American whaling fleet in the +year 1871. In the former case the scene was Baffin’s +Bay: in the latter it was further to the westward. +I believe that never in the history of the industry +has a loss so wholesale and so financially deplorable +taken place. Whaling-ship owners could scarcely +have received a more terrible shock than the news +which eventually reached them. It is the old story +of that enemy ice making sport of wooden ships. +The one satisfactory aspect—and that an amazing +one—is that not a single life was lost. But instead +of nineteen vessels being wrecked, we have to +chronicle thirty-two.⁠<a id="FNanchor_1_4" href="#Footnote_1_4" class="fnanchor">[1]</a>⁠</p> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a id="Footnote_1_4" href="#FNanchor_1_4" class="label">[1]</a> For information in this chapter I have to acknowledge +Mr. Arthur C. Watson’s interesting article in <i>Yachting</i> for +May 1925. Mr. Watson has had available the journals and +log books of American whaling ship masters.</p></div> + +<p>The Bering Strait, separating Asia from America, +is of course the most northerly part of the Pacific, +narrow, shallow and bordered by bare, rocky shores, +and from November to May generally impassable +owing to the fog and ice: but otherwise it gives +access to the Arctic in the remaining months. The +right of Canadian fishermen to hunt seals in this +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_174">[Pg 174]</span>strait used to be the cause of much irritation for +many years between the Governments of the United +States, Canada and Great Britain, until the award +by the arbitrators was made in 1893. Through this +sea in the summer of 1871 thirty-nine whaling ships +and barques were able to sail into the Arctic Ocean, +their intended destination being Cape Barrow, at the +extreme northern end of Alaska, where it was known +that the whales were plentiful. Thus we have to +observe that the mammal in the course of his migration +had gone still further west. Theoretically there +seemed every chance of a fine catch for the fleet.</p> + +<p>Luckily, too, movements of the Bering Strait ice +packs gave a comparatively easy passage to these +ships, whose captains in their combined knowledge +and judgment of this part of the world were unequalled. +The late spring had been passed whaling +in this strait, and so soon as the ice permitted, the +fleet was able to work north, past Cape Lisburne in +June and then to anchor at the other side of that +great bight by Icy Cape, which will be found marked +in the modern maps less than a hundred and fifty +miles short of Cape Barrow.</p> + +<p>Early in August some of the fleet were able, by +the receding of the ice, to get further ahead and +either anchor or secure to the ice. Then after another +wait, the ships were able to sail in a six-mile-wide +channel between the shore and the ice until once +more they reached the barrier, and made fast as +before. The idea was to keep going as soon as the +lane was clear, so as to reach Cape Barrow at the +earliest date: but it was the ice which determined +the rate of progress and the annoying stoppages. +However, in the period of waiting, boats were +launched and whales struck, and the oil extracted. +There was no idleness that could have been overcome. +Towing the whales back to the ship secured +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_175">[Pg 175]</span>to the ice, cutting them sometimes till midnight, the +days were full of activity. And then by August 11th +the ice surrounded some of the ships so that many +of the boats were unable to work, and others had +to be hauled over the frozen surface in order to +regain their vessels. Efforts were made by setting +all sail to get ships clear of this frozen obstruction, +yet it was no good.</p> + +<p>But then on August 14th, when the ice loosened, +ships did succeed in reaching clear water and coming +to anchor in a narrow belt between ice and shore, +yet extending no further north than Cape Belcher, +which effectually stopped further progress. It was +hoped that this delay was only temporary, and in the +meanwhile the boats were out chasing the whales +keenly. If only a north-easter would come, this +accumulation of pack ice, with its power of danger, +would soon be driven away: the fleet would be able +to work to its destination. Here in this confined lane +were thirty fine ships, with about a hundred and +fifty boats working till nine at night: a wonderful +sight of seafarers.</p> + +<p>But now that treacherous ice, instead of clearing, +came driving down so near to the fleet that the ships +were compelled to go close in to the beach. Some +ships had to shift in a hurry, slipping their cables. +The lane had been reduced to half a mile now: only +at the southern end was it clear of ice. And yet it +was a fine picture to see that long line of vessels +riding there and their crews still at it dragging their +boats across the ice, working arduously, bringing +back the blubber by the same rough route. The +continuance of the ice setting in from the west, +however, was giving cause for anxiety. Boats not +engaged in whaling were sent along the coast reconnoitring, +and then on August 25th strong north-east +winds began.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_176">[Pg 176]</span></p> + +<p>Any but intrepid mariners would have taken +advantage of this new condition and gone south, +for now a lane was opened several miles wide, and +the ships could have still escaped the fate that was +coming to them. The local Esquimaux prophesied +that this clearing would not last long, that the ice +would soon close around once more; and strongly +advised the whaling captains to go back whilst the +opportunity lasted. But these masters of craft were +too plucky to be scared, too intent on the numerous +whales now being struck to heed this precaution. +They had come in order to fill their holds with the +precious cargo, and if they went home now they +would not have completed their job. However, that +delay, that enthusiasm, were fatal. On August 29th +the proof of the Esquimaux’s sagacity began to +manifest itself, for the wind came round to west-nor’-west +and blew freshly.</p> + +<p>Picture this long line of vessels anchored to the +south-west of Cape Belcher, still busy boiling out +the oil from their whales whilst that merciless ice +like the approach of doom began crowding in always +from the west. Watch some of the ships hang on +till it was necessary to get under way and secure +under the lee of a large floe. But on the following +day the wind had backed to south-east, it was blowing +hard and snowing. Thirty vessels in sight with their +spars all frosted, every ship hemmed in between +land and ice, yet most of them still boiling away at +their oil as if the danger were not worth considering. +But on the second day of September the disaster +began its toll by numbers. First the <i>Roman</i> was +crushed by the ice and abandoned, and then the +brig <i>Comet</i>.</p> + +<p>Strong westerly winds were blowing and a thick +snow-storm was making matters no more pleasant, +but unless that north-easter returned there was no +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_177">[Pg 177]</span>prospect of the other ships being saved: already they +were uncomfortably close to the shore. But still the +boats went out in the narrow lane that existed, and +still the whaling operations went on. It became +necessary now to kedge the ships clear of the ice +and anchor in only three fathoms of water, on a lee +shore, with every prospect of being driven on to +the beach. In a short time one vessel was seen with +her masts cut away, forced into the shallows by the +oncoming ice, and a complete wreck.</p> + +<p>What was to be done? Universal loss was merely +a matter now of time. All the captains realized that +the only chance lay in getting news of the situation +through to the south where those of the fleet, seven +in number, which had not advanced so far north +remained in clear water. How was this to be done? +On September 9th at four in the morning several +boats from imprisoned ships were sent in order to +sound and find a channel so as to get the brig +<i>Kohola</i> out and reach those seven southern ships. +If the latter had left, what would be the fate of the +rest? But, unfortunately, the water was found too +shallow. It now looked as if the entire northern fleet +would have to remain hemmed in for the winter, +for the new ice was making. On August 11th preparations +were undertaken to leave the ships, and +some boats with provisions were sent to deposit +them at Icy Cape to the southward, the distance +between this headland and Cape Belcher being a +matter of about fifty-odd miles. If the ships had to +be abandoned, these supplies would be essential.</p> + +<p>So it came to pass that on the following day the +captains of this northern fleet held a council and +came to the conclusion that abandonment was inevitable. +There were only two alternatives: that irresistible +ice would presently either crush every ship +or drive them ashore. But to remain in the Arctic +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_178">[Pg 178]</span>with provisions inadequate to last till next spring +was a gloomy thought, and the chance of that north-easter +returning was now one in a million. Anyone +who has had to abandon his ship knows that terrible +pang, which is indescribable in its bitterness. I can +think of nothing more sad and sorrowful than a fine +hardy set of captains being driven to the decision +of deserting their stout ships by the inevitable cruelty +of circumstance. It was man versus nature, with the +former’s weakness exemplified in its nakedness. To +leave a shattered wreck is one thing: but in cold +blood, after mature consideration, to do so whilst +the ship is still intact is the greatest grief which can +ever be the lot of a shipmaster.</p> + +<p>Orders were given for every vessel to fly the +ensign union down, and for the crews to make ready +and leave. On September 13th the whole fleet had +its boats in the water with provisions trying to find +a clear lane: nor was it known that the southern +ships were in any clear sea. To get the fleet out had +been found impossible owing to banks carrying but +five feet of water. So far only two ships had met +their fate, but by the 14th the ice was surrounding +the remaining thirty with closer grip, so that there +was no room now for the vessels to swing clear, +and the rudders hit the ice. Moreover the barometer +was falling very surely. Now in these thirty whalers +were officers, crew and the wives as well as children +of the captains. They were more than ships: they +were the only homes of many, and some of these +people had been born and brought up in these craft. +Thus to have to leave the vessels was something +deeply personal and sentimental.</p> + +<p>The sorrowful exodus began on this fourteenth +day of the month, the wind being now south-west +and the boats, steering along the land towards Icy +Cape, managed to get through southwards so that +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_179">[Pg 179]</span>by the afternoon of the 15th they began to approach +the <i>Daniel Webster</i>, the <i>Progress</i> and the other five +of the seven ships which luckily were still clear of +the ice. Here in these vessels the entire number of +survivors was received on board. Mothers and girls +and boys; captains and mates and hardy seamen with +bedding and stores loading the boats to the gunwales +had come over those perishing waters, which fortunately +had remained calm. A halt had been made +at night, after starting on the morning of the 14th, +and having rowed and sailed till darkness overcame +them, this population of twelve hundred people in +that numerous flotilla landed for the night at Icy +Cape. Here a tent was erected for the women and +children: the men warmed themselves around great +fires.</p> + +<p>On the 15th there were still several miles before +reaching the seven ships; it was no longer a lane +sheltered by ice, but the unrestricted Arctic Ocean; +it came on to blow, and although several reefs were +tucked in the sail, every boat was so low down in +the water that it was a toss-up as to whether even +now the little craft with their cargoes would win +through. And having arrived near the ships which +were lying at anchor, even these heavy vessels were +pitching so monstrously in the nasty sea that it was +a ticklish business getting alongside and hoisting +up the passengers out of the lively boats. The <i>Daniel +Webster</i> and the <i>Progress</i> were still anchored, but +others were under way. Still, every man, woman +and child was got aboard safely, and the boats were +then cast adrift and smashed themselves to pieces +against the ice-pack to leeward.</p> + +<p>Thirty-two ships lost, and everyone saved! How +was it done? The answer is, pluck and good seamanship. +Those whaling men possessed both, and +one of the surest tests of the latter is the bringing +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_180">[Pg 180]</span>a boat alongside a big vessel in a jumpy seaway. +There they came, some under oars, some under +dipping lug, others rigged with jib and spritsail; in +each case with the steersman controlling her standing +with his oar at the stern as if going after a whale. +Yes, the organization and handling of that open-boat +flotilla is something to be remembered.</p> + + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> +<div class="chapter"> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_181">[Pg 181]</span></p> + + + <h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_XVII"> + CHAPTER XVII + <br> + FINDING THE NEW WHALING GROUNDS + </h2> +</div> + + +<p>As in the Arctic, so in the Antarctic and +approaches, the story of whaling is intimately +connected with that of discovery. But we must +apply ourselves now to one special section of southern +whaling which is officially known as the Falkland +Islands and Dependencies. These comprise, besides +the Falklands themselves, the following five areas: +South Georgia; the South Shetland Islands; Graham +Land with adjacent islands; the South Orkney +Islands; and the South Sandwich Islands.</p> + +<p>And in focusing our attention here we are studying +the region where the whaling industry of to-day +has settled down and seems likely to continue +for the future. It is a part of the ocean which still +remains to be surveyed efficiently, whose geographical +nomenclature reads like one long catalogue of +bygone explorers and their ships. From the Weddell +Sea northwards to South Georgia we are in latitudes +which have been rendered historical by a long line +of gallant, enduring adventurers after whales or +scientific knowledge. Weddell Sea, James Ross +Island, Port Charcot, Nordenskjold Land, Mikkelsen +Harbour, Whaler’s Bay, Frenchman Hill, Biscoe +Islands, Erebus and Terror Bay, Dundee Island, +Parry Strait, Admiralty Bay, Belgica Strait—you can +trace the nationalities and minds of the plucky +pioneers who have been there from time to time.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_182">[Pg 182]</span></p> + +<p>By most people the island of South Georgia was +totally unheard of until Sir Ernest Shackleton +brought it into prominence, firstly by that marvellous +eight-hundred-mile voyage in a 20-ft. whaling boat +from Elephant Island, after the loss of <i>Endurance</i>—an +achievement which I always regard as one of the +finest small-craft passages in the history of the world; +and secondly, by his return to South Georgia, after +the war, to be buried there. But as we glance at the +nomenclature along the South Georgia coastline, +with its Queen Maud’s Bay, Coaling Harbour, Right +Whale Bay, Markham Point, Prince Olaf Harbour, +Leith Harbour, Stromness Harbour, Larsen Point, +Nansen Rocks, St. Andrew’s Bay, King Edward +Cove, Moraine Fjord—we need no telling that +British and Scandinavian sailors have been there +already.</p> + +<p>Some of these European names will leap into +further prominence presently as we go through our +narrative, but let us see how it comes that the whole +present and future of the whaling industry should +concentrate on to this neighbourhood. How did it +happen like this, and from when? Well, after the +introduction of steam into whalers that industry +carried on amid the Arctic mists and gales continued +to decline until it remained in a long-protracted +passing-away condition. But, thanks to the Antarctic +explorers of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, +there was such evidential information about whales +that a fresh spirit of optimism broke forth and, +notwithstanding some serious disappointments, +justified itself. Thus, we are beginning to derive +commercial benefits from those daring voyages of +the past. Now what were these expeditions?</p> + +<p>We may content ourselves with some of the +principal ones. We know definitely that Captain +Cook took possession of South Georgia, which he +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_183">[Pg 183]</span>named, in 1775, and afterwards discovered the Sandwich +group. It was Cook who was the first to report +the presence of whales off South Georgia. Captain +James Colnet in 1793-4 confirmed this report, +especially in regard to black whales. In fact, during +the next 125 years whales were certainly seen in +nearly 300 places south of latitude 50°, so that Cook’s +information was more than reliable. But the South +Shetlands, that group of islands stretching right away +south of latitude 60° towards the Antarctic Circle, +were not named or discovered till just over a century +ago, when Captain William Smith landed from the +<i>Williams</i> of Blyth in 1819 on King George Island +and took possession on behalf of Britain. Here, +about 400 miles south-east of Cape Horn, the ground +is for ever frozen and barren, but at one spot—Deception +Island—there is a landlocked harbour +and a whaling station; for off these islands the +modern steam whalers carry on their work with +great activity. Smith had reported the presence of +whales.</p> + +<p>Graham Land, that mountainous area of thick +snow and ice, with few landings but one good +harbour, was discovered and taken possession of by +H.M.S. <i>Andromache</i> in January 1820. The Russian +captain von Bellinghausen charted the south side of +South Georgia in 1819 and came across British +whalers there. The South Orkneys, which lie about +a couple of hundred miles east of the South Shetlands, +were discovered by Captain George Powell +of the <i>Dove</i> and charted in 1821-2, and a certain +amount of whaling has taken place off here. The +inhospitable, volcanic, icebound South Sandwich +Islands discovered by Cook in 1775 are not used +by whalers.