Daren
Excellent. This is what Moby Dick would have been, if Melville had stuck to a narrative instead of branching off in all sorts of directions!
While this is referred to as fiction by some sources, others consider it a biography made up of various events some lived, some told to the author. It reads as a continuous narrative of a three year journey on the whale ship Cachalot named, of course, for its prime target species, also known as the sperm whale. Published in 1899 it has been reprinted numerous times since. My edition was published locally in 1976.
Bullen, British but finding himself at a loose end in New Bedford, Massachusetts, signs on as a crewman on the whaler. Having worked on merchant shipping he is very familiar with the workings of a ship, but not experienced in whaling, and in this book he explains in detail his three years of both. The Cachalot set out under Captain Slocum, a volatile and hard taskmaster, given to working the crew incredibly hard, even when unnecessary. Early on Bullen forms a friendship with the fourth mate, a black sailor with whom the Captain takes exception on every occasion - a mutual dislike the reason behind which Bullen never learns. The fourth mate is particularly well informed on all matters whaling - knowledge which is imparted to Bullen, and likewise the reader.
Having nautical experience, and being skilled beyond the vast majority of the crew Bullen steps into more skilled tasks is treated better by the captain and mates, but remains well liked by the crew. While he doesn't philosophise unnecessarily, Bullen treats all men equally and fairly, is one of few who respects the fourth mate equally with the Portuguese or American mates, and steps in to lend a hand in all occasions.
Whaling at this time was carried out with a method involving small boats let loose from the ship when near the whale (or whales) but not so near the whales were aware of the ship. The small boats would then sail or paddle to the whales and attach a harpoon with a long running rope. The whale at this point would usually depart quickly, and the small boat would be taken in tow, but pay out rope until the long spool was running low at which time another boat would splice on a second rope. At some point the boat would commence reeling itself closer to the whale and upon the whale breaking the surface to breathe the boatmen would attempt to lance the whale, penetrating the vital organs. The ship would then hove too and chain up the whale and commence the removal of blubber and then the harvesting of spermaceti from the head. Obviously a brutal process, but it was a different time, of course, and conservation was not a consideration, whereas oil was considered a necessity of life.
Bullen was to lead the boat in which the first mate Mr Court was harpooner, a boat which was generally afforded the right of way and therefore made more kills, but was also manned by the better crew, as was the first mates right. In this way Bullen was able to prove his worth with the first mate - to become a boon for him later.
The three year voyage consisted of departing New Bedford moving from whaling ground to whaling grounds as the seasons dictate, but largely at the whim of the Captain. After making for the Azores (but not landing), heading south passing by the Cape Verde (again not landing) they continue south to Tristan de Cunha. From there east below the African continent, passing inside Madagascar and past the Comoros, calling at the Seychelles, passing between Sumatra and the Malay Peninsular, passing north of the Philippines and east of Japan, calling at the Bonin Islands (Ogasawara Islands of Japan) and into the Sea of Okhotsk (between the Russian mainland and Kamchatka). From there, further east and south in the Pacific where they call at Honolulu before heading southwest to Tonga, taking on native crew and spending time there recuperating.
By this time, Mr Court the first mate was captain. The fourth mate having fought with the Captain Slocum, ending both their lives in a dramatic fashion. As a result Bullen is made fourth mate, and commands a whale boat of his own, having selected as his harpooner a Tongan crewman who proves very skilled.
From Tonga they head south through the Pacific whaling grounds calling at Futuna (of Wallis and Futuna, now a French protectorate) for supplies before making south to New Zealand. Initially in the Bay of Islands on the north east coast, then to the Solander whaling grounds west and south of the lower South Island where they spent the balance of their whaling time until the ship was filled with oil and ready to make the trip back to New Bedford.
While cachelots (sperm whales) were the primary catch, the ship also took humpback whales where they were present and sperm whales were not, a number of killer whales (known as black fish in this book) and even some porpoises - although this was as much a training exercise for the green crew as any great commercial gain. Thousands of drums of oil were rendered and stored in the hold, the ultimate goal being to fill the ship to capacity.
The book covers all aspects of whaling, describing the methods and experiences of Bullen really well. Bullen was naturally more inquisitive than the rest of the crew, continually questioning, learning about others experiences and speculating as to the many unknowns about the whales.
Highly recommended for a thorough description of whaling in the late 1800s.
5 stars.
