EMBRACING CRUISES IN THE PACIFIC, ATLANTIC, INDIAN, AND ANTARCTIC OCEANS, IN THE YEARS 1855,’6,’7,’8,’9. BY WILLIAM B. WHITECAR, Jr. PHILADELPHIA: J. B. LIPPINCOTT & CO. LONDON: TRÜBNER & CO. 1860. Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1859, by J. B. LIPPINCOTT & CO., in the Clerk’s Office of the District Court of the United States for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. TO MY FATHER, WHO HAS EVER ENCOURAGED MY LITERARY EFFORTS, AND THE FIRST TO DIRECT THEM

Having been one of the crew of an American whaleship, I cruised on the ocean for the four years of my life that have just elapsed. During this long period it frequently occurred to me, and excited my wonder, how little knowledge of the whaling-service in its practical features was possessed by the people ashore, excepting a small portion of those residing in cities whose maritime trade is represented almost exclusively by whaleships. My convictions as to the utility of an exposition of one’s dai

In June, 1855, having decided upon embarking on a whaling voyage, I took the steamboat from Philadelphia to Tacony, thence by railway to New York, where, after a delay of a few hours, I boarded the steamer Metropolis, and after a fine run of twelve hours, landed in Fall River; there I entered the cars, and at five o’clock of the morning of June 20, I took up my quarters in the city of New Bedford. I immediately instituted inquiries as to the preliminaries attendant on the preparation for such a

The next day after leaving Flores we passed within sight of Fayal. This island presented a gorgeous appearance; the many vineyards on the sloping side of the mountains, looking to us like so many squares in a quilt of the most luxurious green, forming a patchwork of Dame Nature’s handiwork, in inimitable colors. An hour after, we saw the Peak of Pico, rearing its cone-shaped pinnacle high in the clouds. At its extreme summit, I noticed an appearance resembling a chimney, into which, I was inform

Finding but little could be done amongst the whales on this ground, early in December we resumed sea watches, and steered a course for the coast of New Holland, intending to cruise off its southwesternmost point for sperm whales. On the fifth of the same month, whilst pursuing our course to the eastward, we sighted the Island of Amsterdam, in 40° South latitude, 77° East longitude. At daylight the ensuing morning, we lowered away three boats, each member of their respective crews provided with f

And now we will return to our old barque, that we left beating out of Geographe bay, having distanced both her competitors, and established her reputation as a fast ship. At night we shortened sail and stood quarter watches, and from this time until the middle of the succeeding month, little occurred to vary the sameness of our life. We were aroused from inaction by the appearance of sperm whales. The boats were lowered, and the waist boat fastening, both irons drew. A few minutes after, the sta

Soon after our sails were stowed, a canoe from the town came alongside. In it were two Malays, who had a cargo of green and ripe cocoa-nuts, bananas, sugar-cane, tamarinds, pine apples, chickens, and cockatoos. They were desirous of bartering these articles, not for money, but sperm whale’s teeth, which they term “gee gees,” and use for handles to their creeses, after having neatly carved and ornamented them. They have a perfect passion for these teeth, and having at one time exposed to their vi

Finding, after a short stay, that the ground was deserted both by ships and whales, we pursued our course to the southward, intending to double Cape Leuwin, thence to the eastward, and cruise in the Great Australian Bight. Anticipating heavy weather in those latitudes, our foretopgallant mast was sent down, and the mizzen topmast housed; and no sooner were we thus far prepared than we caught a heavy gale that exceeded in violence anything of the kind we had experienced during the preceding part

Early on the morning of January 26th, we spoke and gammoned the barque La Belle Anna, from Melbourne to Mauritius. Through the kindness of her captain, who accommodatingly delayed until we had prepared them, we sent letters home via the Mauritius, which were duly received. On the same day we captured a shark twelve feet long. The capture of this fish is effected more in a spirit of mischief than from any good resulting from it; the sailor deeming him his natural enemy, and delighting in putting

On the 7th, after having, during the preceding week, seen and lowered for whales several times, our masthead’sman sung out that the James Allen’s boats were whaling. She was some distance from us; but we lowered away, and arrived in time to find they had turned up a large whale. This was the fifth she had taken within the past eight weeks, making her three hundred and seventy-five barrels of oil. Our boats returned to the ship empty handed; and, as is usual when another ship has been successful,

At 8 o’clock on the morning of the 6th we hove up our anchor, got under weigh, and, with a fair wind, stood down the river—leaving Hobartown in the distance—bound on another long cruise to the westward. But before I take leave of Hobartown, I must acknowledge the general welcome and hospitality with which we were greeted and treated by its inhabitants, who seemed very desirous to add their contributions to make our time whilst in their harbor pass pleasantly. The mere fact of our being Americans

We now directed our ship’s head to the westward, and fell in with the barques Cherokee and Pamelia. The former had sailed from home some two years previous; but, mutiny breaking out amongst her crew, she was run into Mauritius, and all the foremast hands discharged. The captain shipped a new crew, and was scarce a whit more fortunate in his selection; as a number of rough alleys, hearing of his reputation as a harsh man, determined to ship with him, in order, as they said, to work him up. At the

On the 16th of February, after having added three new men to our crew, (two of them Englishmen, the third a Swede,) we hove short, and at 3 P.M. stood out of the bay. On arriving off Cape Naturaliste, some twenty miles from our place of anchorage, we sighted a sail that proved to be the barque Pamelia, which was hovering off this locality, to intercept the barque Eagle, which was to bring her third mate out, and also provisions for her consumption. Esculents she needed very much, as several of h

After leaving the Abrolhas’, we had a strong westerly breeze, which required us to carry sail pretty stiffly, to avoid the shore; in the course of which process we sighted the Wollaby group and Wizzard’s Peak on the main. Our intention was to cruise here for four or six weeks; but having, after the lapse of eight or nine days, seen sperm whales which were going eyes out to the westward, (we lowered for them, but did not get within miles of them,) on the morning of September 1st, we spoke the Eur

At two o’clock in the afternoon of October 11th we weighed our anchor, and, with a fair wind, stood out to sea. Twenty-four hours afterwards we sighted a school of sperm whales, consisting of cows and calves. After some little manœuvering, we lowered away all four boats; but the whales going to windward, the captain and mate, after an hour’s chase, deemed farther pursuit useless, and returned aboard. The other boats, however, continued the chase; and at about 5 P. M. the third mate’s boatsteerer

At daylight, February 1st, we hove in sight of the Isle of St. Helena, the world-renowned prison-rock of Napoleon Bonaparte, the conqueror of Europe. At a distance, this isle looked not unlike other isles, despite its notoriety. As we approached nearer, we found it distinctive in all its features: high, frowning, and almost barren. A strange thing, this, for so low a latitude, within the tropics, where Nature dons her greenest garment, and smiles her sunniest smile: spreading rich and plentiful

But I have digressed long enough. I now return to the old Pacific and her inmates, as she was when we crossed the line, or a few degrees to the southward of it; at which time we lost sight of the Magellan clouds. Shortly after this the glorious Southern Cross disappeared from our view. These two constellations had been for years our landmarks in the heavens, (pardon the incompatibility of the expression,) and had become so familiar that at night the horizon seemed to us incomplete without them;

After speaking these coasting crafts, our course was still onward and homeward. At noon we saw land; it was greeted with three as hearty cheers as ever swelled American throats. All was bustle and excitement, and naught but the discipline of a well-regulated ship kept our enthusiasm within bounds. The watch below, wearied with exertion, caught the gladsome cry, and, leaping from their berths, hurried on deck as they were, and, without hesitating at the coldness of the weather, sprang, half nude,