Memorials of the Sea

n, and General Result

mercantile firm in London (Messrs. Edward Gale and Sons) to take charge of a ship of theirs, which they were anxious to employ in the northern whale-fishery. But, finding that the applications by letter failed, or at least led to no satisfactory r

r during his extraordinary successful career, to a very handsome amount, in money value. His repeated remonstrances at this deprivation and injustice being always met with a "Pooh, pooh! be content; you have done very well,"-no doubt served greatly to weaken the binding influence of ties otherwise so decidedly felt, and frankly acknowledged. Hence, from an unwise and ungenerous policy, which, in the course of six years had deprived my Father of a sum amounting, as he calculated, to about 300l. out of his rightful earnings, the alliance previously existing betwixt himself and the owners of the Henrietta, was, with

n realized the hopes and expectations of all the parties interested in the adventure; for, in a surprisingly short interval of time, the return of the Dundee to the Thames was announced, with the exulting and almost incredible report, that she brought the spoils o

In one of these voyages (that of 1801) twenty-three whales were captured, which yielded the previously unequalled quantity of 225 tuns of oil;[E] and the voyage fo

sailing earlier than his competitors in general, not only brought home the largest cargo of any in the fleet, but returned amongst the soonest. The produce in oil, therefore, partly from the fresh

gerous Accident

ishery, accidents of a peculiar nature were not unfrequently occurring. On such occasions, my

which may serve at once to illustrate and to justify this observation. The case, indeed, though pertaining to his professional pursuits,

sleeping on board the ship; and, at the time of the accident referred to, I, then a boy, happened to be with him. Sometime during the night, we were all awoke by loud and fearful shrieking, from the direction of the boiling-house. My Father, instantly apprehending some accident there, jumped from his bed, and, just as he was, flew up on de

being boiled and emptied, were to be renewed. In this most appropriate bath, the poor fellow was for a considerable time kept immersed. My impression is that he was kept there until means were obtained for his removal; and then he was conveyed, without further delay, to the London Hospital. His life, notwi

substance of the blubber) sticking to the bottom or sides of the copper when boiling. By the sudden failure of the staff, against which he pressed his shoulder, he was projected forward, but, providentially, not so a

iarly as a stout, lively, good-natured fellow, was now reduced into a mere shred-a poor, pallid creature, an almost skeleton of a man! But his ultimate restoration, I bel

Dandy Sailor; o

ecord, very often told by my Father, for enforcing a moral lesson in respect of a species of folly which we o

the risking of health for the indulgence of personal conceit in dress, or the braving of severity of climate, inadeq

instances of such folly happened to come before him, that my Father was wo

associated in him with such a measure of activity and seamanlike acquirements, as to save him from that ridicule of his associates, which in any other case would have been excessive, if not intolerable. Whilst the temperature of the weather was but moderately severe, his appearance on deck in a smart light shore-going jacket

ip soon became covered with ice, and a chilly penetrating "frost-rime" powdered the hair, or (as in some cases adopted) the rough wigs of the sailors. Before Fine Tommy's watch was called,-for there were usually three watches in the whale ships, affording eight hours below alternately with four upon deck,-the extreme change, almost from a bearable frostiness to the greatest severity of cold, had taken place. He, incredulous of the influence as well as unconscious of the change that had taken place, came up in his usual

and the absent one was still unseen. Even months passed over until the voyage, which had been prospered with splendid success, was approaching to a close, so that the attainment of a temperate latitude and a return of warm weather had begun to cheer our northern adventurers with the prospect of a speedy realization of home enjoyment, when, like the hyberna

days of dandyism, were worn in the severity of winter; if a dress insufficient for protection or warmth were, by either sex, observed to be worn; if the outside of a coach were mounted without an adequate covering, or a ride in an open carriage undertaken with only the habiliments usually worn in walking, the monition became natural, as the moral was apt,-"to remember Fine To

e Voyage, and Adventur

proved a failure. The failure, however, arose from one of those incidental circumstances of climate, on the one part, and neglect of a principal officer, on the other par

