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The Advertiser Historical Series
No. 5

A Life on the Ocean

AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF
Captain Charles Wetherby Gelett » I*
A Retired Sea Captain
Whose Life Trail Crossed and Recrossed
Hawaii Repeatedly

Reprinted by permission from Tfie Ojai, a little country
California newspaper of the early 90s

With an Introduction
By Lorrin A. Thurston

Hawaiian Gazette Co., Ltd.
Honolulu, Hawaii, 1917

INTRODUCTION

There has recently been a growing demand, both on the
part of permanent residents of and visitors to Hawaii, for
specific information concerning the history of Hawaii, more
particularly of the period of transition from the ancient feudal
system when the King and Chiefs had supreme and absolute
power of life and death and the common people had no rights
of person or property, to the era when constitutional protec
tion and the laws of civilization became established.
A comprehensive history of Hawaii has yet to be written.
Its compilation will involve a vast amount of investigation
and study, as the material is scattered through governmental
and court records, private correspondence and journals, news
papers and magazine articles ; while many matters, especially
regarding the events leading up to annexation, rest in the
personal and unwritten knowledge of leading participants.
Alexander's History, written for public school purposes, the
best Hawaiian history now available, is necessarily condensed.
Other books bearing upon various phases of Hawaiian life,
were issued in limited editions, and moreover, are mostly out
of print.
Under these circumstances, it has been decided by the
Hawaiian Gazette Co., Ltd., publishers of The Pacific Com
mercial Advertiser, to meet the public desire for information
by reprinting the more valuable of the out-of-print books and
by collecting and publishing the personal memoirs, reminis
cences and writings of some of the older residents of Hawaii,
who are able to give first-hand evidence of what they have
seen and heard, or to relate the traditions and evidence of what
had previously transpired, obtained by them from those who
have gone before.
In pursuance of this decision the "Reminiscences of Old
Hawaii," by Sereno Edwards Bishop, have been published in
The Advertiser, and also published in book form, as "No. 1 of
The Advertiser Historical Series,"

This has been followed by the like publication in The Ad
vertiser of "A Tour Through Hawaii," with accompanying
remarks by Rev. William Ellis, an English Missionary to the
South Pacific Islands, who visited Hawaii in 1822 and 1823
and lived here for about two years. The Ellis History, as
No. 2 of the Historical Series, is now also in book form.
The third in The Advertiser's Hawaiian Historical Series is
the "Autobiography of Captain C, W!', Gelett,"
Captain Gelett was of old Massachusetts stock, going to sea
in a whaling ship when he was twenty years of age, in 1833.
He worked up through the ranks and became a captain on
his fifth voyage. He continued running as a sea captain in
whaling and trading ships, and finally as captain of the Mis
sionary packet "Morning Star" until the early 70s.
During those old rough-and-ready days, when American
ships were on every sea and in every port. Captain Gelett was
a prominent figure. He recounts adventures in every part of
the world from fighting lions and savage negroes in Africa to
bears in Kamchatka, mutineers on board ship and whales all
over the world.
His life trail crossed and recrossed Hawaii repeatedly, and
his story includes dining with Kamehameha III in the forties
and visiting the Volcano of Kilauea in the early 60s.
The boyhood memories of the writer include, among their
pleasant features, recollections of Captain Gellet, who, in the
early seventies, lived in what is now the residence of S. M.
Damon, on Nuuanu Street, adjacent to the present Japanese
Consulate. He wore the flowing patriarchal beard shown in
the photograph which forms the frontispiece of this volume,
which is a perfect representation of him. To my youthful
memory the most prominent feature in connection with the
Captain was that he always drove a fast horse, and that the
children of the neighborhood were frequently invited to ride
with him.
He always walked with a limp; the cause being that early
in his career his leg became entangled in a harpoon line at
tached to a whale in such manner that he was jerked over
board, grabbing the gunwale of the boat as he went over. In

this position the whale dragged the boat for about a mile
with Gelett's leg as an auxiliary tow-line. A spirited ac
count of the details of this adventure is included in the
Captain's story.
Captain Gelett wrote his own biography in the early 90s,
and it was published in a little country paper in California, the
only known copy of which is now in the possession of Mr.
Leverett H. Mesick, who has kindly permitted The Advertiser
to reproduce it.
It is believed that those interested in true tales of adventure
and the history of the virile shipping days of the middle of the
last century, will be intensely interested in this straightforward
personal tale which records in simple language a series of
unvarnished facts which rival fiction, but are the simple record
of Captain Gelett's daily life, LoRRiN A, Thurston.
Honolulu, Sept. 30, 1917.

A LIFE ON THE OCEAN

Being the Autobiography of Charles Wetherby Gelett,
a Retired Sea Captain
BIETH AND ANCESTRY,
I was born at Fairhaven, Massachusetts, on the seventh day of
November, A. D, 1813, and have survived my seventy-eighth birth
day. My paternal grandfather was the son of a French nobleman.
Fleeing from France at the age of eighteen to escape conscription,
he came to America, became a farmer, married, and had two sons,
George, John, my father, and a daughter who married a Winslow.
My uncle George Gelett settled in Susquehanna county, Pennsyl
vania, where he lived the quiet life of farmer until he was one
hundred and four years of age. Both uncle George and my father
were Eevolutionary soldiers and pensioners,
I remember but once having seen my grandfather Gelett, when I
was only three years old. He was a tall man and wore a black
beard. He was mounted on a horse and greatly impressed me by
saying that he was going to tie me to his horse's tail and take me
away. When his father died in France, leaving a large estate, some
of the American Geletts went to France to enforce their claims but
failed to prove their identity to the satisfaction of the French
authorities, FATHER A SOLDIER OE WASHINGTON.
My father entered the Eevolutionary army at the age of nineteen.
He was a ruddy young soldier, and once when General Washington
was inspecting his regiment attracted the General's attention, who
approached him and patting him on the cheek said, "My boy, you
look young for this business," "Show me a red-coat!" replied
father. My mother, Kesia, was the daughter of John Mosier, a farmer of
Dartsmouth, Massachusetts, of English extraction. My father and
mother were the parents of six sons and nine daughters, I was the
thirteenth child and am the sole survivor of the family,
Fairhaven lies on the east bank of the Equishnet river, opposite
New Bedford, and in 1813 had a population of about 1,500 souls.
Fairhaven owned a dozen whaling ships, and the material interest
of its people were directly or indirectly connected with the whaling
industry. My home was a cottage about two miles east of the

8
village. It was about one mile from the shore and commanded a
fine view of the ocean.
My father raised cattle, sheep and sufScient vegetables for domestic
use. His land extended to the sea-shore, and the fishing in the
harbor and along the shore was the best in the world. My parents
were conscientious and devoted Christians, Father was a member
of the Baptist Church, There was also a chapel about a mile from
our home where meetings were conducted by itinerant preachers.
EARLY LIFE AND EDUCATION,
Like other New England boys I was early taught the lesson of
self-support. After my twelfth year I paid for my clothes from the
sales of shell-fish which I caught, and peddled in New Bedford. I had
little schooling. The school house was more than a mile distant from
our home, and the school was held only during three months in
winter. I had, however, a decided love for mathematics, and during
the last sessions of the school whioh I attended, acquired sufS.cient
knowledge of arithmetic to enable me afterward to pursue my studies
without a teacher. I was fond of the use of carpenter's tools, and
making sleds, wagons and articles of use or ornament. I spent much
of my time in a whale boat belonging to father, and at an early age
became an expert boatman and much interested in everything per
taining to the whaling industry.
I watched the ships depart and saw them return with their valu
able cargoes of oil and bone. I saw the wealthy and respected sea-
captain who had begun his career as a poor sailor boy, and I resolved
to go to sea. A SEA LIFE DETERMINED UPON,
One day when but a small boy father and I were engaged in
weeding a bed of carrots. Having done my part of the work I stood
up and said:
"Father, when I am big enough I am going to sea! "
I shall never forget the look he gave me. Said he,
"Charles, don't you ever let me hear you say a word again about
going to seal"
I was silenced, but none the less determined to go to sea at the
first opportunity.
When I was seventeen years old I resolved to learn the cooper's
trade. My object was thereby to obtain a place ou ship-board with
out going into the forecastle.
I agreed with Captain Nathan Allen, of Fairhaven, to serve him
as an apprentice for two years, for flfty dollars per annum. The
Captain had one other apprentice, a young man of my own age, who

told me that the Captain was a good master with one exception —
occasionally he became drunk and abused his apprentices.
About six months after my apprenticeship began Captain Allen
one day, being very drunk, entered the shop and abused my fellow
and myself in language more forcible than polite. Without saying
a word I put on my coat and left the shop never to return, and com
pleted my two-years' term with Thompson & Damon, of Fairhaven,
who were men of integrity and treated me with great kindness, I
lived with Mr, Thompson, whose estimable wife was like a mother
to me, and whose good advice greatly influenced my course.
FIRST VOYAGE TO INDIAN OCEAN,
At the close of my apprenticeship I was fifty dollars in debt, there
fore I worked at journey work by the piece from five o'clock in the
morning until nine o'clock at night until I had paid both my in
debtedness and for my outfit for a voyage; and then one day in June,
iu the year 1833, I shipped as cooper on board the Cicero, Captain
Huzzey, of New Bedford, bound for the Indian Ocean.
Leaving home, parents and friends for the first time to encounter
the unknown dangers of a long ocean voyage and a perilous enter
prise, my heart was too full for utterance, and I could not bid them
farewell. Even the old dog, my companion in many a hunt for fox
and rabbit, seemed dearer to me than ever before. Watching for
a favorable opportunity I quietly walked out of the house by the
back door and left without a word.
The Cicero was a small ship of three hundred tons burthen. Its
company numbered thirty-three, all told. Comfortable quarters in
the steerage were assigned to me. When not employed, as cooper I
assisted in making or taking in sail.
My shipmate and most intimate friend was Harry, a young man
of my age, the only son of a rich Boston wholesale liquor dealer.
Harry had nearly broken his fond mother's heart by shipping on the
Cicero without his parents' knowledge. But he was a young man of
excellent qualities and we became strongly attached to one another.
AN EXPERIENCE AT PAYAL,
Our ship first touched at Fayal for recruits. While lying off and
on this harbor, the captain and one of the boat's crew being ashore,
there came on a gale of wind. The ship put to sea under the mate's
command, and the gale continuing for three days we lay to, unable
to return. The captain attempted to board the ship the day we left,
but getting out into the channel he could not reach the ship because
of the wind and rough sea, and was compelled to put back. Night
coming on, he fell to the leeward of the harbor, could not get back,
but put into a cove where he remained all night.

10
On the fourth day the captain came aboard and we resumed our
voyage. Touching St, lago, one of the Cape De Verde Islands, we
crossed the equator in longitude 25 degrees west,
ADVENTURES WITH NEPTUNE ON THB LINE.
As we approached the equator some of the boys were sent aloft to
"see the line," One reported that he saw "a blue streak" but was
"not quite sure," That evening Old Neptune came on board to
pay his respects to his children who were crossing the equator for
the first time. All the sailors who had never before crossed the line
were assembled on deck amidships. The second mate, who plays the
part of Neptune, takes his stand in the mizzen chains, concealed from
view, and in a deep voice cries, "Ship, ahoy!" "Halloo!" responds
the mate, "Heave to and let me come aboard!" says Neptune.
"Hard a lee!" orders the mate, and the ship is brought to the wind
and Neptune is seen climbing in over the rail. He accosts the mate
and inquires if there are any of his boys aboard the ship who have
not been initiated.
Neptune wears an old monkey-jacket. His beard is made of Ma
nila and reaches to his waist. On his head is a sou'wester hat fitted
for the occasion. He looks more like Old Nick tha,n Old Nep, The
boys stand near the deck-tub which is filled with water. Neptune
shakes hands with them all, telling them that he must perform
certain rites to initiate them into his family. Each man is then
required to stand in the tub of water and be shaved.
Tar and slush stirred together are used for lather, and a piece of
iron hoop six inches in length is used for a razor. The face being
scraped the captain's speaking trumpet is brought and the victim is
told to hail the ship. As he puts it to his mouth and cries "Ship,
ahoy!" a bucket of salt water is turned down into the trumpet,
dri'iiching the poor fellow, much to the amusement of the old sailors.
Having been told that I might escape the ordeal by treating
Neptunr-, I procured a bottle of brandy, gave him a drink, and was
allowed to go free. The ceremony being ended, Neptune took a
solemn farewell of his children and left the ship as he came. Some
of the more verdant boys believed Neptune really had visited them.
MAN OVERBOARD OFF CAPE GOOD HOPE.
Nothing unusual occurred before rounding the Cape of Good Hope.
Here we encountered a heavy gale from the southwest, which began
at midnight and increased in force all the next day until it blew a
hurricane. At four o'clock in the morning the captain deemed it dangerous
to run and we hove to under storm-sails. We carried a close-reefed
main top-sail and stay-sail.

11
At noon the main top-sail blew into ribbons, the ship labored
heavily and the order was given to take in the waist boat — that is,
the boat on the cranes amidships, Harry and I obeyed the order, he
being in the bow and I in the stern of the boat, in order to place
the ropes around it to hoist it on board,
A heavy sea broke over the ship, throwing her on her beam ends,
carrying Harry and myself down with the boat. Catching hold of
the davit-falls I held on and came up when the ship righted, but
Harry went down and the ship went over him. Then was given the
cry "Man overboard!" and all hands gathered in the after part of
the ship, Harry rose to the surface on the weather beam very near
the ship, Eopes were thrown but did not reach him,
RESCUING A MAN IN A STORM,
The captain exclaimed, "There is the boat if anybody will volun
teer to go after the man!" Without hesitation I stepped forward
and said, "I will go, who will follow me?" Four stalwart boys at
once stepped forward. The waist boat had been broken into a, thou
sand pieces,
' ' Hoist and swing the quarter boat ! ' ' was the order, ' ' Wait till I
tell when to lower, ' ' said the captain. After three heavy seas had
passed, the captain gave the order, ' ' Lower away ! ' ' The boat was
lowered on a run to clear the ship as quickly as possible, I had the
steering oar.
Being clear of the ship the boat was headed to the windward — the oars
out and the men pulling. We could make little or no headway, especially
when ascending the waves, whioh were running masthead-high.
In a few minutes we lost sight of the ship except when she was on the
crest of the wave.
After pulling some ten or fifteen minutes we saw Harry on the top of a
wave. Seeing our boat he waved his hand. The men with fresh courage
gave way with all their might, Harry swam like a flsh and in a short
time we took him into the boat.
Then began the danger of returning to the ship. We were obliged
to run before the sea, which now and then broke and roared like surf on
the shore. At last we succeeded in running close under the ship's stern.
The captain, through his speaking trumpet, ordered, "Eun under the
lea and wait till I tell you to pull aboard!" This order we obeyed.
Ten men were stationed in the rigging with ropes to throw into the boat
when we were near enough. These ropes were bow lines and bights to
throw over aud haul us aboard.
The order ' ' Pull to the ship ! ' ' being given, we obeyed, and when we
had approached near enough the ropes were thrown into the boat. Each
man took a rope and placed it under his arms. Without delay we were

12
hauled aboard, and no sooner were we safe on deck than there came a
tremendous wave, throwing the ship on the boat and crushing it to
pieces. There was general rejoicing on board the Cicero at our safety, and
the loss of the boat was regarded by the captain as of no importance,
A close and intimate friendship between my friend Harry and the
sailors who risked their lives to save him naturally followed,
EXPERIENCES IN MADAGASCAR.
Unfortunately my journals were burned in a fire at Kingston, Massa
chusetts, in 1868, and therefore I cannot always state dates with preci
sion, but I think that the Cicero reached Augustine Bay, Madagascar,
in October, 1833. This bay is on the west coast of the island and opens
into the Mozambique Channel, It is about four miles from Sand Island
at the head of the bay.
The day after we came to anchor was the Sabbath, I went ashore
with the captain and we proceeded to the place of Prince Willie, the
chieftain of the native tribe, and were surprised to find the negroes
gathered around an altar built up with stone to the height of four feet,
and engaged in offering a sacrifice, A young kid had been killed and
placed ou the wood and a flre had been kindled underneath it. The
whole scene reminded me of Old Testament times.
The prince was about flfty years old and grizzled. He wore a full
beard, was tall but not corpulent. His wife was short, ugly and hag
gard. Prince Willie wore a blanket and no headdress. He was at
tended by about fifty natives, who carried spears but were otherwise
unarmed. The prince, who officiated as priest, at first seemed too much absorbed
in his devotions to notice our arrival.
After he had prepared the kid and made the fire, he came forward
and kindly received us, saying to the captain:
"How do; you cap'n?"
"Yes, I am captain," was the reply,
"Yaw, me glad see you. Me shake finger you," said Prince Willie,
who was proud of his knowledge of English.
A BUNCH OF THIEVES,
After a brief delay we returned to our boat, attended by the prince,
his wife, and twenty of his followers, and other natives who followed
us in canoes.
By the time we reached the ship at least a hundred natives were
on deck.
The captain having invited Prince Willie and his wife into the
cabin the other natives at once followed until the cabin was packed
and the air became intolerable.

13
After a half -hour's talk the captain requested the prince to order
his followers to leave the cabin. This being done the steward in
formed the captain that every knife and fork and nearly every
article of crockery was missing.
The captain at once informed the prince of the theft, but as several
of the canoes had already left the ship and gone ashore, nothing was
recovered. Even the grindstone had been stolen from the deck and
carried ashore.
We were compelled to place all our tools under look and key, and
to set a watch on deck to guard against the thieves.
BUNCOING A NEGRO.
"Very flne shells are found at Augustine Bay. A native brought
some of them aboard, and one of our sailors sold him a ring bolt fast
in the deck in exchange. The sailor carried away the shells into
the forecastle, and the native began to pull out the ring bolt in the
presence of the delighted crew. The native pulled and sweat and pulled
again, and finally demanded back his shells. The sailor declaring
that he knew nothing about the shells; the native complained to the
captain, who ordered restitution.
The negroes were crazy for liquor. They were ready to sell them
selves for rum; in this respect they resembled some white men.
We had a boat-steerer who was a rogue and fond of a practical
joke. Several natives being on board ship one of them said to the
boat-steerer, "Me likee rum."
A RED PEPPER DRINK,
The boat-steerer thereupon went into the cabin, prepared a mixture
of hot-drops and cayenne pepper, and slyly brought it to the negro,
saying, "Drink, quick, cap'n see!"
The native swallowed the whole dose instantly, jumped his full
length and fell on deck, his tongue stretched out its full length,
yelling, "Too muchee Mahomet deadie black man!" Then jumping
on his feet he found a water melon rind and cooled his tongue for
an hour.
We remained at Augustine Bay about three weeks. Prince Willie 's
tribe was engaged in war with the natives on the eastern side of the
island. He had a retreat on Sand Island at the mouth of the bay,
beyond the range of gun shot.
I saw one of Prince Willie's men, who had been taken prisoner,
whose arms and legs had been chopped of by their enemies. He
was alive. These natives seared the stumps with hot iron to prevent
hemorrhage.

14
A DOSE OF LAUDANUM.
"Captain Amber" was a sub-chief of the tribe at Augustine Bay
over which Prince Willie ruled. He was seven feet high and weighed
four hundred pounds. He was noted for his drinking capacity and it
was reported that he had never been made drunk.
We subsequently learned that after our depatture from Augustine
Bay Captain Amber died in consequence of a dram given him by the
captain of a New London whaler.
The New Londoner declaring he would "fix him," poured a table-
spoonful of laudanum into a glass of brandy and gave it to Amber
to drink.
On swallowing the same Captain Ajnber struck his breast and
shouted "Bigger — the brandy!" The New London captain induced
Amber's men to remove him in his canoe from the ship. Amber soon
became insensible and never awoke to learn that he was not "bigger"
than the poison. When his men saw their chief insensible they
started for the shore crying, "Too much Mahomet! deader the black
man! " ON THE COAST OF AFRICA.
We sailed from Augustine Bay to the coast of Africa. On our
way the ship narrowly escaped destruction by a water-spout. We
counted more than thirty water-spouts at once.
We reached the African coast at the mouth of the Tembo river,
latitude 14 degrees south, longitude 40 degrees 30 inches east. Whales
had been reported to come in to the mouth of the Tembo to calve.
Here we anchored.
The people on the north side of the river were hostile; on the
south, friendly.
The coasters from Mozambique, a Portuguese settlement about 100
miles south, trading for Colombo root, often touched at this point.
The country was heavily timbered and abounded with large game —
lions, tigers and panthers. We saw monkeys and baboons without
number. One day we saw perhaps a thousand monkeys in one drove.
ADVENTURE WITH A LION.
One morning Harry, another sailor and myself went shore in a
whale boat to shoot guinea hens, which appeared in a little opening
in the timber just above a rooky point ou the river.
Landing below the point we walked along the shore, hoping to get
a shot at the hens from the rocks at the point. As we rounded the
point and had passed a large bowlder, we beheld a monster lion
within flfty feet of us, standing with his fore paws on a rook, facing
us. Seeing us, the lion gave a terrible roar and lashed his tail to
right and left.

15
We turned and ran for the boat. The lion followed us to the point
of rooks and there paused. He had been lurking in the vicinity for
more than a month aud had killed one native, I had a shot-gun but
my comrades were unarmed. TRAPPING A LION,
Afterwards the natives built a heavy log trap and caught the lion,
I saw it. The logs were as large as a man's body, notched and bound
together with wythes. The trap was about ten feet square; the
heavy log door was supported by a flgure-four device and the bait
was attached to the end of the horizontal lever or spring pole. The
Hon entered, and in detaching the bait, entrapped himself. He was
caught at night. The natives were soon aroused and early in the
morning assembled with their spears in hand. The roaring of the
lion as he bounded from one side of the trap to the other, tearing
pieces from the solid wood, was heard on ship board. However,
the natives succeeded in despatching the monster.
He was a real man-eater, one of the largest of his kind; his color
was yellowish and he had an immense dark and shaggy mane. The
natives kept the skin and I presume, ate the flesh.
We visited a native settlement about five miles from the mouth
of the Tembo, where we found about a thousand negroes. They
lived in huts made of the limbs of trees and covered with boughs and
bark. The settlement had one main street but otherwise the huts
were located without order. These negroes strongly resembled those
at Augustine Bay. ATTACKED BY NEGROES.
While at Tembo Bay, Harry, two other sailors and myself took a
boat and rowed to the north shore to gather shells on the reef at
low tide. The shells were numerous and beautiful. There were
harps, spotted cowries and many other varieties.
Having landed, we were walking along the reef in search of shells,
about forty yards from the boat, when the man left with the boat
called out, "Come quick, the niggers are after us.'" and sure enough,
a dozen negroes armed with spears were coming down upon us with
the speed of race horses.
Of course we lost no time in entering and shoving off our boat.
Fortunately the wind was blowing a strong breeze off shore, for
soon the negroes were upon us and their spears were flying all around
us. Two men lay down in the bottom of the boat while I took my
chances standing and dodging the spears, A number of the spears
passed through both sides of the boat and more than one came very
near my head. We escaped without injury but did not again visit
that locality for shells.

16
RECRUITING IN THE PEYCHELLE ARCHIPELAGO,
From Tembo Bay we sailed for the island of Mahe in the Feychelle
archipelago, latitude four degrees and flfty minutes south, longitude
55 degrees 30 minutes east. This group of islands formally belonged
to the French, but had now fallen into possession of the English.
We went to Mahe to recruit — that is, to secure a supply of fresh
vegetables and give the crew a chance to go ashore.
The principal business of the inhabitants of those islands was the
manufacture and sale of aqua ardiente. At the time of our visit
slavery existed on these islands. The liquor made by these people
was a very powerful stimulent; it at once intoxicated the drinker
and produced temporary insanity. The inhabitants were French,
English, and natives. The slaves did all the work. The climate of
Mahe is perfect.
These islands are subject to trade winds, or monsoons. The soil is
very fertile, pineapples growing spontaneously.
PINEAPPLE AND LIQUOR AT MAHE.
A gunny-sack of pineapples, as much as a man can carry, was sold
by the slaves for two cents. I have seen vast stretches of country
covered with this delicious fruit, yellowish when ripe.
There were two English whalers at Mahe. The name of one of
them was Harpoonier. Drunkenness and flghting was the order of
the day when the sailors were ashore. In fact, the chief business
of Mahe was liquor-making and selling, and prostitution.
CATCHING TURTLES AT ALDABRA.
From Mahe we sailed to Aldabra Island, latitude 9 degrees 30
minutes south, 46 degrees 30 minutes east. This island abounds in
green turtles and flsh. Here we went ashore. In the night the turtles
came above high water mark to lay their eggs. We turned the turtles
on their backs and in the morning took them aboard ship. These
turtles weighed from 400 to 500 pounds each. We kept them alive
on deck for a month, by throwing water on them,
Aldabra was low — not more than flfteen feet above the ocean, and
of volcanic origin. CAUGHT BY THE TIDE IN A CAVE,
There was a lagoon in the center, and along the shore were many
openings, or caves, which at low tide you could enter, often going
a hundred yards or more up into the island, Harry and I, at low
tide, entered one of these caves. Beautiful shells of many species
adorned the sides. Before we were aware of it the tide rose, the
breakers came in over the reef and we were entrapped in the cave; the

17
waves oame in with such force that we were driven back into total
darkness — and still the tide rose.
Slowly we groped our way some fifty or seventy-five yards, when
ahead of us we saw a light, and continuing our way we saw a hole
leading up through the lava roof of the cave. But the hole was not
large enough to admit of our escape! Hour after hour we shouted
and holloed through this hole, at the top of our voices.
Finally, when almost exhausted, our shipmates heard us, and pro
curing a maul and axes, broke away the rook just in time to save
us from a horrible fate, for soon after we emerged from the oave the
water was forced by the incoming tide through the place of our
escape. A HURRICANE IN THE INDIAN OCEAN.
Having obtained a goodly supply of turtles, the Cicero sailed south
in search of whales. Off the Isle of Bourbon we encountered a hur
ricane. This was a regular cyclone. It oame on in the night. There
had been every indication of a storm the day previous. The clouds
were heavy and leaden. We had no barometer, but everything was
made ready for a heavy gale.
At nine o'clock the following morning it was blowing a furious
gale from the southeast.
At twelve o'clock it suddenly moderated nearly to a calm. The
sea was mountain-high and we carried no sail.
For a half hour the calm continued, when the wind came from the
southwest, blowing with terrible fury. The seas coming from the
southeast and the southwest met and broke over the ship, tossing it
like a shingle.
The captain was greatly frightened. Our steward was the only
religious man aboard our ship, and although he had been derided by
the captain for his religion, the captain now called him down into
the cabin and requested him to pray, which the steward did most
earnestly. The ship shook like an aspen leaf and we expected to go
down. About four o'clock in the afternoon the storm broke and the next
morning we resumed our southerly course.
HOW WHALES ARE CAUGHT,
In latitude 32 degrees south we fell in with right whales and
captured several. Our method of capturing a. whale was this: two
men, one on the foremast, and the other on the mainmast, were kept
on the lookout during the day. They were relieved every two hours.
When a whale is seen the lookout cries, "There she blows!" The
captain or officer on deck immediately responds, "Where away?"
to whioh the lookout replies, ' ' Off the lee bow, " or " Ahead, ' ' as the
case may be.