</p> + +<p>These, then, are the five British dependencies of +the Falklands. Powell, Weddell and others charted +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_184">[Pg 184]</span>the South Shetlands, Weddell also charted the South +Orkneys; and Captain John Biscoe, one of Enderby’s +whaling captains, in 1832 discovered and sketched +the west side of Graham Land. But this first knowledge +was added to by British sealers, by d’Urville, +in 1838, by Wilkes of the United States Navy, and +then came that fine expedition of <i>Erebus</i> and <i>Terror</i> +under Captain James Clark Ross, R.N., in the early +’forties, who specially referred to the presence of +whales in the Erebus and Terror Gulf, about which +we shall have more to say later. This expedition, +though sent out by the British Government primarily +for magnetic surveys, had a most important result +fifty years afterwards.</p> + +<p>Weddell’s voyage in the years 1822-4 through the +Antarctic Sea was remarkable not merely because +he penetrated further south than any previous +navigator had succeeded in achieving, but because his +craft were both quite small. “Our adventure,” wrote +Weddell, “was for procuring Fur-seal skins, and our +vessels were the brig <i>Jane</i>, of Leith, of 160 tons, and +the cutter <i>Beaufoy</i>, of London, of 65 tons, both fitted +out in the ordinary way, and provisioned for two +years. The former, with a crew of twenty-two officers +and men, was under my own command; the latter, +with a crew of thirteen, was commanded by Mr. +Matthew Brisbane.”</p> + +<p>The <i>Beaufoy</i>, built like one of the Revenue cutters +or yachts with the usual contemporary rig of mainsail, +topsail, jib, staysail, and that “spread yard” +carried athwart ship ready for setting a squaresail +when the wind was aft, was one of the smallest +vessels which ever got as near the South Pole as +lat. 74° 15′. Those thirteen hands aboard her certainly +were out on no picnic. Leaving the Downs +on September 17, 1822, they took their departure +from Portland Bill, and after calling at Madeira, and +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_185">[Pg 185]</span>at the Cape Verdes, they were off the east end of +the South Orkneys by January 12th.</p> + +<p>Seal-skins were obtained; whales were sighted +both dead and alive—the former off the South +Orkneys, the latter well to the southward of lat. 70° +in what we now call the Weddell Sea, but Weddell +in his chart names “The Sea of George the Fourth.” +Thus on February 17th he sighted “many hump and +finned black whales,” and still going south he writes: +“In the evening we had many whales about the ship.” +On his chart in the position lat. 74° 15′, on the 20th, +which was his furthest south, Weddell wrote “many +whales in sight.” Then going north, his crews having +suffered much from cold, fogs and wet during all +those weeks in the south, Weddell visited South +Georgia. After Cook had been here in the late +eighteenth century, several ship-owners sent out +vessels and captured sea-elephants for their oil, and +fur seals for their skins. At least 20,000 tons of sea-elephant +oil were brought from South Georgia to +London during the fifty years following Cook’s call +there, together with a number of seal-skins; “but +formerly,” says Weddell, “the furriers in England +had not the method of dressing them, on which +account they were of so little value, as to be almost +neglected. At the same time, however, the Americans +were carrying from Georgia cargoes of these skins +to China, where they frequently obtained a price of +from 5 to 6 dollars a-piece.” South Georgia altogether +during that time yielded to British and other visitors +1,200,000 skins.</p> + +<p>Weddell, by the way, tells an interesting story +about a certain American captain J. Barnard, whose +sealing vessel in the year 1814 had called at the +uninhabited New Island, one of the Falklands which +had not become British until the year 1771. Barnard, +whilst on the south side of the island after the fur +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_186">[Pg 186]</span>seals, suddenly came across about thirty British +subjects, consisting of the crew and several passengers +of a wrecked English ship. Barnard was good enough +to take them on board and treat them hospitably. +Now, at that time England and America were in a +state of war, and, although Barnard had promised +to land these people at some Brazilian port, the +rescued began to have suspicions as to the captain’s +sincerity.</p> + +<p>However, all was apparently going well, and the +increased company were split up into hunting parties +and sent out to obtain supplies. Captain Barnard +with four of his men was on such an excursion +when the ungrateful and suspicious rescued British, +I regret to say, defied the Americans who were on +board, and cut the cable, making off with the ship +to Rio de Janeiro, and thence to North America. +Barnard had never for a moment imagined that such +a scheme was on foot, and when he returned to the +anchorage at New Island he was amazed to find his +vessel gone. And then, as Barnard explained to +Weddell, he began to realize that the motive for +this theft was the fear of becoming prisoners of war +in America, in spite of his promise already given.</p> + +<p>The position now was that Barnard was left with +his four men, a dog and a boat on a lonely island +at a remote corner of the world. What was to be +done? The ship had not even left him a few supplies. +However, he remembered that he had planted a few +potatoes and in the course of the second season these +became serviceable. Moreover the dog caught a wild +pig, the skins of the seals were used for clothes and +the eggs of the albatross were additional food. To +withstand the cold wintry blasts of the Falklands, +a house was built of stones. Once a captain, always +a captain: once accustomed to handling men and +preserving discipline, Barnard was not likely to drop +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_187">[Pg 187]</span>the habit even on this island. But in course of time +his four men wearied of this control, waited their +opportunity, and then made off with the boat, leaving +the unfortunate skipper, now utterly alone, to himself. +However, he spent his solitary days making seal +clothes and collecting food for the next winter, twice +daily climbing a hill to look out for the possible +approach of some ship. But twice every day he +returned to that rough stone house with the same +disappointment.</p> + +<p>And then, after some months, who should come +to the island but those four deserting seamen with +their boat, having been unable to manage for themselves. +But even now they were still recalcitrant, and +one of them even went so far as to plan Barnard’s +death, though the plot was discovered in time. And +to teach the men that discipline and punishment +were still very real things even under these exceptional +conditions, Barnard gave the man a few +provisions and then landed him on another small +island in solitary confinement. It was a bold step +for one officer to defy four mutinous men: but the +daring was justified. At the end of three weeks this +defiant seaman had become so changed that his +conduct, from the time when Barnard fetched him +off, commenced to be exemplary. There was no +further trouble with any of them, and so, for two +years, the party continued to live, using the boat +to search the other islands for provisions, until at +last in December 1815 there called here an English +whaler on her way to the Pacific and thus rescued +this little party. It is yet another instance of the +adaptability of the sailor to whatever state his fortunes +may drive him.</p> + +<p>Weddell also confirmed William Smith’s report +of sperm whales being off the South Shetlands. On +one occasion the former even lowered boats and set +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_188">[Pg 188]</span>out in pursuit; but Weddell believed that the whale +became “gallied” through having seen the copper +sheathing of his vessel, and so went off out of sight. +Smith’s discovery of these South Shetlands, which +ever since the year 1905 have become such an +important whaling station, happened as follows +during the year 1819, when he was taking the +brig <i>William</i> from Monte Video to Valparaiso, and +it was purely chance that brought this discovery +about. For, on his way in order to round the Horn, +he had stood S.S.E., and at six o’clock one evening, +when in lat. 62° 30′ S., long. 60° W., actually sighted +land to the south-east, afterwards landing and finding +seals. Weddell, who also landed on the South Shetlands +the year after, had killed as many as a couple +of thousand sea-elephants and many more seals there.</p> + +<p>The cutter <i>Beaufoy</i> made a second voyage on a +sealing expedition, in spite of her having already +been south for those two years. Leaving the Downs +in August 1824, she coasted down Patagonia, called +at the Falklands and went to Tierra del Fuego, +arriving back in the Downs after eighteen months.</p> + +<p>Now the net result of these early explorations was +to attract attention to an unknown part of the world, +and long years afterwards whales were to be discovered. +But as not all explorers were themselves +whaling experts there has been some confusion in +the statements as to their species, whether sperm +whale or rorquals. It is supposed by modern critics +that those whales which have ever been seen off the +South Shetlands consisted almost entirely of two +classes: the blue whale and the hump-backed whale. +Ross reported that he had seen in Antarctic water +the right whale, but as the result of various Antarctic +expeditions, scientific authorities now believe that +this explorer may have been mistaken; and that what +he saw could only have been fin whales.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_189">[Pg 189]</span></p> + +<p>But it was not till Emile G. Racovitza, the eminent +zoologist of the <i>Belgica</i> expedition of 1897-9, applied +his efforts that the first methodical scientific study +of Antarctic whales was made during the cruise of +that vessel. Racovitza was afterwards able to systematize +all the reports which had been made on the +subject of whales being recorded at different dates +and in various Antarctic localities; from which it is +now possible to see that these cetaceans have been +noted in great numbers in the waters especially of +the Ross Sea, South Georgia, South Shetlands and +adjacent areas. All this knowledge, so valuable commercially, +and of such utility to the convenience of +the public, has come only as the result of many +expeditions, long voyages and great risks to ships +and men.</p> + +<p>Historically, the first cetacean which the old sailing +ships pursued was the right whale, which has no +dorsal fin. In the Atlantic there was the Greenland +whale, the nordkaper and the southern right whale. +These were remarkable for the size of their whalebone, +and at a time when whales were hunted chiefly +for the sake of their bone, these became known as +the “right” or “true” whale. Moreover, in those +days, their harpooning methods prevented the men +from attacking the “finners” or rorquals. But then +the industry of capturing the sperm whale came in +and the chase after right whales became less important. +So, also, there came a change in the second part +of the nineteenth century arising through Svend +Foyn’s invention of the explosive harpoon fired from +a ship’s gun. He began this new form operating off +the north of Norway, but it enabled the fin whale, +so long neglected, now to be hunted. Thus it was +that Norway inaugurated an entirely new era in +whaling, since, broadly speaking, the “finners” are +the only cetaceans found in that country’s waters.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_190">[Pg 190]</span></p> + +<p>What was more, it opened up an entirely new +avenue to knowledge; for, until then, no mammal +was scientifically so little understood as the great +family of the whale. And the reason for this deficiency +was quite simple. Without specimens to study, how +could the research student set to work? Whaling +ships brought home the produce: not the mammal +itself. And only on remote occasions have whales +stranded around our coasts. But the Svend Foyn +method revolutionized all this: or, rather, part of +his plan was a return to that old practice which we +have seen existed at Spitzbergen in the early days. +The reader will remember that factories were established +ashore, the whales towed to the beach and +hauled up to be flensed.</p> + +<p>Well, this was to be the new Norwegian way in +the ’sixties. Land factories were instituted, the +“finner” killed by the explosive harpoon was hauled +up and dealt with from the land and not from the ship. +Thus it was, then, that an opportunity was afforded +both to whalers and scientists to examine the shape +of the body and the contents of the stomach: in other +words, there followed from this a large amount of +biological knowledge concerning the cetacean. We +know now that the “finner” whether in northern +or southern waters is practically the same in form. +To the invention of that gun, then, was due the +starting of the Norwegian fin-whaling industry: and +owing to the inauguration of the latter was it possible +to get a greater understanding of whales generally.</p> + + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> +<div class="chapter"> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_191">[Pg 191]</span></p> + + + <h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_XVIII"> + CHAPTER XVIII + <br> + THE SOURCE OF WEALTH + </h2> +</div> + + +<p>In the early days when the approaches to the +Antarctic began to be used after the first conviction +that it was worth while sailing so far, the British +and Americans went either after the seals or to look +for the right whale. When the rowing-boats were +launched in the South Atlantic they left the fin whales +strictly alone. The sperm, like the right whale, +usually remained some time on the surface and +allowed the rowed boat to approach, but the finner +is awash only for a time, and sinks after being +killed.</p> + +<p>When first that squadron of a dozen British +sailing-ship whalers went south in the early eighteenth +century, they were complete and self-contained to +roam all over the world, extract the produce and +boil it down into oil. During the first half of the +nineteenth century some five or six hundred whalers +were thus engaged in the southern hemisphere +hunting the cachalot and right whales. But then, +owing to the scarcity of this species, and to the fall +in the price of oil and the increased working +expenses, the number of vessels in this work became +fewer and fewer. They were usually of between 200 +and 300 tons register, but sometimes even up to +450 tons. Built of wood, with no engines to require +fuel, they could keep the seas as long as food and +drinking-water were available.</p> + +<p>The right whale as found in Arctic waters had +by the eighth decade of the nineteenth century +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_192">[Pg 192]</span>become so scarce in the Arctic that the industry up +there had practically ceased to be profitable. Therefore +one of a trio of whaling brothers named Gray +conceived the idea of sending their Peterhead whalers +down to the Antarctic in order to find better luck. +This hope was based on the account given by Sir +James Ross, already alluded to, concerning his +voyage of discovery in 1842. We are speaking now +entirely of the right whale, and the succession of +events which will presently lead up to the southern +fin whale industry is something of a romance. +Fortified with Ross’s information, an attempt was +made in 1891 to form a company for this southern +enterprise, but the necessary capital was not obtained.</p> + +<p>However, there followed a Mr. R. Kinnes of +Dundee, who decided to equip four vessels with the +same object, well believing that the right whales were +in the Antarctic and that a fortune was awaiting +anyone with a little courage and imagination. It was, +of course, a somewhat similar scheme, though in a +different part of the southern hemisphere, to that +which had been attempted by Enderby. Kinnes +selected four ships: the <i>Balæna</i>, <i>Active</i>, <i>Diana</i> and +the <i>Polar Star</i>. They were all barque-rigged with +auxiliary steam and propeller. Of this little squadron +the largest was the <i>Balæna</i>, being of 260 tons register, +length 141 ft., draught 16½ ft., her engines being +of only 65 horse-power. Originally she had been the +<i>Mjolnar</i>, and built in Drammen as far back as 1872. +The <i>Active</i> was twenty years older, 117 ft. long, +draught 18 ft., with engines of 40 horse-power. +Built at Peterhead, she was a barque which had done +much good service in the olden days. The barque +<i>Diana</i> had also been built in Drammen, and her +details were, length 135 ft., draught 16 ft., engine +40 horse-power. The <i>Polar Star</i>, another barque, +105 ft. long, was both old and small, with an engine +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_193">[Pg 193]</span>of low horse-power; in fact, all four were rather +a relic of the golden age of sail than modern +exploring vessels.</p> + +<p>But in September 1892 the squadron started out +from Dundee, that port famous for so much which +concerns whalers and whaling. The ships and men +had both been in the Arctic many a time. The rigging +was extra strong, with the old-fashioned, reliable +dead-eyes and lanyards. The thickness of the planking, +timbers and lining was in the case of the <i>Balæna</i> +as much as 32 in. There was nothing yacht-like; +everything for strength and endurance. By the middle +of December they had got into high latitudes and +were steering between the South Orkneys and South +Shetlands, when great fin whales were seen: but, of +course, this species was no concern of the expedition. +Seals were taken, and at one time it was thought +that the mammal which was sighted spouting was +a right whale, but he turned out to be another +“finner.”</p> + +<p>The Antarctic continent was reached by Christmas, +the whale lines were carefully coiled down in the +boats ready for those great black whales which Ross +had written about. The short-barrelled guns, rather +like the weapon you take in a gun-punt, were ready, +too; for here was the area that Ross had alluded +to as so full of hope. There were three of the four +Dundee ships in Erebus and Terror Gulf: but where +were the right whales? Was there really a fortune +waiting for the asking? Each right whale of the big +kind has about a ton of bone in his mouth; and +whalebone was worth £2,500 when the ships left +Dundee. Supposing each vessel caught only four: +that would mean £40,000 to take back home, so +every available man was on the keen look-out for +right whales. The <i>Polar Star</i>, the slowest of the four, +had lagged behind, and on the morning after Christmas, +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_194">[Pg 194]</span>whilst the three were at the edge of the pack-ice +in lat. 64° 30′ S., long. 55° 28′ W., beating about in the +open water, looking for those illusive right whales +to show themselves, a strange sail was suddenly +sighted. But it was not the <i>Polar Star</i>: this was the +<i>Jason</i>, in which Captain C. A. Larsen, a Norwegian, +had arrived. His name is to be noted, for he is +perhaps the greatest pioneer of modern South Seas +whaling. He, too, had come out for right whales, +and for seals, and in the season of 1893-4 he came +here a second time with the <i>Jason</i>, <i>Hertha</i> and the +<i>Castor</i>.