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The Cruise of the Cachalot

F >> Frank T. Bullen >> The Cruise of the Cachalot



THE CRUISE OF THE "CACHALOT"

ROUND THE WORLD AFTER SPERM WHALES

FRANK T. BULLEN, F.R.G.S. FIRST MATE




To

Miss Emily Hensley

In grateful remembrance of thirty years' constant friendship and
practical help this work is affectionately dedicated by her
humble pupil.

*

PREFACE

In the following pages an attempt has been made--it is believed
for the first time--to give an account of the cruise of a South
Sea whaler from the seaman's standpoint. Two very useful books
have been published--both of them over half a century ago--on
the same subject; but, being written by the surgeons of whale-
ships for scientific purposes, neither of them was interesting
to the general reader. ["Narrative of a Whaling Voyage round
the Globe," by F Debell Bennett, F.R.C.S. (2 vols). Bentley,
London (1840). "The Sperm Whale Fishery," by Thomas Beale,
M.R.C.S. London (1835).] They have both been long out of print;
but their value to the student of natural history has been, and
still is, very great, Dr. Beale's book, in particular, being
still the authority on the sperm whale.

This book does not pretend to compete with either of the above
valuable works. Its aims is to present to the general reader a
simple account of the methods employed, and the dangers met
with, in a calling about which the great mass of the public
knows absolutely nothing. Pending the advent of some great
writer who shall see the wonderful possibilities for literature
contained in the world-wide wanderings of the South Sea whale-
fishers, the author has endeavoured to summarize his experiences
so that they may be read without weariness, and, it is hoped,
with profit.

The manifold shortcomings of the work will not, it is trusted,
be laid to the account of the subject, than which none more
interesting could well be imagined, but to the limitations of
the writer, whose long experience of sea life has done little to
foster the literary faculty.

One claim may be made with perfect confidence--that if the
manner be not all that could be wished, the matter is entirely
trustworthy, being compiled from actual observation and
experience, and in no case at second-hand. An endeavour has
also been made to exclude such matter as is easily obtainable
elsewhere--matters of common knowledge and "padding" of any
sort--the object not being simply the making of a book, but the
record of little-known facts.

Great care has been taken to use no names either of ships or
persons, which could, by being identified, give annoyance or
pain to any one, as in many cases strong language has been
necessary for the expression of opinions.

Finally, the author hopes that, although in no sense exclusively
a book for boys, the coming generation may find this volume
readable and interesting; and with that desire he offers it
confidently, though in all humility, to that great impartial
jury, the public.

F.T.B. Dulwich, July, 1897.


*


CONTENTS

CHAPTER I - OUTWARD BOUND
Adrift in New Bedford--I get a ship--A motley crowd--"Built by
the mile, and cut off as you want 'em"--Mistah Jones--
Greenies--Off to sea.

CHAPTER II - PREPARING FOR ACTION
Primitive steering-gear--Strange drill--Misery below--Short
commons--Goliath rigs the "crow's-nest"--Useful information
--Preparing for war--Strange weapons--A boat-load.

CHAPTER III - FISHING BEGINS
The cleanliness of a whale-ship--No skulking--Porpoise-fishing
--Cannibals--Cooking operations--Boat-drill--A good look-out--
"Black-fishing"--Roguery in all trades--Plenty of fresh beef--
The nursery of American whalemen.

CHAPTER IV - BAD WEATHER
Nautical routine--The first gale--Comfort versus speed--A grand
sea-boat--The Sargasso Sea--Natural history pursuits--
Dolphin--Unconventional fishing--Rumours of a visit to the
Cape Verdes--Babel below--No allowance, but not "full and plenty"
--Queer washing--Method of sharing rations--The "slop-shop"
opened--Our prospects.