18
If the whale is under the lea, the ship is kept away until it is a
mile distant from the whale, when the boats are lowered and proceed
with caution to approach the whale without being discovered.
If the whale comes up so near the boat that there is a good prospect
of reaching him before he goes down, the boat pushes ahead with all
possible speed, frequently landing the bow of the boat on the back
of the whale.
The harpooner stands ready in the bow of the boat and as soon as
possible plunges the harpoon into the side or back of the whale.
When the iron strikes the whale it instantly outs right and left
with its flukes and sometimes smashes the boat in so doing.
From four to six hundred fathoms of line are attached to the
harpoon, I have know a whale to take out six hundred fathoms.
The next step is to lance the whale. When the lance is driven into
his lungs the whale spouts vast quantities of blood,
POINTS ABOUT WHALES.
I may here state for the information of my younger readers that
the whale is a warm-blooded mammal.
It is valuable for its oil and bone. About 1,500 pounds of bone is
usually taken from the scalp of the whale. The right whale, the kind
from which whale bone is obtained, found in the northern seas, yields
about 100 barrels of oil; those found in the south seas about eighty
barrels. The blubber is tried out on deck, in large pots set in briek.
It takes about thirty hours to dispose of a whale after its capture.
The right whale feeds upon an insect smaller than a shrimp that
is found in immense beds or schools in the ocean.
The right whale has an immense tongue, which, with its append-.
ages, weighs about two tons,, and is about eight feet wide and about
twelve feet long.
In its head are more thau a hundred slabs of bone, ten inches wide
at the base and running to a point.
The inner edges of these bony slabs are covered with hair which
serves as a screen to catch the whale 's food.
The bones are placed about one-fourth of one inch apart. The
right whale has two spout holes.
HOMEWARD BOUND— VISITING NAPOLEON'S GRAVE,
On our way home from the coast of Africa, we touched at Simons-
town, opposite Cape Town, on the Cape of Good Hope, There we
obtained Irish potatoes and other vegetables.
About ten days thereafter we touched at the island of St. Helena.
Harry and I went ashore and visited Napoleon Bonaparte's grave at
Longwood. There we found on guard an English sentinel in a red

19
coat. For twenty-flye cents apiece he allowed us to climb over the
iron fence and stand on the granite slab that covered the grave, I
don't remember whether the slab bore any inscription. The grave
was on the highland a mile or more from the ocean.
The harbor of St. Helena is an open roadstead, and a gale is seldom
or never known there. We did not anchor but simply stood off and
on. Here we procured some supplies.
In all my voyaging I never got into a greater sink of iniquity
than St. Helena was at that time.
A FATAL STABBING.
A few hours after leaving St. Helena my friend Harry was fatally
stabbed. Harry was passing up the gangway when one of the drunken
Portuguese sailors stabbed him in the side, Harry came up from the
forecastle and called for me, I was near. "I am stabbed!" said
he. We took him into the steerage. We had no doctor on board, but
we dressed his wound as well as we could and kept him very quiet —
but all in vain. Harry died on the seventh day. I took down from
his lips his last messages to his parents and sister, which I promised
to deliver.
It was supposed that Harry was mistaken by his murderer for a
Portuguese. An investigation was had by the captain with no satis
factory result. Both the captain and the mate were more or less
intoxicated, but Harry aud myself had wholly abstained from the use
of liquor during the voyage.
Mv friend's premature and violent death at the hands of a drunken
assailant confirmed me in my resolution never to touch the fatal cup.
I was constantly with my friend from the time he was stabbed till
his death. My feelings in witnessing his suffering can better be
imagined than described.
Harry's death was lamented by all his shipmates, and the scene
when he was buried was a sadder one than I care to witness again.
My feelings at the time were so intense that I believe it would have
taken little more to induce me to go down to the bottom of the ocean
with him.
The Cicero reached New Bedford in March, having been absent
twenty-one months. We had secured about 1,400 barrels of oil, 400
barrels of sperm and 5,000 pounds of bone. My share amounted to
about $600.00. BREAKING BAD NEWS,
I had promised Harry to deliver his last message to his parents
and sister. We arrived in port in the afternoon, I went ashore,
procured suitable clothing and the next day proceeded by stage to
Charleston, a suburb of Boston, where Harry's parents resided.

I arrived at Charleston at about four o 'clock in the af ternoouj and
recognized the place from Harry's description. Harry's father had
made himself very wealthy in the liquor business and had provided
his family with a home that betokened wealth. The house was a
grand brown-stone ediflce, the stables were on a scale to correspond,
and the grounds in perfect keeping. The whole appearance of the
place was that of reflnement and comfort.
My approach was flrst discovered by Harry's sister, Angeline, who,
mistaking me for her brother, cried out to her mother "Harry's
come!" The mother, who I remember as a beautiful lady with
dark hair and eyes, of medium stature, and graceful in her move
ments, at once came to the door and exclaimed, "Oh, my boy!"
then seeing her mistake she turned pale and cried, "Where is my
Harry?" The tears from my eyes told the sad tale.
The poor mother fainted and would have fallen to the floor had I
not caught her and laid her on the lounge. The daughter, a beautiful
girl of sixteen, had joined us, and did all she could to restore her
mother to consciousness. The mother that day did not recover suffi
ciently to converse, but on the following day I recounted to them
the details of Harry's death. The third day I returned to New
Bedford, At the request of Harry's relatives I returned to Charleston
and remained with them about a week, or until Harry's mother passed
away. Her last act was to place her daughter's hand in mine.
THB RESULT OF DRINKING,
The father was drinking hard and came home more or less in
toxicated. Two years thereafter, at St. Helena, I was horrified to read in a
Boston paper that the father in a fit of delirium caused by excessive
drinking to drown his sorrow, had stricken his daughter a blow which
had caused her death, and that having become conscious of his crime
he shot himself and was found lying dead between the graves of his
wife and daughter.
The receipt of this news, at St. Helena, near the scene of Harry's
untimely death, carried with it a wave of feeling that I cannot
express with words, and was a blow from which I did not recover
for years.
All these heart-pangs, and all this destruction of life, were the
direct fruits of liquor-drinking, and I trust the reading of them here
will serve as a temperance lesson whioh shall bear much good fruit.
A SECOND WHALING VOYAGE.
I next shipped as boat-steerer, on the ship Fenelon, Captain John E. L.
Smith, of New Bedford, bound for the South Atlantic on a whaling
voyage. John Mackinbur was first-mate, and Eobert Smith (uo rela-

21
tion to the captain) second-mate, both of whom afterwards com
manded ships.
Eobert Smith was an unusually fine-looking man, and a good officer.
He was a great whale-man — a perfect lion in courage when about a
whale. At last accounts he was still living in or near South Darts-
mouth, Massachusetts.
We sailed about the first of August, 1835. Captain Smith was a
flne navigator, kind to his crew, and one of the best of men. At
the same time he was careful for the interests of the owners.
Our company, all told, numbered thirty-five. This voyage was com
paratively uneventful. We touched at St, Catherine, Brazil, south
of Eio Janeiro, and also on the Isle of Grand, We were gone two
summers, and between the seasons crossed over to St. Helena, We
returned to New Bedford after an absence of twenty-two months
with about 2,800 barrels of whale oil and 250 barrels sperm,
DRAGGED THROUGH THE WATER BY A WHALE.
On one occasion, on this voyage, having harpooned a right whale
and thrown over the coil of the line from the bow of the boat, the
whale struck the boat with its flukes, and threw me overboard into the
coil, I caught hold of the gunwhale and jumped on board to flnd
that the line was fast around my right leg below the knee. The
whale was rushing away at great speed, and I was instantly again
drawn over the gunwhale, I caught hold of the clumsy-oleet of the
boat with one arm, and with the disengaged hand I drew from its
sheath in the box of the boat the knife always kept there for cases
of emergency. The mate endeavored to wrench the knife from my
hand, to cut the rope between the boat and where it was fast about
my leg, but I resisted, as in case the whale dove the knife would
be my only hope of Ufe, as I could then cut the rope between me
and the whale.
For at least a mile the whale dragged me through the water and
the boat behind me. To escape was impossible. The tension of my
leg was terrible. It seemed as if it would be torn from the sockets.
Finally the whale paused and came up to breathe; the rope slackened,
and with my left foot I pushed the coil from my leg and was saved.
My leg was terribly bruised and blackened, and I have never fully
recovered from that terrible torture.
In the short space of time that I was being dragged through the
water at a terrific speed, carrying the resistance of the boat with
my body, the whole panorama of my life passed before me, and I
saw parents, brothers and sisters and other departed love ones as
never before. I lived over years in those few moments.

22
HOW HARDSHIP REFORMED A GAMBLER.
One of our men was Morris, the son of a New York millionaire.
The final act of dissipation whioh exhausted his father's patience was
gambling away a fine span of horses and a carriage. Morris was
accordingly shipped for the voyage on the Fenelon as a common sailor,
and was brought on board by the shipping agent, Morris being in
toxicated. Upon entering the forecastle, he inquired, "Where the
d  1 do you set the table?" He was of little or no use aboard
the ship except to pitch the pieces of blubber from the hatchway,
to the mincing tub.
At Saint Catharine he persuaded the captain to release and send
him home, assuring the captain that if his father knew what kind
of a life the sailor led he would pay the captain $10,000 for the
release. The Captain told Morris that he did not want the $10,000, but he
sent him to New York at the first opportunity.
Afterwards William Hempstead, one of the crew of the Fenelon,
saw Morris in New York City finely dressed, assisting ladies to enter
a carriage."Horses-pieces, Morris!" shouted Hempstead. Morris turned, and
recognizing his old shipmate caught him by the hand and took him
in the carriage up town to his father's residence, where he enter
tained him royally for a week.
The voyage on the Fenelon from New Bedford to Saint Catharine
had cured Morris of drinking and gambling.
MOST EBMAEKABLE FALL ON EBCOED.
While there was no calamity attending this voyage, there were
many incidents that perhaps have some interest. "Daddy Batts"
was an old sailor, and a droll character, honest and pleasant withal.
One day he fell from the mast-head, a distance of about ninety feet,
and, strange enough, struck and went entirely through a whale boat
on the cranes and into the water. "Daddy" was somewhat scratched
and bruised, but was not seriously injured. The boat was in the
worse condition of the two.
When he fell I was in my berth, but not asleep. The man at the
wheel cried ont, "Man overboard!" and put the helm hard a lea. I
rushed on deck and hoisted one end of the boat and swung the crane
ready for lowering before the others arrived to assist. We lost no
time in lowering away the boat, but still "Daddy" was picked up
about two hundred yards from the ship. I never expected to see him
alive, after such an adventure.
He was dressed in thick, heavy boots and monkey jacket, and
when we picked him up he was about exhausted. By way of ex-

23
plaining how he could fall from the mast-head and go overboard, it
must be remembered that a ship sailing by the wind heels over so
as to bring the mast-head in a perpendicular line over the side of
the ship. "Daddy" never heard the last of being equal to a whale
in staving in a boat.
AN INSANE MAN CUBED BY A BATH.
During this same voyage one of the sailors, an American boy, be
came insane. One morning he came up from the forecastle, dressed
_ simply with shirt and overalls; he had a wild, hunted look, which I
observed. Going at once to the side of the ship he mounted the
railing, and giving an unearthly shriek — such a yell as only a crazy
person could make — he plunged into the ocean, head first. When he
came up he stuck out for the ship, swimming like a fish. We lowered
a boat and took him aboard. The strange part of this adventure is
that the shock of the plunge into the water restored the man's mind.
He was all right after his bath.
A PINEAPPLE PATCH EPISODE,
The vicinity of St, Catherine was a great fruit-producing section.
The oranges were something grand. Pineapples were plentiful. Some
of us had been ten months on ship-board, and were glad of an oppor
tunity to go ashore. One day we discovered a magniflcent-looking
pineapple grove, or patch, and although the fruit was not ripe, a
party of about five of us from the ship were examining the fruit and
admiring it.
While we were thus engaged a Portuguese came running towards us,
brandishing a club, and yelling in his native tongue, ' ' Get out of
here you dogs!" We merely laughed at the old man as he came up,
and although several of us could talk a little Portuguese we pre
tended not to understand him. "No sabe, " said one. "Que care?"
said another.
By standing our ground we got the old man in a good humor, and
he finally invited us up to the house. He had several daughters — •
young ladies between fifteen and twenty years of age, who were
engaged in making artificial flowers — and they brought out their
guitars and banjos and gave us a fandango.
We had a good time there, notwithstanding our reception in the
pineapple patch. A SLAVE WHIPPED TO DEATH,
While lying at Saint Catharine's, on my second voyage, on the
Fenelon, I went with the captain about ten miles to the port of entry.
As we landed we saw a crowd on the plaza, and as we passed saw
that they were binding a negro slave over a gun.

24
We paused a while and learned that the slave had been sentenced
to receive a hundred lashes for stealing a head of tobacco. The
whipping began, but the scene was too horrible to witness and we
soon left. We were subsequently informed that the miserable victim
did not survive the terrible ordeal.
THE THIRD VOYAGE— ON THE SHIP "FENELON,"
August 1st, 1837, I again sailed on the Fenelon, as second mate.
She was an old-fashioned ship, a dull sailor but a good sea boat. Our
destination was the South Atlantic and Brazil Banks,
We were absent nine and one-half months, taking 2,500 barrels of
oil. It was a successful and for me an interesting voyage, for I had
never before headed a watch or a boat.
A boat's crew consists of six men— one officer, the harpooner, the
steerer and four oarsmen.
When on whaling ground there are three watches — the first, the mid
dle, and the morning watch, each of four hours. The flrst watch is
set at eight o'clock in the morning. When the captain is not on deck
the head of the watch is in command.
A TEEEIFIC TEMPEST.
On my last voyage I had devoted particular attention to navigation.
I kept near me a copy of "Bodwitoh's Navigator," and became fami
Uar with its use, so that when I shipped as second mate I could navi
gate the ship.
On this voyage we encountered a most terriflc tempest northeast
from the West Indian Islands, in what are known as the "Horse
Latitudes, ' ' It was about ten o 'clock in the morning. The captain
and mate went below and left me in charge of the deck. The sky was
black with clouds. The rain was falling in torrents. The thunder
peals were continuous. Shafts of lightning fell in all directions;
one struck the head of the main-mast, shattering it, and came out
just above the eyes of the rigging; thence it struck the deck. Balls
of fire rolled about the deck and knocked down several men, I was
standing on the ship's rail opposite the starboard boat, and fell into
it, partially paralyzed, but did not lose consciousness. After four
hours the storm subsided and we resumed our south-easterly course,
crossing the equator and reaching the whaling ground without note
worthy incident. GELETT CAPTUEES HIS FIRST WHALE.
The captain had taken four whales and the mate one before I was
allowed to lower the waist-boat, whioh I commanded. But one day
when they were pursuing a whale about two miles distant, off the lea
beam, I, being at the mast-head, saw a whale off the weather beam.

25
Lowering my boat I succeeded in harpooning him. When the captain
and mate returned unsuccessful to the ship the former saw that the
waist boat was missing and was told that I was up on the weather
beam towing a whale. Captain Smith was much pleased and thence
forth I had an equal chance with the others, and when we left the
ground I had captured eleven, the mate flve, and the captain eleven
whales. One of mine was a sperm, caught on the main banks off the
coast of Brazil.
One afternoon, it being my watch below, I heard the lookout cry,
"There she blows!" I at once went aloft and reached the mast-head
just in time to see the whale turn out his flukes and go down. At
once the boats were lowered. Running about a mile to the leeward
I saw the "slick" where the whale sank.
The "slick" on the surface of the water is caused by the oil that
exudes from the whale. Its location is often indicated by the stormy
petrels, or "Mother Cary's chickens," that follow the wake of the
whale and feed on the oil.
CHARGED BY A WHALE.
The oblique direction of the whale's flukes as he disappeared satis
fied me that he was not on his camping ground, but was making a
passage, and having calculated where probably he would reappear,
I ran my boat about two miles from the point where I had left the
other boats, when to my delight the whale rose about fifty yards
ahead of my boat. With our paddles and sail we were soon up with
him and he was pierced with two harpoons. Then with his flukes
he lifted the boat nearly clear of the water, causing her to leak badly.
As the whale stopped I pulled up to lance him, when, before I was
near enough to lance him, he suddenly turned and furiously charged
on the boat, snapping his twelve-foot jaw and breaking two oars
as he passed us. I had now only three oars, and as my boat leaked
badly I resolved to keep it at a respectful distance from the whale
until the arrival of the other two boats.
The captain boldly approached and lanced the whale, which began
to spout blood. The whale proved to be a large hundred-barrel bull
and a, warrior. The captain lost two oars and his boat was shattered,
but he kept afloat.
My experience proves that the safest method of attacking the whale
is the boldest — that is, approach him at full speed, and if possible
land on his back.
MYSTERIOUS DISAPPEAEANCE OF AN ISLAND,
The season was late and the whales having left their usual feeding
grounds, we steered southerly for an island shown on our chart to be
located in south latitude, hoping to flnd whales in its vicinity. To

26
our surprise, on reaching this place we found no island, but large
masses of dead trees, limbs and leaves floating on the surface of the
sea. For two hours we sailed through this debris of the lost island,
which had disappeared in a submarine convulsion. Thence we sailed
to the main bank off the coast of Bolivia, where we captured our last
whale and thereupon put away for New Bedford.
FOUETH VOYAGE— AS FIEST MATE,
About the middle of July, 1838, I shipped for my fourth voyage as
first mate of the ship India, with Captain Wilmot Luce, of New
Bedford. The India was a vessel of about 350 tons, and her complement was
about thirty-four men, all told.
Captain Luce was unpopular and could not easily flnd a mate. For
two successive voyages his mates had been brought home "off duty."
Finally the owners and captain insisted so strongly that I consented
to go. The captain owned one-quarter of the ship.
A CRUISE TO DELAGOA BAY,
We visited the South Atlantic and Delagoa Bay, and were very
successful. A number of ships were cruising off Delagoa Bay. This
bay is on the African side of the Mozambique Channel. It was dis
covered by Vasco de Gama, the celebrated Portuguese navigator, in
1498. The shores are heavily timbered and the bay is a commo
dious and a safe harbor. In 1838 and 1839 the port of Mozambique
was a Portuguese settlement where a considerable trade in ivory
and Colombo root was carried on.
Souttlefield Shoads, a reef forming a crescent-shaped harbor of
Delagoa Bay, extend along the shore about ten miles from near Point
St. Mary's, leaving a narrow passage-way into the harbor at the
north end of the reef. The coast thence runs east, northeast, for 150
to 200 miles. There gales from the south often arise very suddenly.
STOEM BOUND ON A HOSTILE COAST.
While the India was anchored in Delagoa Bay we had a noteworthy
adventure. It was usually oalm in the morning and we often left the
ship and rowed down the coast, looking for whales. Once we were
caught down the coast about fifteen miles in one of these gales. Our
company consisted of a boat's-crew from each of four ships. The
wind blew so heavily on shore that it was impossible to return to
the ships.
Night came on aud our only alternative was to effect a landing.
The natives were hostile, and it was with much hesitation that we
determined to turn our boats into the surf.
After a long consultation between the officers of the boats of the

27
different ships it was finally decided to make the trial. Two of the
ship's captains were present, but Captain Luce was not. Two boats
safely landed; the other two boats not taking so favorable an oppor
tunity were swamped in the breakers. By the assistance of those on
shore, the men, being good swimmers, were saved and the boats were
hauled up on the beach and placed on their sides, so as to form a
barricade for our defense. We then so rigged our harpoons and lances
that they pointed outwards all around.
SURROUNDED BY HOSTILE SAVAGES.
Soon after our landing the negroes began to gather on the beach
within speaking distance of us. They were naked, armed with spears,
and made much noise chattering and jabbering. We attempted to en
gage them in friendly intercourse by sending a man with a white flag.
He had taken but a few steps outside our enclosure when more than
a hundred natives sprang to their feet and aimed their spears at him.
Seeing that to advance was death, the man with the flag of truce
at once retreated. Then after much deliberation, we resolved to
make everything secure for the night. The natives continued to as
semble, and when night came they probably numbered between five
hundred and a thousand fighting men, and made a semi-circle around
us, cutting off every way of escape.
Soon after dark fires were kindled by the negroes and kept up by
them all night. The gale at daybreak, had not in the least abated,
and there seemed no chance of our escape.
Another attempt to communicate with the natives by means of a
white flag was made and again failed. We numbered twenty-four
men, but had no flLrearms, All we could do was to be quiet and wait.
Men who never prayed before were
ON THEIR KNEES PRAYING FOE HELP!
All that day and all the following night we waited and watched,
expecting to be assaulted and knowing that in such a case death
would be inevitable.
On the second morning the multitude of savages had inrceased to
probably two thousand. Fortunately we had with us hard bread and
water. It rained during the night. About midnight the gale began to sub
side, and by morning it was nearly calm. As soon as the daylight was
sufficient we began to launch our boats.
Each boat was headed into the breakers ready to be shoved off,
and while the guard stood behind with lances making a show of
defense, when all was ready the word was given, ' ' Shove off, altogeth
er! " and we all started at the same time and succeeded in clearing
the breakers without accident.

28
As we pushed off the natives set up a great howl and rushed down
to the water's edge — but no spears were thrown. Once clear of the
shore we made our way to the ships as soon as possible.
The savages probably supposed we had firearms, of which the coast
tribes were then much afraid.
On more than one occasion, seeing natives on the shore, I have
aimed a waif -pole at them, which, observing, they at once retreated
into the forest.
The natives at this point were filthy beyond description, living on
the putrid flesh of whales, and eating snakes, worms and other equally
repulsive food. AN AFRICAN TEST OF LOYALTY,
. From Delagoa we sailed to Augustine Bay, Madagascar. Here we
found the natives much as we had left them on our previous voyage.
They were glad to see us.
One chief, called Captain Jack Stubbs, came on board and endeavor
ed to tell Captain Luce, in broken English, how he had longed to see
him. "How muchee sorry me was," said he.
"Me go walkee in the woods and plenty cry belong to you!"
Meaning that he had walked in the woods and cried to see Captain
Luce again.
After a long palaver Captain Stubbs concluded his affecting ora
tion by requesting brandy and bread.
Prince Willie and wife were both blind in one eye. Before becom
ing king and queen each was compelled to submit to the loss of an
eye as a test of loyalty. To accomplish this a red-hot needle was
thrust into one of the eyes.
A SOUTH ATLANTIC GALE.
Leaving Augustine Bay we rounded the Cape of Good Hope and
cruised to the South Atlantic until we filled our ship with oil.
When near the gulf stream on our return voyage the weather be
came threatening, and one morning at about 11 o'clock the clouds
gathered about us and it was so dark that we were obliged to place
a light in the binnacle to see to steer.
Our ship was made ready; the sails were furled and we were pre
pared for any emergency. At noon the gale came down on us from
the north, with hailstones as large as hens' eggs, driving every man
from the deck. Some received scalp wounds and all were more or
less pelted and bruised by the hailstones. The storm lasted about
two hours. We were then about one hundred miles from the Ber
muda Islands.
In March, 1840, we reached New Bedford, without the loss of a

29
man, and were cordially welcomed, especially by the family of Cap
tain Luce. Our voyage was very successful, yielding the owners
large profit, as well as a generous compensation for the officers and
crew. FIFTH VOYAGE— MASTEE OF THE SHIP "INDIA,"
Soon after our return to New Bedford, I was requested to take
command of the ship India for a voyage to the Paciflc Ocean, The
India was thereupon repaired, put in prime order and fltted for a
two-years' cruise. David Chadwick, of South Dartmouth, in all
respects a flrst-class officer, was my first mate.
Our complement was thirty-six men all told. I was now twenty-
seven years of age, in perfect health, and, I believe, the youngest ship
captain then sailing from New Bedford.
We sailed on the 4th day of August, 1840, and before reaching
Fayal captured two eighty-barrel sperm whales. I shipped the oil
home from Fayal, much to the satisfaction of the owners of the India.
From Fayal we proceeded to the Cape de Verde Islands. Thence
we crossed the equator and steered on our course for Cape Horn,
A GIANT KANAKA STOWAWAY,
Soon after leaving New Bedford we found on board a stowaway —
a Kanaka, or a native of the Sandwich Islands^the most powerful
man I ever saw.
One day three men vainly endeavored to move an anchor. The
Kanaka pushed them away and took up the flukes of the anchor with
apparent ease.
He had little to say to the crew, and when we were in latitude 3
degrees south one moonlight evening, his watch on deck being out,
instead of going below with the rest of the men as he should have
done, he placed himself in the bow boat, which was no unusual thing
for men to do. One of the men on deck came along to the bow boat
and said to the Kanaka:
"Joe, why don't you go below?"
A DESPERATE HAND TO HAND FIGHT,
He immediately rose up and with a spade struck at the man's
neck. The man dodged and the spade struck his shoulder, cutting a ter
rible gash.
The sailor was bleeding fearfully and I took him down into the
cabin and began to dress the wound. The mate at the same time
loaded his pistol and climbed up on one of the boats overhead.
Meanwhile the crew had all come aft on the quarter-deck.
About this time the Kanaka jumped out of the bow boat with the

30
spade, and rushed at the men gathered on the quarter-deck. Some
of the men fled into the rigging and others down into the cabin.
As the Kanaka came aft the third mate on the boat fired at him,
the ball taking effect in the hand and cutting the inside of the Augers.
This caused the Kanaka to slacken his pace and gave the men time
to escape.
The Kanaka then leaving the spade on the main hatch came aft
with a lance. A NAEEOW ESCAPE FEOM DEATH.
At the time of the rush I foolishly jumped up the cabin gangway.
As my head appeared, the Kanaka hurled the lance at me. The lance
struck the corner post near my head and buried its head in the solid
oak. I then retreated to the cabin. The Kanaka came and ran the lance
down the cabin gang-way. It was a bright full-moonlight night.
The mate having loaded his gun I told him to be ready to jump on
deck whenever I gave the word. I then sprang into the gang-way,
caught hold of the lance just above its head, and bent up the shank.
My mate and a number of the men then sprang on deck. The Ka
naka retreated to the main hatch, where he had left the spade. As
he seized the spade the mate passed him, and turning took aim and
attempted to shoot tim; but his gun missed flre.
Then with all vengeance the Kanaka ran upon the mate with the
spade. The mate raised his gun to parry the blow. The spade caught
the stock of the gun splitting off about one-half of it, and passed by
the mate's side, cutting a deep gash in his hip.
At this moment I came up behind and clasped the Kanaka around
the neck. He at once raised the spade to cut behind him. At the '
same instant the mate lowered his head, ran under the Kanaka and
threw him on his face. I fell on his back. We struggled fearfully
to hold him down.
NAKED LUNATIC GEEASED WITH SLUSH,
He was stark naked and had greased himself all over from the
cook's slush barrel. We held him by his long hair.
Finally I noticed that he had fainted, and turning him over, we
saw a puddle of blood on the deck and found he had fallen ou the
spade, cutting a gash four inches long across the abdomen.
As soon as I discovered that the Kanaka was wounded, I put a
bandage around him and we took him down the fore-hatch, between
decks, and fixed for him a bed. I set a watch of two men with
loaded muskets over the hatch-way.
As soon as we laid him in the hold he tore off the bandages aud
said he did not want to live; that he would die contented if he had

31
only killed some of us; that he had killed his father and escaped
from prison in the Island of Maui, (as we afterward learned), one of
the Hawaiian Islands, whence he had swum off to a ship bound for
New Bedford.
The next morning I again dressed his wound, but he again tore off
the bandage.
On the seventh day the Kanaka died. We sewed up his body in
canvas and launched it overboard, after having read a burial service
over him. The wounded sailor was laid up about two months, but
the mate recovered in two weeks.
ANOTHER CEAZY HAWAIIAN ON BOAED,
We had another Kanaka on board, a boat-steerer. He very soon
showed signs of insanity.
We watched him closely and the day after the burial of his ship
mate the officers told me that he had put on his best suit of clothes.
I knew in a moment that he intended to jump overboard.
I gave orders to post two men at the steerage gang-way to watch
him. He soon came on deck and made a rush for the side of the
ship, when he was prevented from carrying into effect his suicide
purpose. He then became furious and we were obUged to handcuff him. We
were now about sixty days from New Bedford. We kept the Kanaka
confined several days until we spoke a New London ship.
The captain came on board, and having heard my account of what
happened, and the Kanaka begging hard to go aboard the New Lon
don ship, the captain consented to take him and let me have another
man in his place.
The New London ship touched at Saint Catharine's, on the coast
of Brazil. Soon after that the Kanaka ran away into the forest and
became a wild man.
He was afterwards found dead on the shore, and was supposed to
have drowned himself.
A CALL AT THE GALAPAGOS ISLANDS,
After doubUng Cape Horn we touched at the Galapagos Islands, on
the equator, off Panama.
The name Galapagos signifles "tortoise," for which this group of
island are famous.
The Ecuadorians have a penal colony on these islands. Here we
obtained a quantity of terrapin. They Uve on the island, one or two
thousand feet above the surface of the ocean. Many of them weighed
from 200 to 300 pounds. One bore two dates carved on the shell —
1810 and 1816. One large turtle bore the name of a Nantucket ship,
and a date.