Master William," as the day advanced to its close, put my desire to the test of practicability. For a while I remained silent below, and when silence was no longer likely to be available, I contrived the child-like device of hiding my hat, which, on ascending the companion ladder bare-headed, I let it be understood I could not find! My Father having noticed my delight, and interpreting rightly the little device, remarked to the pilots,-"Don't mind him; he will go along with us." A mother's anguish, however, who loved me with the tenderest and most ardent affection, flashed into my mind. It forced utterance in the expression

e, if Providence yield me health and life for the undertaking, in the series of t

h a satisfactory measure of confidence, from a record made of it, many years ago

water running continuously along shore, we pursued the encouraging opening as far as the northern headland of Charles Island, in latitude 78° 53′ N. Here, tempted by the clear water eastward, we reached into a wide inlet near King's Bay, when, by a sudden gale

vourable for promoting an opening seaward had begun to prevail, he rather confidently anticipated some relaxation which might be available for our escape at the period of the favourably acting tide. In this expectation, he gave special orders to the chief officer, who had formerly been a whaling commander, and ought to have well appreciated the importance of the instruction,-to call him when the hoped-for relaxation of the ice might take place. But, disappointingly enough, he awoke of himself after a rather long sleep, when, as his watch indicated, the time of favourable tide must be passed. He anxiously dressed himse

accumulated ices frozen into a solid field, without crack, or opening of any kind to be seen from the mast-head; when we marked our position as deeply embayed within the projecting headlands, and the ice everywhere wedged up agains

th the extent designed for this volume, and the completion hereafter, possibly, of some personal records,-for being given in detail. It may be sufficient, for our present purpose, now to say, that after the endurance of the misery

with ships, and learnt that the fishery had been tolerably good, a

rs, my Father was induced to try the chase himself. Forthwith taking his post at the bow of one of the boats, he soon gave evidence of his superior efficiency. He "struck" whale after whale to the amount of three; but not being adequately supported by the other boats, one of the first of these escaped from the harpoon, under circumstances such as, he considered, should

himself, constituted the whole of the Dundee's cargo in this trying year,-a cargo yielding only five-and-for

sue, still maintained. During these five voyages, ninety-four whales were captured, and an amount of 812 tuns of oil brought to market. The yearly average, in

of the list,-the nearest approach in Hull being that of the Ellison, a ship commanded, during four years out of the five, by the same enterprising and talented officer, Mr. Allan, as we had occasion to notice, so favourably, in a former comparison. The Molly, Captain Angus Sadler,-a hardy adventurous and able commander, who, in subsequent years, became chief amongst his competitors from Hull,-obtained, du

the severest test of competition; viz. a comparison betwixt the Dundee's cargoes, and that of the select cargoes, for the five corresponding years, of

ccessful Stra

of the unfortunate voyage just referred to, which I here take occasion of int

k, my Father superintending, in clearing the 'tween-decks of a variety of stores hastily taken in, and confusedly scattered about, in order to make all snug and secure for the North-Sea passage. So much were all hands, men and officers, engrossed b

y, the announcement produced an instant suspension of the work going on, and drew universal atte

steering easterly, exactly so as to intercept our track, but not on any of the courses usually steered either for England, France, or Denmark. Alre

measures for self-defence, and skilful strategy, were arranged and progress

ts that had been regarded as by no means improbable, and the dealing with which, by what ingenious tact or device might be available, had been well considered. For to fight with an enemy, where stratagy might answer for an escape, was justly held as most unwise, where succe

was as well armed as she was well manned, carrying twelve guns, eighteen pounders, I believe, with a crew

atening assailant, the surprise of a concealed armament, and the i

tening him, my Father had selected out of the variety of hands offering themselves for the voyage, two men of rather unusual qualifications,-one, who was an adept in beating the drum, the other "in winding a boatswain's call." These qualities, amongs

ed surprise, being "deep-waisted" with a high quarter-deck, and having her guns ent