CHAPTER V - ACTUAL WARFARE. OUR FIRST WHALE
Premonitions--Discussion on whaling from unknown premisses--
I wake in a fright--Sperm whales at last--The war begins
--Warning--We get fast--and get loose--In trouble--an
uncomfortable situation--No Pity-Only one whale--Rigging
the "cutting-stage"--Securing the whale alongside.


CHAPTER VI - "DIRTY WORK FOR CLEAN MONEY"
Goliath in trouble--Commence "cutting-in"--A heavy head--
A tank of spermaceti--Decks running with oil--A "Patent"
mincing-machine--Extensive cooking--Dangerous work--
Three tuns of oil--A horrible mess--A thin-skinned monster
--A fine mouth of teeth.


CHAPTER VII - GETTING SOUTHWARD
Captain Slocum's amenities--Expensive beer--St. Paul's Rocks--
"Bonito"--"Showery" weather--Waterspouts--Calms--
A friendly finback--A disquisition on whales by Mistah
Jones--Flying-fishing.


CHAPTER VIII - ABNER'S WHALE
Abner in luck--A big "fish" at last--A feat of endurance--
A fighting whale--The sperm whale's food--Ambergris
--A good reception--Hard labour--Abner's reward--
"Scrimshaw".


CHAPTER IX - OUR FIRST CALLING-PLACE
A forced march--Tristan d'Acunha--Visitors--Fresh provisions
--A warm welcome--Goliath's turn--a feathered host--
Good gear--A rough time--Creeping north--Uncertainty--
"Rule of thumb"--navigation--The Mozambique Channel.


CHAPTER X - A VISIT TO SOME STRANGE PLACES
Tropical thunderstorms--A "record" day's fishing--Cetacean
frivolities--Mistah Jones moralizes--A snug harbour--
Wooding and watering--Catching a turtle--Catching a
"Tartar"--A violent death--A crooked jaw--Aldabra Island
--Primeval inhabitants--A strange steed--"Pirate" birds--
Good eggs--Green cocoa-nuts--More turtle--A school of
"kogia".


CHAPTER XI - ROUND THE COCOS AND SEYCHELLES
We encounter a "cyclone"--A tremendous gust--a foundering
ship--To anchor for repairs--The Cocos--Repairing damages
--Around the Seychelles--A "milk" sea--A derelict prahu
--A ghastly freight--A stagnant sea.


CHAPTER XII - WHICH TREATS OF THE KRAKEN
"Eyes and no eyes" at sea--Of big mollusca--The origin of sea-
serpent stories--Rediscovery of the "Kraken"--A conflict
of monsters--"The insatiable nightmares of the sea"--
Spermaceti running to waste--The East Indian maze.


CHAPTER XIII - OFF TO THE JAPAN GROUNDS
A whale off Hong Kong--The skipper and his "'bomb-gun"--
Injury to the captain--Unwelcome visitors--The heathen
Chinee--We get safe off--"Death of Portagee Jim"--The
Funeral--The Coast of Japan--Port Lloyd--Meeting of
whale-ships.


CHAPTER XIV - LIBERTY DAY--AND AFTER
Liberty day--I foregather with a "beach-comber"--A big fight
--Goliath on the war-path--A court-martial--Wholesale
flogging--a miserable crowd--Quite a fleet of whale-ships
--I "raise" a sperm whale--Severe competition--An
unfortunate stroke--The skipper distinguishes himself.


CHAPTER XV - WHICH COMES UNCOMFORTABLY NEAR BEING THE LAST
I come to grief--Emulating Jonah--Sharing a flurry--A long
spell of sick-leave--The whale's "sixth sense"--Off to the
Kuriles--Prepare for "bowhead" fishing--The Sea of
Okhotsk--Abundant salmon--The "daintiness" of seamen.


CHAPTER XVI - "BOWHEAD" FISHING
Difference between whales--Popular ideas exploded--The gentle
mysticetus--Very tame work--Fond of tongue--Goliath
confides in me--An awful affair--Captain Slocum's death--
"Not Amurath an Amurath succeeds"--I am promoted.