32
A CRUISE TO HAWAII AXD THE NORTHWEST COAST,
Having cruised about a week in the vicinity of the Galapagos Is
lands, and having captured several sperm whales, we sailed for the
Sandwich Islands and arrived at Maui about the first of April. There
we took on board a supply of sweet and Irish potatoes and other vege
tables for a six-months' cruise on the northwest coast of North
America. The northern whale is so different from the southern that we were
obliged to learn how to capture it. It is larger and more active.
Our cruising ground was between the Queen Charlotte Islands and
Kodiack Island. We took 2,000 barrels of oil and 30,000 pounds of
bone. We captured flve whales that had been so much milked by their
calves that they had no oil except in their Ups.
CHAEACTEEISTICS OP THE NOETHEEN WHALE.
The Up of a whale weighs about 1,000 pounds. The throat, tongue
and Ups weigh about seven tons.
This part of the whale, and especiaUy the Ups, seem to be cut off
from the general circulation of the body, and have oil when the main
part of the body is impoverished.
One of these whales measured one hundred feet in length. Several
of our boats were knocked into pieces, and we soon learned to ap
proach the northern whale with caution.
My mate harpooned one whale that stove his boat into spUnters.
I was near him and got hold of the Une.
By the time I had flxed the turn around the logger head, the whale
had taken out nearly all the Une. He continued to run to the wind
ward against the sharp sea. It was a long time before I got the
Une in so that I oould work on the whale.
I flnally struck the muscles of the fluke with the spade.
The whale then sank about twenty fathoms with great speed, and
suddenly stopped. The Une being slack we hauled it in, keeping a
good lookout, as I knew he was coming back to the boat.
A FIGHT WITH A NOETHEEN WHALE,
We soon saw his old white bonnet coming up at an angle of 45
degrees for the boat at a furious speed.
As soon as he came within reach of my lance I pricked his head,
whieh caused him to turn it aside from the boat, and as he passed
I shoved my lance into him abreast of the lungs.
He suddenly stopped as if he were shot, threw his head off from the
boat and his flukes came directly under the boat, lifting it some
six or eight feet out of the water.
The whale sUghtly turning his flukes the boat sUd off. Had I not

33
lanced him as he passed he would probably have staved the boat to
splinters and I should not be here to tell the story, for there was not
a boat within three miles of us, and the fog was growing very thick.
The mate having lost sight of our boat followed the "slick" or
wake of the whale, came up to us between nine and ten o'clock in
the evening, and made fast to the whale, whioh had turned fin out.
The fin of a full-grown whale is from six to eight feet in length.
When he is dying he lashes the ocean fearfully and when his struggles
cease and he rolls on his side, the fin becomes rigid. When he is
dead the muscles relax, the fln drops and rises and falls with the
water. MAKES ACQUAINTANCE OF HONOLULU MISSIONAEIES.
The season closed the last of September, 1841, when we returned
to Honolulu, whence I shipped home oil and bone. Here we fltted for
another season.
While at Honolulu I became acquainted with the missionaries who
were laboring under the auspices of the American Board of Foreign
Missions. My acquaintance with them began in this way:
On my flrst voyage in the India, I took Mrs. Chamberlain and her
children from Lahaina, Island of Maui, to Honolulu. I was much in
terested in her youngest child, a beautiful girl, about three years of
age, with dark eyes, and hair flowing in heavy curls over her shoulders.
Soon after I was invited to tea at Mrs, Chamberlain's, where I
met Mr, Chamberlain, and other missionaries.
I had been prejudiced against the missionaries by unfavorable re
ports circulated by sea-faring men; but their kind attentions and
Christian sympathy won my confidence in their integrity and unsel
fish devotion to the cause of Christ.
Years thereafter I was present at the wedding of my little friend,
I shall ever be grateful for their many favors to me and mine,
DINED WITH KING KAMEHAMEHA III.
Honolulu was the chief port and capital of the Sandwich Islands.
Whaling vessels were continually arriving and departing, and the
natives were kind and friendly.
King Kamehameha III invited the captains to dine with him one
evening in the fall of 1841,
I attended the dinner and I remember that the palace was a
wooden structure and the grounds were enclosed by a wall. The
building was large and commodious.
Thirty of us, including the king, his prime minister, and other
friends, were present.
English was spoken at the table. The food was excellent and well-
cooked.

34
All kinds of potables — wines, brandies and other Uquors were serv
ed. I had not used intoxicating Uquors for many years, and on this
occasion I deoUned to partake of the same.
The king was dressed as a citizen, in black, and seemed to be a
young man about thirty-five years of age. He was a voluble talker
and his glass was often fiUed.
Speeches were made, songs were sung, and ere the dinner was
ended not a few of the guests lay under the table.
Prime Minister Young, a native of the Sandwich Islands, was the
son of a foreigner and a native woman. He was a gentleman of
splendid physique and culture.
Our dinner began at 7 p. m, and continued four hours. When I
retired at 11 p. m. the king and prime minister were still at the table.
On the Sabbath I attended divine services at the Seaman's Chapel.
AU my officers and men who desired to attend the service had per
mission to do so. The minister, Eev. S. C, Damon, who had been
sent to Honolulu by the American Seaman's Friend's Society, was a
very excellent man. He visited the ship and looked after the inter
ests of the sailors. TO THE WHALING GEOUNDS AGAIN.
We sailed from Honolulu in the faU of 1841, Going to the equator
we steered westerly to longitude 160 degrees; thence going north we
touched the Ladrone Islands, where we took on supplies for our
voyage north, Eeturning to our old cruising ground on the north
west coast, we flUed our ship with oil and bone, and returned to
the Sandwich Islands, where we recruited for our home voyage.
As we were weighing anchor to depart a man-of-war from Masset
Land anchored near us, lowered a boat, and sent an officer aboard
my ship who deUvered to me
A LETTEE ONLY FORTY DAYS FROM BOSTON,
(in those days a most unusual thing). The letter was from my
betrothed wife, and I regarded it as a favorable omen for the home
ward voyage.
Leaving Honolulu we encountered adverse winds and squalls until
we reached latitude 22 degrees south.
Having crossed the equator at 160 degrees west longitude, we
met strong southeast trade winds and squally weather.
We sighted the Samoan Islands, passing about twenty miles east
of them. In the month of December the weather was so dark and
squally for many days we had failed to take any observations,
AN UNEXPECTED ISLAND,
According to my dead reckoning we were near a sunken reef, laid
down on my chart as having been seen by an English man-of-war in

35
about 1790, and subsequently searched for by another English war
vessel, and not found.
Thinking the reef did not exist, I concluded to keep on my course
through the night, though according to my reckoning we should
pass over or near the reef. The weather was dark and stormy.
As usual I went to bed between eight and nine o'clock and fell
asleep, having charged the officer of the deck to keep a good lookout
for danger.
At about ten o'clock I found myself sitting up in my berth with
THE WORDS "TACK SHIP" RINGING IN MY EARS.
Without hesitation I rang the bell and ordered the officer on deck
to put the ship about, not telling him the reason for my order. I
ordered the officer on deck to lay the head sails back.
At three o'clock the next morning I dressed and went on deck.
As the wind had somewhat abated I put all sail on the ship, steering
on our course. Soon after, holding my head under the lea of the
ship's rail, I heard the unmistakable
ROAE OP THE BREAKEES ON THE EEEF!
I immediately wore ship and again laid the head sails aback. There
we lay until daylight at about flve o'clock in the morning, when we
discovered the reef in the shape of a horse-shoe, into which we had
been heading, not a mile distant.
Keeping the ship away we ran to the leeward of the reef. No
land was seen except a small spot of sand, visible as the breakers
receded. The voice had saved us from destruction, and I beUeve it to have
been a merciful interposition of Providence in our behalf.
On my return to the States I reported this reef as still existing,
and it is now noted on the English charts as Haran's Eeef, seen in
1842. On the old charts it was noted as seen by a man-of-war in
1790. This reef is in 169 degrees west longitude and latitude 21 degrees
40 minutes south, and is very dangerous.
Our voyage from this point to Cape Horn was rough, with strong
westerly gales and heavy squalls.
Much of the time I was scudding before the wind and carrying all
the sail the ship would bear to run her away from the sea.
One very squally morning I observed the barometer drop suddenly.
Going on deck I discovered in the west a very black cloud, looking
Hke a water spout.
We at once clewed down our main-top sail, just in time, for

36
THE SQUALL STRUCK THE SHIP,
taking my old pet hen off the deck over the fore-yard, I have not
seen her since.
The ship settled down, planks sheer to the water. The squall
lasted about fifteen minutes, and then the wind subsided to the
usual gale.
During five days the cook was unable to keep a fire in his galley,
owing to the water on deck.
During this part of the homeward voyage, in running over from
New Zealand to Cape Horn, for a distance of about 2,000 miles, I
was unable to take a single observation oh account of the bad
weather. SHIP ON HEE BEAM ENDS.
Once the ship broached to, and lay for some minutes on her beam-
ends before righting.
We lay to some hours, tiU about 8 o'clock in the morning; but
home was ahead of us and we were anxious to be on our way, so
the ship was again kept away on her course for Cape Horn. In the
afternoon the wind abated, and there oame in a thick fog.
The weather finally did clear off during the night, and taking a
lunar observation I found myself in the longitude of Cape Horn,
and about thirty miles south of the Cape.
A LONG, LOW, SNAKISH-LOOKING CEAFT.
After passing Cape Horn, in latitude about 30 degrees south, in
the night a vessel was discovered on our weather beam, about a
quarter of a mile distant. She bore down upon us, running across
the stern of our ship, and luffed to under our lea within hailing dis
tance, but no words were exchanged. She was a long, low, snakish-
looking craft. She shortened sail and remained near us until day-
Ught, when she bore away for another vessel under our lea.
I always believed this vessel to be a Mexican man-of-war, as the
United States was at that time involved in war with Mexico.
I had made all preparations, in case the vessel proved to be a
pirate, to defend ourselves from the boarding attack.
We had no large guns, so of course we had no means of returning
a long-range attack, but we would have brought into play our skill
with lances and harpoons in case of a hand-to-hand conflict.
I had on board 3,000 barrels of oil and 40,000 pounds of bone. I
had previously shipped home 30,000 pounds of bone.
We rounded Cape Horn and steering to the north, crossed the
equator on the 15th day of January, 1842,
When in latitude 24 degrees north, the so-caUed "Horse Latitudes,"
the weather being mild, we painted the ship. The day was flne, but

37
that evening we saw flashes of lightning, on the northeast, which
betokened foul weather. Our running rigging was all stopped to the
standing rigging, so as to be out of the way of the painting, and
we were ill prepared for a squall.
A SUCCESSION OF STORMS,
At 10 p, m, I ordered the rigging to be taken down to where it
belonged, to the belaying pins.
The clouds grew thicker and there was every indication of a strong
wind from the northeast,
I ordered the ship to be put under double-reefed top-sails, as the
weather had assumed a very threatening aspect. At midnight the
gale came down upon us with fury; we steered on our course, how
ever, to the northwest, the seas frequently breaking over the ship.
We were now south of the Burmudas, near the Tropic of Cancer,
When near the Gulf Stream we encountered a very heavy north
west gale which lasted three days and nights.
The gale moderating, we resumed our course, striking the Gulf
Stream in longitude 69 degrees west.
When near the northern edge of the Gulf Stream we met another
gale from the northwest.
When north of the Gulf Stream the weather was very cold. This
gale also lasted three days blowing the ship back across the Gulf
Stream, The ice melted from the ship. We then met a heavy south
east gale which run us in back of Long Island, when again we were
struck by a northwest gale and intensely cold weather.
Again the ship became covered with ice, so much so that I was
obliged to run off into the Gulf Stream to get clear of it. After
which we took a gale from the southeast with a tremendous sea that
broke over our ship, washing away all the boats and everything on
deck, even to the cook's galley.
The wind finally changed to the southwest when we steered on
our course, determined to make a port.
The gale continued, gradually veering to the west, but so great
was my anxiety to get into port that I declared that I would not
take in sail. First went the jib-boom, then the oross-jack-yard was
carried away, and the main-yard badly sprung. But this we did not
heed, for the cry: "Land, Ho!" was heard ahead.
We stood in back of Long Island and made Easthampton, and
shaped our course for Montauk Point,
MANOEUVEEING IN THE DAEK,
At four 0 'clock in the afternoon we saw a ship take a pilot from
a pilot boat.

38
Just as the sun set, much to our chagrin, we saw the pilot boat
put away, to make a harbor as we supposed, to TarpauUn Cove, to
gether with the ship.
At eight o'clock that night we ran under the lea of Block Island,
the wind blowing a gale from the northwest.
Eeefing our top-sails we shaped our course toward Martha's Vine
yard, and at three o 'clock in the morning were in the mouth of the
Vineyard sound, between Montauk and Cuttyhunk Light.
We had on board ship a large cannon and began firing for a pilot.
The wind now came out from the northeast, and it began to snow.
For three hours we lay with the main-top-sail to the mast and the
deep sea lead on the bottom to ascertain in which direction we were
drifting, firing our cannon every fifteen minutes. Without my knowl
edge the boys were putting in two cartridges instead of one, and
ramming in slush from the cook's barrel.
Until seven o'clock the ship had drifted only the length of the
deep sea lead line, for the reason that the wind was opposed to the
current. At eight o'clock the ship began rapidly to drift and as no Ught
or land had been seen for the last flve hours, I knew we must be very
near No Man's Land, and gave the order, "Wear ship!"
As the ship was going round we heard a man hello, and immediately
brought the ship to the wind with the head sails back.
A pilot boat soon emerged from the blinding snow, and Captain
Flanders, the Vineyard pilot, came alongside and aboard. If ever
I was glad to see man it was Flanders. He at once gave the order,
"Wear ship," as we were near a reef, as I had feared.
Captain Flanders informed me that we would have to make a
harbor on Tarpaulin Cove, I said:
"Captain Flanders, New Bedford, beef, pork, flour, hardbread,
cordage, small stores, and whatever you wish, but Tarpaulin Cove,
not a smitch! "
Captain Flanders answered, "It is New Bedford."
MAKING NEW BEDPOED IN A SNOW STOEM.
Before night we entered Buzzard's Bay. Owing to the snow storm
the lights were not visible, and the pilot was obliged to depend upon
sounding. I went below for much needed rest.
At three o'clock in the morning the ship mis-stayed. There not
being room to wear around, the anchor was let go immediately, the
sails were furled and all hands sent below. At this time I came on
deck and took charge.
At eight o'clock in the morning all hands were called up and the
ship got under way. No land was seen on account of the storm.
At noon we sighted Clark's Point Light, off New Bedford harbor.

39
and at one o'clock we came to anchor within two miles of New
Bedford, Up to this time we had seen only the Light House, The snow fell
so thick and fast we could not see the city, and as all our boats had
been washed away, we could not land, but we kept our cannon
booming, much to the astonishment of the people on shore.
At three p. m, a Vineyard packet boat, bound in, hove in sight.
Being hailed, he kindly came alongside and took myself and others
ashore. The harbor for a mile down the river was closed with ice.
On landing at the so-called ' ' Smoking Eocks ' ' we met a large party
awaiting our arrival.
My agent, Capt, Abram H, Howland, was one of the number. As
we landed he rushed forward and grasped my hand, exclaiming,
"Gelett, I knew 'twas you! No other in the fleet would venture
in in such weather as this!"
Delivering the ship's papers to Captain Howland, I procured a
new, warm suit of clothes, hired a span of gay horses attached to a,
light buggy, and drove them thirty miles in three hours facing the
northeast snow-storm to Kingston, where I was welcomed by my
intended wife and her mother.
For ten months they had had no word of me, since all news must
come around Cape Horn, and their surprise and delight at my arrival
may be imagined. This was St, Valentine's Day, 1843.
SAFE HOME AND WEECKED IN A SLEIGH,
Some of my land experiences have been vividly carried in my mind,
without the aid of a "log,"
The next morning after arriving at Kingston from my long voyage
as captain of the "India," I wanted to do the proper thing and so
arranged to take my intended wife out for a sleigh ride,
Kingston at that time was a small place, and did not support a
livery-stable. Undaunted, I borrowed a cutter, or sleigh, of a neigh
bor, and hitched to it one of the spirited horses I had driven from
New Bedford, Now, the horse was young and strong, and the sleigh
was old enough to be laid gently in the wood-box — ^but it was that
or nothing.
We had been out but a few minutes when calamity overtook us.
It had been snowing for three days, and the ground was covered with
a deep mantle.
In attempting to turn around, one of the runners bent under the
sleigh and we went down with a crash.
The horse raised objections and his heels at the same time, and at
the first objection the dash-board was converted into kindling.
It was likely to get unpleasant there, and without much ceremony
I grabbed my girl and got to another part of the road as quickly as

possible. There wasn't much left of the sleigh when the horse got
through with it.
Some men were attracted to the spot, and to them I turned over
the task of clearing away the wreck and bringing home the horse,
while we who had started out to have a jolly sleigh ride, accom
panied by jingling bells and the other delights we so often read
about, waded homeward through the deep snow.
It is a mere matter of education, but I have found it easier to
manage a ship in a storm than to engineer a horse and sleigh in a
deep carpet of snow,
MOEE TEOUBLE IN STEERING A SLEIGH,
I didn 't feel disposed to give up the sleigh-riding business so easily,
and sent my two horses down to Plymouth, about four miles from
Kingston, aud had them hitched to a two-seated sleigh.
Some half dozen of us getting in the sleigh, I again took the wheel
— or lines — and we got to Plymouth in good style.
We were out to see the historical sights, and the first stopping
place was Pilgrim's Hall, They had been shovelling the snow from
the walk into the street, and had made quite a mound near the
gutter, I saw this diminutive hill, but supposing the sleigh runners
would cut through it, I attempted to drive up with a dash. But I
had miscalculated. The hill of snow had frozen so hard that it would
not yield to the runner, which was compelled to run up over it. This
tipped the sleigh on its side, without much ado, and myself and
invited guests were thrown out sprawling upon the sidewalk. We
were landed pilgrims, sure enough.
We soon recovered our feet and our composure, and made a visit
to the interior of the hall, where behind a railing, are shown many
interesting relics.
There is Governor Carver's chair, an ancient spinning wheel, Elder
Brewster's chair, the sword, boiling pot, and pewter platter of Miles
Standish, and the cradle of Peregrine White, This cradle was for
years in the possession of Captain James Sever, an uncle of Mrs.
Gelett, but was finally added to the other relics.
Among other interesting exhibits in the hall are two large paint
ings, about ten by twelve or fourteen feet, one of the "Landing of
the Pilgrims," and the other the "Departure from Delft Haven,"
MARRIAGE AND WEDDING TOUR.
On the 14th day of March, 1843, just one month from the date
of my arrival in Kingston, I was married to Miss Jane Eussell, iu
Kingston, Mass., by Eev. Joseph Peckman, who afterward was mar
ried to my wife 's sister, Mary H, Eussell, who was bridesmaid at my
wedding, Mr, Peckman has passed away, but his wife is still living.

41
she and my wife being the only survivors of a family of eleven
children. My wife and I went on a wedding tour to Saratoga, Niagara Falls,
the Great Lakes, the Thousand Islands, and Montreal, which in those
days was recognized as a remarkable excursion.
On our return to Kingston, I bought a two-story house of my wife 's
aunt, Mrs, Parris, about a block from where my mother-in-law lived,
Mr, Eussel, my wife's father, died when she was about three years
old. FURNISHING A NEW HOME,
We furnished the house complete, and I recollect that there was
much new experience and no little sport about it. Business houses
in those days were not as well stocked or systematic as now. For
instance, it was not possible to give the measurement of a room and
have the dealer return a carpet sewed and ready to put down — or
better still, have him attend to the entire matter.
We bought a roll of carpet, and cut and fitted and sewed it our
selves. Everybody knew best about how it should be done, and so
the work was almost never-ending. But differences were compromised
and the house was finally furnished,
I had enjoyed about six months of home life, when I again went
to sea, leaving my wife in the new home I had provided for her, and
surrounded by relatives and friends,
GELETT'S SIXTH VOYAGE AS MASTER OF THE SHIP "UNCAS."
The India having been sent away soon after my arrival, another
ship, the Uncas, was bought for me by the company owning the
India, and new officers and crew were shipped for the voyage.
On the fifteenth of August, 1843, we sailed for the North Pacific
Ocean, On this voyage I circumnavigated the globe, rounding the
Cape of Good Hope and returning by Cape Horn.
In the Indian Ocean I fell in with Captain Barker, of New Bedford,
an old shipmate, I spoke him in a gale of wind, while on our way
from the Cape of Good Hope to Van Dieman's Land.
MEETING A CHRISTIAN CAPTAIN IN THE INDIAN OCEAN,
Captain Barker and myself had been friends for years, and were
about the same age. He came aboard and dined with me, and, to my
surprise, requested permission to ask the blessing at the table, to
which I consented. This was followed by a conversation between
us, wherein he informed me that a number of captains of his ac
quaintance had reformed their lives, and that he had united with
a Christian Church at New Bedford,
The news deeply impressed me, and having had pious parents I
began to reflect upon my obligations to myself and the men under
my command.

42
PISHING AND HOT SPRINGS AT ST, PAUL'S ISLAND.
We touched at St, Paul's Island, latitude 36 degrees 42 minutes
south, longitude 77 degrees 50 minutes east, landed and caught a
boat-load of fish, which were so plenty that they bit the bare hook.
There were fish of different species — some large and dark, and of
the finest quaUty for food.
Saint Paul Island is about three miles in length. It is of volcanic
origin, and has no trees or shrubbery. On the east side a hot spring
of fresh water boils up just below high water mark. We put flsh in
a bag and boiled them in the spring as quickly as ii they were in a
pot over a fire.
The soil of the island is too warm for vegetation. The hand can
hardly be held in it two feet below the surface.
On the east side are large beds of kelp growing in fifty feet of
water. Here we caught our fish.
My chart of Bass Strait, pubUshed by Commodore Stokes in 1843,
quotes from the report of Mr. Parish of the voyage of the ship Lion,
1793, as follows:
"This singular spot is of volcanic origin, and its fires, still active,
may be seen from a great distance. It has several craters, but the
principal one is on the eastern side. Natural cause-ways form its
entrance, and a connecting bar has nine feet of water over it at
high tide. At the watering place marked w, the temperature of the
water was 112 degrees. At some distance more to the west the heat
of the mud was found to be 212 degrees. In the crater fish abound,
and may be boiled in the hot spring on the shore."
The depth of the water in the crater varies from 17 to 26 fathoms.
The bluffs are about 700 feet high. We arrived at St. Paul Island
in the morning, and had the volcano been active we should have seen
it. The day and following night were fair.
ACEOSS THE PACIFIC TO TAHITI.
From St. Paul Island we passed in sight of Van Dieman's Land,
whence we steered for the south point of New Zealand, passing be
tween it and "The Traps," a reef about forty miles south of the
point, ^\'hen we passed through, the night was dark, and the wind
blew a heavy gale. Not having seen sun, moon nor star for three
days, I was somewhat anxious for our safety.
On the third day we made Chatham Island, south latitude 44%
degrees, longitude 176% degrees west, which we sighted in a thick
fog, having passed it at only a few ships' lengths from the south
point. From Chatham Island we sailed for Tahiti. Here I anchored, went
ashore and placed a sick sailor in the hospital, leaving money suffi
cient to pay his passage home in case of his recovery. He was a

43
native of Fayal, one of the Azores, His moaning for his mother was
pitiful. He did not die as he expected to, but recovered and was
sent home. On a subsequent voyage my ship touched at Fayal, and
his mother came aboard and embraced and thanked me for my kind
ness to her son. Her gratitude was unbounded.
THREE WEEKS AT LAHAINA.
We arrived at the Sandwich Islands about the middle of April,
1844, and anchored in the port of Lahaina, Island of Maui, where
we lay some three weeks. There were at that time some thirty
whale ships in this harbor. They were from New Bedford, Sag
Harbor, Stonington, and Nantucket, I frequently enjoyed pleasant
meetings with old friends and acquaintances.
On one occasion my third mate having made ashore the acquain
tance of a liquor dealer, sought to introduce him to me, I was
greatly annoyed and rebuked the officer in severe terms in the pres
ence of twenty other ship-masters,
RIDING A RUNAWAY HORSE,
One day more then twenty of us ship-masters together rode horse
back along the beach. The natives hired us horses ready-saddled
for a dollar each.
It so happened that I was the last comer, and was obliged to take
a large spotted gelding that no one else would ride, for his reputation
was bad, and well-deserved, will be seen. The saddle was English,
and I was no sooner in it than the horse was off on a dead run up
the coast. My feet were in the stirrups, but I could not control the
horse with the bit. He bore me whither he would. All the captains
followed at full speed. Coming in view of a clump of young cocoa-
nut trees, my horse left the path and ran under the trees. I leaned
down on the left side with my arm around the horse's neck, and
the spur of one foot hooked under the saddle. The horse ran
furiously under the trees, intending to brush me off. But with the
exception of having one coat-sleeve torn away by a limb I escaped
unhurt. My horse next described a curve toward the sea-shore, and, coming
to a cliff, leaped off into what had been a tare patch, where the
mud was three feet deep. Here he floundered for some minutes
before reaching the opposite bank.
He then directed his course for the sand-beach, along which
canoes were hauled up, some single, others double. As he reached the
canoes he scaled them like a bird. When he had reached the end
of the sand-beach I succeeded in controlling him.
Before we finished our ride I had broken the stubborn will of the
horse so that he behaved as well as the best of them.