</p> + +<p>Captain Larsen had been whaling ever since the +year 1884 when he hunted the bottlenose whale in +the Arctic. His knowledge and experience thus link +the old days with the new, and recently he affirmed +that he has found in southern whales various kinds +of harpoons which have been sticking in the animals +for a considerable period. In one case he discovered +a lance which must have been in the cetacean for +ten or twenty years. Now on hearing of the intended +Dundee expedition, the Norwegians had sent Captain +Larsen out for a similar object. The two expeditions +thus met on Boxing Day in that region of white +ice, the <i>Jason</i> having already captured five hundred +seals but not having sighted a right whale.</p> + +<p>Whatever else they were, these two British and +Norwegian expeditions represented the greatest body +of expert whaling knowledge, and from them must +be reckoned the commencement of two distinct +enterprises: modern Antarctic exploration, which was +presently to attract such men as Bruce, Scott, Nordenskjold, +Charcot, Shackleton and others; and the +present great whaling industry which the Norwegians +have established by licence from the British Government. +And it may be stated without further delay +that this Dr. W. S. Bruce was actually with this +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_195">[Pg 195]</span>first Dundee expedition that we are considering, +being aboard the <i>Balæna</i>. With him was also Mr. +W. G. Burn Murdoch, an artist, from whose charming +narrative I have derived much information for this +present chapter.</p> + +<p>It is interesting to note how the old Dutch whaling +expressions still survived aboard the <i>Balæna</i>. The +“specksioneer” was always ready for his especial +job; every man was prepared to turn out of his +bunk as soon as that time-honoured whaler’s cry +“A fall! A fall!” should go resounding through the +ship, and boats’ crews would rush in wild excitement +into their places. The grampus, that prey among +whales which will kill even a finner, was seen by +the Dundee expedition, but never a right whale; +and early in the new year the harpoon lines were +taken out of the boats, and the craft were used +exclusively for sealing. The <i>Polar Star</i> turned up at +last, having left Dundee two days later and proceeded +south-about through the English Channel, whilst +the other three had sailed round the north of Scotland. +But it was the middle of January by the time +she had joined up with these others.</p> + +<p>The squadron’s instructions had been to seek +whales where Ross had found them, and strict +obedience was paid to these admonitions. It must +be borne in mind that no Antarctic scientific expedition +had been down there since Ross’s of 1843, +other than some surveys and international circumpolar +observations in 1873-4 and 1882 respectively. +Therefore for this Dundee venture data were both +meagre and fifty years old. During that period Polar +discovery had been confined to the Arctic, but the +South Polar approaches had been extraordinarily +neglected. The <i>Active</i> during the latter part of +January did have quite a good day’s excitement. +The right whale did not turn up, but the harpooner +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_196">[Pg 196]</span>in one of her boats let drive at a great “finner”—a +blue whale. The latter soon began using up the three +lines in the boat, then a second boat made fast with +three more lines, and next a third boat fired another +harpoon into the whale. Presently the ends of all +the lines were put aboard the <i>Active</i>, the boats made +fast to the ship’s stern, and the whale went towing +the whole lot until after fourteen hours’ excitement +the ship’s engines were reversed, the lines broke and +the whale went off.</p> + +<p>Sport? Yes. But when the four skippers got +together and talked matters over, the sad fact had +to be faced that as a whaling enterprise this expedition +had failed: not a single right whale had been +captured, or even sighted. There was nothing for +it now but to devote their energies to sealing. This +they did, with the result that some twenty thousand +seal-skins and full cargoes of seal blubber were taken +back to Scotland. The <i>Jason</i> was the ship which +Nansen had used, as mentioned in his <i>First Crossing +of Greenland</i>. She was a three-masted barque with +auxiliary steam-engines, and she was to come back +in the next season with <i>Hertha</i> and <i>Castor</i>. It was +the first of these three vessels which discovered King +Oscar Land, and the other two sailed along the west +side of Graham Land. Captain Larsen’s efforts, +though primarily commercial, resulted in adding to +the sum of scientific knowledge. <i>Balæna</i> discovered +some mountainous land S.W. of Erebus and Terror +Gulf, and Larsen traced it still further later in that +year. But the whales? Well, the Dundee expedition, +which got back safely in May 1893, had seen three +kinds: the finners, which Larsen called “blue +whales”; others resembling the Pacific humpback; +and the bottlenose whale, in addition to many +grampus. Both the British and Norwegian expeditions +had set forth owing to Ross’s encouraging +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_197">[Pg 197]</span>statements, though each of these enterprises failed +to confirm his supposition. In Larsen’s second +voyage of 1893-4 a whale which seemed to be like +a right whale was chased but not captured.</p> + +<p>That which had been made clearly manifest in +these whaler voyages was the fact that there were +any number of finner whales in the Antarctic. Now +there came to Edinburgh an agent of Mr. Svend +Foyn to interview Mr. Burn Murdoch and Dr. W. S. +Bruce, who had travelled in the <i>Balæna</i>, the latter +in the capacity of naturalist. It was suggested that +the Norwegian type of whaling (already mentioned) +should be employed, but this method was unknown +in England, and was rejected before Larsen went +on his second voyage. But from 1898 to 1910 there +were several Antarctic expeditions of a purely +scientific character which must be mentioned in turn. +In 1897-9 was the <i>Belgica</i> expedition, which was the +first of these Antarctic enterprises to be organized +on modern lines. The <i>Belgica</i> was the first vessel, too, +to spend a winter in the Antarctic, and valuable +knowledge as to scientific and biological subjects +was obtained.</p> + +<p>And now there came increased interest in the South +Polar regions owing to the enthusiasm of scientists. +The immediate results were Captain Scott’s British +expedition of 1901 and Professor von Drygalski’s +expedition of the same year. But our immediate +subject of whaling attracts us more especially towards +the Swedish expedition of 1901-3 owing to the +personality of the sailing master. For this undertaking +was led by Dr. Nils Otto Gustaf Nordenskjold +(nephew of Baron Nordenskjold, the Arctic explorer), +and the name of the vessel was the <i>Antarctica</i>, in +command of which Captain C. A. Larsen was to go. +No better officer among the Scandinavians could +have been chosen. Now, fortunately—as it turned +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_198">[Pg 198]</span>out—the <i>Antarctica</i> got crushed by the ice in the +Erebus and Terror Gulf during the month of +February 1903, whilst going to the relief of Nordenskjold’s +land party. After hazardous adventures +the crew were rescued by the Argentine sloop-of-war +<i>Uruguay</i> in the following November. The immediate +result of this was that Larsen was received as an +Antarctic hero in Buenos Ayres, his scheme for +southern whaling on those Norwegian lines was +believed in, the Argentine citizens financed him and +there was formed the company known as the Cia +Argentina de Pesca, with a view to carrying on +whaling operations at South Georgia.</p> + +<p>This was the commencement of that great southern +whaling industry, which has in twenty years yielded +considerable wealth. The company began its operations +in 1904, a lease being granted by His Majesty’s +Government two years later. This station is on the +east side of the island at Grytviken, the terms being +500 acres at an annual rent of £250 for a term of +21 years. Three years later 30 acres at Jason Harbour +were leased to the same company for 18 years at a +rent of £100; and between the years 1908 and 1911 +seven other leases on that island, also for whaling +stations, were granted to four Norwegian and three +British companies, making a total whaling fleet of +twenty-one vessels, each lease allowing the employment +of one floating factory.</p> + +<p>Thus we have here, in the foundation of these +considerable industrial activities on that remote +island where Shackleton was eventually to be buried, +a direct connection with the failure of Arctic whaling, +and those scientific and whale-seeking expeditions +to the Antarctic. In the end, as a result of much +perseverance, immense financial reward has come. +Larsen tried unavailingly to obtain the necessary +capital in his own country, but the undertaking +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_199">[Pg 199]</span>might have been started twelve years sooner by +British capital after that interview in Edinburgh +following the return of the Dundee squadron.</p> + +<p>Of this first, and Argentine, company Larsen was +made manager. He crossed to Norway, fitted out +at Sandefjord a modern steam whaler, and two small +sailing vessels to be used as transports, arriving at +the east side of South Georgia in December 1904. +In King Edward’s Cove, as it is now known, he +established a whaling factory on the very site which +had been used by the early nineteenth-century sealers +for boiling their blubber. Nothing succeeds like +success, and the result of this new development was +that more companies were formed, further leases +were granted, and the largest whaling business in +the world is now centred in the Dependencies of +the Falklands. Thus also even at Deception Island +a licence was granted for twenty-one years in 1912 +to a Norwegian company: in fact, up to date eight +Norwegian, one Chilian and one British companies +have been given licences in the area of the South +Shetlands and Graham Land. The season here is a +short one, lasting from November to March. In the +South Orkneys whales are plentiful, but there is a +lack of safe harbours, and it is usually safe for the +floating factories to remain in the roadstead only +for twelve weeks. Four Norwegian companies were +granted licences here in the season of 1914-15, but +only one was actually worked. Operations were, +however, resumed in 1922-3, when 325 whales were +caught. The first attempt here had been made in +1907-8, but the ice drove the expedition to the South +Shetlands. In the season of 1914-15 a solid sheet of +ice surrounded the South Orkneys for a hundred +miles to the north and made them unapproachable +till after the middle of January. At the South Sandwich +Islands there was whaling in the 1911-12 +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_200">[Pg 200]</span>season, but on these territories some of the volcanoes +are still active, the constant emission of poisonous +fumes makes it difficult to land, and no shore station +has been established.</p> + +<p>Were there, after all, right whales in these southern +areas? The answer may be made from the statistics +which have been issued for the period covering the +years 1909-18, during which many thousands of +blue and fin whales were caught, but only 396 right +whales and 115 sperm whales. These figures are for +South Georgia, South Shetlands, South Orkneys and +South Sandwich. Some idea may be obtained of the +wealth which Larsen’s pioneering brought about, +for the value of the oil, baleen and guano in the +South Georgian area alone has risen from £251,077 +in 1909-10 to £1,100,000 in the 1917-18 season. +But according to the very latest Government report +there were caught in these Dependencies during the +1922-3 season close on 10,000 whales to the value +of £3,056,860. These figures are so remarkable, that +it is scarcely necessary to comment on them beyond +observing that the possibilities of these valuable +British possessions seem not to have been as fully +realized as one might expect. When, however, the +<i>Discovery</i> returns home from her investigations, +doubtless further interest will be taken by British +and other investors.</p> + + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> +<div class="chapter"> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_201">[Pg 201]</span></p> + + + <h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_XIX"> + CHAPTER XIX + <br> + PROBLEMS AND PRACTICE + </h2> +</div> + + +<p>Now that we have been able to see the intimate +connection between those early Antarctic explorers +and the culmination of a large and flourishing +southern whaling industry, we are in a better position +to appreciate the situation in further detail.</p> + +<p>It is with this subject, as it certainly was with the +discovery, hundreds of years ago, of the route to +India via the Cape of Good Hope; in regard to all +Arctic and Antarctic exploration; and, indeed, concerning +some of the greatest wonders in modern +applied science. The progress was gradual rather +than sudden: it was the steady advance, rather +than the flying visit. A scientist makes certain facts +clear, and from these data united with others there +is eventually rendered practicable wireless telephony. +So it was in regard to whaling. Without all those +previous experiences learned in Arctic whaling, and +without that geographical knowledge and those +observations of whales obtained by various Antarctic +expeditions, the sudden rise of the modern industry +in the Falkland Dependencies would not have been +justified.</p> + +<p>Roald Amundsen, the first man ever to reach the +South Pole, remarked that “it is not too much to +say of Captain Larsen that of all those who have +visited the Antarctic regions in the search of whales, +he has unquestionably brought home the best and +most abundant scientific results.” But Larsen was +indebted to a long line of shipbuilders, to many +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_202">[Pg 202]</span>generations of Dutch, British, American, Norwegian +and other harpooners. Without all those years of +Arctic whaling knowledge, how would it have been +possible to set going on right principles this industry +in the British Dependencies? To take a small point: +that little squadron of <i>Balæna</i> and her three sisters, +which brought home the news that the southern seas +were abounding in finners, had in 1892 only just +returned from working the Arctic seas in the late +summer of that year. They were merely typical +whalers of small size, built and sheathed according +to accumulated knowledge, tested by years of hard +experience. The result was that they were able to +leave in that same September for the Antarctic. The +whole history of northern whaling is bound up with +that of the south, just as all Polar exploration +and observation are inseparably connected with the +evolution of this important industry.</p> + +<p>If it is the whaler whose ship-model has repeatedly +been used for transporting the scientist, then the +latter has come back with more systematized information +by which to aid the adventurous merchant. +I am stressing this point of mutual assistance, since +too often we are tempted to be influenced only by +the final achievement and forget all the weary steps +which had preceded it. “The recent Antarctic Expeditions,” +wrote Dr. Jean Charcot of the <i>Pourquois +Pas?</i> expedition of 1908-10, speaking in reference to +this southern commercial whaling activity, “from de +Gerlache’s down to that of the <i>Français</i>, have certainly +done much for this revival of industry in the Antarctic +and sub-Antarctic regions, and I personally claim to +have done my small part, though I should have liked +to see my fellow-countrymen, severely tested as they +have often been in the cod-fisheries, attempting to +take advantage of it.”</p> + +<p>And, again, Charcot wrote: “It was three years +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_203">[Pg 203]</span>ago that the chase of the balænoptera began in our +exploration zone; and in the South Shetlands since +our visit, one Chilian and two Norwegian companies +have set up at Deception, while another has taken +as its headquarters Admiralty Bay in George I Land. +As far as these whalers are concerned, it has been +a pleasure to me to note how useful the <i>Français</i> +Expedition has been to them in supplementing the +discoveries of the <i>Belgica</i>; for we were able, of ourselves, +to supply them with the only existing chart +of the north-west coast of the Palmer Archipelago, +and another of the Bismarck estuary, to guide them +to a good anchorage at Port Lockroy and a shelter +at Wandel Island, to say nothing of our notes on +the numbers and species of balænoptera, on the +movements of the ice-floes, on the winds. etc.”</p> + +<p>For it was during his first expedition of 1903-5 +in the <i>Français</i> that Dr. Charcot had carried out +extensive exploration on the west coast of Graham +Land, and discovered that good harbour of Port +Lockroy in Wiencke Island, and moderate shelter at +Port Charcot in Booth-Wandel Island. The second +of the scientist’s expeditions was that of 1908-10 in +the <i>Pourquois Pas?</i> which covered a wider range and +brought about important discoveries. Thus, for +example, we cannot yet tell how valuable commercially +it may be that he measured and accurately +placed, during this second voyage, Adelaide Island; +that he proved Alexander Land to be an island, and +that Charcot Land, right as far south as lat. 70°, was +discovered. But of the greatest immediate value +was the hydrographic work which he carried out +from the South Shetlands and among the isles at +the western side of Graham Land. How valuable +such efforts are industrially may be at once understood +when we realize that recently this hydrographic +information was lacking to the whaling ships. Thus +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_204">[Pg 204]</span>in the year 1918 the Norwegian s.s. <i>Solstreif</i> a vessel +of 3,409 registered tons, employed as a whaling +factory in the South Shetlands and by Graham Land, +got ashore on a rock near Cape Melville, and another +steamer named the <i>Ornen</i> was nearly on these selfsame +rocks. The s.s. <i>Telefon</i>, ten years previously, +got on the rocks by the south-west entrance to +Admiralty Bay, and became a total wreck.