CHAPTER XVII - VISIT TO HONOLULU
Towards Honolulu--Missionaries and their critics--The happy
Kanaka--Honolulu--A pleasant holiday.


CHAPTER XVIII - ON THE "LINE" GROUNDS
I get my opportunity--A new harpooner--Feats under the
skipper's eye--Two whales on one line--Compliments
Heavy towage--A grand haul.


CHAPTER XIX - EDGING SOUTHWARD
Monotony--A school of blackfish--A boat ripped in half--A
multitude of sharks--A curious backbone--Christmas Day--
A novel Christmas dinner--A find of ambergris.


CHAPTER XX - "HUMPBACKING" AT VAU VAU
"Gamming" again--a Whitechapel rover--arrive at Vau Vau
--Valuable friends--a Sunday ashore--"Hollingside"--
The natives at church--Full-dress--Very "mishnally"--
Idyllic cruising--Wonderful mother-love--A mighty feast.


CHAPTER XXI - PROGRESS OF THE "HUMPBACK" SEASON
A fruitless chase--Placid times--a stirring adventure--a vast
cave--Unforeseen company--A night of terror--We provide
a feast for the sharks--the death of Abner--An impressive
ceremony--an invitation to dinner--Kanaka cookery.


CHAPTER XXII - FAREWELL TO VAU VAU
Ignorance of the habits of whales--A terrific encounter--
VAE VICTIS--Rewarding our "flems"--We leave Van Vau--The
Outward bounder--Sailors' "homes"--A night of horror--
Sudden death--Futuna.


CHAPTER XXIII - AT FUTUNA, RECRUITING
A fleet of nondescripts--"Tui Tongoa" otherwise Sam--Eager
recruits--Devout Catholics--A visit to Sunday Island--A
Crusoe family--Their eviction--Maori cabbage--Fine fishing
--Away for New Zealand--Sight the "Three Kings"--
The Bay of Islands.


CHAPTER XXIV - THE BAY OF ISLANDS AND NEW ZEALAND COAST
Sleepy hollow--Wood and water--liberty day--A plea for the
sailors' recreation--Our picnic--A a whiff of "May"--A
delightful excursion--To the southward again--Wintry
weather--Enter Foveaux Straits.


CHAPTER XXV - ON THE SOLANDER GROUNDS
Firstfruits of the Solander--An easy catch--Delights of the
Solander--Port William--The old CHANCE--"Paddy Gilroy"
--Barbarians from the East End--Barracouta-Fishing--
Wind-bound--An enormous school of cachalots--Misfortune--
A bursting whale--Back on the Solander again--Cutting-in
at Port William--Studying anatomy--Badly battered Yankees
--Paddy in luck again.


CHAPTER XXVI - PADDY'S LATEST EXPLOIT
We try Preservation Inlet--An astounding feat of Paddy Gilroy's.


CHAPTER XXVII - PORT PEGASUS
Port Pegasus--Among old acquaintances--"Mutton birds"--
Skilled auxiliaries--A gratifying catch--Leave port again
--Back to the Solander--A grim escape--Our last whales
--Into Port William again--Paddy's assistance--We part
with our Kanakas--Sam's plans of conquest.


CHAPTER XXVIII - TO THE BLUFF, AND HOME
And last--In high-toned company--Another picnic--Depart from
the Bluff--Hey for the Horn!--Among the icebergs--
"Scudding"--Favouring trades--A narrow escape from
collision--Home at last.


*


INTRODUCTION

Without attempting the ambitious task of presenting a
comprehensive sketch of the origin, rise, and fall of whale-
fishing as a whole, it seems necessary to give a brief outline
of that portion of the subject bearing upon the theme of the
present book before plunging into the first chapter.

This preliminary is the more needed for the reason alluded to in
the Preface--the want of knowledge of the subject that is
apparent everywhere. The Greenland whale fishery has been so
popularized that most people know something about it; the sperm
whale fishery still awaits its Scoresby and a like train of
imitators and borrowers.