44
I rode him many times afterwards, but he never again attempted
to be the captain. He was a very lithe and active animal, and would
leap over a wall or fence while other horses were obliged to go
around. My chief pleasure with the horse was riding on the beach and
making him leap over the canoes.
About the 10th of May, 1844, we sailed from the Sandwich Islands
for the northwest coast, fell in with whales in latitude 35 degrees
north, longitude 160 degrees west, and captured several. Inasmuch
as a large fleet had sailed for the northwest coast, I decided to take
my chances on new ground.
WHALING ON SUNDAY AND SWEARING, TABUED.
About this time my convictions became so strong that it was a
duty to make a change in my life, and in the discipline aboard the
ship, that I called my officers together, and we held a consultation
with regard to whaling on the Sabbath, and profane swearing. It
was decided that a reUgious service should be held on the Sabbath.
The owners, officers and crew expected us to whale on the Sabbath.
When the first Sabbath, after our discussion came, whales were dis
covered in the morning and I reluctantly permitted the boats to go
and chase.
After an unsuccessful effort to capture a whale, lasting aU day,
the boats returned. The same evening I called the officers and men
together and told them that we must either give up whaUng on
Sunday or religious service,
I gave them my views on the subject and submitted this question
to a vote:
"Shall we catch whales on the Sabbath?"
The vote was unanimous for keeping the Sabbath.
EELIGIOUS SERVICES INAUGURATED ON SHIPBOARD,
All were invited into the cabin that night for religious service.
The meeting was very interesting. My officers and more than half
of the men expressed a determination to reform their lives.
These services were regularly held, and had a most salutary effect
upon the ship's company. No profane word was heard about the
ship, I caused a notice to be attached on the pinnacle, "No swearing
allowed aboard this ship."
No liquor had ever been used aboard the ship, except for medical
purposes, A WHALE KNOCKS ENAMEL OFF MATE'S TEETH,
We pursued our voyage most successfully, whaling on new ground
in east longitude, near the coast of Japan. Then steering north we

45
fell in with whales off the Kurile Islands, My first officer, in cap
turing a whale, got badly injured, the whale striking him on the
head so that the enamel of his teeth was scaled off, and one of his
eyes injured so that he always thereafter saw two objects, one above
the other when there really was but one.
The boat was not stove in, the whale throwing his flukes over the
boat, knocking the mate overboard. The mate sunk, and the boat-
steerer, Peter Childs, with another man dove down into the water
and brought the injured man to the surface,
Childs afterwards commanded a ship, and is still living. This
accident disabled my mate from successfully performing his duty, as
regards whaling, afterwards,
KNOCKED OVERBOARD BY A WHALE,
Shortly after the mishap to my mate, I also met with an experi
ence. We had captured a whale and was cutting him up at the ship 's
side, when another whale appeared near the vessel,
I was on deck, but lost no time in getting into a boat and making
an attack on the new-comer. He evidently was determined to stand
his ground. When we harpooned him he settled down so our boat
shot over him,
I had the steering oar held flrmly against my side. When the whale
came up he struck the blade of the oar with his fluke. My, but
didn't I go flying out of that boat and into the water some distance
away! The breath was nearly knocked out of my body, but I man
aged to swim back to the boat,
1 got into the boat, and going to the bow lanced and killed the
whale, which all the time kept floundering about the boat, but doing
no damage to speak of, other than my flying trip.
One Sunday after we had given up Whaling on that day, two
whales sported about the ship all day. That night was calm, and lo!
the next morning (Monday) the same whales were near the ship.
I knew they were the same ones, because one was marked with a
white spot on his back. We captured both of them, and they made
350 barrels of oil for us,
A WHALE COLLIDES WITH THE SHIP.
On this same voyage, one foggy, calm Sunday night, a large cow-
whale struck the ship with her flns, breaking away the gangway
board. When morning came the whale was still near the ship. We
lowered a boat and captured her, and got 150 barrels of oil from
the carcass, "BLUBBER-LOGGED" ON A LEE SHORE.
We whaled during the last part of this season in company of a
number of other whale-ships, on the east coast of Kamchatka,

46
Once, after taking a number of whales, and being what is called
blubber-logged (so much whale-fat on board there was room for no
more), while off Kronotzkoi Bay, a strong gale sprung up, blowing
on shore.
Our ship was top-heavy, and could not carry sail to keep off. By
working hard and trimming ship we managed to keep off shore until
the gale abated.
The coast is a dangerous one, and the ship being unmanageable, I
had fears for our safety. When the gale subsided, we found that
we had drifted south to off Petropaulowski, a Eussian settlement on
the coast of Kamchatka, where a large trade in furs is carried on,
DESPERATE FIGHTING WITH TWO SPERM WHALES,
When north of the Sandwich Islands, in latitude 32 degrees, longi
tude 160 degrees west, we fell in with a school of large sperm whales.
Lowering our boats, the third mate harpooned a large whale. The
whale went down and took out about three hundred fathoms of line.
After waiting about three-quarters of an hour for the whale to
come to the surface, another large whale came up near my boat.
We immediately pulled alongside and harpooned him. He proved
to be a warrior, and showed flght, I immediately pierced his lungs
with my lance. He resented my lance thrust by turning on his back
and running alongside the boat, and with his jaws cut in two, at one
snap, every oar on that side, missing the boat by not more than a
foot. He made it very lively for us for some time after, as he "milled"
around shortly and again came at the boat. Having only two oars
left we were poorly prepared to keep out of his way.
When near the boat I shoved my lance, to the socket, into his
head, and by bracing the lance, kept the boat just so far from the
whale. In this manner the whale pushed our boat through the water quite
a distance, and constantly snapping his jaws.
Tiring of these fruitless efforts, he turned to one side; and I hoped
he had given up the chase — but not so, for he again turned and came
at us with apparently redoubled fury.
I had another lance ready, and again pierced his head as before,
succeeding this time, also, in keeping the boat out of his reach.
After running the boat another mile or more, he seemed to conclude
that he was making a fruitless chase: he slackened his speed, milled
around and headed in another direction, all the time throwing out
quantities of blood.
After this he soon turned, fln out, and the battle was over.
In the mean while, the whale struck by the third-mate's boat oame

47
to the surface and was killed, but not until he had stoved one boat
into spliters, and badly bruising two men,
$6,975, RECEIPTS FEOM ONE DAY'S WHALING.
The two whales made us 180 barrels of sperm oil. This oil at
that time was worth $1.25 a gaUon, and there were 31 gallons to
the barrel. Consequently, these two whales, yielded us $6,975 — a
pretty good day's work.
This kind of game being such a fruitful source of revenue, will
fuUy explain why men were wilUng to take so many Ufe-risks, Out
of the jaws of one of these whales I sawed out a cane, which I have
at the present time, and which I wlU be pleased to show to any one
who wiU call at my home in Nordhoff.
Late in the season, the 20th of September, we put away for the
Hawauan Islands, from where we shiped a portion of our catch.
We took this season 2,500 barrels of oil, and 4,000 pounds of whale
bone. JOINED THE CHURCH IN HONOLULU,
After returning from our first trip to the northwest coast, we
remained at the Sandwich Islands about one month, recruiting.
While at the Islands I became acquainted with a number of mis
sionary famiUes, among them Eev, Eichard Armstrong and family.
His son General Samuel Armstrong is now president of Hampton
CoUege, Virginia. I also formed the acquaintance of Eev, Lowell
Smith, and many others. The kindness and attention I received
from these people is worthy of remark.
During this month's stay in Honolulu, myself and two officers and
thirteen seamen united with the Bethel Church, Eev. S. C. Damon,
seaman's chaplain, pastor.
So many men from one ship uniting at one time with a church,
was a new thing in Honolulu and caused much comment in the gov
ernment newspaper, and in pubUc and private places.
Myself, officers, and five of the sailors, were baptised by immersion
in the Pacific Ocean, the other seven sailors being baptised by pour
ing or sprinkling.
The Uncas was the flrst ship to fly the Bethel flag in Honolulu
harbor. I was called by the natives the "mickonary sapin" — ^mis
sionary captain.
Our month's recruiting stay at Honolulu being exhausted, we sailed
south, cruising on or near the equator for about two months, and
taking about 150 barrels of oil. While in low latitudes and mild
weather we fitted our rigging for another northern cruise.

48
HOW MY TEN-DOLLAR PANAMA HAT CAME TO GRIEF,
One pleasant day the mizzen-top-mast rigging was being overhauled.
As I was walking back and forth on the quarter-deck, a large iron
marUn-spike came down, going through the rim of my hat, and in
its descent picking off one waistband button. Striking the deck the
spike pierced a three-inch plank. That was how my new Panama
hat came to be ruined; and it was a pretty close call for me, too.
There is always a laniard, or cord, attached to these marUn-spikes,
and a man working with one in the rigging is supposed to have it
either fastened to the rigging beside him, or the cord sUpped over
his head.
I immediately called the man down from aloft and asked him what
I had done to him that he should drop a marlin-spike onto me.
He burst into tears and begged my forgiveness, I took him by
the hand and said:
"I trust this will be a warning to you to hereafter be careful
when working aloft,"
I did hate to have my nice Panama hat ruined, but was thankful
for my escape.
CHRONOMETERS ANT) WATCHES ALL OUT OP COMMISSION.
Eeturning from the south we made a brief stay at Honolulu, taking
on board recruits for another northern cruise. The fore part of
February, 1845, we again sailed for the northern whaling grounds,
and saw whales on the 15th of that month,
A few days after first seeing whales, going to wind my chrono
meters at 6 o'clock, the usual time in the morning, I found that one
of them had stopped. On examination its chain was found to be
broken. Two mornings thereafter the mate's watch stopped, its
main spring being broken.
On the following day my old chronometer watch refused duty. We
had now nothing but a fifteen-minute hour glass to measure time.
I found it very inconvenient to keep the ship 's position in that
foggy region. My sole dependence was lunar observations, A lunar
observation could not often be obtained, because of the fogs and
hazy weather, MIRAGE OF A MAN WALKING ON THE WATER.
One morning about daybreak, the weather being foggy, the lookout
on deck cried:
"Man walking on the water!"
Taking my glass I went aloft, and sure enough there was a man
apparently a mile distant standing on the water. It proved to be
a man on the lookout of another ship, whioh graduaUy came plainly
into view on the horizon, and there seemed to lengthen out until it

49
was a quarter of a mile long, when it disappeared. This was a
mirage. A few days after the mirage I fell in with a French whaler from
Havre. I boarded his ship and succeeded in buying a watch. The
weather was thick and foggy,
RUN INTO BY A FRENCHMAN.
At 4 o'clock the following morning the lookout cried out:
"A ship coming into us!"
At about the same time the French whaler struck us on her lea-
bow, leaving her bobstays on the flukes of our anchor. Her bow
sprit tore away all our standing rigging, to the foremast, except one
top-mast back-stay.
The strain on the lea-rigging split the dead-eye to the weather-
rigging, and cut off the Ian-yards so that only one weather top-mast
back-stay was left to support the mast. Our ship's rail was stripped.
The jib-boom, flying-jib-boom, and fore-sail were carried away.
Fortunately the French ship had no cargo, and being of light
draught the Uncas escaped without serious damage.
As soon as we could see we secured the mast and before night
everything was rigged in good shape.
Taking the Frenchman's bob-stays in a whale boat I boarded him.
He oould speak little English and was greatly excited. But he was
very grateful and poUte, making up in smiles and gestures his in
ability to talk with me.
A CLOSE CALL— ESCAPE FEOM SHIPWRECK ON BEHRING' S ISLAND,
I then steered for the north, and in a few days entered Behring 's
sea. There being a dense fog all the time I judgd myself to be near
Behring 's Island, latitude 55 degrees north, longitude 166 degrees
east, I hove to with a strong breeze from the southwest in an ugly sea.
In the afternoon the wind died away to a dead calm, and breakers
were heard to the northeast of us.
The weather continuing calm, and the heavy swell heaving to the
northeast, whence came the sound of the breakers, the ship became
unmanageable in the heavy sea, and we found we were nearing the
rocks on the coast of Behring Island,
At 5 0 'clock p, m, we were in the rollers just outside the breakers.
The ship was rolling heavily, and the rollers were breaking over our
deck. All sail was set, but there was no wind. About this time the
fog lifted and we saw that our ship was in a most dangerous posi
tion, for the rooks were within a stone's throw.
At the last moment, when all hope of saving the ship and our
lives was gone, a light breeze from the land struck us, and the ship

50
began slowly to gather headway, and escaped from the jaws of cer
tain destruction.
The white polar bears seen on shore awaiting our arrival, were
doomed to disappointment,
Behring 's Island is high, has a rock-bound coast, and no harbor,
but at this time was green with vegetation. That evening we held
a meeting in the cabin, and returned thanks to God for our preser
vation. We cruised in this region, capturing a number of whales, and on
the 20th day of September put away for the Sandwich Islands.
On our trip back to the Sandwich Islands, two whales oame along
side the ship, and stayed with us. We didn't feel like ignoring them,
and so secured them both, without unusual incident. They netted
us 300 barrels of oil, and 3,500 pounds of bone, which we carried
on deck. A TEMPERANCE SHIP,
The last of October, 1845, the Uncas left the Sandwich Islands,
homeward bound. On our way home we touched at Talcahuano,
ChiU, which at that time of its history was one of the vilest rum-
holes on the coast of South America. We had formed a temperance
society on our ship, and every man had joined it. The rum-sellers at
Talcahuano were much disappointed, expecting to reap a rich harvest
when our ship came in.
Having given my men a temperance lecture, I sent them ashore.
Instead of visiting the saloons each of them hired a horse and rode
out to the city of Conoepcion, seven miles distant from the port of
Talcahuano. Conoepcion is the capital of the province of the same name, and
is situated on the river Biobio, The city is an interesting one to
strangers. It has broad streets and many handsome houses, and it
also had in 1847 many ruins, reminders that the city was three times
destroyed by earthquakes — in 1730, in 1752, and in 1825.
AN EXPERIENCE WITH RUM SELLERS IN CHILI,
My sailors spent the day inspecting the ruins, and in the evening
they all came aboard sober, and in good order. Not one of them had
tasted liquor.
While we were at Talcahuano the liquor-sellers declared that they
would not tolerate temperance ships in their port, and that when
I came ashore for my clearance papers I should receive a pounding.
The morning I intended to leave I took a boat's crew of six picked
men and went ashore. After receiving my papers, on returninof to
the wharf, the rum-sellers and their supporters appeared in full
force. I marched down with my men, and when we came to the

51
boat we halted, as the boys were ready for an encounter. Waiting
long enough for our enemies to execute their threat, we gave three
hearty cheers for Temperance, and shoved off without being at
tacked. After remaining at Talcahuano about twelve days, we resumed our
homeward voyage. In March, 1846, we again arrived in New Bedford,
after an uneventful passage, with 4,000 barrels of oil and 70,000
pounds of bone, MRS, GELETT MAKES A VOYAGE,
The ship having been thoroughly overhauled, was nicely fltted up
to accommodate my wife, who had resolved to accompany me on
my seventh voyage.
We sailed from New Bedford on the 27th of August, 1846, My
first mate, Mr. Eldridge, afterwards a captain, was an excellent
whaleman. My second mate, Mr, Childs, had served with me on the Uncas,
and was a worthy and efficient officer; he afterwards commanded a
ship. On our way to the Western Islands we encountered a gale from
the northwest. The ship rolled heavily; Mrs. Gelett was very sea
sick, and was lying on the lounge in the cabin, but during the plung
ing of the ship the lounge broke its lashings and moved across the
room. Mrs. Gelett looked up, and notwithstanding her deathly sick
ness asked:
"Is that what you call 'a lee-lurch?' "
She was really so sick that I feared she would not live to reach
Fayal, But we came to anchor at this port in good time, and re
mained some days,
Mrs, Gelett was so weak from sea-sickness that when we went
ashore it was necessary to carry her in a Sedan chair from the pier
to the hotel,
Fayal was overrun with donkeys, whioh kept up an incessant bray
ing. The sound was a new one to Mrs, Gelett, as she had never
before heard or seen a "mountain canary," and she asked, "What
kind of a celebration is being held in this place, that they are blow
ing horns so much?" TRAVELLING BY DONKEY EXPRESS,
My wife and myself accepted an invitation to dine with the Amer
ican consul, Mr. Dabney, and his family. As carriages, hacks or
omnibusses were not yet dreamt of in Fayal, to make the trip from
the hotel to the consul's house, Mrs. Gelett was provided with a
donkey to ride, and two attendants, one to lead and the other to
drive. When the donkey stopped to bray the attendant beat him

52
over the head, as a reprimand, A pillion was fastened to the donkey's
back which served as a seat for Mrs. Gelett, but as she had nothing
to hold on to I walked along one side to support her. And thus we
proceeded to the consul's,
DESCRIPTION OP A FAYAL DWELLING AND PREMISES,
Mr, Dabney owned a beautiful and extensive home at Fayal, which
I believe is still in the possession of the family. The house was in
comparably grand — was the dwelling of the place, and the grounds
were very inviting and extensive, being covered with many acres of
orange, lemon, and other semi-tropical and tropical fruit trees, be
sides much ornamental shrubbery and a profusion of flowers.
There is never frost at Fayal to check the growth of vegetation.
We were royally entertained at Mr, Dabney 's home,
Mrs. Gelett gained strength very rapidly during our stay at Fayal,
so that when we again went aboard the Uncas, she was a much better
sailor than when she was carried from the ship to the hotel.
From Fayal we steered south, passing in sight of the Cape de Verde
Islands, The second day after leaving Fayal a school of large sperm
whales came in sight. They were the flrst whales Mrs, Gelett had
ever seen. We gave chase and captured one of the school — a big
fellow who showed flght, and gave us something to do for about ten
hours, in killing him and cutting up his carcass. He netted us 109
barrels of sperm oil. Mrs, Gelett took great interest in this capture,
sitting in the quarter-boat most of the day, and for the time forget
ting her sea-sickness. A POEM ON WHALING,
Notwithstanding her illness, that same evening Mrs. Gelett wrote
the following poem on:
"There She Blows!"
What sound is this salutes my ear,
And breaks my sweet repose?
I list again and plainly hear
The cry of "There she blows!"
I'll sleep once more — no, that's in vain.
As any whaleman knows.
Oh, who could sleep to such a strain.
Of musio? — "There she blows!"
Now I'll on deck, my glass in hand.
To hold above my nose,
I've caught a glimpse, there's no mistake,
I'm certain, "There she blows!"

53
Clear all the boats from stern to bow,
His hump the monster shows:
He's going to the leeward, slow —
Come, hasten, "There she blows!"
To man the boats each sailor speeds.
His shoes far off he throws —
Where they may light he never heeds —
He's thinking, "There she blows!"
Now pull ahead, my hearties, ere
'He turns his flukes and goes;
Pull, pull ahead, we'll soon be there;
I see him — "There she blows!"
"They're fast! they're fast!" the captain cries;
"And see, his life blood flows!"
The crimson through his glass he spies,
Whenever, "There she blows!"
He's dead; now whaleman, come aboard.
And see how much he stows.
And count the coppers you can hoard
From hearing "There she blows!"
Kind lady, scholar, squire or sage.
If out your candle goes,
I pray you, never get in a rage
But think of "There she blows! "

TYPHOID FEVER AND A DEATH AT SEA,
The day after we sailed from New Bedford, Mr. Summers, one of
our crew, was prostrated with typhoid fever. He recovered after
twenty days; but a few days after we lost sight of the Cape de
Verde Islands, James M. Sever, my wife's nephew, was attacked by
a fever, which terminated fatally on the 23d of October, 1846. He
was a young man of good principle and always kept a Bible under
his pillow. We buried him near the equator one evening just at sunset.
At this point I will take the Uberty of quoting from the journal of
this voyage, kept by Mrs, Gelett, As soon as our nephew complained
of being sick we took him into the cabin where better attention could
be given him: EXTRACT PROM MRS. GELETT'S JOURNAL.
"Since I last wrote in my journal I have been called to pass
through one of the most trying scenes I ever experienced. All our
efforts to afford relief to our dear nephew proved unavailing. When
he flrst came from the forecastle I noticed that he trembled, but sup
posed that it was occasioned by weakness arising from his bowel
complaint. He had been with us but a day or two when I felt

54
alarmed at his symptoms. He complained of his mouth as being dry
and perched. There was a convulsive motion of the hands that made
me fear an affection of the brain. We applied mustard to his feet
and wrists and bathed his head in cold water. His nights were sleep
less and confused; strange visions filled his thoughts.
"We soon began to notice appearances of delirium in the daytime;
still, he was mild and pleasant. He would look up at me and smile
and tell me what he was thinking. He complained very little, except
of a sticky feeling about his mouth and throat, which drinking did
not reUeve. The wandering of his mind increased as his disease
advanced. ' ' On Tuesday morning, October 20th, I went to him as soon as I left
my room, and bade him good morning. He returned the salutation.
I asked him if he was glad to see me; he said, 'Yes,' and remarked,
'1 guess I shan't let you go away from me again tonight,'
"As I sat by him after breakfast he began to talk about going
home. He said he guessed the folks would be glad to see him, and
started up to look for his cap, and to see if his clothes looked well
enough. It was with difficulty I persuaded him to lie down again.
He said, 'I must go; I want to see Charlotte today.'
"Afterward, his uncle was sitting by him, and he began to talk
on the subject again. He had two sisters at home, and he wanted
to see them. After talking a while he said, 'There, is it impossible?'
His uncle repUed that it was; he then turned over and said no more
about it,
"During the forenoon he was removed to Mr. Child's room, that
he might have less light and noise. He was delirious during the day
and we were obliged to hold him, to keep him from getting out of bed
to go to perform ship's duty. He seemed to have but little conscious
ness of what was going on around him. He continued to grow worse
during the day. I stayed with him but little after he ceased to
know me, for I could not bear to see him suffer.
"About 11 o'clock p, m. he fell asleep. I think he had not slept
quietly before, during his sickness. We hoped he would wake to con
sciousness; but it was not so.
' ' He failed fast from that on, and at 11 o 'clock on Wednesday he
breathed his last. It was painful for me to think that he must be
buried on the ocean, but I prayed for strength to bear it, and I think
it was granted,
"After the burial had been read, his youthful shipmates performed
the last sad rites of launching his body into the deep. They seemed
to feel his death, for he had gained their friendship, as well as the
approbation of his officers. If his peace was made with God, he has
made a happy exchange of worlds.
"The day after he came into the cabin, he desired to talk with my

55
husband. They had quite a long conversation, in which he expressed
his desire to be a Christian, and to live right on board the ship. He
requested his uncle to tell him if he should see him do wrong. He
seemed to feel very deeply, and wept while he spoke. He said he
had been thinking on the subject a good while, but had never told
any one before; he mentioned that he had been taught to pray when
a child, and he never felt as though he could go to sleep without
praying, "This affliction is from the hand of the Father, and it becomes us
to profit by it. Nothing earthly can console in such an hour, ' The
Lord reigneth,' and shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?"
IN QUARANTINE AT EIO JANEIRO,
A few days after the death of our nephew, six more of the sailors
were attacked by the fever, and I resolved to sail for Eio Janeiro
for medical aid.
On our arrival at Eio, November 4th, 1846, we were met by the
boarding officer and put in quarantine, I requested him to send a
physician aboard immediately, which he promised to do. The day
passed away but no physician came. I hoisted my flag half mast,
union down, the signal of distress. The next day went by and no
doctor appeared.
On the following morning I decided to go on board the United
States flagship Columbia, whioh was lying in the harbor about four
miles distant, UNDER PIEE BY A BEAZILLIAN WAESHIP.
A guard boat was anchored on the quarantine ground, within hailing
distance of my ship. When I lowered my boat I was hailed, but
not understanding Portuguese, of course, did not comprehend, neither
did I care, what was said, I took a picked crew and shoved off,
steering for the flagship.
When we had pulled about a hundred yards, a shot fired from the
guard boat crossed my bow at about the distance of a ship's length.
I knew the next shot would be aimed at the boat and I swung off
so as to bring her stern to the cutter, saying to the boys:
"Don't be frightened — they can't hit us,"
The next minute there came a shot striking under the oars along
side the boat, and throwing the water over us. In a few minutes
another shot struck on the side of our boat.
We were now about a mile distant from the cutter. One more
shot was fired, but it did not reach us, and we were soon alongside
the Columbia, and pulUng up within haU I informed them that I
needed medical aid. The Commodore repUed that my wants should be
attended to immediately. The chief surgeon and his assistant, in their

56
cutter, accompanied me back to my ship; and visited us every morn
ing, while the sickness continued.
According to the regulation, a boat, before going ashore, was
obUged to go alongside the guard boat to be inspected for contra
band goods, and Ukewise on returning.
GELETT DEFIES BRAZILIAN GOVERNMENT.
After having been fired upon, as heretofore narrated, I paid no
further attention to this regulation, but went ashore and returned to
my ship in spite of the cutter, and without further molestation.
My action, in leaving the ship in spite of the guard boat, was
reported to the American Consul. An investigation was had, and it
being shown that no physician had been sent, as requested, I was
commended for my course; which caused much merriment on board
the U. S. flagship, where I was called, "The Plucky Captain."
INCIPIENT WAR BETWEEN BEAZIL AND UNITED STATES.
The christening of the Princess Isabella, daughter of Dom Pedro of
Brazil, was celebrated soon after our arrival at Eio, Bunting and
flags were profusely displayed everywhere, and salutes, in honor of
the occasion, were flred by all the war vessels in the harbor, except
those of the United States — the Preble, and the flagship Columbia.
The United States Commodore refused to participate in the cele
bration, for the reason that some of his men, while on shore, in
charge of their officers, had been arrested by the Brazilian poUce,
The BraziUan authorities were very indignant, and ordered the
Commodore to leave the harbor within forty-eight hours, otherwise
they would sink his ship,
A short time before the expiration of the time Umited, the Com
modore hauled the Columbia in, opposite one of the large forts, and
broadside to, opened his ports, and ran out his guns ready for action.
The threat to sink the flagship was not executed.
The Commodore having waited a reasonable time, and not being
attacked, took his ship back to her moorings.
Complaint having been made by the Brazilians to the United States
government, an investigation was had and the Commodore's course
approved, OBSERVATIONS AND EXPERIENCES IN RIO JANEIRO.
Mrs. Gelett and myself, with some of the officers of the Columbia,
visited the Botanical Gardens, and other places in Eio Janeiro of
interest. During the festivities attending the celebration of the christening
of the young princess, at the imperial palace Mrs. Gelett and I saw
a body-guard of soldiers that surrounded Dom Pedro, but he was so

57
completely guarded that we did not get a good view of His Majesty.
Years afterward, when Dom Pedro made a tour of the United States,
Mrs, Gelett was in a train that passed the Emperor's train — but she
did not see him that time, either.
At Eio we were frequently invited on board the flagship, and were
shown most courteous attention by the Commodore and officers.
There was scarcely a day while we were at Eio that I didn't see
a procession of perhaps flfty persons, headed by two or more chant
ing priests, passing through the streets, and carrying, under a canopy,
some sort of an image of some saint. As the procession passed along
everybody was expected to drop on the knees, and remain in an
abject attitude till the priestly procession had passed. People who
failed to obey this regulation were rapped on the head with clubs,
I have seen persons badly hurt in this way. Whenever I saw this
procession coming, I always got out of the way, and so probably
saved someone trouble, RED TAPE AND AN ANCHOR,
My sick men having improved, we resumed our voyage around
Cape Horn,
I must mention here of the red tape one must wind in order to
get out of Eio Janeiro, after you are once there.
At Fayal, on the way out, we broke our anchor, and replaced it
with another one at Eio, The customs regulations there kept me
busy for three days, however, before I could get permission to load
the anchor on a scow and take it out to my ship, after I had bought it,
I was furnished with a Portuguese interpreter, who accompanied
me here, there, and apparently everywhere that an official had an
office. Going to a door, the interpreter would rap and make a noise
that might be employed by a herder of geese.
It seemed that every government official in the place had to be
personally consulted about that anchor. But I finally got it aboard
the ship — and, weighted as it was with ceremony, it should have held
the ship better than an ordinary anchor,
A FAKE PASS-WORD.
There was a good deal of ceremony about going out of the harbor,
too. We were required to shout a pass-word, previously given to us,
at the last fort as we passed out to sea. The pass-word given to me
was in Portuguese, and I couldn't pronounce it, didn't remember its
sound half a minute, and didn't know its meaning. So v/hen we
passed the fort I shouted out something that meant nothing; and we
went by unchallenged.
After leaving Eio Janeiro, another man was stricken with typhoid
fever, making the ninth case I had had on board. He was sick, and

58
we worked unceasingly over him three days and nights, and had
the satisfaction of seeing him recover.
Off Falkland Island we captured several large sperm whales.
SOME FACTS ABOUT THE ALBATROSS,
I have never read a correct description of the albatross, whioh
are very numerous in the South Atlantic.
Captain Morrell says, in his book, that the albatross takes his prey
on the wing. Nothing can be more absurd; for it feeds chiefly upon
the squid that rise to the surface after having been cut up by sperm
whales. The albatross is a marine scavenger — the buzzard of the sea — and
feeds on the carcasses of whales and other large fish.
The albatross have rookeries at Falkland Island, and also at the
Galapagos Islands on the Equator, and many other islands in the
Southern Seas, They are also seen in the northern ocean, and doubt
less cross dver from north to south.
I have seen southern albatross in northern latitudes, they evidently
following up the whaling fieet. The northern albatross is not so large
as the southern. AN ALBATEOSS ORATOR.
When the ocean was calm I often saw ten or twelve albatross form
a circle. A large male bird, distinguished by the red spots on either
side of his neck, took position at the center and appeared to address
the circle upon some subject of common interest. With a graceful
movement he turned from one albatross to another, until his speech
being ended, he took his place in the circle, to be followed by another
equally eloquent albatross. Sometimes I saw six or seven advance
in succession. SAILOR JOKES ON THE ALBATROSS,
Although sailors never kill them, they often play practical jokes
at their expense. Taking two pieces of blubber that an albatross
can swallow, they tie them to each end of a spunyarn about two
feet in length. The albatross descend in numbers; one would swallow
one piece of blubber, another the other. Now the tug of war begins,
affording great amusement for the sailors, especially when two well-
matched albatross brace off for a desperate swallow.
The motion of the albatross on the wing is very rapid and grace
ful. One was caught off the Cape of Good Hope and a tag attached to
its neok, showing the latitude, longitude and date of its capture. Six
days thereafter the same bird was caught off the coast of Australia,
four thousand miles away. It must have flown with the westerly
gale, at an average of twenty-eight miles an hour.