</p> + +<p>On the other hand there was found by whalers +in 1918, at the west side of Pendulum Cove, a +document conveniently left behind by Dr. Charcot, +headed “Notice to Navigators,” containing such +useful information as in the following extracts: “I +think I ought to warn all navigators who may go +to Wandel with the intention of staying at Port +Charcot that a ship is far from being in safety there +during the north-east winds, which are by far the +most prevalent and the most violent in this region.... +A chain stretched across the entrance of the bay +and securely fastened at both ends, may protect to +a certain extent the ship from the ice blocks, but +hawsers, even of steel wire, are soon cut.”</p> + +<p>Such information as this begins that body of +Sailing Directions which, by the experience of some +hundreds of years and many voyagings, have been +compiled for other parts of the world, enabling +shipping of all sorts to proceed on their lawful +occasions. Charcot and others risked their ships, and +the lives of their crews, to get that essential information +which will go on being added to till some +day it is complete. There is a passage in his <i>Voyage +of the “Why Not?”</i> which illustrates how those early +whalers of 1909, whom he frequently met down +south, used to rely on his help.</p> + +<p>“Lastly,” he writes on December 18th, “the whale +men are very anxious to know whether there cannot +be found in the bays of Joinville Island some good +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_205">[Pg 205]</span>anchorages, at which they could carry on their work. +It comes within the scope of our duties to discover +this for ourselves and to try to bring the information +back to them.” And in another place he remarks: +“The whalers ... are upset, for hunting is bad this +season.... A naturalist would find interesting +microscopic study in the subject of whale-food—the +infinitely small denizens of the water—which must +count for much in explaining the routes the whales +follow; and science once again would hereby render +eminent services to commerce.”</p> + +<p>The present hydrographical position is that there +still remains a very large amount of work to be +done before the surveys of the whaling areas are +anything like complete and safe for navigation. And +where the working season is annually not more than +five or six months, it follows that some years must +elapse before satisfactory charts will be available. +But this matter, so far as the Falklands Dependencies +are concerned, is thoroughly in hand. For, even when +we were in the midst of a great war, and during +that most critical of all years, 1917, when German +submarines had reduced our Mercantile Marine to +such seriously low figures, the British Government +was commencing an inquiry into the preservation +of the whaling industry concerned with these Dependencies. +The result was that a special interdepartmental +committee was set going, which recommended, +<i>inter alia</i>, that the food of whales should be +carefully investigated as well as the migration of the +sperm whale to southern waters. Investigations were +also to be made in regard to the breeding-grounds, +and it was pointed out that a complete hydrographical +survey was necessary both for navigation +generally, and for the local interests of the whaling +industry. It was as a result of the committee’s findings +that Scott’s old ship the <i>Discovery</i>—herself built on +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_206">[Pg 206]</span>the lines of the old Dundee whalers—was fitted out +at Portsmouth in the early summer of 1925 and +despatched to the seas of which we have been +speaking, there to act as a research vessel.</p> + +<p>But in the meantime we have to bear in remembrance +that it was owing to those British pioneers, +mentioned elsewhere, that these localities are ours. +Already in the season of 1908-9, when Charcot was +down there and three whaling companies were +working on Deception Island with floating steamers +as factories, and the smaller specially built steamers +going out to catch the whales, there were two hundred +Norwegian inhabitants of that island. The +season lasts from the end of November to the end +of February, when the companies separate; some +to hunt off the Chilian coast, others in the Magellan +Straits, others in the waters of the Cape of Good +Hope. In regard to the South-West African whaling, +where the humpback, fin and blue whales are captured +annually, Saldanha Bay is largely used, as well +as Durban, for eastern whaling. In the year 1912 +only 131 whales were caught off that part of Africa, +but they have since been captured in much greater +numbers; and even in 1916 the figures were considerably +over eight hundred.</p> + +<p>The numbers of right whales and sperm whales +caught in the waters of the Dependencies are so few +compared with the thousands of the blue, fin and +humpback, that we can neglect them. The humpback +may be in danger of extermination, but it is of little +commercial value, and the other two are plentiful. +The practical method by which the men can recognize +the different kinds at a distance is as follows. +These three belong to the rorqual class, the humpback +being known by the protuberance on his back and +by the fact that he spouts very low. The fin whale +is of medium value, has a very large dorsal fin, and +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_207">[Pg 207]</span>spouts very high with a single, straight jet. The blue +whale, on the other hand, which is more valuable +than the other two, has a moderate-sized dorsal fin +and spouts with a double jet ending in a plume.</p> + +<p>For the sake of clarity and continuity we have +concentrated on one particular branch of development. +Let us now go back a little way. The whole +possibility of this modern Dependencies’ whaling +has been based on those new methods inaugurated +in the eighteen-sixties by that Norwegian expert +Svend Foyn, who had been impressed, whilst voyaging +to the Arctic for seals, by the large numbers of +finners. Why not hunt this species? After three years +he got over the difficulties and introduced his special +explosive harpoon, and by doing away with the old +method of using the boat, eliminated the risk to +crews. It was now the year 1865, the time when the +gallant old sailing ship in the clippers and others +was making her last flutter: for steam was beginning +to conquer navigation.</p> + +<p>Svend Foyn, substituting the steamer for the sailing +ship’s rowed boat, made it possible for the harpoon-gun +to be brought quite close to the finner. (It is +true that way back in 1731 a portable harpoon-gun +had been invented, but this was found very dangerous, +although others followed.) Moreover, since +a dead finner sinks and its weight is much greater +than the buoyancy of the rowed whaleboat, it was +no good thinking of hunting this species unless the +size of the craft were increased. Thus, in a sentence, +the conditions demanded that a steamer with a +harpoon-gun in the bows be employed. With many +improvements this method is that of modern whaling. +When the animal is hit, the two shanks of the harpoon +open out and explode a small bomb. The body +of the dead whale is then hauled back by means of +the ship’s steam windlass, inflated to prevent its +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_208">[Pg 208]</span>sinking, and then towed to the floating factory or +shore, the steam whaler, or “catcher” as the modern +term is, sometimes being seen with as many as half +a dozen dead cetaceans.</p> + +<p>As a result of his new methods, Svend Foyn of +Tonsberg died a very wealthy man, and the acknowledged +expert of all the Norwegian whalers. But +it was only through his plucky perseverance and +originality that the problem of killing the supposedly +invulnerable finner had been made practicable. What +was more, it was thus through him that a new +industry was to arise in Norway. Now, then, let us +watch the sequence of events. In June 1893 those +four Dundee whalers, after their unsuccessful voyage, +had arrived back in Dundee. There happened to be +living a Mr. H. H. Bull, who was also inspired by +the Antarctic whaling proposition, but had failed +to interest Australian capitalists in the scheme. Bull +therefore left Melbourne, travelled to Norway and +got in touch with Foyn, then over eighty years old. +The latter listened and approved, and even placed +at Bull’s disposal a whaler, built at Drammen as far +back as the year 1871. This vessel was similar to +the Dundee <i>Balæna</i>, and now, changing her name +from <i>Cap Nor</i> to <i>Antarctic</i>, under the command of +Captain L. Kristensen, with Mr. Bull on board, set +off in September 1893, reached Melbourne the following +January, left it in the following September, +got within the Antarctic Circle, sighted Cape +Adare for the first time it had been seen since +Ross’s voyage, visited Possession Island, but after +being as far south as lat. 74°, it was decided to return. +For commercially this voyage had been a failure, +and not a “right” whale had been seen.</p> + +<p>And so the intimate relationship between whaling +and discovery, between the genuine whaling ships and +the exploration vessels built on the lines of whalers, +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_209">[Pg 209]</span>went on. The whaling expert was indebted to the +explorer, and the explorer to the whaler. Two more +instances of these in regard to personnel may here +be cited. Let us mention, for instance, the name of +C. B. Borchgrevink, a Norwegian by birth, but a +British colonial land-surveyor by experience. So keen +was he to go with Kristensen and Bull that he signed +on as ordinary seaman in the <i>Antarctic</i>. After his +return in 1895, Borchgrevink unsuccessfully tried +to get up a trading expedition to Victoria Land, but +three years later persuaded Sir George Newnes to +fit out the <i>Pollux</i>, another Norwegian whaler similar +to <i>Balæna</i>, yet with new and more powerful engines. +The name <i>Pollux</i> was changed to <i>Southern Cross</i>; +there went as captain Bernhard Jensen, who had +been Borchgrevink’s shipmate as second mate of +that whaler <i>Antarctic</i>, Jensen having for many years +been in command of an Arctic whaler. The <i>Southern +Cross</i> left the Thames in August of 1898, and proceeded +via Hobart to the Antarctic; but the value +which accrued from this expedition was interesting +rather from a pioneering point of view than scientifically.</p> + +<p>So also Dr. W. S. Bruce, who had originally gone +out in <i>Balæna</i>, took part in the Jackson-Harmsworth +expedition of 1894-7 to the Arctic, and then led the +Scottish National Antarctic expedition of 1902-4. It +is one of the most remarkable facts about men who +have served in the Arctic and Antarctic that they are +to be found longing to repeat the experience. Bruce +had yearned to go out again to the Weddell Sea, +and now another Norwegian whaler, the <i>Hekla</i>, was +bought, rebuilt and named the <i>Scotia</i>. As captain of +her there went Thomas Robertson of Dundee, who +had been captain of the <i>Active</i>—one of those four +Dundee whalers which had met Captain Larsen on +that other expedition in the south.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_210">[Pg 210]</span></p> + +<p>The <i>Scotia</i> was a three-masted barque, with +auxiliary steam, of about 400 tons, measuring 140 ft. +long and drawing about 15 ft. Her best speed under +steam was eight knots. She was immensely strong, +with 9 ft. of solid timber at the stem, and even +amidships her thinnest part was never less than +2 ft. thick. She was further protected by green-heart +sheathing, this wood being chosen for its ability to +resist the grinding by the ice. She started out from +the Clyde in November 1902, called at the Falklands, +and in February sighted the South Orkneys. The +furthest south was attained in lat. 74° 1′ S., long. 22° +W., and the ship got back to the Clyde in May 1904. +The achievements of Dr. Bruce’s expedition included +many important deep-sea soundings and dredgings, +investigations as to both temperature and salinity in +the Weddell Sea, the discovery of Coats Land for +150 miles; the wintering at the South Orkneys, +important hydrographical survey work, and the +establishment of a meteorological station on Laurie +Island. Many whales were seen just before entering +the Antarctic Circle; and between Buenos Ayres +and the Falklands also sperm whales. In the comparatively +high latitude of 56° 55′ S., and long. 10° W., +many humpbacked whales were sighted “but never +any of the bowhead or right whale, which carries +the gold-mine in its mouth.” Many whales were seen +by this ship also off the South Shetlands.</p> + +<p>Finally, it may be mentioned that Amundsen, on +that expedition which culminated in discovering the +South Pole, reported that he saw from the <i>Fram</i> +both finners and blue whales. Shackleton, whose +penultimate expedition left England in 1914, just as +the Great War was beginning, and was wrecked by +the ice, escaped to Elephant Island (one of the South +Shetlands), and then undertook that wonderful boat +journey to South Georgia. During this ill-fated +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_211">[Pg 211]</span>expedition there were sighted both finners and blue +whales, but it is to be noted that two sperm whales +were seen in lat. 69° 59′ S., long. 17° 36′ W. Very few +whales were found in the Falklands area, but eight +bottlenose whales were seen in lat. 67° 47′ S., long. +52° 18′ W.</p> + +<p>To sum up, then, the present position of whaling +has shifted from the Arctic to the Antarctic in regard +to the chief sphere of activity. The spirit which has +actuated both explorers and fishers has been of +necessity one of determination to endure cold and +discomforts, together with a tremendous sympathy +with seafaring. Great physical strength, the ability +to bear severe Polar cold and being cramped up in +comparatively small ships; that quiet, unemotional +determination of the northerner to succeed in spite +of all obstacles: it is these qualities which have +always been possessed especially by the Scotsman +and the Scandinavian. Thus it is that in the history +of whaling and Antarctic voyagings we find such +North European names as Ross, Weddell, Bruce, +Foyn, Larsen, Kristensen, Borchgrevink, Nordenskjold +and others.</p> + +<p>In the times when the Greenland and Spitsbergen +whaling industry was at its height, Britain possessed +a valuable and wonderful national asset in that +numerous and highly skilled floating population of +hardy crews. In their prime, after they had become +sufficiently expert, no nation had more able whaling +men or better whaling ships. Then the pride of the +occupation passed to the United States, and now +it belongs almost exclusively to the Norwegians. +Britain has never possessed many whaling crews +accustomed to the use of the explosive harpoon. It +is to men of only a certain primitive hardy temperament +that this occupation of spending a large part +of the year in the cold and bitter weather can possibly +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_212">[Pg 212]</span>appeal. A few Shetlanders from Scotland have tried +it, but even they do not long remain attracted.</p> + +<p>At first sight it seems utterly illogical that whilst +the Dependencies’ whaling stations are in British +territory, most of the personnel of the ships and the +capital is Norwegian. There are thirteen Norse companies +to three British and one Argentine. Before +the war most of the whaling gear was manufactured +in Norway, though since then some of it, such as +the whaling lines and the foregoers—that strong, +pliable portion of the line immediately attached to +the harpoon—have been successfully made in Great +Britain. The crews of the British transports are +British, but the harpooners, the men on the shore +stations and in floating factories, the crews and +gunners in the whale-catchers, are practically all +Norwegians. Had that Dundee squadron of 1892-3, +when it went south, been equipped with modern +guns and gear for dealing with finners instead of +the old-fashioned apparatus for the bowhead whales +which they never saw, it is possible that all this +sudden wealth of South Georgia and vicinity might +have come to Great Britain. The rise of the industry +has been amazing and it is still becoming more +profitable, and there can surely be few occupations +which have in twenty years so handsomely rewarded +investors.</p> + +<p>On the other hand it cannot be ignored that the +question of temperament and difference in national +character is likely to prevent the British seaman, +accustomed to serve all his life in tramps and liners, +from banishing himself to endure cold in a desolate +corner of the globe. Still, if we have lost the whaling +industry, we have in the steam-trawler and steam-drifter +fleets both men and ships far superior to those +of any generation. It is only from these that recruits +for a new British whaling industry are likely to be +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_213">[Pg 213]</span>obtained. But I cannot conceive that under present +circumstances the men are likely to be lured so far +away when even the trawlers which fish in Icelandish +waters can see their homes and families frequently. +And yet a fleet of modern steam whale-catchers, with +their trained gunners, is certainly something of which +to be proud nationally, and likely to be of great use +at the outbreak of war.</p> + +<p>A gunner is paid well in these whale-catchers. +Leaving Norway at the beginning of September and +arriving back home in the following June, he earns +the equivalent of about £700, if based on South +Georgia, but wages are higher at South Shetlands +owing to the longer duration of light and therefore +longer working hours. But it must not be forgotten +that in these catchers the work continues day and +night, without any fixed hours, and with very little +time off. The gunner is naturally a man of great +skill and long training, worth his wages and bonus. +But the seamen and engineers must also be willing +and picked men of special training; for next to the +importance of harpooning a whale is the ability to +sight him. The look-out man in the crow’s-nest must +be able both to see and to discern: so, too, the +steersman must be no ordinary quartermaster but +specially accomplished to act promptly in accordance +with the gunner’s instructions. As to the engineer, +he, too, requires some training, especially in the need +of fuel economy: for these whale-catchers burn about +six tons of coal a day, and the cost of coal in South +Georgia reaches as much as £14 a ton.