Cachalots, or sperm whales, must have been captured on the
coasts of Europe in a desultory way from a very early date, by
the incidental allusions to the prime products spermaceti and
ambergris which are found in so many ancient writers,
Shakespeare's reference--"The sovereign'st thing on earth was
parmaceti for an inward bruise"--will be familiar to most
people, as well as Milton's mention of the delicacies at Satan's
feast--"Grisamber steamed"--not to carry quotation any further.

But in the year 1690 the brave and hardy fishermen of the north-
east coasts of North America established that systematic pursuit
of the cachalot which has thriven so wonderfully ever since,
although it must be confessed that the last few years have
witnessed a serious decline in this great branch of trade.

For many years the American colonists completely engrossed this
branch of the whale fishery, contentedly leaving to Great
Britain and the continental nations the monopoly of the northern
or Arctic fisheries, while they cruised the stormy, if milder,
seas around their own shores.

For the resultant products, their best customer was the mother
country, and a lucrative commerce steadily grew up between the
two countries. But when the march of events brought the
unfortunate and wholly unnecessary War of Independence, this
flourishing trade was the first to suffer, and many of the
daring fishermen became our fiercest foes on board their own
men-of-war.

The total stoppage of the importation of sperm oil and
spermaceti was naturally severely felt in England, for time had
not permitted the invention of substitutes. In consequence of
this, ten ships were equipped and sent out to the sperm whale
fishery from England in 1776, most of them owned by one London
firm, the Messrs. Enderby. The next year, in order to encourage
the infant enterprise, a Government bounty, graduated from L500
to L1000 per ship, was granted. Under this fostering care the
number of ships engaged in the sperm whale fishery progressively
increased until 1791, when it attained its maximum.

This method of whaling being quite new to our whalemen, it was
necessary, at great cost, to hire American officers and
harpooners to instruct them in the ways of dealing with these
highly active and dangerous cetacea. Naturally, it was by-and-
by found possible to dispense with the services of these
auxiliaries; but it must be confessed that the business never
seems to have found such favour, or to have been prosecuted with
such smartness, among our whalemen as it has by the Americans.

Something of an exotic the trade always was among us, although
it did attain considerable proportions at one time. At first
the fishing was confined to the Atlantic Ocean; nor for many
years was it necessary to go farther afield, as abundance of
whales could easily be found.

As, however, the number of ships engaged increased, it was
inevitable that the known grounds should become exhausted, and
in 1788 Messrs. Enderby's ship, the EMILIA, first ventured round
Cape Horn, as the pioneer of a greater trade than ever. The way
once pointed out, other ships were not slow to follow, until, in
1819, the British whale-ship SYREN opened up the till then
unexplored tract of ocean in the western part of the North
Pacific, afterwards familiarly known as the "Coast of Japan."
From these teeming waters alone, for many years an average
annual catch of 40,000 barrels of oil was taken, which, at the
average price of L8 per barrel, will give some idea of the value
of the trade generally.

The Australian colonists, early in their career, found the sperm
whale fishery easy of access from all their coasts, and
especially lucrative. At one time they bade fair to establish a
whale fishery that should rival the splendid trade of the
Americans; but, like the mother country, they permitted the
fishery to decline, so that even bounties could not keep it
alive.

Meanwhile, the Americans added to their fleet continually,
prospering amazingly. But suddenly the advent of the civil war
let loose among those peaceable cruisers the devastating
ALABAMA, whose course was marked in some parts of the world by
the fires of blazing whale-ships. A great part, of the Geneva
award was on this account, although it must be acknowledged that
many pseudo-owners were enriched who never owned aught but
brazen impudence and influential friends to push their
fictitious claims. The real sufferers, seamen especially, in
most cases never received any redress whatever.