59
FALKLANDS A GREAT BIRD RESORT,
The Falkland Islands, about three hundred miles northeast of Cape
Horn, are a famous resort for different kinds of sea fowls, which
seem to have a most perfect system in the arrangement of nests and
distribution of territory among the different species.
Uncountable numbers of geese go there to hatch their young. The
ganders act as guards while their mates are attending to their part
of the business. It is not safe for a man to molest these birds, as
they show fight and are very ferocious.
Albatross, speckled haglets, sea-hens, gulls, mollymokes (so-called
by the sailors), and other sea birds, almost too numerous to mention,
also make their home on these islands.
DESCRIPTION OF THE FALKLAND ISLANDS,
The Falkland group is composed of nearly 200 islands, and has
an area of about 13,000 square miles. The two largest islands are
called East and West Falkland, respectively. They are separated
from each other by a narrow sound. East Falkland has about 3,000
square miles, and west Falkland about 2,000 square miles. The others
are small islets mostly inhabited by the birds above mentioned.
On account of the peculiar climate, the thermometer ranging in
winter between 30 degrees and 50 degrees, and in summer between
40 degrees and 65 degrees, with frequent rain and high winds, the
soil is much better for pasturage than for cultivation.
No trees, no fruits, very little of anything but a few vegetables,
are raised. The grass is very rich, and horses and cattle are raised
in great numbers. Pigs and rabbits are abundant, and the coasts
teem with fish.
The islands were first discovered by Davis in 1592, In 1690 they
were visited by Strong, who gave them the name they now bear.
French, Spanish and English settlements have at different times
been formed, but the English have ultimately retained possession of
the islands. Port Stanley is a thriving town on East Falkland. It
has a good harbor, and a population of about 1,500.
A SNOW BIRD COMES ABOARD,
We had pleasant weather after passing the Falkland Islands, and
while rounding Cape Horn, While off the Cape a snow-bird came
aboard the ship, and served not only to break the monotony of life
upon the ship, but was a reminder to us of home, and especially so to
Mrs, Gelett, who at the time — forty-five years ago — -wrote in her
journal of the voyage, the following poem, inscribed to our little
feathered visitor:

60
Lines To a Snow Bird,
Addressed to a Snow Bird, that came on board the Uncas, Feb
ruary 23d, 1847, latitude about 57 degrees south, longitude 74 degrees
west. Welcome, welcome, little stranger!
IWelcome to our floating home.
O'er the ocean wide, a ranger,
Longer, now, thou needst not roam.
Sure, thy little wings are weary,
And thy downy breast is chill;
Leave the billows, cold and dreary —
In our cabin all is still.
Long I've looked on sky and ocean.
And thy image glads my eye.
Fills me with a strong emotion — -
Tell me stranger, is home nigh?
Oft around my mother's dwelling,
When the snow fell light and free.
Have I heard thy kindred telling
The sweet tale of "Chick-a-dee! "
But thou art silent, downy rover.
And thou bringest no news to me;
Canst thou not forget thy lover
And once sing me "Chick-a-dee?"
Silent still? Then silent, teach me
Not to murmur or repine.
He who in thy wanderings watched thee.
Still will have an eye on mine.
Should He please, once more we'll wander
Where our feet were used to stray.
Gaze once more on home and loved ones.
O'er the billows, far away.
Stay thee, little rover, stay thee!
No, thou art gone to soar ou high.
Thus my thoughts should upward bear me.
To the scenes beyond the sky.
Then should ocean make my pillow.
Or a foreign land my tomb,
I should mount upon the billow.
To my loving Saviour's home.

We made a quick passage along the coast to the island of Juan Fer
nandez, or Eobinson Crusoe Island,

61
DESCRIPTION OF ROBINSON CRUSOE ISLAND,
The island of Juan Fernandez, or Mas-a-Tierra, is in latitude 33
degrees 37 minutes south and longitude 78 degrees 53 minutes west.
It is about four hundred miles off the coast of Chile, to which it be
longs. The island is eighteen miles long, six miles broad, and is
mountainous, with steep shores; but the soil is fertile, producing
sandalwood and other sorts of timber, and figs, grapes, and many
other kinds of fruit.
This island was discovered in 1563 by a Spanish pilot named Juan
Fernandez. The story of Alexander Selkirk, a Scotch sailor, who
was, at his own desire, put ashore on this island, and lived there for
four years in solitude, is supposed to have suggested the idea of
De Foe's tale of "Eobinson Crusoe,"
The island upon which De Foe places his hero is off the coast of
Venezuela, near the mouth of the Orinoco,
Mrs. Gelett and I went ashore and visited the cave, where she
sang the song of "Eobinson Crusoe," with the echoes for an accom
paniment. The island was then inhabited only by a few Chilean
convicts in charge of a guard of soldiers; now there are people from
the United States and Tahiti Uving there. Here we obtained peaches
and quinces.
The scenery of Juan Fernandez is wild and rugged. The landing
is on the north side. We did not anchor, but stood off and on for a
few hours. IN HAWAII ONCE MORE, IN 1847,
We arrived at Maui, Sandwich Islands, on the 19th of April, 1847,
Having recruited for our northern voyage, we proceeded to Honolulu,
where Mrs, Gelett disembarked and remained until my return the
following autumn.
On the 15th of May we sailed for the Okhotsk Sea, which we en
tered through the Boussole channel, at latitude 46 degrees 40 min
utes north, and longitude 151 degrees east, and passed near the island
of Chernoi, which is an active volcano. Cruising between this point
and SaghaUn Island we took 2,000 barrels of oil,
A FATAL FIGHT WITH A WHALE,
In July one of my crew was killed while harpooning a whale. As
soon as the whale was struck he threw the corner of his fluke over
the gunwale, striking the midship-oarsman on the side, killing him
instantly; then taking a turn the whale came up under the boat,
staving it into pieces, and throwing out the crew in every direction,
I was soon on the scene. Having picked up the men we renewed
our attack and finally captured the prize. He was a hundred-barrel
whale.

62
At the last of September we put away again for the Sandwich
Islands. We had taken 30,000 pounds of whale bone, in addition to
2,000 barrels oJ oil, which I shipped to New Bedford.
CANOEING AND TRAMPING AROUND HAWAII,
After shipping our cargo of oil and bone to New Bedford, we took
Mrs. Gelett aboard the Uncas at Honolulu, and sailed to the west
coast of Hawaii, where we landed at Kealakekua Bay. Sending the
ship to Hilo, on the east side of Hawaii, in charge of the mate, I
procured a double canoe, intending to double the South Point of the
Island, but finding the sea too rough, we put back to a little harbor
where I engaged twelve natives to carry Mrs. Gelett, who was too
ill to walk, and our baggage. Our caravan consisted of Mrs, Gelett,
her friend Miss Mills, the natives, one of my crew, and myself.
Our way, over rough lava, impassable by horses, led us around
the south end of the island. An old stuttering Portuguese accom
panied us as guide, and interpreter. The first night we pitched our
tent amid brush and ferns. The Portuguese stuttered so fearfully
that it took him sometimes several minutes to reply to a question.
This was for us a constant source of merriment, since when he
finally succeeded in talking intelUgibly be spoke at the top of his
voice, A SHORTAGE OF WATER.
On the second day out our water fell short and following the ad
vice of our native carriers we left the main track, about 500 yards,
and entered a cave, through the roof of which the water dripped and
fell into calabashes, whioh had been provided for the accommoda
tion of travellers. Here we found a good supply of pure, cool water.
Just before reaching the cave we came to a tomato patch. Up to this
time I had always declined to eat tomatoes, but now thirst overcame
my aversion and I ate tomatoes, for the first time, and have never
since ceased to like them.
On the third day just before dark the native carriers cried out:
"Ua ike ia ka hale" — "A house in sight."
Mrs, Gelett was borne on a manele, or stretcher. We soon reached
the house, which was vacated for our accommodation, there being
other houses near. Here, in spite of a horde of fleas, we secured
needed rest. AT WAIOHINU, KAU.
The following morning we obtained horses and made the best of
our way to the mission station of Waiohinu, on the south end of the
island. Arriving about noon we found that the missionary was ab
sent. We took possession of the house and remained therein several
days, waiting for the rain to cease.

63
Becoming impatient after flve days, I discharged all but four of
the natives, and resumed our journey on horse-back. The mission
house was under the lea of a high bluff, and rounding this we en
countered the storm trade-wind and a tremendous down-pour of rain,
which in a very short time filled my boots, Mrs, Gelett being pro
tected by a canvas hood that covered the manele, we kept on our
way until about four o'clock p, m, when we reached a native village
caUed Wlaiohinu, now a large sugar plantation,
HOSPITALITY OF THE NATIVES,
Here a hundred natives gathered around our little party, and the
old deacon of the mission church conducted us to a large grass-house,
which had a number of rooms. This he consigned for our use. Food
was brought us — tare, roast pork and bread fruit. These, with our
own stock of provisions, made very good fare.
The rain continued the following day, and we remained in camp.
On the weather-side of the island it rains about three-fourths of the
time, for the northeast trade winds blow the clouds directly on the
mountains, which lower the temperature and cause the rain-fall.
The next day the natives brought us roast pig and chicken, with
vegetables and tropical fruits. Still it rained,
ARRIVAL AT THE VOLCANO.
On the fourth day the weather improved and we started out early,
hoping to reach the Volcano House before dark. By pushing for
ward with all speed we succeeded, having traveled about forty miles.
Mrs, Gelett having improved, rode part of the way on horse-back.
Here we remained over two nights. In the morning we visited the
lava lake in the crater, which is about three miles from the rim, or
margin, near the Volcano House.
DESCRIPTION OP THE VOLCANO IN 1848.
The visitor descends from the top of the bluff about three hundred
feet to the floor of the crater, and travels three miles to the lake,
which at this time was very active. The crater is about a mile wide,
and elliptical in form.
We reached the lake at about eleven o'clock in the morning, and
remained several hours. The lake was a quarter of a mile in dia
meter, and depressed about ten feet below the floor of the crater.
The walls of the lake were black lava in ragged and jagged forms.
Owing to the sulphureous gas it was not safe to stand on the lea
side of the lake. On this occasion the lake did not overflow its
banks. I had a pole to whioh was attached an iron spoon. With this
ladle I dipped up two spoonfuls of liquid red-hot lava. It was so

64
hot where I stood that my boots and pants were burned and after
wards, in consequence, fell in pieces. But I kept the lava, and still
have it,
I then attached my pocket-knife to the pole and wound the hot
lava around the handle. Near the entrance to the crater we were
guided to the spot where three distinct echoes were heard,
DESCRIPTION OP KILAUEA IN 1871.
I will here record my recollection of a subsequent visit to Ki
lauea in 1871, when the lake was unusually active and overflowing
its banks.
A number of cones were found on the crust of the lake, I ap
proached near enough to extend a long pole toward a cone. It caught
fire when within four feet of the red-hot cone. To approach these
cones I was obliged to walk ten rods on the hot lava. My feet being
uncomfortably hot, I retreated on the double-quick and removed my
boots as soon as possible. Their soles were burnt and soon after
fell to pieces.
While I was there the lava broke out about twenty rods from where
I stood, with a tremendous roar, the column of molten lava rising
to the height of fifty feet. No language can describe the terrific
grandeur of the scene.
Being alone and three miles from the entrance to the crater, and
the heat being intense, I thought it wise to retreat, and make my
way back to the Volcano House,
AN EXPERIENCE IN THB CRATES,
When about two miles from the lake I came to a fissure in the
crater floor where one of its sides had sunk below the other. Being
weary I lay down and used the higher side of the fissure for a pillow.
After I had laid there perhaps fifteen or twenty minutes there
came a sudden tremor, or quiver, like an earthquake, which was
followed by a discharge of hot sulphureous gas through the fissure,
nearly suffocating me.
It is needless to add that I arose and resumed my retreat without
delay. The spectacle from the Volcano House by night was magnificent;
the darker the night the grander the exhibition,
DESCRIPTION OF THE VOLCANO BY MRS. GELETT.
From Mrs. Gelett's journal I am permitted to make the following
extracts: January 6th, 1848. — It seemed as if we should never reach the
houses at the volcano. We were "almost there" a long, long while
before we quite reached the place.

65
Between 3 and 4 o 'clock p, m, we arrived at the accommodation
house, which stands at the brink of the crater,
A man had come from Hilo to have the house open, and we found
a blazing fire ready to warm and dry our wet clothing. The house
and fire-place are in native style, A fire feels very comfortable in
this chilly atmosphere. We have a prospect of some dry bedding
tonight. The lake looks very brilUant this evening, but we ladies
are too tired to enjoy it.
Friday, January 7th, — Woke several times during the night and
by rising up in my bed could look out upon the burning lake; it was
very bright.
This morning was foggy, and we feared it would continue so
during the day. But the sun broke out between 9 and 10 o 'clock a,
m,, and we immediately prepared to descend into the crater, I felt
unable to undertake it, but could not be denied.
The manele was taken down, that I might ride when it was level.
In descending we had some steep precipices to encounter, and by the
time I had descended the first I was glad to take the manele until
we reached the next.
Upon the "black ledge" it was quite level, and I walked and rode
as I chose, until we reached the brink of the lake, whioh is about
three miles from the house.
MAKING LAVA SPECIMENS,
My husband and John Green went where the bank was low and
dipped up some of the burning mass with an iron spoon, which they
had attached to a long pole. The spoon was swallowed by "Pele,"
and they then got some on the handle of a jack-knife.
Miss Mills and I sat down to rest, and watch the liquid fire. We
wished only for the darkness of the night to add to the grandeur
of the scene; we wanted to have a near view of the waves which
were breaking against the bank on which we stood, but we did not
dare go very near its edge, fearing it might give way and precipitate
us into the burning mass.
The crust which forms upon the surface afterwards breaks, and
affords a fine view of the brilliant fire. In many places jets were
cast up many feet into the air, producing a brilliant display of fire
works, I was not half satisfied with looking when my husband said it was
time to return, and we might be shut in by the fog. Ascending the
precipices I found it very fatiguing work. It seemed as if I should
never reach the house. It is very cold this evening,
AT THE SULPHUR BANKS.
Eighth, — Arose before it was fairly light and had a fine view of
the lake. The morning was fair, and we went to visit the sulphur

66
bank before breakfast. It is outside the crater, and but a short walk
from the house. Sulphur might be obtained here in any quantity.
The hot steam issues from the ground in many places, and we could
hear the sulphur burning underneath. It was so hot in some places
we could hardly endure it.
We obtained some specimens, but none so good as we wished. The
frequent visitors do not allow it to form perfect crystals.
As soon as we could get ready after breakfast we started on our
way from the volcano, I rode on horse-back for a change. It soon
began to rain, and did not cease until we reached our stopping place.
AT THE HALF-WAY HOUSE, OLAA,
We got off our horses but once during the ride of fifteen miles. I
was about used up when we reached the half-way house. The road
was very rough and muddy, and we could only walk our horses. We
had some woods to pass through, and a good deal of brush.
The fern is very abundant in this region; it grows in some in
stances fifteen or twenty feet high. From it the pulu is obtained,
which is used for beds, pillows, etc, and the root is used for food
in seasons of scarcity.
We found the half-way house neat and comfortable, but were dis
appointed at not finding a fire to warm and dry us.
Ninth, — Sabbath, Dull and rainy. I was quite ill, and unable to
sit up much. Never spent a Sabbath under such circumstances. The
Bible was our only book, and we had but one copy of that.
THE TRIP FROM OLAA TO HILO.
Tenth, — A fine day, and quite cheering to the company of travelers.
Got ready to start on our way at 7 a. m. The sick woman that we
found in the next house when we arrived, seemed to brighten up
and crawled out to see us before we left. Aiter leaving the half
way house the road was very rough, but it grew better as we ap
proached Hilo, except that it was rather muddy. We enjoyed this
day's journey very much.
In a Uttle grove of young cocoanut trees we halted to take our
cold dinner, and ate it with good relish. We had plenty of native
spectators the while.
From there our way lay through thick woods, and I felt cheerful
enough to join the birds in their songs, A few miles before reach
ing the station at Hilo we left the woods. In going through a deep
muddy pond, my horse undertook to prance a little, and gave myself,
and husband also, a good spattering,
REMINISCENCES OP MR, LYMAN,
From the volcano we went to Hilo, where the Uncas lay at anchor.
At Hilo we were entertained by Eev, Mr, Lyman, a missionary of

67
considerable prominence, who conducted a school for the education
of boys. It was one of Mr, Lyman's sons, who, many years after
our visit, married the little curly-headed girl mentioned in the chapter
treating of my first visit to the Hawaiian Islands, and whose wed
ding I attended. This couple are still living at Hilo, They are now
well along in years, and have a large family of children, two of the
boys being twins.
I once met Mr. Lyman, when he was a young aud single man, on
a ranch in the southeastern part of Hawaii, I was traveling on
horseback and arrived at the ranch just before night. He was stop
ping alone in a Uttle house on the ranch, but made me welcome to
the best accommodation there was,
AN EARTHQUAKE EXPERIENCE,
During the evening we were sitting at a table, and he was reading
the news from a paper I had brought, when there came the sharp
shock of an earthquake, Mr, Lyman did not take his eyes from
the paper but reached out one hand and took hold of the lamp, to
keep it irom upsetting. When he had finished the sentence he was
reading, he remarked:
"That was one of them,"
I made no demonstration of surprise, thinking I could stand it if
he could , But if he had not taken hold of the lamp it would surely
have been upset.
The people on the island of Hawaii, near the volcano of Mauna
Loa, had become so accustomed to earthquakes, that they scarcely
gave them a passing thought. It would be impossible for me not to
diverge at this point from the regular order of happenings; the
subject leads the memory into by-ways.
RACING WITH AN AVALANCHE,
The ranch of which I have just spoken was near a spur of moun
tains running down from the volcano of Mauna Loa,
During the great earthquake of 1868 a part of this spur broke off
and spread itself over the country towards the sea for a distance
of several miles.
Part of this ranch, as also were many others, was submerged by
the huge landslide, Mr, Lyman was not living on the ranch at
that time, but I passed over the place a few days after the sUde,
and was told by a foreigner who lived near there, who witnessed the
slide, that a drove of horses and cattle were swallowed up by the
mighty avalanche of rocks and earth.
He spoke in particular of one young horse that ran a race for
Ufe, with the wave of boulders of the slide, and escaped unhurt.
At the time of this great earthquake that shook down mountains.

there was a tidal wave, and a native village, located near this ranch,
was swept into the sea, and a large number of people perished.
Seventy-nine persons and two hundred houses are said to have been
destroyed on the island by this earthquake.
CAPTAIN BROWN AND THE LAVA FLOW OF 1868,
I will here recount a story of the Hawaiian earthquake of 1868,
that was as remarkable as any that came to my notice. On the south
slope of Mauna Loa lived Captain Brown and his family — wife and
several children. He had one of the finest ranches on the Island.
He had built a large and handsome stone house and had well-kept and
luxuriant grounds, and from every appearance, was pleasantly located
for the balance of his life. But he had not calculated that he was
living over a boiling volcano, that was more than likely to seek a
vant hole some day.
The earthquake tremors continued several days. During those
days at times when the human body could not feel the seismic waves,
water in a goblet was constantly agitated.
At intervals the ground would give a sudden jerk, upsetting
furniture. Captain Brown and family, fearing their house might fall down,
moved out in the yard; and it was well they did, because shortly
after they had vacated the house, an earthquake with more jerk
than any preceding ones, threw out of the house walls the under
stones, causing the whole structure to collapse.
CAPTAIN BEOWN AND THE LORD.
Captain Brown was a very profane man, and when the house fell
down, he said to his wife, "The Lord can't get it any lower, let's
move back into the house." Before he could reach the ruins of his
house, however, there was another and still sharper shock, which
scrambled the ruins, and turned the cook stove, whioh they had
moved out into the yard, bottom side up.
The old captain said: "The Lord has done his utmost now."
But hardly had they righted the stove when there was a flash of
light that nearly blinded them, and they could hear and feel the
surging of the lava under their feet.
With all possible speed Captain Brown and his family fled to a hill
not far distant, and gaining its top and looking back, they saw a
stream of livid lava pouring from a rent in the ground not many
rods above the spot where their beautiful house stood only a few
hours before.
They were in a place of safety, if there was any safety for them,
and with uncontrollable fascination they watched the red river

69
pour down the hill, and over the ruins of their home, over their
beautiful grounds, and on down towards the sea.
As soon as they could take their eyes from the river of lava. Cap
tain Brown and his family walked six miles to the mission station
at Waiohinu, The next day he put his family on board a vessel bound
for Honolulu, and bade them bood-bye, saying he must go back and
see if he could save some of the stock,
CATTLE DESTROYED BY THE LAVA,
Captain Brown afterwards told me that the next day, making his
way back to his ranch, he saw a total of several hundreds of cattle
scattered about on little hills that were surrounded by the lava. The
lava kept rising higher and higher, and one by one the poor cattle
were crowded off into the fiery liquid.
As each animal disappeared there would be a puff of smoke, and
while he yet watched, the last animal in sight disappeared,
A short time before the earthquake, a daughter of the Brown
family died, and was buried on the ranch. Saying no child of his
should rest in such a grave, the old Captain, with the help of a
couple of laborers, set to work to uncover the grave and to remove
the body to a regular cemetery.
At the time of the earthquake Captain Brown had a pet horse
staked out in the front yard. He supposed as a matter of course that
this horse had perished with the other stock. So what was his sur
prise, more than a month after the catastrophe, to find the horse
grazing up in the hills. The animal still had a piece of rope around
his neck, but his coat of hair was nearly all burned off.
The lava had poured from a new fissure in the slope of Mauna Loa,
nearly three miles long, and ten miles from the ocean. It spread
over the entire distance to the ocean, and extended the shore line
an eighth of a mile out into the sea.
FROM LAVA FLOW TO FLOOD.
Captain Brown, heaping maledicatious upon the islands, removed
his family to Washington Territory, and settled upon a ranch there.
I met one of his daughters in San Francisco years afterwards, and
from her, and from other sources, I learned that during a river
freshet. Captain Brown's house was swept away, and one of his
daughters only escaped drowning by the heroic efforts of a young
man, who afterwards married the girl whose life he had saved,
AT THE LADRONE ISLANDS.
Again picking up the thread of the narrative, after our visit of
a few days at Hilo we sailed for Honolulu; Mrs, Gelett having dis-

70
embarked, I pursued my voyage to the Japan Sea, touching at Grigan,
one of the Ladrone Islands, south latitude 19 degrees, longitude
145 degrees 40 minutes east.
Grigan is small but heavily timbered, and abounds in bread-fruit,
bananas, jack-fruit, yams and sweet-potatoes.
The population in 1847 was about one hundred, among whom were
two Englishmen, with native wives. The natives were friendly, and
danced a hideous war-dance for my diversion. They were naked.
We took on board fifteen hogs, fattened on cocoa-nuts. One, when
dressed, weighed 400 pounds. Guam, about 300 miles south of Grigan,
is the largest island of this group. It is twenty-six miles long and
has a fine harbor. Leaving Grigan we steered to the northwest,
passing just south of the Lewchew Islands, into the Yellow Sea.
OVERWHELMED BY BIRDS,
Passing through the Yellow Sea we entered the Straits of Corea
about four o'clock one afternoon; the weather was threatening. Here
occurred the most remarkable thing I ever experienced. Birds,
chiefly barn-swallows, came aboard the ship by thousands. They
alighted on me, hid under my clothes, piled up and on one another,
flUed the cabin, dived down into the hold, hid under the boats and
sought shelter in every place.
At about ten o'clock that night the gale struck us from the south
east. The sea was very heavy, occasionally breaking over the ship.
I knew that we were in the vicinity of Tsu Island, in the straits, and
the storm being so heavy, and there being so many elements of
danger about us, I walked the deck, muffled in storm clothes, all
night, not being willing to trust the management of the ship to
other hands.
We ran all night before the gale, and at daybreak sighted the
south end of Tsu Island, which lies iu the middle of the strait. All
day we ran along the lea of the island, until 4 p, m,, when we passed
the north end. SAVED A SHIP FROM DESTRUCTION.
Shortly after passing the island, we sighted a ship, running be
fore the wind directly for the coast of Corea. I knew the ship was
out of its reckoning, and that if she steered on that course for a
few hours, she would be a wreck on the rocky shore with a foggy,
dark night to add to the horrors of the situation. I set my colors,
and ran them up and down. The ship, seeing my signals, hauled
her wind, and steered on the same course I was taking.
The next day I spoke the ship, and the captain told me that if it
hadn't been for my signals he would surely have run his ship on
the rocks, as he had reckoned himself to be on the east side of the
straits.