Excellent. This is what Moby Dick would have been, if Melville had stuck to a narrative instead of branching off in all sorts of directions!
While this is referred to as fiction by some sources, others consider it a biography made up of various events some lived, some told to the author. It reads as a continuous narrative of a three year journey on the whale ship Cachalot named, of course, for its prime target species, also known as the sperm whale. Published in 1899 it has been reprinted numerous times since. My edition was published locally in 1976.
Bullen, British but finding himself at a loose end in New Bedford, Massachusetts, signs on as a crewman on the whaler. Having worked on merchant shipping he is very familiar with the workings of a ship, but not experienced in whaling, and in this book he explains in detail his three years of both. The Cachalot set out under Captain Slocum, a volatile and hard taskmaster, given to working the crew incredibly hard, even when unnecessary. Early on Bullen forms a friendship with the fourth mate, a black sailor with whom the Captain takes exception on every occasion - a mutual dislike the reason behind which Bullen never learns. The fourth mate is particularly well informed on all matters whaling - knowledge which is imparted to Bullen, and likewise the reader.
Having nautical experience, and being skilled beyond the vast majority of the crew Bullen steps into more skilled tasks is treated better by the captain and mates, but remains well liked by the crew. While he doesn't philosophise unnecessarily, Bullen treats all men equally and fairly, is one of few who respects the fourth mate equally with the Portuguese or American mates, and steps in to lend a hand in all occasions.
Whaling at this time was carried out with a method involving small boats let loose from the ship when near the whale (or whales) but not so near the whales were aware of the ship. The small boats would then sail or paddle to the whales and attach a harpoon with a long running rope. The whale at this point would usually depart quickly, and the small boat would be taken in tow, but pay out rope until the long spool was running low at which time another boat would splice on a second rope. At some point the boat would commence reeling itself closer to the whale and upon the whale breaking the surface to breathe the boatmen would attempt to lance the whale, penetrating the vital organs. The ship would then hove too and chain up the whale and commence the removal of blubber and then the harvesting of spermaceti from the head. Obviously a brutal process, but it was a different time, of course, and conservation was not a consideration, whereas oil was considered a necessity of life.
Bullen was to lead the boat in which the first mate Mr Court was harpooner, a boat which was generally afforded the right of way and therefore made more kills, but was also manned by the better crew, as was the first mates right. In this way Bullen was able to prove his worth with the first mate - to become a boon for him later.
The three year voyage consisted of departing New Bedford moving from whaling ground to whaling grounds as the seasons dictate, but largely at the whim of the Captain. After making for the Azores (but not landing), heading south passing by the Cape Verde (again not landing) they continue south to Tristan de Cunha. From there east below the African continent, passing inside Madagascar and past the Comoros, calling at the Seychelles, passing between Sumatra and the Malay Peninsular, passing north of the Philippines and east of Japan, calling at the Bonin Islands (Ogasawara Islands of Japan) and into the Sea of Okhotsk (between the Russian mainland and Kamchatka). From there, further east and south in the Pacific where they call at Honolulu before heading southwest to Tonga, taking on native crew and spending time there recuperating.
By this time, Mr Court the first mate was captain. The fourth mate having fought with the Captain Slocum, ending both their lives in a dramatic fashion. As a result Bullen is made fourth mate, and commands a whale boat of his own, having selected as his harpooner a Tongan crewman who proves very skilled.
From Tonga they head south through the Pacific whaling grounds calling at Futuna (of Wallis and Futuna, now a French protectorate) for supplies before making south to New Zealand. Initially in the Bay of Islands on the north east coast, then to the Solander whaling grounds west and south of the lower South Island where they spent the balance of their whaling time until the ship was filled with oil and ready to make the trip back to New Bedford.
While cachelots (sperm whales) were the primary catch, the ship also took humpback whales where they were present and sperm whales were not, a number of killer whales (known as black fish in this book) and even some porpoises - although this was as much a training exercise for the green crew as any great commercial gain. Thousands of drums of oil were rendered and stored in the hold, the ultimate goal being to fill the ship to capacity.
The book covers all aspects of whaling, describing the methods and experiences of Bullen really well. Bullen was naturally more inquisitive than the rest of the crew, continually questioning, learning about others experiences and speculating as to the many unknowns about the whales.
Highly recommended for a thorough description of whaling in the late 1800s.
5 stars.