From this crushing blow the American sperm whale fishery has
never fully recovered. When the writer was in the trade, some
twenty-two years ago, it was credited with a fleet of between
three and four hundred sail; now it may be doubted whether the
numbers reach an eighth of that amount. A rigid conservatism of
method hinders any revival of the industry, which is practically
conducted to-day as it was fifty, or even a hundred years ago;
and it is probable that another decade will witness the final
extinction of what was once one of the most important maritime
industries in the world.


*

THE CRUISE OF THE "CACHALOT"

*


CHAPTER I

OUTWARD BOUND

At the age of eighteen, after a sea-experience of six years from
the time when I dodged about London streets, a ragged Arab, with
wits sharpened by the constant fight for food, I found myself
roaming the streets of New Bedford, Massachusetts. How I came
to be there, of all places in the world, does not concern this
story at all, so I am not going to trouble my readers with it;
enough to say that I WAS there, and mighty anxious to get away.
Sailor Jack is always hankering for shore when he is at sea, but
when he is "outward bound"--that is, when his money is all gone
--he is like a cat in the rain there.

So as MY money was all gone, I was hungry for a ship; and when a
long, keen-looking man with a goat-like beard, and mouth stained
with dry tobacco-juice, hailed me one afternoon at the street-
corner, I answered very promptly, scenting a berth. "Lookin'
fer a ship, stranger?" said he. "Yes; do you want a hand?" said
I, anxiously. He made a funny little sound something like a
pony's whinny, then answered, "Wall, I should surmise that I
want between fifty and sixty hands, ef yew kin lay me onto 'em;
but, kem along, every dreep's a drop, an' yew seem likely
enough." With that he turned and led the way until we reached a
building around which were gathered one of the most nondescript
crowds I had ever seen. There certainly did not appear to be a
sailor among them. Not so much by their rig, though that is not
a great deal to go by, but by their actions and speech. One
thing they all had in common, tobacco chewing but as nearly
every male I met with in America did that, it was not much to be
noticed. I had hardly done reckoning them up when two or three
bustling men came out and shepherded us all energetically into a
long, low room, where some form of agreement was read out to us.
Sailors are naturally and usually careless about the nature of
the "articles" they sign, their chief anxiety being to get to
sea, and under somebody's charge. But had I been ever so
anxious to know what I was going to sign this time, I could not,
for the language might as well have been Chinese for all I
understood of it. However, I signed and passed on, engaged to
go I knew not where, in some ship I did not know even the name
of, in which I was to receive I did not know how much, or how
little, for my labour, nor how long I was going to be away.
"What a young fool!" I hear somebody say. I quite agree, but
there were a good many more in that ship, as in most ships that
I have ever sailed in.