71
The wind having somewhat moderated, we steered northeast into
the Japan Sea, The birds remained aboard until the following day,
when, the weather having cleared, they came forth from their hiding
places and flew away, WHALING IN THE JAPAN SEA,
In a few days we fell in with whales and our season's work began.
We took about 1,000 gallons of oil in the Japan Sea, and then, losing
the whales, we steered to the north, running up the Gulf of Tartary,
some 300 miles. Seeing no whales, nor the terrible sea-serpents,
which are said by some imaginative persons to abound in this Gulf,
we steered south and passed out of the Japan Sea through the straits
La Terouse, into the Yesso Sea,
Sailing along the north coast of Japan, sighting the Kuril Islands,
thence north to the latitude of 47 degrees, where we fell in with
whales, and, by September had taken 1,000 barrels, which, with the
1,000 barrels previously taken, and about 30,000 pounds of bone,
made a full cargo. A REMARKABLE AIR CURRENT,
We then put away for Honolulu, passing into the North Pacific
through the Vries Straits, In the evening, about sundown, we passed
out of these straits. For three hours after passing the straits it was
perfectly calm on deck, while there was a strong breeze aloft that
drove the ship through a perfectly smooth sea, at the rate of about
eight miles an hour. In my experience this was an unusual thing
in air currents. We reached Honolulu on the first day of October,
1848. THE CALIFORNIA GOLD FEVER,
While the Uncas lay at Honolulu after our return from the Japan
Sea, a vessel arrived from California, with gold dust aboard, to be re-
shipped to Valparaiso, As I was bound for that port, I took it on
as freight. The gold was packed in small wooden boxes. At that
time there were no vessels plying up and down the western coast
of the American continent.
This gold was said to be the flrst shipped from the new fields of
California, and I never had reason to doubt the truth of the state
ment. The California gold fever was raging at the Hawaiian Island when
we arrived there from our whaling voyage, and two of my men, one
of them the first mate, took the fever and got their discharge from
the Uncas, that they might go to California, Both men, after staying
in California awhile, returned to New Bedford, without having made
their fortunes. They found it harder work to dig gold than to catch
whales.

72
UITATE, AN ISLAND PARADISE,
After remaining at Honolulu five weeks, taking Mrs, Gelett aboard,
on the seventh day of November, 1848, we sailed for New Bedford,
We touched at Uitate, one of the Hervey Islands, near latitude 19
degrees south, longitude 159 degrees 10 minutes west, where we
found an English missionary, Eev, Mr. Eowell, who entertained us
very hospitably. He said the people were all Christianized and that
he would be personally responsible for all that might be taken from
the boat, (I had taken ashore a number of things, such as cutlery,
and cloths, to exchange for fruit, vegetables and other supplies).
The island was indeed a veritable Paradise,
From there we sailed for Valparaiso, where I delivered to the
consignees the fifty thousand dollars in gold dust, I arrived off the
coast of Valparaiso on the morning of January 26, 1849, in a dense
fog, I spoke a small coasting craft, that reached Valparaiso about
three hours ahead of me, and reported a ship coming in loaded with
gold from California,
I had not been at anchor ten minutes before the deck of the Uncas
was covered with visitors from the shore, and "El Oro! El Oro!"
was heard everywhere. MEETING A FRIEND IN VALPARAISO.
While at Valparaiso I attended an examination of an English
school. In conversation with one of the lady teachers I learned that
she was from Providence, E, I, Asking her if she kuew Samuel
Hunt, of Providence, she replied, "I ought to, he married my sister."
Samuel Hunt is my nephew, said I.
No one who has not traveled abroad can appreciate the pleasure
of meeting, in a foreign land, old friends, or those who knew them.
We spent eight days at Valparaiso, where Mrs, Gelett and myself
received much attention. We then sailed for home around Cape
Horn, and arrived at New Bedford in March, 1849,
A VOYAGE TO THE ARCTIC OCEAN,
I remained at my home in Kingston, Mass., eighteen months.
My next voyage was in the new fast-sailing clipper ship Arctic,
of Fairhaven, She was in all respects well equipped for a three-
years' voyage. New officers and crew were shipped by the agent.
Our destination was the Arctic Ocean, which hitherto I had not seen.
We sailed on the 10th of December, 1850, Being late for the
whaling season we made our course direct to Cape Horn, Owing to
head winds and calms we didn't reach the Cape until the flrst of
March,

73
A NARROW ESCAPE IN A GALE,
Off Eiver de la Plata we encountered a heavy gale from the south,
which came on so suddenly as to strike the ship aback, when running
before a light north wind,
I had given my second officer, who had charge of the deck at the
time, orders to let me know if he saw it lightning in the south. He
neglected to do so, though flashes ot lightning had been seen for
more than an hour when the gale struck the ship aback,
I jumped on deck in a minute, but none too soon, as I met a rush
of water coming down the cabin gangway.
When I gained the deck all hands seemed paralized. I gave the
order to let go the halyards fore and aft, myself letting go the main
topsail, main topgallant and main royal halyards.
As the sails came down the ship slowly gained her equilibrium and
was put under storm sails.
Had I not gained the deck the ship would doubtless have gone
down, stern foremost, as many a ship has done with no one left to
tell the tale.
Aiter two days the gale abated and let us go on our course. In
a few days we sighted the Falkland Islands.
Having lost confidence in my second officer I usually slept with one
eye open when he had charge of the deck,
ROUNDING CAPE HORN.
Passing through the straits of Le Maire we came up to old Cape
Horn, which stands out in bold relief, and once seen is never for
gotten. With a spanking breeze from the northeast we steered on
our course. It is not often that ships catch a fair wind doubling
this cape, and when they do, the most is made of it. The Arctic
had all her sails spread, running twelve miles an hour. Four other
ships were in sight, steering the same course with us.
The night came on very dark, with heavy leaden clouds, which are
unwelcome visitors to sailors, especially off this cape,
THE SHIP ON HER BEAM ENDS,
At 11 p, m, I saw a sharp flash of lightning in the south. Without
delay I called all hands and gave the order to take in all sail as
quickly as possible. This was done, but not too soon, for the last
man had not got down from aloft when the gale from the south
struck the ship, throwing her on her beam ends. The force of the
wind was terrific, and did not abate for four hours.
When daylight came our four neighbors were in sight, all of them
crippled. One had lost his foremast, main and mizzen top-mast, and
jib-boom; another had lost fore and mizzen top-mast, main top-

74
gallant mast, and jib-boom. The fourth had escaped with the loss
of all three topgallant masts and jib-boom.
Not a ropeyarn was broken on the Arctic. I had navigated south
ern seas too long to be caught napping.
When north winds are blowing in high southern latitudes and light
ning is seen in the south, it is safe to take in sail as quickly as
possible. By 10 o'clock the next morning the gale had so far abated as to
allow us to make sail and go on our course under close-reef topsail
and courses. For three days, however, we had foul weather, with
frequent squalls of snow, which allowed the boys to have frequent
ganies of snow-balling, AT HONOLULU AND OFF TO THE ARCTIC,
Nothing unusual happened on our way to the Sandwich Islands.
Arriving there we first touched at the island of Maui, where we
took aboard recruits for a six-months' cruise. After a short stay
on Maui, and then touching at Honolulu, we sailed for the Arctic.
The passage north, till we sighted the Fox Islands was without event,
other than the routine of ship life.
After sighting the Fox Islands (latitude 54 degrees, longitude 165
degrees), one morning, a thick fog enveloped us, and we saw no more
land. We shaped our course and sailed through the Ounimak passage.
Later we sighted Pribylov Islands, Being anxious to reach my
destination, I pushed on until we made St, Matthews Island, north
latitude 60% degrees, longitude 172 degrees west, where we saw
many polar bears on shore. These bears are brought down on ice
fields from the Arctic Ocean, and find refuge on the islands.
FENCED OUT BY ICE FOR TWO WEEKS,
Eeaching St, Lawrence Island, with several other ships we were
delayed there a couple of weeks because of a barrier of ice that
extended from Cape Thaddeus, on the coast of Arctic Eussia to St.
Lawrence Island, and continued from the island to the coast of
Eussian America, making an impassable fence of ice all the way
across the ocean at that point. While ice-bound afc the island I went
ashore and bought a quantity of fox and seal furs.
The ice finally broke away near the west end of the island, and
with five other ships the Arctic passed through to the north side of
the island, where in a bay we found the English warship Douglass,
with a tender, at anchor,
HEMMED IN BY THE ICE PACK,
Our experience in this bay was both exciting and monotonous, if
such contradictory terms can go well together. After we had passed

75
through the ice barrier, it closed again, and we were practicably
hemmed in. The weather was very bad — wind, fog and rough water.
For six days the six ships moved slowly about in the bay, watch
ing for a chance to get through the ice in some direction, either
back to the south of the island, from where we had come, or on to
the north. On the sixth day we worked back to the south of the
island, aud in company with a large number of ships, perhaps thirty,
cruised along the coast for a few days, during which time one ship
went to pieces on the shore, A northeast gale cleared a passage in
the ice, and we again headed for the north.
AN ICEBERG EXPLOSION.
Passing St. Lawrence Island we anchored in St. Lawrence Bay,
where we took on board about twenty tons of ballast, the ship being
' ' cranky. ' '
While lying in St. Lawrence Bay, an iceberg, fifty feet high, that
had broken away from a glacier at the head of the bay, drifted down
to within a half of a mile of the ship and exploded with a loud
noise, breaking in pieces as large as a ship's hull.
Eesuming our voyage from St, Lawrence Bay, where the iceberg
exploded, near our ship, when in the north part of Behring Strait,
in company with nine whaling ships, we encountered a solid barrier
of ice reaching across the strait.
SEVEN SHIPS OUT OF NINE LOST IN THE ICE,
The next day a gale of wind came up from the south, blowing
directly on the ice,
I put the ship under close-reefed top-sails, reefed course, reefed
spanker and fore and main spencer.
The gale continued for seventy-two hours, during which time I
never closed my eyes, making my longest abstinence from sleep.
Seven of the nine ships went onto the ice and were lost. Their
masts fell on the ice and their crews thereby escaped.
NO SLEEP FOR 72 HOURS,
During these three days and nights I did not leave the deck. The
helmsman was lashed to the wheel. The water was cold, its temper
ature being 40 degrees, and the seas swept the deck, from stem to
stern. Finally the storm abated, but having so long been deprived of
sleep, I was unable to sleep when the opportunity was presented.
Finally I took an opiate and ordered the mate to awake me after
six hours.
When the time arrived, they could not arouse me, "We'll let
him sleep a couple of hours longer," said the mate. When the two

hours had passed and I did not then awake, they became alarmed
and renewed their efforts to awaken me; but ten hours had elapsed
from the time I fell asleep before I became conscious again.
My nerves never fully recovered from the strain of those seventy-
two sleepless hours in Behring Strait.
WHALES FRIGHTENED AWAY.
In a few days the ice broke up and we steered north to N. Lat. 70°,
where we again met a solid barrier of fleld ice, consisting of hum
mocks, and cakes rising from one to flfteen feet in height above the
level of the sea. We cruised along the ice toward Icy Cape looking
for whales, but there being so many ships, the whales had been fright
ened from their usual feeding ground.
MIDNIGHT SUN PUZZLES THE CHICKENS.
Ships on a long cruise always carry chickens on board to help out
the larder. While in the Arctic Ocean, the land of the midnight sun,
our chickens were "all at sea," sure enough. They didn't know
when to go to bed, and showed so much anxiety about the matter, that
we fixed up a dark place for them, and put them in there at six
o'clock each night, and took them out again about five o'clock in
the morning. TRYING TO HARPOON A POLAE BEAE.
One day we saw a white bear swimming in the water about a mile
from the ice barrier. We concluded we would Uke to capture him, and
lowered a boat and gave chase, intending to harpoon him. The bear
kept out of our way, and gave us a Uvely chase for a couple of hours,
before we gave it up as a bad job. When we were almost in harpoon
ing distance, the bear would dive, going very deep into the water,
and come to the surface out of our reach. These polar bears swim
as well as ducks, and go out and dive in the water in search of flsh
for food. They are always found, when away from land, within a
short distance of floating ice.
A PIGHT WITH A BULL WALEUS.
We saw many schools of walruses, and captured many of them. We
came near being over-matched by a bull walrus one day. We had
harpooned a cow, and had her in tow of the boat. The bull, defend
ing his mate, attacked the boat, running his tusks through it. If we
hadn't speedily succeeded in killing him with lances, he would surely
have swamped the boat.
It was little ice and many whales the previous season, and much
ice and few whales this season, and, disgusted, on the flrst day of

77
September I put away for the Sandwich Islands, without having tak
en a single whale.
One ship that put away with me was never heard from; she was
probably wrecked on the Fox Islands and all hands perished.
20 SHIPS IN A KONA STOEM AT LAHAINA,
We arrived at the Sandwich Islands about October 1. While at
Lahaina recruiting, there came on a gale from the south, blowing on
shore. There were some twenty ships at anchor. Many of them got under
way, as it was not safe to remain there at anchor during a southerly
gale, A number of ships barely escaped being wrecked. I got the
Arctic under way in time to escape without trouble. When the gale
abated I returned and finished recruiting, and sailed for the coast of
Southern California, touching at Honolulu for letters and home news.
A WEECK AT SEA,
In latitude 29° north, longitude 121° west, I fell in with a large
lumber-loaded schooner laying on her side, or beam-ends, with her
masts in the water. Hanging to the main rigging was part of a
woman's dress, or skirt, of light-colored calico. There was a rope
tied around the shroud in which the dress was entangled, having the
appearance of some one having been lashed or tied to the rigging.
In my mind there was no doubt but some woman had met her sad fate
there. CRUISING OFF GUADALUPE.
We touched at Guadalupe Island, in latitude 29° north, longitude
118° west, where we obtained a fine lot of fresh fish. This island is
not inhabited, or was not at that time, and from its barren appear
ance I doubt if it is worth pre-empting.
We next sighted Cape St. Lucas, where I went on shore and pros
pected for the precious dust, which was causing such a furore in Cali
fornia, at that time. My prospecting, like many others, ended in
disappointment, ahd I returned to my floating home, and, after cruis
ing a few weeks in the Gulf of California, with no success, I put
away for the Galapagos Islands.
A TEEEIPIO BATTLE WITH A GIANT WHALE.
In latitude 10° north we saw and captured our flrst whale. He was
a large sperm whale and a warrior. When the harpoons were thrown
into him he became so enraged that he would go for a boat on sight.
Having chewed up two boats and crippled a number of men, I had
not an officer that would tackle him again. Not being wilUng to

78
surrender and let so valuable a prize escape, I took a picked boat's-
crew and renewed the attack.
Getting directly ahead of the monster (a whale cannot see an object
directly ahead of it), I ordered the men to pull, giving the boat all
the speed possible, and when within a few yards of the whale's head,
the boat was sheered off so as to pass by his head, and before he be
came aware of our approach I was abreast of his Ufe, and plunging
my lance into his lungs I left it there.
In a moment he rolled over, striking the steering oar with his jaw,
breaking the oar in two and throwing the steersman overboard. The
man was a good swimmer and struck out for dear Ufe away from
the whale.
We could not stop to pick the man up, for the whale was in hot
pursuit of us, and it required all our skill and strength to keep out
of his reach, VICTORY OVEE A 1000-YEAE-OLD WHALE,
After a long and exciting chase the ' ' old whale of a thousand
years" gave up and turned fln out, dead. He was a very old whale,
as his teeth were worn down nearly to the gums, and some of them
were much decayed, I have no doubt he was one thousand years old.
He yielded us one hundred barrels of oil, worth at that time more than
three thousand dollars.
AT COCOS ISLAND— CAPTAIN KIDD'S HAUNT.
Steering to the southeast, in a few days we sighted Cocos Island,
latitude 6 degrees north, longitude 87 degrees west. I have been told
that this island has been dug nearly all over in a search for treasure,
said to be buried by Eobert Kidd and other piratical celebrities.
Concluding from my experience at Cape St. Lucas that my fort was
not in gold hunting, I did not go ashore. The island is a pile of
sand, with little vegetation.
AT THE GALAPAGOS ISLANDS AGAIN,
In a few days we sighted the Galapagos Islands, and landed on Al-
bermarle, the most westerly island of the group, where I had landed
more than ten years before to obtain terrapin. Everything remained
as I saw it on my flrst visit. The same stepping stones to ascend
the steep and rooky bluff. The same old peUcans perched on the
rooks, and apparently the same sea gulls on the cliffs, where they
hatch their young. And when we ascended to the high table-land
the home of the terrapin, there we found them in large numbers.

79
OLD FRIEND TERRAPINS,
The same old monster was found that we saw there in 1841, with
the ship India's name marked on his back, and with the names of
many other ships; one dated back to 1820, I have no doubt but the
same old chap is there now, and will be for many years to come.
Their age is said to be from one to one hundred years.
The large terrapin are not taken away, as they cannot be carried
down the steep rocky way that leads to the landing.
In flghting, the one of these terrapin that can get its head up
highest, when they meet face to face, is master. The one flnding
itself vanquished, gives a hissing noise and draws its head under its
shell. It is very amusing to see them in "mortal" combat.
ORANGES IN NEW GRANADA,
After taking on board some twenty of these monster turtles, we
sailed away, cruising on or near the equator until we reached the
coast of New Granada, Seeing a few huts on the shore, I landed, and
found the people friendly, I obtained a quantity of the best oranges
I have ever seen in any part of the world. Some of the trees were
very large, measuring I should think, two feet or more in diameter,
near the ground, and with wide spreading branches loaded with the
golden fruit. Obtaining a boat-load of the delicious beauties, I
returned to the ship and put away for what is called the "off shore"
whaling ground. OPPICERS SCARED AT WHALES,
There we saw whales, but my officers had become so panic-stricken
with the flghting whale I had taken, that they would not venture near
enough for the boat-steerer to reach the whale with his harpoon;
but the whales were frightened away.
In a few days more whales were seen, and I myself went in pur
suit. We soon came alongside of a fifty-barrel whale, and in went
the harpoon. In a short time I had him fin out (dead) aud alongside
of the ship.
I cannot say that I felt very amiable towards my officers; but
they declared that they came on a right whale voyage, and did not
pretend to know the art of sperm whaling.
After cruising a few days longer, the weather being bad, and see
ing no more whales, I put away for the Sandwich Islands, where we
arrived in Mareh, 1852.
WILLIAM EMEESON SAILS TO THE OKHOTSK.
Having recruited for another northern voyage, we sailed on the first
of April for the Okhotsk Sea, William Emerson, son of Eev. Mr.
Emerson, a missionary at the Sandwich Islands, accompanying us on
our voyage, in search of health.

80
DEATH OF WILLIAM EMEESON,
A few weeks out from Honolulu, on our way to the whaling grounds
of the north, I observed that young William Emerson, who accom
panied us in the hopes of benefiting his health, was losing strength.
I did all I could for him, even to giving up my swinging bed, that
he might rest easy, the sea being rough. The last time he went on
deck was during a snow storm, a sight he had never seen. He seemed
delighted with the sight, but was much exhausted when returning to
the cabin. From that time he failed fast, and in a few days it be
came evident that his life was fast ebbing, although he was uncon
scious of the fact.
Peeling it my duty to inform him of his condition, I did so as
quietly as possible, while he was lying in the swinging bed. He seem
ed much surprised, and said, "Must I be buried in the ocean?" I
could not answer his question, aud he closed his eyes, tears cours
ing down his cheeks.
For some fifteen minutes he did not move a muscle, then opening
his eyes and looking at me with a smile I shall never forget, he said,
"I am going to see Jesus," and he began at once to make ready as
though he was about to start on a journey.
He requested me to write down his last messages to his parents,
and brothers, and sisters. He had made quite a collection of corals,
shells and lava, aud he dictated who should have this, that and the
other, with a clearness that was surprising.
Having finished his last will and testament, it being near evening, he
requested to see the officers and men, I told him to compose him
self and rest until morning before seeing the men, which he did. I
sat by him until twelve o'clock that night, when a Christian young
man took my place, with orders to administer stimulants as directed.
At six o 'clock in the morning I found him anxious to see the officers
and men. After breakfast the officers came to his bedside, and he
took each one by the hand, telling them that he was going home to
see Jesus, and giving them a word of advice and a good bye, Uke
one starting on a journey. So in the course of the forenoon he said
goodbye to all the ship's company of thirty-six men. That night at
eleven o'clock he breathed his last.
A BURIAL AT SEA,
The next morning a shroud was made and the body prepared for
burial by being sewed up in a heavy canvas, and having weights at
tached to the feet to sink the body, that it might flnd a resting
place in some coral bed at the bottom of the ocean, I have often
thought how dreadful must be the stillness down there.
The body was kept on the quarter deck until four o'clock in the

81
afternoon, when all hands were called to bury the dead. The ship
was luffed to the wind with her main topsail aback to stop her head
way. The gangway board was taken out and the body laid on a
plank. I then read the Episcopal burial service and the body was
launched into the deep.
After laying by an hour, as was my custom after burying a man
at sea, the ship was put on her course. Our longitude at the time
of the burial was 180°, or on the meridian, where the day begins; and
latitude 47° 31' N.
With a fair wind and a smooth sea we made all speed for our
destination. "MAN OVEEBOAED,"
Two days later we encountered a furious gale from the southeast.
Being anxious to gain our whaling ground I did not lay to, but skud
under storm sails. About twelve o'clock that night a wave broke
over the ship, taking away one of our boats, and the cry of "Man
overboard!" was heard, I was on the hurricane deck at the time.
Jumping onto the main deck I saw that one man was gone from the
wheel. On going past the round house I saw the man hanging to
the spanker boom guys. With my help he was soon back to his place
at the wheel.
Keeping the ship away two points, she made better weather of it
until the gale abated.
The next day the sun shone, and we ascertained our latitude and
longitude. The good weather was of short duration, as the follow
ing night a northeast gale came on, with snow and sleet.
Expecting to pass through Amphitrite Straits the next day, I kept
a sharp reckoning of the ship's course and the distance run.
INTO THE OKHOTSK IN A SNOW STOEM,
The next day brought a heavy gale and a blinding snow storm. I
carried a heavy press of sail, and determined to pass through the
straits before night. At two o'clock p. m. I had all hands on deck,
with men stationed on the foreyard and flying jibboom. The color
of the water had changed from blue to a bright green, indicating
near approach to land. Seals were seen in large numbers.
My officers showed signs of fear, and I must say it was a somewhat
exciting time; but nevertheless I was determined to sight the land.
In a few minutes the man on the flying jibboom shouted: "Break
ers ahead!" The helm was put hard starboard, and the ship came
round, head off shore, but so near the rocks that a stone might have
been thrown on shore. We soon passed through the straits and into
the Okhotsk Sea.
We then steered to the northwest, for our whaling ground.

82
MEETING THE BAEEIBE ICE,
Two days later we came to the ice, which seemed to stretch all the
way across from Cape Elizabeth to the shores of Kamchatka, a dis
tance of four hundred miles.
For a number of days we coasted along this barrier of ice. When
within about fifty miles of the west coast of Kamchatka we saw an
opening which extended to the north as far as the eye could reach
from the masthead. Into this opening I determined to go, and take
my chances of getting through to the north of the ice. The passage
where we entered was about one mile wide.
With a fair wind from the south the Arctic sped on her way, with
an ice wall on either side, for eight hours, making a distance of
sixty miles or more. Here the passage closed and there was only
one thing for us to do, which was to take in all sail and let our ship
go into the ice. This we did successfully and for six days we lay
ice-bound, but working our way to the north with all sail set, press
ing through the fleld ice as best we could.
IN A FEEEZING GALE,
On the sixth day clear water was discerned to the north and we
hoped soon to be out of the ice. We were doomed to disappoint
ment, as a sharp gale came down upon us from the north, with intense
cold — so cold that the men were driven down from aloft before the
sails were all furled. Some of the men had frozen fingers, and some
frozen ears. Not being willing to see the sails blown away, I jumped
into the rigging, saying, "Who will follow me?" Ten men came to
the rescue, and we secured the sails, but not until every mother's
son of us was more or less frozen. My own fingers were frozen to
the second joint. I took the frost out by holding my hands in ice-
cold water. This was a painful operation, but it saved my fingers,
as it did those of the other men.
BARRELS OF WATER FEOZEN IN THE HOLD.
The gale continued its fury for three days; and it was all we could
do to keep from freezing in our cabin. Ten-barrel casks of water
stored in the ship's hold were frozen solid, and we found it neces
sary to hoist them on deck and knock the heads out to get water
to drink, and for culinary purposes.
When the gale did abate the ship had been blown back many miles
into the ice, and was frozen in, so that it was many days before any
move could be made. But a south wind came, bringing a warm wave
which soon released us, and in a few days we reached the open ocean
to the north of the ice.

83
WHALES A-PLENTY,
We were no sooner out of the ice than we saw whales in large
numbers, I sent my three officers in pursuit of the whales, and my
mate soon harpooned a large one.
I watched the maneuvering of the officers as they worked unsuc
cessfully around the whale. Becoming impatient at the fear manifest
ed by the men, I lowered a boat and was soon alongside and had the
whale's life-blood flowing. Without saying a word to my officers, I
returned to the ship. We soon had a whale alongside. More whales
were in sight, and my mate and I went in chase. In less than two
hours we had another large whale alongside of the ship, and secured
the bone and blubber, or fat.
A 200 BAEEEL WHALE,
The next day, there being whales near the ship, I again sent my
officers in chase, but not until I had given them a "curtain lecture."
The mate soon got up to a whale, and in went the harpoon, Down
went the whale taking out two hundred fathoms, or twelve hundred
feet, of line. After remaining down more than half an hour, he came
to the surface, and was dispatched. He was a monster, yielding over
two hundred barrels of oil and two thousand pounds of bone.
WHALES AND SNOW STOEMS,
For ten days the weather continued flne, in which time we took
eight hundred barrels of oil and twelve thousand pounds of bone,
worth, at that time, eighteen thousand dollars. A snow-storm came
on and continued three days, but the wind was Ught and the sea
smooth, so we managed to flnish up our work and be ready for more
whales when good weather came. I have seen many snow storms
during my travels, but never have I seen snow fall so fast as in
this storm. Four men were kept shoveling snow off the deck to enable
us to carry on our work.
On the 10th day of May the weather cleared, but no whales were
in sight. We cruised along the northern edge of the ice until the
flrst of June, when we sighted the coast of Kamchatka; I went ashore.
I saw no signs of human beings, but there were many deer and
moose near. Their tameness reminded me of the poem by Cowper,
"Verses supposed to be written by Alexander Selkirk" (whose island
experience probably furnished DeFoe with material for his celebrated
book, "Eobinson Crusoe," which appeared in 1719.)
"The beasts that roam over the plain,
My form with indifference see:
They are so unacquainted with man.
Their tameness is shocking to me."