The hands above, whilst requiring to move about, were kept as much as possible on the leeside of the deck, where, from the heeling of the ship and the enemy's windward position, they were in sufficient concealment. The drummer and boatswain, now mo

ailing distance. At that period (as apparently from the first), everything visible on board the Dundee indicated an unconcerned quietness, and utter unconsciousness of danger from the stranger's approach. The men on d

p. A significant wave of my Father's hand served instead of a reply. The drum beats to quarters, and whilst the roll yet reverberates around, the shrill sound of the boatswain's pipe is heard above all. And whilst the hoarse voice of this officer is yet giving forth the consequent orders, the app

uely from the windward, were seen to fall flat, as if prostrated by our shot; the guns, pointed threateningly at us, remained silent; the helm flew to port, and the yards to the wind, on our opposite tack; and without waiting for answe

t in "cutting-in" single-handed,

public offices-an established system; and, cumbrous as it was, with respect to fish of smaller growth, it was made generally applicable to all. The effect of this was, that whilst the largest sized fish would be flensed in about four hours, the taking in of one of the fourth, or sixth part its size would occupy nearly half as much time. An hour and a ha

able to offer no possible objection, except the indication, by look and gesture, that they would derive some recompense for the rebukes passed on them, by certain and signal failure. His adventurous challenge wa

t a picked set, but only two boats' crews, with their supernumeraries, according to their existing classification, comprising about sixteen men. These he appointed to their several stations about the deck; eight to the capstan, four, perhaps, to the "crab" or "winch," and t

spade,") was not merely ground to a fine edge and then sharpened with an oil-stone, but the sides (ordinarily left black with varnish, or encrusted with rust,) were reduced by the grindstone to a bright and smooth surface. His blubber-knife (an instrument with a three feet blade and three fe

as I have said,-except as to a man to put in the straps[G] and attach the tackles, that he might not h

d which subsequently became very common in t

eparated as it is hove up, is taken on deck altogether. Meanwhile the skull, with the whalebone and upper part of the head,-which is brought in sight, clear of the

hree or four feet in width, and extending, with its upper part, high above the level of the deck. As this ascends, (the fish meanwhile spontaneously "canting" outwardly from the ship), the other fin appears in sight, and, being embraced by another strap, is, in its turn, hove up by the "fore-tackle" correspondently, as to its further progress, with its fellow. When the attachment of the second, or fore-tackle, ri

h strap being fixed in the continuous slip, (which, to preserve its continuity, is cut spirally from the carca

challenge was found to have been triumphantly vindicated. Instead of the work being effected, as challenged to be done, in half the time which had been expended by thrice the force in the number of men, it was found to have occupied but little more than a t

ion, on board the Resolution, and the tardiness of a burdensome system, still too prevalently acted upon by the officers, was similarly rebuked. To the extent, at least o

working, was so managed as to leave no interruption in the labours of his men. As he never himself ceased working, he took care by judicious preconsideration, that they should never stand idle. On the contrary, he had his own part always in advance of their province, so that, in order to keep pace with him, they were stimulated to the utmost practicabl

res against which its edge was directed. Instead of cutting downward through the blubber a spade-breadth at a time, as most usually was done, he would run the instrument in a direction obliquely horizontal, so as to separate the slip then heaving up from the general envelopment of the blubber, for a yard or two in extent

ng made but at the best advantage, and no stroke of his cutting-tools being struck in vain, the wo

TNO

head of the list of the whole of the northern whalers, both of Davis' Strait and Greenland. But about t

h the bravery of her captain and crew might take from an enemy. So that, in the event of capturing an assailant, as might have been possible in the case referred to, the hard blows

d therein, and the two ends, brought together from the opposite sides of the blubber, are looped over the hook of the tackle, and so the attachment for heaving up made complete. It may here be added, that the tackles for flensing are fixed aloft to a strong rope, along which the blocks are distributed, extending (but not very tightly stretched) fr