</p> + +<p>There is also this other difference to be remembered. +In the olden days there was a big whaling +community at Hull, Peterhead, Dundee and other +ports. The ships belonged there, the crews’ homes +were there also. Nowadays these are fishing communities, +and it would take a long time to build up +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_214">[Pg 214]</span>a whaling community in Britain, from which men +would go to the Dependencies every year in the +whale-catchers. But in Norway it is different, for +there are whaling communities in Tonsberg, Sandefjord +and Larvik: and all those Norwegian whaling +companies operating in the Falklands Dependencies +belong either to these three ports or to Christiania +or Hangesund. There can be no possible doubt that +the British seaman of the fisherman type would be +the best kind of whaler for this class of work: +and the readiness with which British fishermen, who +had never even fired a shot-gun previously, became +during the war thoroughly good gunners, is proof +enough that if they could hit submarines at long +range they could certainly strike whales at close +range.</p> + +<p>But there are all sorts of difficulties: of temperament—yes: +of working with foreigners: of working +under aliens; problems, also, in regard to sailors’ +and firemen’s unions. But where the pay is so +attractive and the season from leaving home to +getting back is not more than ten months, it is +conceivable that some day British crews in British +whale-catchers under British gunners may be hunting +the whale with as much enthusiasm and skill as in +those days when the fleets used to go from the +Thames and east-coast ports. We have the men and +we have the ships. There remain only the will and +the determination.</p> + + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> +<div class="chapter"> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_215">[Pg 215]</span></p> + + + <h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_XX"> + CHAPTER XX + <br> + MODERN WHALERS AND THEIR METHODS + </h2> +</div> + + +<p>The days when the three-masted barque or +ship roamed round the world pursuing the +whale from ocean to ocean are as definitely past and +gone as are the types of whalers and their methods. +To-day the vessels are steel-built and steam-driven, +and they are spoken of as “whale-catchers.” So, too, +the explosive harpoon has done away with the need +of boat-work and hand-harpoons.</p> + +<p>Unquestionably much of the romance, such as we +used to read of in the nineteenth-century novels, has +disappeared also. That is inevitable, for the twentieth +century is an age of strenuous action rather than of +sentiment. It is carry on or get out: beauty and +imagination, or the method of doing things, cannot +demand the same attention as the achievement itself. +The merchant who at heart really loves the sight of +a sailing-ship cannot afford to send his goods overseas +except in a mechanically propelled vessel, however +much his sense of beauty prompts and tempts +him. In the same way whaling efficiency has little or +no use for any except those splendid small steamers, +with their harpoon-gun at the bows and well-organized +factories at the shore base, on which the +ship depends for her coal and stores, and the company +relies for the preparation of the whale produce.</p> + +<p>Before the Great War the standardized steam +whale-catcher measured anything from 98 ft. to +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_216">[Pg 216]</span>115 ft. over all, with 18 to 22 ft. beam and moulded +depth of 11 ft. to 12 ft. 9 in. She was flush-decked, cut +away at bow and stern for reasons of extreme handiness, +with a speed of 11 to 12 knots; whereas in the +old sailing days they were slow, and varied from 150 +to about 450 tons. To-day the whale-catcher has +evolved into a vessel of from 150 to 180 tons, of a +type that shows a kind of amalgamation of the steam +trawler and the ocean-going tug. For extreme handiness +and exceptional seaworthiness combined, these +little steamers are unrivalled. And when you consider +that they have to steam from Northern Europe, +down the North Sea and Atlantic, cross the Equator, +wrestle with those heavy gales and the treacherous ice +near the Antarctic Circle, chasing the cetacean past +unsurveyed coasts, and entering harbours barely safe +from wind and ice, surely as much is asked of a ship +as ever a man could have the heart.</p> + +<p>If we select an average post-war type we may take +a whale-catcher of 105 ft. long, 20 ft. beam and 12 ft. +depth, fitted with three-cylinder engines, having a +boiler pressure of 200 lb. to the square inch. The +average speed is up to 15 knots: but inasmuch as this +is inferior to the speed at which a whale can travel, +the cetacean is hunted only when feeding. To give +greater engine power than this would be too costly +in regard to that very expensive item of coal in +South Georgia; and would mean a bigger ship. +Neither is desirable. The engines are placed aft, +where the ship draws 12 ft., the draught forward +being about 9 ft. And in order to make her more +handy still, each vessel is fitted with a centre rudder. +Abaft the foremast is a powerful winch, which is +most essential in these craft. It may be mentioned +here that the whale being moderately sensitive to +sound, motor-boats are useless for this work. They +were tried, but made too much noise.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_217">[Pg 217]</span></p> + +<p>The catcher has a fine, healthy sheer forward, +with a nice flare. The rounded forefoot is rather that +of a sailing yacht than a steamship, but everything +about her suggests strength and wholesomeness. At +the same time these are really pretty eye-pleasing +craft. Mounted right forward is the muzzle-loading +harpoon-gun, on a swivel; and so nicely balanced +that when loaded with charge and harpoon it can be +raised and trained readily. The bore is 3 in., the gun +being 45 in. long. On the extreme end of the foredeck, +below the gun, is a pair of stout rollers over +which the harpoon lines are run. The harpoon itself +is of the finest tempered Swedish steel, 6 ft. in length +and of over a hundredweight. This harpoon, unlike +the old-fashioned type, has four prongs, which +spring out to an angle of forty-five degrees when the +line tightens after the harpoon has struck inside the +whale’s body.</p> + +<p>Now at the point of the modern harpoon is a +conical bomb over a foot long and filled with gunpowder. +A time fuse fires this bomb three seconds +after the harpoon has left the muzzle of the gun. +Attached to the harpoon come sixty fathoms of the +finest Italian hemp, which every seafarer admires for +its handiness and disinclination to kink even with the +wet. This foregoer is of about 4-in. stuff, and lies +ready coiled on a platform close to the gun. When +the gunner gets his chance one shot should finish the +whale, but it may happen that two or three harpoons +are necessary. This foregoer—or “foreganger” as the +old term used to be—is secured to the harpoon’s +shank by means of a ring, whilst the other end of the +rope is spliced to a 5-in. whale line of 120 fathoms; +but of course this may be lengthened by bending on +other lines.</p> + +<p>At the top of the foremast is the crow’s-nest, +which is entered by climbing the rigging; this steel +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_218">[Pg 218]</span>mast being of a more substantial kind than is customary +in tugs and trawlers. The look-out man +having indicated the whale, or a school of whales, +everything on the part of the steersman and engine +department is done so that speed and manœuvring +will enable the gunner to hit the whale just as the +latter is rising after his submersion. On the other +hand, the whale may not oblige by emerging just +ahead: he may be on the ship’s beam, or even astern. +It is for this reason that the extreme handiness was +given to the ship’s design, so that she can swing +round quickly and find her target in the position +required. The usual range is only 25 yds., and the +gun’s charge is about 14 oz. of powder.</p> + +<p>If the whale has been rightly struck in a vulnerable +part, he should die immediately, and will begin +to sink. That powerful steam winch, placed between +bridge and foremast, now comes into use. So soon +as the sinking whale has caused the line to hang +straight down it is passed to the snatch-blocks which +are above the shrouds of the foremast, and so the +line comes to the winch. As the winch revolves, the +ship and whale are mutually drawn, but there is now +a risk that with the rolling of heavy whale and heavy +steel ship in the Antarctic swell the line may suddenly +part. In order to prevent such an occurrence, +there is a special arrangement of powerful volute +springs (called an “accumulator”) which is fitted in +the bottom of the ship along the keelson from the +collision bulkhead forward right away to the stokehold +aft.</p> + +<p>These steel springs are in double rows and connected +by flexible wire ropes to those two snatch-blocks, +one of which is on either side of the mast. +Thus, now that the securing tackle has been led to +the accumulator by way of those masthead blocks, +any sudden jerk on the rope is borne by the spiral +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_219">[Pg 219]</span>springs. In other words, the rise and fall are compensated +for. But there are occasions when the whale +has not been shot dead, and then enters the skill of +the gunner, who has to display the ability of the +angler. The steam winch has to be moved very carefully, +as an angler winds in his reel; and the engine-room +staff below must see that the propeller goes +ahead or astern in quick obedience to the telegraph: +for this is the most critical time of the proceedings.</p> + +<p>The whale being now dead, and the winch having +hauled him to the surface of the sea, a chain is passed +round the cetacean’s tail and made fast to the towing +bits, the foregoer is taken from the harpoon, and the +whale is ready to be towed alongside the ship tail +foremost. But, in order to prevent the carcase from +sinking, a hole is pierced in it and a hollow harpoon +or tube is inserted. Through this tube the whale is +pumped full of air, this air pipe leading down to a +steam-driven compressor in the engine-room. It is +rather like inflating an enormous Rugby football. +Afterwards the air tube is withdrawn and the harpoon +shanks unscrewed, the heads being recovered +later on.</p> + +<p>The whaler may now return to her base, perhaps +with several whales towing alongside: sometimes +with as many as ten. These craft have a very strenuous +life during that short season and rest only on Sundays. +Having coaled and provisioned, they spend the +remainder of the time at work, the crew being in +watches as in any other ship: but the moment a +whale is sighted every deck hand rushes up, so that +in practice the hands can rarely obtain four consecutive +hours of sleep, and more frequently they never +take their clothes off for twenty-four whole hours. +The first real rest for captain and crew comes only +after several whales are being towed back and it is +impossible to go after any more for the present. +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_220">[Pg 220]</span>Then, and not till then, is it possible for human +nature to catch up with delayed sleep. On the other +hand, what with their monthly wage and big bonus, +and being away from Norway only from September +to June, the men stick it out as something quite +worth while. Whale-meat is eaten by the men with +relish, and has been compared with the best veal; +but it does not keep and must be cut from the cetacean +as soon as he is killed.</p> + +<p>These little whale-catchers are kept beautifully +clean and comfortably fitted up; and I wonder +sometimes that those who care to do their yachting +with steam power do not build one of this type +instead of some rather useless vessels that one sees +round the coast. For these catchers are both good-looking +and able to go anywhere in any weather; +but you cannot say all this of most steam yachts. A +heavy sea is preferred by the catcher whilst hunting, +for the whale’s body shows itself more conspicuously +and thus affords a better target. But up and down the +lonely coast of South Georgia and islands of that +cold sea, skirting the rocks and keeping a smart eye +lifting all the time for the spouting vapour which +will indicate the distant whale, hour after hour, +watch after watch may pass before any luck comes +along. For the animal has the sense to be wary, after +the loss of so many relatives. Close on ten thousand +whales captured yearly in the waters of the Falklands +Dependencies cannot be ignored if we think of the +future, although it has not yet been proved that +whaling in these waters will become exhausted as +has been the case in other parts of the globe.</p> + +<p>Again and again the whale escapes before the +gunner can get a fair opportunity, but at last the +animal may be sighted sailing along unsuspectingly. +It is then for the catcher to be manœuvred cautiously +and adroitly so as to work into the required position. +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_221">[Pg 221]</span>And now goes the harpoon-gun! The blue whale +has been hit, the foam is being cast up all around +him, and he disappears with remarkable suddenness, +but a prisoner all the same. Out goes the line more +quickly than rushing thought, the windlass is about +to haul it in again, but suddenly the tension ends: +the harpoon has broken off, and the whale has been +lost—dead, but sinking to the bottom until three +days shall have passed. These animals love to haunt +the vicinity of ice-masses: and in a season when the +bergs are few, the hunting may be poor. A whale’s +period of gestation is about a year, and the persistence +with which these southern whales are now +being hunted gives no time for the stock to be increased. +And it has been found that, having become +knowledgeable, they now alter their former cruising +areas and take different routes through other straits +and round other islands.</p> + +<p>In spite of the cold and hard gales, the climate in +the seas of the Falklands Dependencies is very +healthy, but the lack of fresh provisions is regrettable. +At South Georgia, where there are shore factories +for dealing with the whales, there is a population of +1,337 human beings, of whom all are males, except +for three: and at least 1,000 of the community are +natives of Norway and Sweden. Here, too, are the +workshops and stores, special transport ships bringing +to the island provisions, stores and coal, and +taking back the oil which has been extracted from +the whales that the fleet of catchers bring. For these +modern hunters are not fitted with reducing plant +and merely tow the carcases to be handed over either +to the floating factory or to the shore station. At +South Georgia, for example, the reducing is carried +on chiefly at shore stations: but at the South Shetlands +there is only one site in Deception Harbour, so +floating factories become essential.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_222">[Pg 222]</span></p> + +<p>The floating factories consist of the hulls of old +steamers and sailing-ships; or, more recently, they +are converted steamships fitted up with all the latest +plant. These vessels are moored in convenient, sheltered +harbours, the carcases being brought alongside. +There is on board extensive deck machinery, with +great derricks capable of lifting 50-ton weights. +Forward is the blubber factory, with the flensing +deck erected above the main deck. In these up-to-date +floating factories elevators, driven by independent +steam-engines, are employed for feeding the +blubber to the blubber vats, the latter being placed +on each side of the ship. In the holds are the oil-tanks, +fitted up in much the same way as in an oil-carrying +ship, but before the whale oil finally gets down there +it has to pass through clearing, skimming and refuse +tanks.</p> + +<p>At the after end of the ship is the flesh and bone +factory. Here an additional wooden deck has been +built up, the whale flesh passing direct into the boilers +through openings on deck. The whale being brought +alongside this floating factory, it is secured at the +fore end of the latter, and the flensers then proceed +to strip off the blubber, which is lifted on board by +the derricks to the flensing deck in strips about 50 ft. +in length, 4 ft. wide, and over 1 ft. in thickness. +After the blubber has been stripped from one side, +the carcase is turned over by special winches, so that +the other side can be dealt with.</p> + +<p>The blubber is on this flensing deck cut into short +lengths and passed down the shoots, where it is +sliced by revolving hack knives; and thence it is +taken up by the elevators and dropped into other +shoots, and so into the blubber vats, into which +steam is turned for several hours whilst the oil is +being extracted. Steam is then shut off, and for about +half an hour the whole mass is stirred. More steaming +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_223">[Pg 223]</span>follows, and then the contents are allowed to +settle, the water is drawn off from the bottom, the +oil is strained and tapped, and finally reaches the +cargo tanks below.</p> + +<p>When the blubber has been stripped off the whale, +the carcase is removed to the after part of the ship, +where the head and tail are cut off, as well as the +sides, backbone and other portions likely to yield +oil. Steam-driven saws cut the pieces into convenient +size and the oil is extracted in the boilers by steam. +These floating factories, of course, vary in size, but +an average one can deal with as many as nine blue +whales a day of the big kind, or sixteen of the +smaller types. All this shows how systematized the +operation has now become in comparison with the +flensing carried on during those days when the sailing +whaler was self-contained and independent of a base. +There can be no sort of doubt that the modern +method is far more efficient on the principle of subdivision +of labour. The catchers are free to confine +their attention to hunting and killing: the factories +are ready to do the rest when once the whale has +been towed alongside. Thus, in a season, one of these +factory ships may deal with as many as six hundred +whales.