84
AN 1100 POUND MOOSE,
I walked up within twenty yards of a large moose and shot him
through the heart. The others with him ran a short distance and
then stopped to see what was up. We dressed our prize on the spot,
as he was too heavy to carry in bulk.
When dressed the moose weighed over eleven hundred pounds. I
landed at the same place two weeks later, but saw neither moose
nor deer; instead, mosquitoes were legion. The animals had evidently
been driven from their feeding ground by these pests. We beat a
hasty retreat, but were followed by thousands of the blood-thirsty
wretches, even to the ship.
This coast is sloping irom the mountains, and has a rich soil,
vegetation growing very rank.
An ambitious settler might here preempt a quarter section, with
mosquitoes thrown in, and there would be no one to contest his claim.
From this coast we steered west to longitude 150 degrees east, where
we saw several ships, much field ice, and many whales, but the latter
had been so "dogged" by the boats from the ships that they seldom
ventured out of the ice. WHALING IN THB ICE,
Conceiving the idea that they might be attacked in the ice, I
landed on the ice and drew my boat up, A short distance from
where I landed was an opening — a large "air-hole" — about one hun
dred feet long and perhaps thirty feet wide. Before leaving the ship
I had noticed whales coming up to this opening.
I stationed myself near the edge, with lance in hand, but had not
waited long before two whales came up, side by side, one of them
so near me that I plunged my lance into his lungs.
The commotion made by the monster was somewhat startling. He
hit the cake of ice I was standing on and broke it in two.
I was thrown into the water, and but for the men who were with
me, I might not be here to tell the tale. It was decidedly a cold bath,
but the excitement kept me warm.
A WHALE IN HIS DEATH STEUGGLB,
The whale soon oame up in an opening about a quarter of a mile
away, and threw out his life-blood in large quantities. We scrambled
over the broken ice as best we could, and came up to the whale just
as he commenced his death struggles. He showed his immense strength
by throwing out of the water cakes of ice that weighed tons. His
struggles were soon ended, and he came up fin out.
The next thing of importance was to get the ship to the whale, as
it was not possible to get the whale out of the ice to the ship. Eun-

85
ning the ship alongside of the ice threw the head sails aback, stop
ping headway. Theu shivering the after sails the head of the ship
fell off, striking the ice before getting much headway. I then press
ed on all sail, forcing the ship through the field-ice to the loose patches.
In less than an hour we had the whale fast alongside of our ship,
and before night we had his blubber and bone on board.
While we were working with the whale the wind had changed and
the ship drifted back into the open sea.
While looking through a spy glass at a passing ship, I discovered
a dead whale in the ice only a short distance from us. We soon secur
ed the prize and had him alongside our ship. The two whales made
us three hundred barrels of oil and three thousand pounds of bone.
VISITED BY MULTITUDES OP BIEDS.
The ice melted rapidly, and in a few days there was neither ice
nor whales to be seen.
In latitude 50 degrees N. and longitude 147 degrees E. the weather
assumed a very peculiar appearance. There was a bright halo around
the sun, and heavy leaden clouds along the eastern horizon.
All the afternoon land birds continued to come on board our ship.
Late in the afternoon they became very tame and sought shelter
under the boats, flew down the hatchways, in the cabin, and wher
ever they could flnd a hiding place. I had a large after cabin which
I gave up to the little visitors. Among them were blue-birds, black
birds, bulfinches, one old robin red-breast and many other kinds un
known to me.
Our ship was made ready for the gale that I knew was approach
ing, and which struck the ship with great fury about ten o'clock
that night. A SEVEN-DAY STOEM.
The storm came from the northwest, and lasted seven days, during
which time we saw neither sun, moon nor stars. For two days the
gale continued with unabated force, with a sharp sea that con
stantly broke over the ship. Having secured the tiller a little below-
midships, to keep the ship's head up to the wind, I sent aU the men
below excepting one officer.A SHIP ENCASED IN ICE,
Nothing could be done with the ship for she was completely cover
ed with ice, from the main truck to the water line.
The rain and sleet continued for six days, aU the time freezing as
fast as it struck the ship.
The shrouds were covered with ice to the size of a nail keg, and all

86
the rigging in proportion, so that the ship became top-heavy rolUng
her planksheer under water.
HEAD PIEST THEOUGH THB SKYLIGHT.
I was ioolish enough to climb up on the hurricane house, to see if
any thing was in sight; the ship gave a lurch, sending me off head
foremost onto the skylight over the cabin.
My head went through the glass and my shoulders caught on the
framework protecting the glass. In this case the glass was not
protected, but went jingling onto the cabin table. The officer hav
ing charge oi the deck was below lighting his pipe.
Extricating myself, I stepped behind the round-house as he came
on deck, and when he came near I asked him, "What made aU that
noise in the cabin?" He answered, "The skyUght has been broken
in." I asked him how it happened, but he did not know.
There was much speculation among the officers as to how it could
have happened, but they got no Ught on the subject from me; so it
remained a mystery to the end of the voyage.
A DAY WITH THE BIEDS.
I spent the remainder of that day in the after-cabin with the birds.
They had become very tame, so much so that they would light on my
shoulders and arms, and allow me to handle them. I fed them on
bread crumbs, corn meal and canned meat, all of which they partook
of freely.
They were very iriendly to each other, but none of them ventured
a song. Like the IsraeUtes, their harps had been hung on the willows.
AN "ICE SHIP."
On the seventh day in the afternoon the sun broke through the
clouds and shone on our ship. A more beautiful sight I never saw —
an ice ship, in every sense of the word; every part glistened in the
sunshine. The next day was fine and the morning clear and crisp, with a Ught
breeze from the south.
At eight o'clock I opened the side-lights to the cabin and let the
willing captives go free. In a short time they were all on the wing,
speeding northward to the Asiatic coast.
After an hour the old robin came back and re-entered the cabin,
but she soon left and ¦^e saw her no more.
I missed the little wanderers more than I can tell — but so it is ever;
our pleasures of today take to themselves wings.

87
FEBEING THE SHIP FEOM ICE.
The south wind and a bright sun brought warmth and cheer, and
we began the task of freeing our ship from ice. The decks were easily
cleared, but it was no easy task to clear the rigging. As the ice
thawed, large pieces oame down from aloft with head-breaking force.
One man was badly cut and bruised about the head and shoulders.
We had to work cautiously, and were two days in freeing the ship
so we could go on our way.
It is difficult for those who have not experienced such a storm to
iuUy realize the gloom that settles down on the minds of those who
are called to face the dangers of the sea.
To me, however, the grandeur of such a storm as I have faintly
described, drives away all fear and fills me with reverential awe.
Just as soon as we had freed the ship from the ice, we steered to the
southwest and soon sighted the Asiatic coast, in latitude 56 degrees
20 minutes north.
There we saw many whales; and in two days we had harpooned
six of them and lost two hundred fathoms of tow line. The whales
went to the bottom as soon as harpooned, entangling the line round
the rocks, breaking it, and then went off with the harpoons. Leav
ing this rocky coast, we went off shore and succeeded in capturing
a number of whales. WHALING OFF THE SHANTAR ISLANDS,
Late in July I fell in with the ship Eobin Hood, of New London,
Captain McKinley. The captain came on board my ship and we
agreed to go in company to the Shantar Islands, in search of whales.
These islands lay off the Siberian coast, in latitude 55 degrees north
and longitude 137 degrees 30 minutes east.
Steering to the southwest, when within fifty miles of the islands a
thick fog came down on us and continued three days. The wind was
light and the sea smooth.
"YANKEE DOODLE" IN THE FOG,
When we judged ourselves to be near the land, we sent a boat ahead
of our ships, with a bugler who had orders to play "Yankee Doodle"
if he saw land.
It was not long before the notes that have stirred the blood of
many a patriot were heard. The ship was luffed by the wind, head
off shore; and in a short time the fog lifted and I found we were in
the mouth of the straits leading to the bays and harbors inside tbe
islands. Passing through the straits we f cunj nvacu iloating ice, but worKea
our way in until we struck soundings and at guniowTt came to an
chor for the night.

EIGHTEEN HOURS AFTER A WHALE.
At daylight whales were seen near the ship, and we gave chase.
Soon I came alongside of a large fellow, and in went the harpoons
and off went the whale ior the ice and under the ice.
I attached two drags to the line. These drags are eighteen inches
square, made of plank, and offer more resistance when in the water
than a boat does.
The whale soon came up a half mile in the ice; we scrambled over
and through the ice, getting near the whale, when he disappeared,
but soon came up another half mile away.
For six hours we kept up the chase, until I got near enough to throw
my lance into his lungs, which soon brought him fln out.
It was ten o'clock that night before the ship reached the whale,
making eighteen hours we had toiled for our prize.
The following day was foggy. Whales were heard off in the float
ing ice. Many sea lions and fur seals came round the ship; sea-fowl
also in large flocks passed by. I shot quite a number, and we had
a sea pie for all hands. The canvas-back ducks were fat and deUcious.
Our partner, Captain McKinley, came aboard, his ship being at an
chor about three miles away. He also had taken a large whale.
THB MYSTBEY OF SEA ICE,
At sun-down the fog Ufted and many whales were seen, but no
ice was in sight.
There is something mysterious about the disappearance of ice out
oi the ocean,
I was once cruising along a fleld of ice in the Okhotsk Sea which
extended flfty miles east and west, and as many miles north and
south. A thick fog oame up and lasted twenty -four hours; when the fog
liited, to our astonishment no ice was to be iound, but the whales that
had been sheltered in the ice were ranging around as though they
had lost their hiding place, — and to many of them it proved that
they had, TOWED TEN MILES BY A WHALE,
On the following day I harnessed another large cow whale which
proved very refractory and went in any direction she pleased, regard
less of the lines.
I was towed about ten miles up the straits toward the open ocean,
when she suddenly turned and headed for the land a mile distant.
When near the shore she went down and came to a halt. I well knew
she was rolling on the bottom, and soon we hauled in the end of
our line which had been entangled round the rooks and broken.

89
The old whale went off seaward, taking with her two harpoons
which no doubt proved to be "Thorns in her side."
Eeturning to the ship, and more whales being seen, I sent my offi
cers in pusruit.
My mate struck a smaU whale and soon brought him to the ship.
Up to this time my second and third mates had not been near a
whale, much to my disgust.
Next day a small whale came up near the second mate's boat, and
the boat steerer sent iu the harpoons. The whale carted him around
the bay for hours, when at length I managed to board his boat. Or
dering the men to haul in the line, we were soon alongside the whale.
MATE WHO DIDN'T LIKE HIS JOB,
I told my second mate I would hold the boat alongside the whale
until he killed him or until the whale stove the boat to spUnters.
He then plunged the lance into the whale's lungs — and with a bull
frog's leap he jumped overboard in the opposite direction from the
whale. As he could swim, and another boat was near, I did not stop to
pick him up. We soon had the whale alongside the ship.
I told my second and third mates to lash their boats on the cranes,
as they were no help in catching whales. Soon after my mate was
taken sick with heart trouble — (of whioh he afterwards died).
I now had the fleld of battle all to myself. My mate, however, soon
raUied and was able to accompany me as a helper in case of a stoven
boat. After I had taken a number of whales a gale came on and blew for
forty-eight hours.
The ship dragged her anchors until she was within a short distance
of the rocks, when, fortunately for us, the gale abated. A long speU
of foggy weather followed.
Black and cinnamon bears were numerous on the Shantar Islands.
They oould be seen on the shores at all times of day. I shot a num
ber and we had all the bear meat we wanted. As for myself, I was
like the man who could eat crow but didn't hanker for it.
EXPLORING THE LAEGB SHANTAE ISLAND,
The second day after the gale abated, together with flve picked
men, I went on shore on an exploring expedition. We had two shot
guns loaded with buck-shot, two men had boarding knives and two
had sharp hatchets. We landed on the southwest side of the big
Shantar Island and proceeded up a gentle slope towards the summit
or highest part oi the island.
Black bears were numerous and very tame; we passed within a few

90
rods of many of them. They would sit up on their haunches and
make a dismal whining noise, but they showed no disposition to
attack us. A FIGHT WITH A BEAE,
One large cinnamon bear that came directly in our path, gave us
to understand that he did not turn out for any two-legged animal.
He turned first one side to us and then the other, and then sat on
his haunches, all the time keeping up a noise that was half whine
and half growl.
When we were within a few feet of him I ordered a halt and drew
my forces in line of battle. Myself and the other man with a gun
were in front, next stood the men with the boarding knives, the men
with the hatchets in the rear.
Our enemy showed plainly that he meant au attack. I ordered my
man with the gun to aim at his heart as he turned his side to us,
while I took deUberate aim at the side of his head. I gave the order
to fire.
To my astonishment the bear rushed at us with terrible fury, but
fell dead at our feet. We did not stop to take his skin, as it was
shedding time and the skin of no value.
A GRAND VIEW.
When at about 500 feet elevation we got above the fog, and a
grander sight than the one that met our eyes cannot be imagined.
Spread before us was one vast sea of fog, with the tops of the isles
peering above; and the bright rays of the sun gave a rainbow appear
ance to all around. On reaching the highest peak we had a fine view
of the Siberian coast. The fog had disappeared under the rays of a
noon-day sun, affording a view grand beyond description.
After a cold lunch we began the descent, diverging somewhat
from our ascent. When about half way down we came to a heavy
wooded ravine, mostly spruce and Norway pine. We did not venture
far into the timber, but skirted along on a ridge overlooking the
valley. We saw many red and gray foxes. I shot one, but found the
hair falling out and the skin worthless, as in the case of the bear.
A SHE-BEAR BOBBED OF HEE CUBS.
Coming to an opening down in the ravine we saw two young bear
cubs playing in the grass.
I knew it would not be safe to molest them, but my men plead so
hard to capture them that I consented. They soon had the young
varmints in their arms. One of them made a pitiful cry when caught;
and I told the man who carried the other gun to look well at the cap,

91
for in case of pursuit by the mother bear we could not afford to miss
fire. We made a hurried march for a half mile or more, and began
to breathe with a little more ease, when one of the men cried out,
"SHE IS COMING !"
We changed our walk to a double-quick march, but it soon became
evident that our legs were no match for the bear's. The bear was
within a few hundred yards of us, rushing on in maddened fury. Only
those who have been chased by a bear robbed of her whelps can
fully realize the effect it has on one's nerves.
I ordered the men to drop one of the cubs, thinking the mother
might be pacified and relinquish her pursuit. But not so. After a
stop of a few minutes, giving us a hundred yards start, she renewed
the chase.
Being tired of the fun (?) and somewhat weary, and the old bear
being uncomfortably near us, I ordered the men to drop the other
cub. Coming up to the cub the mother stopped; we also stopped,
determined to stand our ground ii she came after us again. The old
one Uoked and caressed the cub, looking round at us occasionally and
giving a growl that conveyed the idea that she meant business. But
she evidently had no more use for us and we resumed our march.
WILD CUEEANTS,
We passed some beautiful openings among the spruce and fir trees.
In one place we came upon a clump of red-currant bushes, loaded
with ripe fruit. The sight of the fruit transported me instantly to
my New England home and my boyhood days. For a moment the old
farmhouse was before me, with all its surroundings — father, mother,
brothers and sisters were present with me, and I was a boy once
more. * * * We gathered of the fruit all our lunch pails and
baskets would hold. A FIGHT WITH THESE BEAES.
Arriving at the place where our boat was, we found three black
bears standing guard, and they showed no disposition to retire. We
walked up to within a hundred feet of them, came to a halt and held
a council of war.
Two of the varmints sat upon their haunches, facing us, and show
ing their teeth, all the while keeping up an ugly noise that was
neither growl nor whine. It did not take us long to determine what
we would do. Like General Grant, we "proposed to move imme
diately," and taking deliberate aim at the breasts of two of them
we fired simultaneously.
One bear fell over dead; the other made one bound towards us and
also fell dead. The third bear seemed astonished at such unlooked-for

92
proceedings, and left the field of battle on a double-quick. It was
sundown when we reached the ship with our booty.
On the following morning whales were in sight, near the ship, and
before 12 o'clock I had two alongside, which kept us busy until very
late that night getting the blubber and bone on board.
NO WHALING ON SUNDAY,
The next day many whales were in sight, but as it was Sunday
they were not molested. Since my first voyage as master of a ship
I have not allowed whaling on the Sabbath, nor profane language
to be used on my ship; and reUgious services were held when the
weather would permit.
On Monday morning whales were numerous. During the week I
captured six, but had the misfortune of a stove boat and one man
badly hurt, not escaping some cuts and bruises and a cold bath myself.
We were in the water over an hour before being rescued by my mate.
WRECKED BY A COW WHALE.
One of the captured whales was a large cow. When harpooned she
went to the bottom and ran furiously sea-ward through one of the
channels. It was more than an hour before I could get near her
and then only near enough to dart a spade into the small part of the
body, near the flukes — which is a very sensitive part of the whale.
She stopped suddenly and commenced lashing the ocean furiously with
her flukes. At length she became quiet and I gave the order to pull
up to her, broadside. Placing my lance into her lungs I churned it
up and down a number of times, when she settled under the water.
HURLED INTO THE AIE,
The next moment we were hurled into the air, together with oars
and the broken parts of the boat. The injured man was hauled onto
the largest piece of the broken boat, and held there by two good
swimmers. I dove under the stern part of the boat, — what was left of it —
and got the flag we always carried to signal boats when we were in
distress. This we managed to raise four or five feet above our
heads, which was soon seen by my mate, who was following us as
best he could.
We were rescued from our predicament, and the old whale that had
raised such vigorous objections to being killed was towed to the
ship and soon found her way into the oil barrels.
It was now the first of September and the season was drawing to a
close. For a number of days we had a dense fog and calm weather.
Our neighbor was anchored about five miles from us.

93
CONVEESATION AT A DISTANCE OF FIVE MILES,
One of these foggy mornings I heard a man on board the Bobbin
Hood say, "Did you hear that whale blow?" A man answered,
' ' Yes. ' ' Then I heard the order given to call all hands and man the
boats. The orders given were as plainly heard as though the ship had
been within a hundred feet of us. The whale was harpooned, killed
and taken to the ship; and we knew all the particulars in regard to
the transaction as well as those engaged in it. Still we were five
miles away.
The peculiar state of the atmosphere at the time of course accounted
for the sounds coming so distinctly to us. More than one instance
of the kind came to my notice.
CAPTUEING WILD SWANS,
On the following morning I heard the honk of swan in the direction
of a point of land making out into the bay. Hoping to get a shot
at them I rowed to the point; arriving there the cries were heard
stiU farther away. I knew then that they must be at a small island
five miles distant, which had a flne bay and harbor.
I continued my journey, and when within a mile of the island the
fog Ufted, and — there was our game. Getting within thirty yards, I
selected a large, flne-looking bird and was about to flre when they
dove. As I had never been able to approach so near them before, I con
cluded that it must be their molting time. They soon came up and
as we approached they again dove.
When they reappeared we gave chase and in a short time tired
them out and captured six. One was a very large male bird; — and
he fought Uke a tiger, tearing off the sleeve of a man's shirt and
badly lacerating the arm. The birds were taken to the ship and put
in a snug corner back of the hurricane house.
FIGHT WITH A BULL WHALE.
A little before sunset a whale came up near the ship. I went in
chase and soon harpooned it; it proved to be a young bull.
He ran and fought furiously; cutting right and left with his
flukes, he broke two oars and disabled one man. Being crippled
with the loss of two oars and one man, and being five miles from
the ship and three miles irom my mate 's boat, and the sun having set,
we had to work cautiously. Eealizing, however, that a desperate
chance must be taken and the whale killed, or the line eut and whale
let go, I decided on the former course, and throwing the line out of
the chocks of the boat and bringing it to the bow-cleat, I ordered
the men to haul line.
When within ten to flfteen feet of the whale's life, I plunged

94
two lances, one after the other, into his lungs, and gave the order
to slack Une. I expected a demonstration — and we had it.
WHALE SMASHES THB BOAT,
The whale struck the bow of the boat, cutting off the upper part
and starting off the plank from the stem, which caused the water
to rush in, threatening to swamp us. By sending the men into the
stern I managed to keep the boat afloat until the mate came up and
took us off. In the meantime the whale had turned fin out, dead.
It was midnight when we got the whale and the disabled boat to
the ship. The injured man was much bruised but soon recovered.
A BELLIGEEANT SWAN,
The next morning after breakfast I went to have a look at my
birds. As I stepped into the narrow passage where they were domi
ciled, the female birds were huddled together, but the male bird
stood boldly out in front and faced me as I approached.
When I was nearly within arm's length of him, he sprang upon me,
seizing my shirt collar, (a wool shirt), tearing away part of the shirt,
and at the same time striking me on my ribs with his wings. I beat
a hasty retreat. The next time I viewed my birds it was at long range.
Before noon whales came up near the ship, and by night we had
two more alongside. The foUovring day we took another. This gave
us so much to do there was no time to bother with birds, so I ordered
them thrown overboard; they went off towards the land honking, and
I presume rejoicing in their freedom from bondage.
No more whales were seen until September 15th. In the mean
time our neighbor, the Eobin Hood, had anchored near us, and,
whales being in sight, boats from both ships went in chase, they
having four boats against my one. The mate of the Eobin Hood
succeeded in capturing a whale, I returned to my ship, but I must
say, not in a very pleasant mood.
Next morning at dawn of day the officer having charge of the deck
came and woke me up, saying whales were near the ship. It was not
many minutes before my boat was in the water, and before sunrise
I had a large whale fin out, and we soon had him alongside our ship.
A SCHOOL OF 100 WHALES.
After breakfast more whales were sighted, and I, v^ith my mate,
gave chase, but it was hours before we came up with them, as they
were moving in a body up the bay.
There must have been a hundred whales, large and small, in the
school. Our neighbor's boats were also in chase.
When about four miles from our ship, and near the head of the

95
bay, I oame up with, and harpooned, a whale beautifully marked
with white spots, a real calico whale, and a real race horse. She
carted us about the bay until I despaired of securing our prize; it
was after sunset before I got near enough to plunge a lance into
her lungs. She stopped as soon as her Ufe blood began to flow, but
it was dark before she turned fin out. We were now five miles from
ship and the tide was setting us still further away.
ANCHOEED ALL NIGHT WITH A WHALE.
I anchored my boat, and so held the whale from being taken farther
away from the ship. Soon after dark a dense fog shut down on us.
We then got supper, which consisted of sea biscuits and cold water. At
twelve o'clock that night the tide turned, setting in the direction
of our ship; we took up our anchor and were taken along at the rate
of a mile an hour. At flve o'clock in the morning the fog liited and
we iound ourselves within a mile oi our ship. We were soon along
side the ship with the whale. GIVEN UP FOE LOST,
We had been given up for lost, our comrades supposing that we
had all gone to sleep in the bottom of the quiet bay. But there had
not been much sleep for us, with the mercury down to the freezing
point. We had kept from being frozen by exercise, such as thrash
ing our hands and pulling our ears.
I hardly need to say that we were tired and sleepy when we reached
the ship. I felt well satisfied, however, when I saw our prize along
side the ship. Fog settled down upon us again and no more whales
were seen lor some days.
About this time two more ships came into the bay and anchored
near us. One was a German whaler and the other an American
whaler. RIDING OUT A GALE,
About the 20th of September the weather became threatening and
I got my ship under way, and made a harbor in a bay on the south
side of FikUshoff Island, where I had captured the swan previously
mentioned. The other three ships made a harbor under the lee of
the great Shanter Island, and we all rode out the gale in safety,
though it blew "great guns."
On the 25th of September whales came in sight, and boats from all
lour ships went in chase. We lowered our two boats and joined
the others, but the whales were so thoroughly awake to their danger
that they put seaward out through one of the channels, on a double
quick.

96
FOECING A PIGHT WITH BEAES.
When returning to our ship we passed a high bluff, with a rocky
point making out into the bay. As we rounded the point three bears
were seen eating the carcass of a whale that had drifted on shore.
The mate of the Eobin Hood was half a mile in advance of my boat.
Having passed the bears, he pulled in shore to cut off their retreat,
as they could not pass the rocky point mentioned, and the bluff back
of the beach was some twenty feet high.
There was a eut a quarter of a mile up the bay, where the bears
could pass up onto the table land. The bears started for this cut,
and seeing their enemies landing, they started on a double quick
and passed the boat before the men could cUmb up the rocky shore
to cut off their retreat. The third bear, however, like GalUo, "cared
for none of these things," but walked leisurely along, attending
strictly to his own business.
ATTACKING A BEAE WITH A SPADE AND A EOCK,
Two men had climbed to the beach; one a boat steerer and the other
the bow oarsman.
The boat-steerer took his position on shore near the high bank,
with a boat spade, a formidable weapon when skilfully used. Ben
took a position on a rocky bank near the water, armed with David's
weapon — only he had no sUng.
Knowing the disposition of the cinnamon bear I took in the situa
tion at once and made aU possible speed for the fleld of battle, and
arrived just in time to save Ben's life.
As the bear passed between the two men the boat-steerer threw the
spade, cutting a sUght gash in the bear 's hindquarter and at the same
time Ben let drive his rook, hitting the bear on the side of the head.
These acts thoroughly aroused bruin, and I think that if there had
been any hair on the top of my head, it would have stood on end.
FIGHTING A BEAE IN THE WATEE,
The bear went for Ben with a roar that meant business, and the ter-
rifled boy leaped from the rocky bank down some fifteen feet into
the water, and the bear after him. The bear Ut on Ben's back,
fearfully lacerating it and sending him under water.
It was some little time before the poor fellow again came to the
surface, and when he did old bruin was on hand to flnish his bloody
work, and with one savage blow of his paw he stripped the flesh from
the side of the poor feUow's head and face, nearly severing the ear,
and sending him again to the bottom.

97
HAEPOONING A BEAE,
At this moment, I arrived at the bloody scene and plunged a har
poon through the vitals of the bear, killing him at once. Two good
swimmers at once dove down in fifteen feet of water and brought
Ben to the surface, and we took him in our boat. He was apparently
dead, but before reaching his ship, the Eobin Hood, he showed signs
of life. When Captain McKinley learned of what had happened he
was much exercised, and his language to his mate was more forcible
than complimentary.
One of the ships that had recently arrived had a surgeon aboard.
He was sent for, and soon arrived with his bandages and surgical
instruments, and the work began. The ear was sewed on, the scalp
put in place, the cheek stitched and the back dressed, and Ben was
put to bed, a wiser man. Captain McKinley asked him if he ever
would trouble another bear, Ben whined, ' ' Not if I know who I am. ' '
He recovered but was somewhat disfigured.
Soon after sailor Ben's rough experience with the angry bear, the
weather became stormy and cold. Small whales came into the bay,
but they were very shy and would not allow the boats to come near
them. GALES AND SNOW STOEMS,
On the first day of October, 1852, we left the Shantar Islands with
a fresh northwest gale.
The following night the wind came from the northeast, with a
bUnding snow storm. We carried a heavy press of sail, hoping to
weather Cape Elizabeth, which is from one to two hundred miles
northeast from the mouth of the Armoor river, on the Siberian coast.
All the next day the storm continued unrelentingly, and before
dark I gave orders to put the ship about, as it was doubtful if we
could weather the Cape.
At midnight the wind was blowing heavily and the ship was put
under storm sails. I knew we must be near the Cape — but all we
could do was to wait for dayUght.
ON A LEB SHOEE IN A GALE,
At daylight I found the ship had drifted into a large bay, and
there we were on a lee shore with no hope of escaping shipwreck
unless a harbor could be found. Eunning along the shore, I soon saw
a rooky point making out into the bay, and rounding the point I
brought the ship into a small bay, and anchored in seven fathoms of
water.

