Description:

WHALING SHIP LOG BOOK
A fine event-filled whaling ship logbook from the brig William, hailing from Fall River, Mass., covering the period from June 26 to Dec. 17, 1838, disbound, 32pp. total, folio. The William, a 107 ton brig under Captain Cudworth, departed June 25 for the Atlantic grounds. She returned December 19, with 400 barrels of sperm oil. The WPA register shows that she was formerly schooner-rigged, so she was definitely not intended for prolonged voyages. In fact, this was her next-to-last voyage. This clearly-penned log reads, in part: "...spoke [with] the Manchester of Philadelphia from Cadiz...short of Provisions Let him have a Barrel of Beef...Lowered for Black fish. They were wide awake...saw sperm whales going to windward fast, lost sight of them...Captain Cudworth went ashore to land the sick man at Pernambuco...saw a sperm whale lower'd and struck him and killed him...fast to a sperm whale, took him along side and commenced cutting...Cutting, took in the Body and junk and lost the Case the head rope parted...finished Boiling and commenced stowing...took in the Starboard boat to repair...saw a large whale and struck the Irons Drew...saw a large Whale struck and killed him took him along side the same whale we struck yesterday...Boiling middle part...saw a whale too late to lower...saw hump backs saw sperm whales lowered and struck...turned up 4 whales took them alongside and began to cut...spoke the Winslow of N. Bedford 2 months out with a whale alongside...the boats in chase the whale perceived us and we did not succeed...spoke to a Brazilian man of war bound to Rio Janeiro...saw a Breach and run for it, it proved to be a sperm whale. Lowered and struck, he stove the larboard boat. The Champion of Westport sent us Boats to assist us we agreed to give him half the whale took her alongside and she took the head...set our Colours and steered N.E. for home...". With five whale stamps within, neatly penned with positions indicated in each entry, excellent content! Very good.

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September 28, 2012 11:00 AM EDT
Stamford, CT, US

Alexander Historical Auctions LLC

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