</p> + +<p>Bluntly stated, it would seem as if by this wholesale +process of meticulous organization and ingenious +machinery the entire operation was impossible of +romance. And yet I can see that this is not so. We +can leave out that long voyage to the Antarctic and +back where these factory steamships lie cut off from +the rest of the world for months. But is there not +something more than interesting in the arrangements +which make such a vessel independent for a long +while? She is not merely a factory, but a depot ship +to the catchers, and able to meet any contingency, +repair their hulls, engines and auxiliaries, in addition +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_224">[Pg 224]</span>to being able to do the same for her own mass of +machinery. She carries a complete engineering shop +with lathes and drilling machines, a blacksmith’s +shop with its forges, and a carpenter’s shop also.</p> + +<p>A hundred and fifty men have to be accommodated, +and fed for eight months straight on end. +This vessel has to pass through the tropics to a +region of great cold: so there are problems of ventilation +and heating: nor are these the only ones. Coal +and water? Well, the bunkers, tanks, ’tween decks, +and indeed every available space must be filled up +with fuel on setting forth, for this coal has to cover +the following items: the factory ship’s long voyage +out, the running of the numerous auxiliaries for +several months as if she were some works ashore, +the supplying of bunker fuel to the whale-catchers, +which each consume six tons a day, and on the top +of all this there must be enough coal left for the +factory steamer herself to get back home.</p> + +<p>As to the matter of water, this is a real difficulty; +for a floating factory consumes about eighty tons a +day. On the other hand her distillers and evaporators +produce, if needs be, a hundred tons of water daily. +But this, again, means the expenditure of much +valuable coal. For this purpose the ship carries a +number of specially constructed boats suitable for +conveying water. These boats are towed by motor-boat +to the shore, the water is collected from the +melting snow and ice, taken back to the ship and +transferred by pumps to the vessel’s fresh-water +tanks. This sounds delightfully simple and easy: but +those whose job it is to go water-searching on an icebound +island amidst glaciers and frozen hummocks +will tell you that it is both arduous and even exciting. +It is therefore perhaps more accurate to say that +modern whaling methods have a romance of their +own, different in kind from that of the old three-masted +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_225">[Pg 225]</span>ships and barques with their own crew who +did the flensing; yet, when we come down to plain +thinking, is it not the case that distance of time is the +real cause of any activity seeming romantic? We +speak to-day almost with reverence of life in the +old East Indiamen, and even in the clipper ships. It +is only because they have gone that we so regard +them. Contemporary seamen thought otherwise. And +in another hundred years it may be that some people +will read into Antarctic steam whalers a great deal of +attraction that those of our own time cannot perceive. +Well, why not? Can you admire the outside of +a beautiful Gothic cathedral if you stand with your +nose close alongside a flying buttress?</p> + + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> +<div class="chapter"> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_226">[Pg 226]</span></p> + + + <h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_XXI"> + CHAPTER XXI + <br> + THE PRESENT WHALING INDUSTRY + </h2> +</div> + + +<p>The average annual number of whales caught +in the Dependencies in the years immediately +preceding the Great War was 8,314: but this has now +risen to 9,915. Many things, such as the varying +directions of currents carrying the whales’ food elsewhere, +are responsible for changing the localities of +the cetacean; and therefore it is no fair assumption +to argue in a bad season that at last the whale is +being exterminated owing to excessive fishing. But +where 304,002 barrels of oil were got from the +former before the war, 611,372 barrels are now +being obtained from the annual catch. In other +words, each whale now yields over 61 barrels instead +of less than 37 barrels: and the value has gone up +to considerably more than three times what it used +to be.</p> + +<p>Well, for this we have largely to thank the Government +restrictions, which not only limit the number +of licences, but ever since the year 1921 have compelled +the economical utilization of the carcase. The +former practice was simply to remove the most valuable +portions of the whale, leaving the carcase to rot +on the beach. All this has been altered so that waste +does not exist. The improved factory methods, mentioned +in the last chapter, have further facilitated this +innovation. In the olden days ships that used Greenland +waters and the Davis Straits used to make more +money from the bone than from the oil. For instance, +in the year 1860 there were captured by +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_227">[Pg 227]</span>British vessels eight whales off Greenland and +seventy-six up the Davis Straits. Total eighty-four +whales, whose produce fetched only £70,828, whale +oil being then £1 12s. 6d. per cwt., but the bone +realizing £20 10s. 0d. per cwt. To-day there is very +little demand for whalebone, since many cheap and +serviceable substitutes have been invented. The +whale is hunted principally for its oil, and then only +in a by-product sense for the fertilizing guano and +meal made out of the meat and bones after the oil +has been extracted.</p> + +<p>If we take a fairly representative span of years +such as from 1860 to 1888, that is to say, when steam +was beginning to come in as auxiliary to the sailing +whalers, we are in a fair position to compare the +results with present-day whaling. And the figures +show at once (even after allowing for the changed +value of money) that the discovery of the Antarctic +grounds has made those Victorian times seem ridiculous. +Between those two first-mentioned dates of +the nineteenth century there were several years +when the Greenland region yielded not one single +whale, and the highest figure for any season during +that period was only thirty-five. During those same +twenty-eight years the Davis Straits never afforded +less than ten whales a season but never more than +208. The most remunerative year was 1861, when a +total revenue of £112,305 was obtained. From the +year 1875, with certain fluctuations, that whole +northern fishing decreased both in whale numbers +and in actual value, so that, when we come to the +year 1886, from the two areas combined only thirty-four +whales were taken, and only £34,652 obtained: +but this notwithstanding that the price of whalebone +had risen from £18 (in the year 1861) to £82 10s. 0d. +per cwt. in 1886. In the last-mentioned year, when +whale oil was fetching only a guinea per cwt., it +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_228">[Pg 228]</span>hardly paid the cost of getting it, and it was only the +whalebone which made it worth while to undertake +these northern voyages.</p> + +<p>We can therefore scarcely wonder that the industry +gradually faded away. But if some of those astute +old whaling skippers and hardened harpooners could +come back to-day and learn that a fleet of fifty-five +steam catchers had killed in one Antarctic season +9,915 whales and made £3,056,860 for their owners +we should find some interesting comments. I hate to +bore the reader with statistics, but this is the only +way of proving the tremendous change of prosperity +which has come about so recently and so quickly. +Since the year 1853 British vessels ceased to hunt +the sperm whale: in other words, confined themselves +to the search for whalebone. And then flexible +steel for umbrellas and women’s corsets was introduced, +so that there was but little demand for the +whalebone after the ’eighties.</p> + +<p>But in the year 1880 that experienced whaler +Captain D. Gray in the <i>Eclipse</i> of Peterhead began +hunting that toothed whale species known as the +bottlenose. And, what was more, he killed thirty-two +of this cetacean in those seas between Labrador +and Nova Zembla which had been fished for centuries. +Addressing himself to this particular kind, he +found that the bluenose existed in large numbers; +and in 1882 Scotch whalers killed 463, of which Gray +alone killed 203. The year following the British and +the Norwegian whaling ships chased the bluenose +with such success that the market became glutted. +But the incident is worth noting as showing that +there were still just as good whales in the sea as ever +came out.</p> + +<p>That year 1882 was certainly memorable in the +annals of our subject, and the <i>Eclipse</i> had a short but +highly prosperous season: for she caught her first +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_229">[Pg 229]</span>whale as early as April 27th, but by June 29th she +had done so well that every available space in the +ship was full of blubber. She had even to throw into +the sea all her coal—except just so much as would +get her home—in order to find room for her cargo. +The result was that she was back in Peterhead by +July 5th, with a full ship: that is to say, with 230 tons +of oil valued at £60 a ton, or £13,800 for a voyage +of only a few weeks. It is perfectly true that for a +long time whalers had occasionally taken a bottlenose, +and the <i>Chieftain</i> of Kirkcaldy had killed +twenty-eight off the Frobisher Strait; but it was not +until the year 1877 that the <i>Jan Mayen</i> of Peterhead, +having missed getting seals, captured ten bottlenose +whales. After that date the smaller whaling ships +began hunting them every season, and the larger +ones commenced hunting the bottlenose between +seasons: that is, after the end of the seal fishery +and before the start of the whaling proper, coming +down to the north-east Scottish coast for that +purpose.</p> + +<p>The relation between the seal and whale fisheries +in the north is interesting. Ever since the last quarter +of the eighteenth century sealing had been going on +off Newfoundland, but it was not till the year 1876 +that whalers from Dundee began to engage in this +occupation, off there. The right whale had been for +such a long time regarded as the only produce worth +hunting that attention at first was not paid to anything +else in the northern waters. Neither seals nor +the white whales were considered worthy of attention. +But those British whalers which went up to the +Arctic from about 1882 found the whales were +getting so scarce that they were only too pleased to +fill up with seals as well, if the chance presented +itself.</p> + +<p>The following brief résumé will show just how +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_230">[Pg 230]</span>the northern, as distinct from the South Seas whaling, +fared from the year 1814, and we can see at once how +extreme was the change from good fortune to bad in +a very few years. Thus the number of whales killed +in the waters of Greenland and the Davis Straits by +British ships during the years 1814 to 1823 was +12,907: from 1824 to 1833 it dropped to 9,532, and +in 1834 to 1843 it fell remarkably to 1,221. There +follows now a serious slump: for whereas in 1857 +Peterhead still sent out thirty-four whalers, she possessed +not one in the year 1893, the pride of place +having passed entirely to Dundee. In the year 1882 +there went to the Davis Straits for whales nine +Dundee ships, which came back with seventy-eight +whales, whose oil and bones yielded a sum of +£58,876, oil being at that time £33 a ton, but the +value of the whalebone was as much as £1,150 a ton, +so rare had it become. The position by 1883 was +this: both the Greenland whaling and the Greenland +sealing were getting worse and worse, though off +Newfoundland it was good. It was bad also in the +Davis Straits, and only six vessels went there from +Dundee, whilst one from Peterhead got up to the +Cumberland Gulf. One of these seven vessels was +the whaler <i>Thetis</i>, and she came home with the loss +of both her carpenter and bo’sun; for whilst they +were fast to a whale the boat was carried under by +the fouling of the line. In this same year only seven +vessels went to Greenland waters and they came +back with only nineteen right whales. But whalebone +was scarcer than even in the year previous, and had +now gone up to £2,000 a ton. And it was just this +rise which encouraged the ships and made it worth +their while to keep on trying for a time, especially as +already the bottlenose, which had been overfished, +was beginning to get wary and scarce.</p> + +<p>Two new Peterhead whalers were actually added +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_231">[Pg 231]</span>to the fleet in 1883, and in the following year several +steamers were added to the fleet of Dundee, so that +by 1885 the latter had the largest collection of sixteen +whaling ships, but there was a big fleet working +out of Norway chasing the bottlenose whales. However, +the down-grade was still continuing, and if we +take the period of 1893 to 1902 British ships caught +only 172 whales off Greenland and in the Davis +Straits. In the year 1903 Dundee’s fleet had diminished +to five whalers, of which one got wrecked. +Thus it was that Arctic whaling had now come down +to four vessels and they were only partially successful, +and in 1905, although there were six whalers at +work up the Davis Straits, which were now the only +possible resort, yet this season was so notorious that +only a couple of medium-sized whales and one small +one were killed up there. The <i>Eclipse</i>, one of the +most lucky of whalers, came home “clean”; that +historic <i>Diana</i>, which had once been to the Antarctic, +came home “clean”; the <i>Windward</i>, another famous +ship, came home “clean”; the <i>Balæna</i>, which had +also once been to the Antarctic, came home now +from the Arctic with one whale; and the <i>Morning</i> +arrived with one whale. In each of these cases only +fifteen cwt. of bone were obtained, and the <i>Active</i>, +that other ship which had once been in that Dundee +Antarctic whaling squadron, now came home from +the north with one small whale that yielded but three +cwt. of bone. The <i>Morning</i>, by the way, was another +historic vessel. Up till the year 1902 she was a Norwegian +whaler and known as the <i>Morgen</i>, but she +was purchased by the Royal Geographical Society +and sent out to the Antarctic, where she discovered +a new island, reached Scott’s ship <i>Discovery</i> and came +home in the year 1904, and went back to her career +as a whaler.</p> + +<p>But this disastrous Arctic season of only three +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_232">[Pg 232]</span>whales had been aggravated by the long prevalence +of easterly winds, which had made the ice so dense +that for the first time since 1878 the whalers were +unable to get through into Melville Bay, and thus +could not reach their favourite grounds near Lancaster +Sound. The season of 1906 was unusual in +that for the first time since 1899 whales were killed +in East Greenland waters, that great expert, Captain +Robertson (who had brought the <i>Scotia</i> back from +the Antarctic to the Clyde in the summer of 1904), +having captured four small ones which yielded forty +cwt. of bone. But altogether in 1906 seven whalers +had been up to the Arctic, of which three came home +“clean,” and the total catch of the other four from +East Greenland, the Davis Straits, and Hudson +Straits consisted solely of eight white whales besides +a number of seals, walruses, bears and foxes. But oil +was now £23 a tun, and whalebone had soared up +to £2,500 a ton.</p> + +<p>However, at this point Arctic whaling practically +fades out of history and the scene of activity shifts to +South Georgia and other islands in the Antarctic +approaches. Nothing is more significant of the +manner in which the Arctic has been fished out than +the difference between capturing over a thousand +right whales annually at the beginning of the nineteenth +century and obtaining only eight white whales +in 1906, although in the latter case steam had come +in to aid the ships. Since that time the best use to +which these stout vessels have been put has been +either as exploration craft for Antarctic expeditions +or for service with the Hudson Bay Company. It is +sad to think that this fine type of wooden ship with +her auxiliary steam power must be relegated to the +golden age of sailing ships, but now that the steam +whale-catcher and the explosive harpoon have so +completely altered the industry it is no use wasting +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_233">[Pg 233]</span>time in vain regrets: we have to face the new conditions +and make the best of them.</p> + +<p>When Svend Foyn commenced the fin-whale +industry with his explosive harpoon and shore factories +in the ’sixties, he operated off the coast of +Finmarken, that most northerly and most poorly +populated part of Norway. Only the coast became +permanently inhabited, the settlers having been +attracted by the fisheries. The fin whale was practically +the only kind of whale found in those parts +and Varanger Fjord was the first station to be the +scene of the new methods which Foyn inaugurated +in 1865. But gradually these steamships began to +exhaust the whale supply, and the work moved westward. +But in that same year 1886 just mentioned the +peak of his success was reached; one station after +another had closed down, the numbers of blue +whale, fin whale, sei whale and humpback (all of +them rorquals) became fewer and fewer so that at +last the entire whaling fleet, which by 1886 numbered +thirty-four ships, was obtaining from the +whole Finmark Sea only half the number of whales +which in the ’sixties Svend Foyn had been getting +from Varanger Fjord alone.</p> + +<p>As to the sperm whale, which at one time was so +much hunted by American and British ships, this +species is still found in considerable numbers and in +various localities: but it is indisputable that the +sperm is far less abundant than formerly. The +southern right whale has become not exterminated, +but much scarcer than he was formerly in the +South Seas. The Greenland whale was numerous +at the beginning of the seventeenth century, but a +hundred years later Davis Straits, as we have seen, +became his home, and now he has practically ceased +to be hunted there. So, too, we have seen the American +whalers chase him through the Bering Straits +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_234">[Pg 234]</span>into the Arctic, but the industry in this part has now +practically ended. The Japanese hunt the Pacific grey +whale off the south-east of Korea, but the rorqual +fishery off Newfoundland which began in 1897 has +gradually got worse and worse, and yet at one time +it used to capture an average of 400 whales a year. It +is interesting to note that off the south-west coast of +Africa all the whales caught were thought to be +really those making a passage from the southern +ice-barrier towards the waters of the French Congo. +But now it is found that fifty per cent. consist of blue +whales, and only ten per cent. of humpbacks.