From the time we signed the articles, we were never left to
ourselves. 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 CACHALOT, 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. Before going forward, I took a comprehensive
glance around, and saw that I was on board of a vessel belonging
to a type which has almost disappeared off the face of the
waters. 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 as old-fashioned in her rig as in her hull;
but I must not go into the technical differences between rigs,
for fear of making myself tedious. Right in the centre of the
deck, occupying a space of about ten feet by eight, was a square
erection of brickwork, upon which my wondering gaze rested
longest, for I had not the slightest idea what it could be. But
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." I took the broad hint,
and shouldering my traps, hurried forward to the fo'lk'sle,
which was below deck. 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. 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.
Finding a vacant bunk by the dim glimmer of the ancient teapot
lamp that hung amidships, giving out as much smoke as light, I
hurriedly shifted my coat for a "jumper" or blouse, put on an
old cap, and climbed into the fresh air again. For a double
reason, even MY seasoned head was feeling bad with the
villainous reek of the place, and I did not want any of those
hard-featured officers on deck to have any cause to complain of
my "hanging back." On board ship, especially American ships, the
first requisite for a sailor who wants to be treated properly is
to "show willing," any suspicion of slackness being noted
immediately, and the backward one marked accordingly. I had
hardly reached the deck when I was confronted by a negro, the
biggest I ever saw in, my life. He looked me up and down for a
moment, then opening his ebony features in a wide smile, he
said, "Great snakes! why, here's a sailor man for sure! Guess
thet's so, ain't it, Johnny?" I said "yes" very curtly, for I
hardly liked his patronizing air; but he snapped me up short
with "yes, SIR, when yew speak to me, yew blank lime-juicer.
I'se de fourf mate ob dis yar ship, en my name's Mistah Jones,
'n yew, jest freeze on to dat ar, ef yew want ter lib long'n die
happy. See, sonny." I SAW, and answered promptly, "I beg your
pardon, sir, I didn't know." "Ob cawse yew didn't know, dat's
all right, little Britisher; naow jest skip aloft 'n loose dat
fore-taupsle." "Aye, aye, sir," I answered cheerily, springing
at once into the fore-rigging and up the ratlines like a monkey,
but not too fast to hear him chuckle, "Dat's a smart kiddy, I
bet." I had the big sail loose in double quick time, and sung
out "All gone, the fore-taupsle," before any of the other sails
were adrift. "Loose the to-gantsle and staysles" came up from
below in a voice like thunder, and I bounded up higher to my
task. On deck I could see a crowd at the windlass heaving up
anchor. I said to myself, "They don't waste any time getting
this packet away." Evidently they were not anxious to test any
of the crew's swimming powers. They were wise, for had she
remained at anchor that night I verily believe some of the poor
wretches would have tried to escape.

The anchor came aweigh, the sails were sheeted home, and I
returned on deck to find the ship gathering way for the heads,
fairly started on her long voyage.

What a bear-garden the deck was, to be sure! The black portion
of the crew--Portuguese natives from the Western and Canary
Islands--were doing their work all right in a clumsy fashion;
but the farmers, and bakers, and draymen were being driven about
mercilessly amid a perfect hurricane of profanity and blows. And
right here I must say that, accustomed as I had always been to
bad language all my life, what I now heard was a revelation to
me. I would not, if I could, attempt to give a sample of it,
but it must be understood that it was incessant throughout the
voyage. No order could be given without it, under the
impression, apparently, that the more curses the more speed.

Before nightfall we were fairly out to sea, and the ceremony of
dividing the crew into watches was gone through. I found myself
in the chief mate's or "port" watch (they called it "larboard,"
a term I had never heard used before, it having long been
obsolete in merchant ships), though the huge negro fourth mate
seemed none too well pleased that I was not under his command,
his being the starboard watch under the second mate.

As night fell, the condition of the "greenies," or non-sailor
portion of the crew, was pitiable. Helpless from sea-sickness,
not knowing where to go or what to do, bullied relentlessly by
the ruthless petty officers--well, I never felt so sorry for a
lot of men in my life. Glad enough I was to get below into the
fo'lk'sle for supper, and a brief rest and respite from that
cruelty on deck. A bit of salt junk and a piece of bread, i.e.
biscuit, flinty as a pantile, with a pot of something sweetened
with "longlick" (molasses), made an apology for a meal, and I
turned in. In a very few minutes oblivion came, making me as
happy as any man can be in this world.


*


CHAPTER II

PREPARING FOR ACTION

The hideous noise always considered necessary in those ships
when calling the watch, roused me effectively at midnight,
"eight bells." I hurried on deck, fully aware that no leisurely
ten minutes would be allowed here. "Lay aft the watch," saluted
me as I emerged into the keen strong air, quickening my pace
according to where the mate stood waiting to muster his men. As
soon as he saw me, he said, "Can you steer?" in a mocking tone;
but when I quietly answered, "Yes, sir," his look of
astonishment was delightful to see. He choked it down, however,
and merely telling me to take the wheel, turned forrard roaring
frantically for his watch. I had no time to chuckle over what I
knew was in store for him, getting those poor greenies collected
from their several holes and corners, for on taking the wheel I
found a machine under my hands such as I never even heard of
before.

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