</p> + +<p>The blue whale is the largest animal in the world, +and may measure anything up to a hundred feet in +length. He was generally supposed to remain in cold +waters, and like the fin whale is hunted in preference +to the humpback; because whereas the humpback +will yield only twenty to sixty barrels of oil, the fin +whale will produce a hundred barrels, but the blue +whale is good for 250. Our knowledge of whaling +habits is, however, still anything but complete, because +in the past our ancestors were too reckless in +killing the whale that brought them fortune to study +its mode of life. But thanks to modern study and +those factories, it is possible now to form deductions +which were not practicable in the days of the hand +harpoon. For when the whale is hauled ashore, +instead of being brought alongside the floating factory, +he is pulled up the slip to the flensing platform +and can be examined like the human body on the +operating table. On the shore are the open boilers +for extracting the oil from the blubber. The pressure +boilers deal with the carcase after it has been flensed, +and after the oil has been run off the dried residue is +put into bags as a most wholesome and nutritious +meal for cattle-feeding. At the land station in South +Georgia of one company where the manager earns +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_235">[Pg 235]</span>about £2,000 or £3,000 a year, he has under him a +whole army of foremen, mechanics, blacksmiths, +stewards, cooks, storekeepers, cookers for the open +boilers, cookers for the pressure boilers, workmen, +flensers, carcase dividers, meat and blubber cutters—all +additional to the crews.</p> + +<p>But in a floating factory the staff consists of three +mates, boatswain, steward, cooks, seamen, firemen, +cookers, flensers, carcase dividers and engineers. The +personnel of a whale-catcher consists of gunner, +mate, steward, four seamen, two engineers and a +couple of firemen. All that can be done both ashore +and afloat in regard to organization is there. Rather +it is in respect of further detailed knowledge concerning +the whale himself that the industry stands +most in need. But the waters of the globe cover many +thousands of miles: so it will take time before complete +information arrives. And whilst we know, for +example, that the humpback and fin whales are +generally met with in schools, whereas the blue +whale cruises alone; that the humpback usually goes +north about May, returning to South Georgia about +October; and that the South Shetlands fin whale +moves in February with the current from the south-west +to the north-east: yet there is much else besides +this that we wish to know, and can obtain only by +much observation and long study.</p> + +<p>Thus we desire to settle definitely the question +whether the southern whale does go to the extreme +north from the extreme south. There is a strong +probability that he does, for similar barnacles and +parasites have been found on northern and southern +whales. Certainly the humpback whale has been +observed to pass the Equator from south to north, +and from the whalebone there seems to be no difference +between the fin whales of the north and south. +On the other hand, nothing is less satisfactory than +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_236">[Pg 236]</span>to draw conclusions from an incomplete set of premises. +At present there is no sure knowledge of fin +whales or blue whales migrating from south to north +or north to south. In order to obtain reliable information +on this subject metal cylinders have in recent +years been fired into the whales from rifles with a +view to marking the animals: yet so far none of them +has been recovered. But of the fact that whales do +migrate we have definite, though limited, information +from the harpoons discovered in certain whales. Off +the east coast of Africa a whale has been found, still +with the harpoon in him, several hundred miles away +from the position where he was first attacked.</p> + +<p>Ross’s erroneous statement as to the right whale +being seen in the south has been responsible for the +failure of those expeditions of Enderby’s Aucklands +scheme, of the Dundee whalers, and also of Bull’s +adventure with Kristensen; for Racovitza, the great +zoologist, and other experts believe that what Ross +saw were fin whales. Furthermore, the expeditions of +Shackleton, Scott and Amundsen have confirmed the +fact that the Ross Sea and the pack-ice outside its +mouth are visited by many species of rorquals, such +as are to-day captured between South Georgia and +Graham Land. Whilst there is still a certain amount +of whaling being carried on off Alaska, Africa, +Brazil and Japan, yet fuller knowledge of the distribution +and migration of the whale, the collection of +statistics and so on, would conceivably open up new +grounds.</p> + +<p>With the exception of the humpback, the whales +in the Dependencies are just as numerous as ever, +though varying with the amount of ice each season. +And when we consider the vast size of the Antarctic +and sub-Antarctic Seas it would seem hardly likely +that the whale will be exterminated there for a considerable +period. South Georgia and the South +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_237">[Pg 237]</span>Shetlands are but tiny dots in a sea far bigger than +that old area between Greenland and Spitzbergen. +The whale can go on breeding and multiplying over +such extensive grounds that Captain Larsen, for one, +believes there is no need for anxiety in regard to the +future. And he is a supporter from actual observation +of the belief that the humpback and the bottlenose +do cross the Equator. But there are hundreds of +thousands of whales whose habitation is along the +edge of the Antarctic ice and land. In the Ross Sea, +as all explorers for nearly the last hundred years have +testified, whales exist not in dozens but in immense +quantities. Two quotations will be sufficient to substantiate +this. The first is a statement by the biologist +in Shackleton’s volume <i>The Heart of the Antarctic</i>: +the second is contained in Amundsen’s book, already +noted.</p> + +<p>“This bay, which we afterwards referred to by the +appropriate name of the Bay of Whales, was teeming +with all the familiar kinds of Antarctic life. Hundreds +of whales—killers, finners, and humpbacks—were +rising and blowing all round.”</p> + +<p>“The name ‘Bay of Whales’ was given by Shackleton, +and is well chosen. From the time when the sea +ice breaks up, this big gap in the Barrier is a favourite +haunt of whales, which were very often seen playing +about for hours at a time in flocks of some fifty +strong.”</p> + +<p>So it would seem that about this southern whaling +there is something likely to be more permanent than +has been the case in the north. Everything, therefore, +that can be learned through scientific inquiry as to +currents and so on will help commerce: yet whether +they will eventually induce the British sailor to forsake +his North Sea fishing for the Antarctic is quite +another matter. But if there are whales to be got, we +must leave them to the Norwegians so long as supply +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_238">[Pg 238]</span>and demand exist, and yet somehow I cannot conceive +that British Dependencies will be neglected by +our own countrymen for ever.</p> + +<p>It should be mentioned that at the end of the +season those factory steamers, having finished +flensing, and having filled up their tanks with the +whale oil, steam back to Europe. The “catchers,” +however, return no further north than Monte Video +and Buenos Ayres, where they pass the winter, refit +and eventually start out again to go south for the +following season; the factory steamers, of course, +returning with fresh coal and supplies from Europe. +During the Great War half a dozen of the latter were +torpedoed and one mined; for some of these vessels +were employed to carry oil fuel to France and +Britain from the United States. In return for this +assistance, the British Government has not forgotten +to deal favourably with the Norwegian whalers in +the Dependencies.</p> + +<p>Every one of those whale-catchers is really a +pioneer: for these handy little steam craft poke their +bows, during the course of their hunting, into all +sorts of strange bays and bights and corners, totally +unsurveyed, where the factory ships could not +venture. Without instruments, but feeling their way +in with the lead, these Norse seamen are really repeating +history: it is the old Viking idea expressed in +action at the other end of the world. No one to-day +has such coastal knowledge of these our Falkland +Dependencies. Commerce and science being interdependent, +a complete hydrographical survey of +these parts must soon come: but that which is most +pressing is the knowledge of real harbours and +sheltered anchorages where the catchers can anchor +and the factories can be carried on as they normally +are, from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Off the islands of the +South Sandwich group blue, bottlenose, humpback, +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_239">[Pg 239]</span>fin and even sperm-whales have been sighted by +Captain Larsen; but this group has not been surveyed +since the year 1819, and it is obviously desirable +in such a tempestuous locality that at least one +reliable harbour should be known where ships may +rely on finding safety. But South Georgia, South +Orkneys, South Shetlands and Graham Land all +need to be laid out adequately on the chart with +proper sailing directions. Dr. Bruce has suggested +the use of aircraft in the summer for settling the +existence of islands hinted at by previous explorers +but never yet established. When the surveys have +been done, it will be possible for the whale-catchers +to extend their operations into the waters around the +Sandwich group. But until then, how can you expect +that vessels in that perpetual weather of hard winds +and fog will risk themselves?</p> + +<p>Sealing voyages to South Georgia during the +eighteenth century, and British whaling trips thither +from 1819, were no mere isolated instances: rather +they foreshadow what is possible down south. For +in the two seasons of 1820-1 and 1821-2, the fur-seal +industry was such that ninety-one vessels came to +these islands. But after that date the seals had been +so wantonly slaughtered that they were practically +extinct. Would it not be possible some day to resuscitate +the fur-seal fishery? Perhaps the time will come +when by a combination of protective laws in regard +to the seals, and commercial enterprise in regard to +the ships and men, this old industry may be revived +like the whaling.</p> + +<p>When Captain Cook came to South Georgia and +rediscovered it in 1775 he approached it from the +north-west. For first of all he sighted an island of +ice, but at noon was not sure whether it were ice or +land, but anyway it bore east by south, distant +thirty-nine miles. But eventually he saw that it was +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_240">[Pg 240]</span>land, but “in a manner wholly covered with snow. +We were confirmed by finding soundings at 175 +fathoms, and a muddy bottom.” He first came in +view of Wallis Island, which lies just off the north-west +corner, and “as we advanced to the north we +perceived another isle lying” between that other +island and the mainland. This is marked on the +present-day charts as Bird Island, Cook having +noticed so many of these creatures occupying it. +The two headlands Cape North and Cape Buller +were both named by him and appear still in the +modern charts.</p> + +<p>But Cook’s description of the interior of South +Georgia is hardly encouraging. “The inner parts of +the country were savage and horrible,” he wrote. +“The only vegetation we met with was a coarse, +strong-bladed grass growing in tufts, wild burnet, +and a plant like moss, which sprang from the rocks. +Seals were numerous, and several flocks of large +penguins were seen. The oceanic birds were albatrosses, +common gulls, terns, shags, divers, etc. The +land birds were a few small larks. No quadruped was +seen.” He mentioned that the island “seems to +abound with bays and harbours, the N.E. coast +especially, but the vast quantity of ice must render +them inaccessible for the greater part of the year, or +at least it must be dangerous lying in them, on +account of the breaking up of the ice cliffs.” Weddell, +who reached South Georgia nearly fifty years later, +was getting rather nervous as to his crew being +stricken with scurvy, and hoped that the island +would yield some green-stuff. There was precious +little, but it was better than nothing for men who had +been without fresh vegetables for so long. “Our +crews,” he wrote, “here fed plenteously on greens +which, although bitter, are very salutary, being an +excellent anti-scorbutic. With regard to meat we +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_241">[Pg 241]</span>were supplied with young albatrosses, that is to say, +about a year old: the flesh of these is sweet, but not +sufficiently firm to be compared with that of the +domestic fowl” ... “almost the only natural production +of the soil is a strong-bladed grass, the +length of which is in general about two feet. It grows +in tufts, on mounds three or four feet from the +ground.”</p> + +<p>Thus Weddell in 1823 confirmed what Cook saw +in 1775, but neither could have foreseen what a gold-mine +those watery regions were to become in the +twentieth century nor how busy many of those +north-east bays were to show themselves with steam +craft and smoke and oil. Cook named that bold +bight, which is just below where to-day the Southern +Whaling and Sealing Company have their station, +Possession Bay, and took possession of the entire +group of islands on behalf of Britain.</p> + +<p>Apart from the violent weather, one of the worst +drawbacks of the Falklands and its Dependencies is +that ancient enemy of all seafarers, the fog. On +October 26, 1921, there left Sandefjord the 8,000-ton +factory ship <i>Guvernoren</i>, bound out for the Dependencies +for the season in the usual manner. Originally +she had been a Bibby liner, but had been converted +for her special work. At Monte Video she +picked up three whale-catchers which she was to +escort south. But about eleven o’clock one pitch-dark +night, when about twenty miles short of Port +Stanley, the <i>Guvernoren</i> had the bad luck to run +ashore in a thick fog. There were ninety-six men +aboard her, and they naturally became a little +anxious as to their predicament, but the ship’s boats +were lowered and every man succeeded in getting +away from her and put aboard the catchers. And then +to those somewhat nerve-tried, jumpy men there +came quite a dramatic happening. Some of the crew +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_242">[Pg 242]</span>were rowing back for others which remained to be +fetched off the big steamer, but on the return trip +there suddenly came out of that fog a terrifying sound +as of a man crying out for help. So the boats turned +this way and that, trying in the thick atmosphere +to find some desperate shipmate struggling in the +water. It was both startling and saddening, for it +was going to be no easy task if he were to be located +in that fog. However, sorrow soon turned to amusement, +for the cries were not of men but of seals: so +all was well.</p> + +<p>The whale-catchers were able to get fairly near to +the wreck, but there was a very high sea running, +and it was a lucky achievement to have saved everyone. +Throughout the night these catchers stood by, +and next morning, after the <i>Guvernoren</i> had settled +down on to the rocks, some of the men went back +and pluckily climbed on board to salve some of their +clothes. The catchers then made for Port Stanley—that +port always to be famous for its connection with +the Battle of the Falklands—whence a crowd of shipwrecked +mariners embarked for Liverpool in the +<i>Orcoma</i> liner.</p> + +<p>Once a liner in the Pacific off Santa Maria was +caught in a dense fog, and since the coast was dangerous, +the captain stopped his engine and waited +for the atmosphere to clear. But at six in the morning +there was a strange sound coming up from the +sea and suddenly the ship trembled. Everybody wondered +what had happened, for the tremor was too +gentle for an earthquake, and it was accompanied by +bumping, as if the steamship was hitting soft ground. +But the anxiety did not last long in this case: for that +noise was unquestionably a whale blowing, and now +there rose out of the sea a great cetacean a good 100 +ft. long, and came floating alongside just as if it were +one of those capsized sailing vessels one used to see +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_243">[Pg 243]</span>after enemy submarines had been busy in certain +waters.</p> + +<p>But aboard the liner the mammal caused a sensation, +for he now dived, and as he collided with the +steel ship the tremors began again. Once more he +floated alongside, and then the barnacles and shellfish +which had been scraped off by contact with the +steamer’s bilge keels came rushing up to the surface. +Evidently the whale was enjoying himself, for now +he proceeded to the other side of the ship, and began +scratching himself once more. The passengers pelted +him with potatoes and coal, but the great animal took +no notice whatever until he swallowed a piece of the +latter, and then, sending up a drenching spout of +water, passed majestically on his way.</p> + + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> +<div class="chapter"> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_244">[Pg 244]</span></p> + + + <h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_XXII"> + CHAPTER XXII + <br> + COLONIAL CONTROL + </h2> +</div> + + +<p>When Captain Cook described these islands +as “a country doomed by nature never once +to feel the warmth of the sun’s rays, but to lie buried +in everlasting snow and ice,” and went on to suggest +that this “coast which, when discovered and +explored, would have answered no end whatever, or +have been of the least value, either to navigation or +to geography or, indeed, to any other science,” he +could scarcely have foreseen that more than three +millions sterling would in the twentieth century +annually be derived from this neighbourhood.</p> + +<p>At South Georgia, with its mass of high snow-covered +mountains, its valleys of glaciers, but its +coastal area in the summer free from snow, there is a +Resident Magistrate; but at the other Dependencies +a representative of the British Colonial Government +accompanies one of the expeditions. In the case of +South Georgia the Resident Magistrate is located at +Grytviken Harbour, King Edward’s Cove, on the +east side of the island. In fact, all the whaling stations +are on that side, beginning from Allardyce +Harbour at the north down to New Fortune Bay +about half-way down the coast, some thirty-five +miles to the south-east. The numerous bays and +natural harbours lend themselves there most conveniently +to the use of the headquarters for the +various companies who have leased the sites.</p> + +<p>The Government of the Falklands has allowed +five shore stations at South Georgia, each site of 500 +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_245">[Pg 245]</span>acres being taken up for a period of twenty-one years +at a rent annually of £250; but there are also five +unoccupied sites on that east coast for which rent is +still paid. The leases include the right to use two +whale-catchers without further licence. With the +South Shetlands fleet there go a Magistrate and a +whaling officer, leaving in November and coming +back with it in April. South Georgia is the only +portion of these Dependencies which is habitable +all the year round, for the harbours elsewhere are +ice-bound for seven months out of the twelve; so +the flensing and boiling down are done in the floating +factories, which can steam off before the ice sets +in. Besides South Georgia there are shore stations at +Deception Island and at the South Orkneys, the personnel +for running them arriving and returning with +the whaling fleets.</p> + +<p>Thus we have one of the most interesting nomadic +communities in the world and one intimately connected +with the sea. It was decided in 1912 that the +number of licences issued in any one year for the South +Shetlands with Graham Land should not exceed ten, +and not more than seven for either the South Orkneys +or the South Sandwich Islands. Since October 1914 no +further licences or whaling leases other than in South +Georgia can be issued, but renewals of existing +licences are permissible. It is to the credit of the +British Colonial Office that all the revenue derived +from these Dependencies is, as far as possible, devoted +to the further development of their resources. +For the sake of practical politics the South Sandwich +Islands have not yet entered into this consideration. +But it is possible that when surveys have taken place +and a safe harbour assured, we may find matters +going ahead, yet owing to the poisonous fumes it is +doubtful if there will ever be a land station.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_246">[Pg 246]</span></p> + +<p>During the war there was an increased demand for +oil, but all over the world, except off South Georgia, +the whale was being hunted far less. It therefore +became advisable to allow the temporary employment +of a greater number of catchers down here. +Legislation wisely limits the extent to which whaling +may take place, and minimizes the amount of waste. +Under the former decision we have the restriction of +the number of licences, but there is no direct regulating +of the number of whales to be caught. One +may mention in passing the financial side of these +Dependencies, which is not without interest. If we +take the latest figures—that is for the year 1923—we +find that the Government revenue derived from +them in that period amounted to £160,221, the local +expenditure being only £7,436. But at the end of +that year there was a surplus of £315,795 assets over +liabilities, of which £300,302 became earmarked for +the Research Fund. It is thus that the research vessel +<i>Discovery</i> was able to set forth from Portsmouth in +the summer of 1925 on these investigations about +which so much is expected in the future.</p> + +<p>Formerly the catch consisted chiefly of humpback +whales, though latterly it is the blue, and also the +fin whale, which have predominated. But a greater +incentive has been offered towards capturing the +two last; for the bonus to the gunner, additional to +his monthly pay, works out in the following number +of kroner:—for that somewhat rare right whale, +200; for the less rare sperm whale, 100; for the blue +whale, 80; for the fin whale, 50; for the humpback, +30 kroner. The reason for this becomes obvious +when we state that a blue whale usually yields from +70 to 80 barrels of oil, a right whale 60 to 70, a sperm +whale 60, a fin whale from 35 to 50, but a humpback +from 25 to 35 only. We spoke some time back of +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_247">[Pg 247]</span>New Island, one of the Falkland group. Here in the +year 1908 the British firm of Messrs. Salvesen & +Co. of Leith established a whaling factory which +continued until 1916, when it was dismantled and +removed to South Georgia, which is now the only +one of the Dependencies where whaling can be +carried on in both summer and winter.</p> + +<p>In the old sailing-ship days one of the customs +was to attack a whale calf, well knowing that the +mother whale would not desert its young; and thus +the elder and more valuable whale would fall to the +hunter. This cruel and wasteful method is strictly +forbidden in the Dependencies. Neither a calf nor +a female whale accompanied by a calf may be killed. +Apart from sentimental reasons this is sound policy +unless it be desired to endeavour to exterminate the +species. And as further illustrative of the broad, +sensible lines of the whaling legislation in these parts +it is worth noting that the lessees are required to +keep an accurate record of meteorological observations +and to maintain a stock of coal and provisions +which are to be supplied at cost price to any ship +requiring them. We know that both Shackleton and +Charcot availed themselves of this privilege.</p> + +<p>In reckoning the amount of oil we count six +barrels to the ton, and it is worth while to consider +now the relation which the whale to-day bears to +commerce. Before the war whale oil was used for +burning, for lubrication, for soap-making and currying +leather. It then found itself in great demand in +the manufacture of glycerine for munition-making, +and also for the different fabrication of margarine. +Sperm oil is used for such delicate machinery as +sewing-machines and watches. The demand for +whalebone is not what it once was, but in the thirteenth +century it was used among other purposes +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_248">[Pg 248]</span>for the plumes on helmets. From the meat and bones +are obtained whale-meat meal, largely used in feeding +cattle; whale guano, which is rich in phosphates; +and there is produced from the bones alone +what is called bone meal, also rich in these phosphates. +But the entire carcase may be turned into +guano after extracting the blubber for oil. Ambergris +is used in order to make perfumes more lasting.</p> + +<p>During the war whale oil was so invaluable to +the British Government that one of the greatest +authorities has remarked that without it we should +have been able to produce the required amount of +neither food nor munitions. It seems strange to +think that a number of whales cruising innocently +in the neighbourhood of the Antarctic can have the +slightest effect on a war being fought many thousand +miles away in Europe: but it shows the interrelation +of affairs and mutual dependence in our +modern civilization. Glycerine we all remember to +have been difficult to obtain during the latter stages +of the war even by medical men. Before hostilities it +was just a by-product in the manufacture of soap: +but after the demand for explosives became so tremendous +soap-making became a by-product of the +glycerine industry. The British Government during +the war made special arrangements with three English +firms for utilizing the whole of the whale oil +imported.</p> + +<p>Modern sub-Antarctic whaling is very different +from the old Greenland industry, quite apart from +the change from sail to steam. It is different, too, +from that fine, romantic period when American +whaling ships under sail used to hunt the cetacean in +every tropical sea of the world. The latter vessels +were of lighter build and greater speed than those +which had to be so strong and heavy in order to +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_249">[Pg 249]</span>resist the ice pressure. Those American ships were +not intended for ice work, and their working costs +were not great. They could build cheaply along the +New England coast where there was plenty of timber +near to the sea. But about the year 1846 American +whaling with its fleet of 735 ships reached its high-water +mark, and the ebb set in with such certainty +that from 1877-86 an average of only 159 such craft +was annually employed. So also by the year 1886 +the best type of Norwegian whaler was a vessel of +only eighty tons and of thirty horse-power. Fitted +with the Svend Foyn harpoon-gun these comparatively +cheap vessels had been able to kill for their oil +and bone most of a thousand blue whales, humpbacks +and other rorquals, and then tow them into the +fjords of Finmark.</p> + +<p>But in the Antarctic the conditions are all so +serious that no one can embark on this undertaking +except in a big way. Everything seems multiplied by +comparison with the circumstances of the nineteenth +century. Thus, before the whaler can reach his +cruising ground a far longer distance must be +covered, with a greater cost in fuel. The vessels +need fewer hands, but they cost more to build and to +run. Moreover the value of the individual Antarctic +whale is inferior to the Greenland species. Greater +activity, at a greater distance, more detailed organization +but far more initial capital are the conditions +which have in this twentieth century become essential. +Not for a century have the Greenland whales +been hunted in those Arctic waters between East +Greenland, Spitzbergen and Jan Mayen Islands, +where the cetacean was once numerous and in convenient +proximity to the fleets of the north. And +alongside our optimism in regard to the Antarctic +we must place the plain observed fact that when a +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_250">[Pg 250]</span>species of whale has by over-fishing been wiped out +of any area, he does not go back to that region even +long years after the fleets have given up using those +waters. Of this we may quote two historical instances. +For centuries the whale was hunted in the +Bay of Biscay, right up till the sixteenth century, +when it was about to be exterminated, had not the +Greenland whaling grounds been discovered. To +this day the Biscayan whale has never recovered its +former numerical preponderance. Similarly, the Finmark +rorqual was hunted to extermination so that +the industry came to a full stop after a few intensive +years. If, then, the whales should be exterminated +for a period in the waters of the Falklands Dependencies, +it is improbable that even after a respite +they would return. Thus the whole commercial +value of these distant parts would vanish as soon as +the whaling stations ceased to have any financial +reason for existence. Indeed, there are those who +believe that by the time the twentieth century has +run out, there will be no more whales to hunt: they +will become as past and banished as the prehistoric +animals are to us to-day.</p> + +<p>This is the extreme pessimistic view, but it has to +be borne in mind so long as our scientific knowledge +is incomplete, especially in regard to the whale’s +migrations. This of course arouses the question of +protective measures to control the hunting: and +these, again, are capable of crippling the industry as +a dividend-earner. For instance, it might be found +theoretically advisable to prohibit occasionally all +whaling for several years in order to allow the stock +of cetaceans to increase. But what company could +afford to let its plant and shipping remain in harbour +idle and deteriorating during those years? How +would it be possible to keep together those skilled +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_251">[Pg 251]</span>gunners and flensers until such time as their services +were again required?</p> + +<p>These are some of the problems which have to be +faced sooner or later, and we cannot possibly ignore +them too long.</p> + + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> +<div class="chapter"> +<table class="autotable" style="width:400px"> +<tr> + <td class="tdl" style="width:25%"><figure class="figleft illowp100"> + <img class="w100" src="images/nautilus.jpg" alt="Nautilus"> +</figure></td> + <td class="tdc" style="width:50%"> <h2 class="nobreak" id="THE_NAUTILUS"> +THE NAUTILUS<br> +LIBRARY + </h2> +<p class="center"><i>3s. 6d. each, cloth bound,<br> +gold lettered.</i></p></td> + <td class="tdr" style="width:25%"><figure class="figright illowp100"> + <img class="w100" src="images/nautilus.jpg" alt="Nautilus"> +</figure></td> +</tr> +</table> +</div> + + +<p>A <span class="smcap">great</span> literature has grown up around the sea +and ships, and “THE NAUTILUS LIBRARY” +has been designed as an attractively produced +standard series of sea books with an appeal to every +class of reader. As such it is unique.</p> + +<p>All the volumes appeared originally in more +expensive form, achieved considerable popularity, +and for their interest and literary merit are now +included in “THE NAUTILUS LIBRARY.”</p> + +<p>The books are produced in a form handy for +the pocket yet suitable for the book-shelf, and as +each volume is a permanent historical record of +some happening, achievement, or disaster, they +constitute interesting and useful additions to the +library.</p> + +<p>Selections for the series are most carefully made +and its very rapid growth is not possible. Several +new volumes are, however, added each year, and +if you are interested the publishers will gladly advise +you as new volumes are published. Write to the +publishers at Quality House, Philip Allan & Co., +Ltd., 69, Great Russell Street, London, W.C. 1.</p> + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> +<div class="chapter"> +<h3><i>LIST OF THE VOLUMES</i></h3> +</div> +<blockquote> +<p>1. MYSTERIES OF THE SEA, by <span class="smcap">J. G. Lockhart</span>.</p> + +<blockquote> +<p>Tales of inexplicable happenings and unsolved +problems, from the disappearance of the +<i>Waratah</i> to the sinking of H.M.S. <i>Hampshire</i>.</p> +</blockquote> + +<p>2. SEAMEN ALL, by <span class="smcap">E. Keble Chatterton</span>.</p> + +<blockquote> +<p>True tales of the sea—adventure—in every +kind of ship and by every kind of seaman—during +the last two hundred and fifty years.</p> +</blockquote> + +<p>3. PERIL OF THE SEA, by <span class="smcap">J. G. Lockhart</span>.</p> + +<blockquote> +<p>A book of the most notorious sea disasters, +from the foundering of the White Ship to +the <i>Titanic</i>.</p> +</blockquote> + +<p>4. SEA WOLVES OF THE MEDITERRANEAN, +by <span class="smcap">E. Hamilton Currey</span>.</p> + +<blockquote> +<p>The rise and fall of the Barbary Corsairs in +Mediterranean Waters.</p> +</blockquote> + +<p>5. SEA VENTURERS OF BRITAIN, by “<span class="smcap">Taffrail</span>.”</p> + +<blockquote> +<p>Relating the thrilling voyages of Hawkins, +Frobisher, Drake, Dampier, Anson, and +Captain Cook.</p> +</blockquote> + +<p>6. THE CRUISE OF THE <i>ALERTE</i>, by +<span class="smcap">E. F. Knight</span>.</p> + +<blockquote> +<p>The true story of an expedition to hunt for +hidden treasure on the desert island of Trinidad.</p> +</blockquote> + +<p>7. THE STORY OF H.M.S. <i>VICTORY</i>, by +<span class="smcap">Geoffrey Callender</span>.</p> + +<blockquote> +<p>The absorbing story of Nelson’s flag-ship +in which he triumphed—and died.</p> +</blockquote> + +<p>8. STRANGE ADVENTURES OF THE SEA, +by <span class="smcap">J. G. Lockhart</span>.</p> + +<blockquote> +<p>A collection of tales of Maroonings, Treasure-hunts, +Piracies, Mutinies, and Horror on the +High Seas.</p> +</blockquote> + +<p>9. SMUGGLING DAYS AND SMUGGLING +WAYS, by <span class="smcap">H. N. Shore</span>.</p> + +<blockquote> +<p>A full account of famous English smugglers, +their history, haunts, and exploits.</p> +</blockquote> + +<p>10. SEA ESCAPES AND ADVENTURES, by +“<span class="smcap">Taffrail</span>.”</p> + +<blockquote> +<p>A very remarkable collection, beginning with +a true and gruesome story of cannibalism in +1765 and ending with the first attempt to +fly the Atlantic in 1919.</p> +</blockquote> + +<p>11. THE BUCCANEERS, by <span class="smcap">A. H. Cooper-Prichard</span>.</p> + +<blockquote> +<p>A fascinating history of the palmy days of +the Spanish Main and the picturesque ruffians +who sailed its seas.</p> +</blockquote> + +<p>12. THE LOSS OF THE <i>TITANIC</i>, by <span class="smcap">Lawrence +Beesley</span>.</p> + +<blockquote> +<p>A vivid yet dispassionate account by a survivor +of the most famous of all disasters at +sea.</p> +</blockquote> + +<p>13. GREAT STORMS, by <span class="smcap">L. G. Carr Laughton</span> +and <span class="smcap">V. Heddon</span>.</p> + +<blockquote> +<p>A fascinating record of famous storms, +gales, and hurricanes.</p> +</blockquote> + +<p>14. A GREAT SEA MYSTERY. The True Story +of the <i>Mary Celeste</i>, by <span class="smcap">J. G. Lockhart</span>.</p> + +<blockquote> +<p>An accurate and exhaustive account of that +most notorious of derelicts in fact and fiction.</p> +</blockquote> + +<p>15. THE DIARY OF A RUM-RUNNER, by +<span class="smcap">Alastair Moray</span>.</p> + +<blockquote> +<p>A crazy ship, a mutinous crew, vile weather, +revenue men and ‘hi-jackers’—such are the +incidents in the life of a rum-runner.</p> +</blockquote> + +<p>16. WHALERS AND WHALING, by <span class="smcap">E. +Keble Chatterton</span>.</p> + +<blockquote> +<p>The first reprint at a popular price of Mr. +Keble Chatterton’s famous book on the +romantic business of Whaling.</p> +</blockquote> +</blockquote> + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> +<div class="transnote"> + <h2 class="nobreak" id="Transcribers_Notes"> + Transcriber’s Notes + </h2> +<p> + <span style="margin-left: 1.0em;">New original cover art included with this eBook is granted to the public domain.</span><br> + <span style="margin-left: 1.0em;">Inconsistent hyphenation has been retained.</span><br> + <span style="margin-left: 1.0em;">Minor typographical, formatting and spelling errors have been corrected.</span> +</p> +</div> +<div style='text-align:center'>*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 78974 ***</div> +</body> +</html> diff --git a/78974-h/images/cover.jpg b/78974-h/images/cover.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..6791192 --- /dev/null +++ b/78974-h/images/cover.jpg diff --git a/78974-h/images/nautilus.jpg b/78974-h/images/nautilus.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..a27fd98 --- /dev/null +++ b/78974-h/images/nautilus.jpg |