98
A BEIEF EESPITE,
Only those who have experienced a gale in a bUnding snow storm
on a lee shore, can imagine the reUef there is in gaining a harbor.
Our harbor, however, was only safe for au easterly gale.
The ship lay quietly at anchor through the night, during whioh
time the gale abated.
At daybreak a bright streak of clear sky in the northwest indicat
ed a gale from that quarter.
I immediately caUed aU hands and ran out six hundred fathoms
of tow-Une off shore, and heaving up the anchor we soon warped the
ship far enough off to get under way; — and we were none too soon,
for the gale came down on us, blowing directly on shore.
I carried a heavy press of sail and was able to make a 'longshore
course, though at times skimming along past the rocky points, so close
that a stone might have been thrown into the breakers from the
ship's deck. A DBSPBEATE EACE WITH PATE.
For four hours this exciting struggle continued, the ship plunging
bowsprit under, and the waves making a clean break over our deck,
washing overboard everything that was not firmly lashed.
The last rocky point that we had to pass was now in sight, two
points off our lee bow.
The question was: "Can we weather the point in such an ugly
sea?" At the risk of being washed overboard we trimmed the sails, and
taking the heUn myself with another man I exerted aU my skiU in
easing the ship as she plunged into the waves.
For two long, anxious hours we watched every flaw of wind. Some
times a favorable flaw in the gale give us fresh hope, and then a flaw
heading us off towards the rocky point would again darken our hopes.
To tack ship was impossible in such a sea, and there was not room
to wear round, so we must weather the point or be dashed on the rocks.
A CEUCIAL MOMENT.
It was a crucial time for men's courage.
As we neared the point ashy-pale faces were to be seen.
When within one-eighth of a mile from the point I had no hope —
but another flaw iu our favor gave us another chance of again seeing
home and friends.
Our noble ship seemed aware of danger, and reared and plunged
like a frightened deer.
When directly off the point a huge roUer Ufted the ship high in air,
throwing her ou her beam ends. When she righted and came down
in the trough of the sea she touched the bottom, but not heavily.

99
The next wave took us past the point, and we felt as though we
had been snatched from the jaws of death.
When our ship touched bottom huge rocks showed their heads above
water within twenty feet of us.
ESCAPING SHIPWEECK BY TEN FEET,
I calculated that we escaped shipwreck and the loss of our lives
by not more than ten feet. Had I not taken the wheel, or helm, myself,
I would not be here to tell the story of our escape, so I think.
In these extreme cases of danger the coolness and courage of men
are brought to the point. My mate stood by cool and collected, while
my second and third officers were as Umber as a wet rag.
Some of my crew showed qualities of courage worthy of noble men,
while others were utterly useless.
I will mention one man who had boasted of his bravery, pretending
that he feared neither God nor man, and who jeered at the men who
attended religious services in the cabin. During our dangerous
passage of the rocky point he was the first to cry out and call on God
to save him. OFF FOE HAWAII ONCE MORE,
Before dark we passed Cape Elizabeth, and with a fair wind steer
ed ior Boussole Channel, leading out into the Pacific Ocean. Thence
our course was to the Hawauan Islands, where we arrived on the flrst
of November, 1852.
I shipped our season's catch to New Bedford, and fltted the ship for
another season.
Shipping new officers I again sailed for another season to the
northern seas, by way of Hongkong. As I was to pass near the
Micronesian Islands, I consented to take the mail to the missionaries
who had located there the previous year.
MEETING THE MISSIONAEIES IN MICEONBSIA,
The mail I took to the missionaries on the Micronesian Islands was
the first they had received since leaving their homes and friends more
than a year before. I found Eev. B. G. Snow and wile on Strong's
Island in good health, and doing a good work among the natives.
Alter staying on shore a few hours I returned to my ship and two
days later touched at Ponape, or, as it is better known on charts. As
cension Island, where Eev. A. A. Sturges and L. H. Gulick, with their
wives, were located.
TEEACHBEOUS NATIVES AND VILE POEEIGNEES,
These missionaries were having a hard time, the natives being
treacherous. They also had to encounter a horde of vile foreigners.

100
"enemies of all righteousness," who use all their influence with the
natives to hinder any and aU progress towards reform and Christian-
ity. After remaining at this island but a few hours, deUvering their
mail, I went on my course for Hongkong.
We passed near Guam, one of the Ladrone Islands, and entered the
China Sea through Basi Channel, sighting the south point of Formosa
Island. THEOUGH THE CHINA SEA.
In passing through the China Sea, we saw numerous Chinese junks,
or fishing boats. We counted one hundred in sight at one time, and
we came near running some of them down in the night.
When about ten miles irom the entrance to Hongkong harbor I
took a Chinese pilot; he was a stupid looking lellow and I did not Hke
to give up the ship to him, but with his help the harbor was gained
and the ship saiely anchored. A SAMPAN CEEW.
A sampan was engaged to wait on my ship. The crew oi the boat
consisted ol the lather, mother and lour children. Josh bringing up
the rear. A Uttle place was fitted up in the stern ol the boat, and
there, in a Uttle nook, was a small wooden image with a plate oi
fruit and a taper, which was constantly kept burning, before it.
"Do you ever see Josh eat?" I asked.
The man replied: 'Me no see, but he eat plenty."
The wife was skillful with the scull, and could manage the boat
as well as the man could.
I was told that she was born on a boat and had never slept a night
on the shore, though she must have been forty years old.
A GOLD EAGLE THAT WAS PAINTED BLACK.
I obtained a good supply oi vegetables lor my northern cruise,
painted my ship outside and had a large eagle, that was carried on
the ship's stern, gilded.
The Chinaman who did the gilding could not be prevailed upon to
do the work until the day belore I lelt the port, but belore we were
ready to leave port the job was completed.
When only a iew days out, I looked over the ship's stern to see our
beautiiul eagle. What was my surprise to discover he had become as
black as the ace ol spades.
"For ways that are dark,
And tricks that are vain," etc.
I had a desire to have that Chinaman on board the ship lor a short
space ol time, but he was at Hongkong and I on the rolUng deep; but
the eagle remained black to the end ol the voyage.

101
When leaving Hongkong our pilot took us round the west and south
side, so we circumnavigated the island. We had a rough time get
ting out ol the China Sea, against the northeast monsoons; but a
lavorable current helped us out.
In latitude 21 degrees north and longitude 121 degrees 30 minutes
east the wind lelt us, and it continued calm ior many days.
DEIPTING AMONG EOCKS,
In the meantime, the current took us along some two miles an hour
in the direction ol the Bashi rocks, an ugly reel.
At twelve o'clock one dark night, the filteenth day out oi Hong
kong, the rocks were discovered only a short distance Irom us.
In a short time breakers were heard, and soon we were in the midst
oi breakers. On the port side, breakers, and on the starboard side
rocks were seen standing out in the darkness, like grim ghosts.
On the current took us, through narrow passes.
Alter an hour ol intense excitement and anxiety, we passed out
between two rooks, which stood like sentinels keeping guard lor old
Neptune. The next day we had a breeze Irom the southeast. Steering to the
northeast, in a iew days we sighted the Lew Chew Islands, and
passed into the Tong Hai, or Eastern Sea. Steering to the north, in
search ol whales, we entered the Yellow Sea, but saw no game worth
mentioning, although we remained there some ten days.
WHALING IN THE COEBAN STEAITS.
We then steered to the east, and when off Quelpart Island, near the
mouth of Corean Straits, the sound of ' ' there she blows ! ' ' was heard.
Soon three boats were sent in chase. From the masthead I watched
the maneuvering of the new officers.
The second mate soon got up to a whale and in went the "gigs."
The whale out right and left, but the boat escaped without damage.
Now came the tug-of-war.
The whale showed all the opportunity for being killed that a whale
could show — but no life-blood flowed.
SHOWING THB OFFICERS "HOW TO DO IT."
After a half -hour's waiting I ordered my boat lowered, and with
disappointment and disgust I started for the field of battle.
Pulling up to the whale I sent my lance into his lungs and churned
it up and down a few times, and then went back to the ship without
saying a word to any one; but I have no doubt I looked daggers at
them. I did not speak to one of my officers for many days, unless it

102
was in regard to ship's duty. My disgust was best manifested by
silence. NEW OPPICBES WOESE THAN OLD,
I found my officers quite ignorant in regard to taking the oil and
bone from the whale after he was brought to the ship. This made my
position a very trying one. I almost wished my former officers back.
It reminded me of a song I heard when a boy:
"I married a wife. 0 then, O then —
I married a wife, O then —
I married a wife — the plague of my life,
And the world it went ill with me then!
My wife she died, O then, O then —
My wife she died, O then —
My wife she died — I'll be hanged if I cried.
For the world it went well with me then.
I married another, O then, O then —
I married another, O then —
I married another — far worse than the other.
And the world it went ill with me then."

COASTING ALONG JAPAN,
After looking about a few days where we had taken our whale, we
steered to the north and passed through Corea Straits into the Japan
Sea. In passing the straits we had a fine view of Tsu Island, near
the middle of the straits. We coasted along the west side of the
island so near that we could see the people on shore.
There were many beautiful harbors, with ships passing in and out.
The land, so far back as the eye could reach, appeared to be under
high cultivation, with grain fields, orchards and ornamental trees.
A land beautiful to look upon, with hills and dales, cities, and ap
parently beautiful country residences. I longed to go on shore, but I
knew I should not be a welcome visitor, as the country was not open
to foreigners at that time.
BOUGH WEATHEE AND EACE HOESE WHALES.
We found cold rough weather in the Japan Sea. But few whales
were seen, and they were very shy, and when harpooned were real
race horses. I was fast to one eight hours before he gave me a chance
to pierce his lungs with my lance.
After taking six whales that made only five hundred barrels ol oil
and five thousand pounds of bone, and having had two boats stove in,
two men severely injured, and my officers and men demoraUzed virith
fear, I put my ship away to the north, running near the land on the

103
west coast of Japan. Much ice was seen, and navigation became diffi
cult and dangerous.
Passing through La Perouse Straits, we entered the Sea of Yesso,
where we again encountered fleld ice. Coasting along the north shore
of the Island of Yesso, on the most northern shore of Japan, I man
aged, after many days of anxiety and nights of wakefulness, to get
through Pico Channel into the Pacific Ocean,
COASTING PAST THE KUEILB VOLCANOES,
We steered to the northeast, keeping the Kurile Islands in sight.
Many of the islands were lit up by volcano fires by night and their
chimneys smoking by day.
One of these chimneys is worthy of special mention. It is in lati
tude 46 degrees 35 minutes north, and longitude 150 degrees 30 minutes
east. I should judge its base to be one-third of a mile in diameter,
and the top not more than ten feet in diameter. Its height must have
been from two to three thousand feet.
We sighted it at five o 'clock in the morning and it was five o 'clock
in the evening before we ranged up alongside of it, within a quarter
of a mile. We could see the gulls perched on its crags.
When we first saw it, it must have been one hundred miles distant,
as we ran twelve hours, making eight or nine miles an hour.
It was belching out liquid fire as we passed, making a most bril
Uant display even in the day time, aud after dark it was grand be
yond description. FOECING THB ICE PACK,
After a few days we again entered the Yesso Sea through the
Aniphitrite Straits, where we had entered the year before in a gale
of wind and a blinding snow storm.
Steering to fhe south we saw much field ice with open channels, so
we made our way until in latitude 55 degrees 30 minutes north. Here
we came to heavy packed ice. Steering to the east along this barrier
for some days, we sighted the west coast of Kamchatka, When near
the land I found an open passage to the north. Into this I put the
ship, though with some misgivings as to the safety of the ship, should
a westerly gale come up, forcing the ice onto the shore.
After running some forty miles up the coast, night came on and
we anchored in fifteen fathoms of water.
About midnight a breeze came up from the west, and soon the ice
began to move down on us, and it was not long before the strength
of our cables and anchors was put to the test.
Fortunately for us, no heavy body of ice struck the ship, and she
escaped with the loss of a part of her cutwater and some of the copper
and sheathing from her bows.

104
FAST IN THE ICE,
When dayUght came we found our ship enclosed by ice on all sides,
and between us and the land was a safe bridge. The wind continued
to blow on shore for three days and nights. Then came a three days'
calm. The ice did not move, neither did our ship.
The men were on shore much of the time. Three moose were shot,
that, dressed off, altogether weighed 2700 pounds.
Five reindeer, three of them fine large bucks, were added to our
stores. Hair and fur seal were plentiful; but it was out of season
for fur, so they were not molested.
PIGHT WITH A HB-BEAE,
I made one excursion of ten or twelve miles inland. There was
much snow in the ravines; many black bears were seen, but only one
was shot, and he because of his warlike attitude. He was a large cin
namon bear of the male "persuasion," and he stood for his rights.
When within thirty or forty feet of the brute I saw he meant busi
ness, and drawing up my forces in line of battle, I ordered the man
having one of our two guns to fire. He did so, aiming a little back
of the shoulder.
The bear did not fall, but with a terrible roar rushed upon us.
When he was within fifteen ieet I opened fire, pouring a charge oi
buckshot into his mouth, face and eyes. It is needless to say he drop
ped dead. "We left him alone in his glory," ou his native sod.
He was a plucky brute. EXPLORING IN KAMCHATKA,
When about two thousand feet above the ocean, we came to a black,
rooky strata, which extended north and south along the coast so far as
the eye could reach.
Here we halted ior lunch. The day was bright and sunny and the
view was grand. On one hand there were snow-capped mountains, and
on the other an ocean oi ice, with green fields intervening, divided by
ravines and gorges, packed with snow.
On these green fields we saw reindeer and moose in large numbers.
Foxes were also numerous and quite tame. Two wolves were seen,
but they considered it wise to keep at long range.
I was surprised to see with what rapidity vegetation was coming
lorward. Grass was a loot high on the 10th ol June, and buds were
opening on trees and shrubs.
Mosquitoes presented their bills, but they were not so numerous
as they had been the previous year.
At five P. M. we reached our ship, tired and loot-sore, but a night's
rest set all right. But all we could do was, like Micawber in Dickens,
' ' wait lor something to turn up. ' '

105
CLEAR OP THE ICE ONCE MOEE,
A gale flnally came irom the land; the ice moved and so did our
ship. A clear channel opened near the land, permitting us to go on our
course to the north.
In two days we reached the northern boundary of the ice, where
we found a large number of whales, and our business commenced.
I "buckled on my armor," and the flrst day I brought two large
whales to the ship without any mishap, but the next day we all had
to swim, as the whale, in his death struggles, broke the boat in two
near the middle. Another boat took us to the ship, and we soon had
our third whale alongside. DEMOEALIZED OFFICBES.
As the officers were anxious for another trial of their skill and
courage, I consented to let them try their hand. Not many days after,
whales were seen, and I was pleased by having a fine, large whale
brought to the ship by my mate.
The second officer seemed demoralized by fear, and the third officer
was lacking in courage and energy, so the capturing of whales lay
with the first officer and myself.
Cruising along the northern edge of the ice, we saw many whales,
and by the first of August we had taken fifteen whales that made up
sixteen hundred barrels of oil and twenty thousand pounds of bone.
By this time the ice had disappeared, and so had the whales.
We then steered to the west, and sighted the Asiatic coast; thence
steering to the southwest, we again entered the Shantar Island Chan
nel. MOEE SHIPS THAN WHALES.
Passing into the bay we counted some twenty ships, all iu search
oi whales. I decided to leave the bay at once, as there would be
two boats to every whale that came in. Without anchoring we put
away to the north. Sailing along near the coast, we sighted Okhotsk
City at the mouth ol Okhotsk Eiver, in latitude 59 degrees 30 minutes
north and longitude 157 degrees east. The weather being fine, I went
on shore, and Iound a lew houses and but lew people, mostly Esqui-
moux and hall -breeds speaking the Eussian tongue.
The coast seemed bare ol vegetation, and no timber was visible.
Salmon were numerous in the river, and securing a good quantity,
we returned to our ship.
WHALES ATTACKED BY "KILLEES,"
Steering to the east along the coast, we saw whales near the land.
Upon going nearer we saw they were beset by "killers," a species
of whale from twenty to thirty feet in length. It has a large, high
fin on the back, and sharp teeth on both the upper and lower jaw.

106
The whale, when feeding, throws his mouth wide open and goes
rapidly through the water, collecting his food in his immense mouth.
Killers watch their opportunity and rush upon the whale and into
his mouth, laying hold of his tongue, which is a soft, fatty substance,
taking out a large quantity. At the same time another killer wiU
rush in, and another, until the poor whale is deprived of his tongue
and his Ufe. HAEPOONING BOTH WHALES AND KILLEES,
We were soon alongside of the whale and our harpoons were thrown
into his side; but the whale evidently did not mind being harpooned,
so intent was he on getting away from the "killers,"
PuUing up to the whale's head I threw my lance into one of the
killers' lungs, causing him to turn fin out in a very short time; and
the others left at once for parts unknown,
I soon had the whale dead and alongside the ship.
The "killer" went down in his death struggles, and was seen no
more. After securing the oil and bone from the whale, we steered to
the east along the coast.
Passing Tausk Bay we entered Ghipinsk Bay. Thence saiUng to
the northeast we entered the gulf of Benjinsk, in latitude 61 degrees
30 minutes north, and longitude 58 degrees east.
Passing up the Gulf of Penjinsk, we saw many small whales and
took four that made only one hundred and fifty barrels of oil, and
very little bone.
KAMCHATKA COAL IN SIGHT FROM THE SEA.
Coal was found at east of the gulch and I believe it is there in
vast quantities, as it can be seen cropping out high and low on the
mountain sides. Packs of hungry wolves were seen on the hiUs.
Heavy timber filled the ravines.
After a stay of a few days on this gulf we started back, passing
out on the west side, near the land. A number of settlements were
seen, but no favorable opportunity for landing presented itself.
In a few days we entered Tausk Bay, where we Iound a number
ol ships; some at anchor and others under way; some trying out oil
and some chasing whales.
We joined the boats whioh were in chase, and soon had the luck
to capture a large cow whale, that made one hundred and fiity barrels
ol oil and twelve hundred pounds ol bone.
We remained in this bay through the month ol September, and
took five whales, making up a season's catch ol twenty -two hundred
barrels ol oil and twenty-lour thousand pounds of whale-bone.

107
VISITING A SIBERIAN TOWN.
Around Tausk Bay are a number of Eussian settlements, and one
pleasant morning we landed at a large village called Tausk, which
lies on the west side of Amakhtouski Gulf, and at the mouth of the
river Yana, in latitude 59 degrees 40 minutes north, and longitude 150
degrees 30 minutes east.
Leaving the ship at anchor some three miles off shore, I was cordial
ly received by the officials who met me at the landing, and conducted
me to the largest house in the village, which proved to be the home
of the padre, or priest. All who entered the room with us turned to
a large white cross whioh stood in the entrance room and made the
sign of the cross. Out oi respect to my host I also made the same
sign. As none oi the natives could speak English, and we could not speak
the Eussian language, our communication was very Umited. Their
kindness, however, was soon maniiested by a well spread table. A
fine large salmon was taken irom the river and boiled in milk; this
with vegetables and greens, and bread and butter, made a sumptuous
dinner. Among the many who came to see the foreigners was a mute. As
I understood his sign language we got up a conversation at once. He
was a bright boy about sixteen years ol age, and seemed delighted
in being able to talk with me,
A SIBERIAN VILLAGE DANCE,
Soon alter noon there came up a strong gale, blowing on shore and
making it dangerous to pass out of the river. This seemed to please
the people, the mute especially, who laid his head over, closed his eyes
and commenced breathing like one asleep. All in the village seemed
much pleased, and at sundown I noticed a stir. The natives were
going about in all directions.
I consulted with the mute in regard to what was going on; he at
once jumped out on the floor and imitating a man with a fiddle, com
menced dancing. The excitement ran high, and soon after supper the
people began to gather in the padre's house. One room in this house
was twenty feet wide by thirty feet long, and seemed to be the as
sembly room for all occasions.
About eight o 'clock the squeak of the fiddle was heard, and the fun
began. Gentlemen in knee breeches, and ladies in trailing skirts were
gliding up and down the room.
At the close of every dance, each gentleman kissed his partner in
the most approved style. I was strongly urged to join in the dance,
but excused myself because I was lame. Much regret was manifested
especially by the padre and his wife.

108
KISSED BY ALL THB LADIES.
The dance went gayly on until past midnight, when I signified to
the priest that I was tired and sleepy, which was true, my rest having
been broken the two previous nights.
His Eeverence soon brought the proceedings to a close, and, after
he had made a brief speech, all the ladies present formed a line and
marched towards me, each face radiant with smiles.
I heard some suppressed tittering, and took in the situation at once,
rising to receive them with becoming smiles. As they passed, each
lady gase me a kiss, which I immediately returned. This act was
considered due to me, as I could not dance and had had no partner
to kiss.
The dancing was well performed; some ol the numbers excelling
anything I had ever seen in a ball-room. The last dance was the .
Highland Fling, which was a masterly perlormance. The gentlemen,
on leaving the room, gave me a hearty shake of the hand, and a grip
that might have been Masonic.
EXCHANGING PEESENTS WITH THB EUSSIANS,,
When I awoke next morning the sun was shining brightly and the
birds were singing in the trees around the parsonage.
About ten o'clock a large caravan came into the village. There
were about twenty horses and mules and twelve men. Every Summer
these caravans pass along the northern shores, collecting taxes and
buying choice lurs. Their horses were large and fine, resembUng the
Canadian stock.
At two o'clock in the alternoon we bade our newly made iriends
goodbye, and, with a boat load oi fine salmon that had been caught
lor us, we returned to the ship.
Next day the priest and his wile with a number oi others came on
board our ship, bringing a quarter oi beei and filty large salmon, as
a present.
In return I gave them my nice dressing gown, which I had never
worn, and a quantity ol lancy calicoes, and some articles oi cutlery.
They seemed much pleased and grateiul ior what I gave them, and
lelt with much ceremony, the priest embracing me as he departed.
CAPTUEING A WHALE NEAE THB KUEILES,
The first day oi October I put my ship away lor the Hawaiian
Islands. When near the Kurile Islands a large whale was seen, and
with my mate I went in pursuit. I soon got up to the whale, and
the instant the harpoons struck him he rolled over, nearly upsetting
the boat with his fin. Two oars were broken, two men thrown over
board and the boat nearly filled with water.

109
Luckily the whale did not run, but showed his disapproval ol such
proceedings by lashing the ocean with his flukes. Soon, however, he
gave me a chance to get near him, and I set his lile-blood flowing in
large quantities. At one breath he threw a barrel lull, or more, of
his warm blood into our boat, drenching us. When he finally turned
fln out, I noticed he floated very deeply, and I had lears that he
would sink, as they oiten do. With this end in view, I secured him
alongside the ship by one of the chain cables. As the weather was
threatening, we lost time in getting his bone and blubber on board.
HOW A WHALE IS HANDLED,
When a whale dies on his side with one fin out of water, a chain
with two rings, one large and the other small, is passed around the
fln; the small ring being hauled through the large one and drawn up
near the knuckle, or small part of the fin. A large tackle is hooked
into the small ring and the fin is hoisted up, and the blubber or fat
is cut out with long-handled spades, and the fln is un jointed at the
knuckle bone.
If the whale dies lying ou his right side, the left lip is taken flrst.
This is done by cutting a hole in the lip and dropping in a large iron
hook attached to a tackle; the Up is drawn up, cut clear from the
jaw bone and hoisted on board.
The lip of a large whale is about twelve feet in length and weighs
some fifteen hundred pounds.
The next to come is the head, with the bone, whioh weighs from
one to two tons, according to the size of the whale. The other lip is
taken next; and, after that, the throat and tongue, whioh weighs from
four to five tons. I once took thirty barrels of oil Irom the tongue of
a large whale. Ten barrels to a ton would make three tons ol oil.
DISCIPLINING THE SECOND MATE.
When the throat and tongue were landed on deck, I gave orders to
hoist in the blubber Irom the whale's body. At this moment the
second mate run a spade down into the whale's lungs.
The effect was Uke opening the valve ol a steam boiler with a hun
dred pounds pressure.
Hot air and blood were blown thirty Ieet high and the whale be
gan to sink at once, tearing off the fin and disappearing. The chain
cable was my last hope, but the third time that the ship rose on the
crest of the wave, the chain parted and the question of saving the
whale was at an end; so we steered on our course.
I inquired of the second officer why he had done such a fooUsh act,
and as he gave an insolent answer, I ordered him to his room. He
hesitated about going and I escorted him to the room without cere
mony. I locked him in and kept him there until we arrived in port
at Honolulu.

no
Nothing worthy of special remark occurred on the passage. Our
whale-bone was made clean by scraping and washing. It was then
dried and packed in one hundred pound bundles, and stowed away in
the ship's hold. AT HONOLULU— OFF FOE HOME,
On arriving at Honolulu I took the second mate to the American
Consul's office and gave him his lawful discharge, paying him his share
of the season's catch, which he did not deserve.
After remaining in port two weeks and recruiting for our voyage
home, we sailed, intending to cruise on the way for sperm whales.
The lourth day out Irom Honolulu a man who did not belong to
the ship's company showed himsell on deck. I called him alt and
questioned him closely, and found he was a deserter irom another
ship. I assigned him to the starboard watch and told the second
mate to keep a watch on him, as I did not like the ' ' cut ol his jib. ' '
Everything went smoothly on board until we reached latitude 12
degrees south and longitude 160 degrees west. The weather was
pleasant and had been since we passed the equator.
Southeast trade winds were blowing and the sea was smooth; not a
cloud was visible in the heavens; every sail was stretched to catch the
breeze, and help us on our course.
A WHIELWIND STEIKES THB SHIP.
At three o'clock in the morning I heard the officer ol the deck
give the order, "Stand by the royal halyards! " I jumped out of my
berth and as I was going on deck, the crash came.
A whirlwind struck the ship forward, taking the foremast off in
the wake oi the ioreyard — breaking, or twisting the lore topmast in
many pieces, also the lore topgallant mast and jibboom. The main
topmast and main top gallant mast were also carried away, and it
was all done in less than a minute's time. Nothing was harmed on
the mizzen mast.
The ship 's spars and rigging were blown alongside and on deck. No
one was hurt, which was a wonder.
All hands went to work to clear away the tangle. Standing rig
ging, running rigging and broken spars were lashed together, and
thirty men were kept busy all day, getting ready to begin repairs.
For five days we worked early and late repairing the damage which
had been done in one moment. When we had succeeded in getting
everything "ship shape," we went on our course to the south.
REMARKABLE CONVERSION OP HERVEY ISLANDERS.
In a lew days we sighted Aitutahi, one ol the Hervey group, in
latitude 19 degrees south, and longitude 159 degrees 40 minutes west,
where I had landed on my previous voyage.

Ill
I obtained a quantity ol flne tropical fruit and vegetables at rea
sonable rates at this place. The Eev, Mr. Eowell, an EngUsh mis
sionary, was still there.
I think the conversion of the people on this beautiful and sunny
island, was as near perfect as can be attained on this earth. They
were all bound together in Christ, the Savior of all men who believe
and accept the offers of salvation through the atonement for all.
Mr. Eowell, when speaking of the happy state of this people, said
he hoped no religious cranks would ever find their way to this lovely
island, and I joined him in the wish.
Sailing from this lovely spot in mid-ocean, we steered to the south,
keeping a sharp lookout for sperm whales.
The morning on which we sailed from the island of Aitutahi, of the
Hervey group, where Mr, Eowell was stationed, we had a light
breeze and a smooth sea. Whales were numerous and under our lee.
Every preparation was made to insure success.
The first mate, whose reputation stood high as a sperm whaleman,
took the lead.
The second mate and I left the ship at the same time, and we bore
down upon our prey, saiUng side by side within speaking distance.
BULL WHALE BITES A BOAT IN TWO.
When near the whales, and at the same time my mate was alongside
of a cow whale, and the harpoons were being thrown, a monster bull
whale came up under the second mate's boat, with his jaw on one side
and his junk on the other, and severed the boat in two pieces.
The men jumped and struck out for dear life, some in one direction
and some in another.
One man was caught by the arm between the gunwales of the boats
as they came together, and the arm broken above the elbow. Another
man was thrown into the whale's mouth, but scrambled out just in
time to escape being crushed: but had his arm and side badly lacer
ated by the sharp teeth of the whale.
The third mate came up and I turned the boat's crew over to him,
and went on after our game, keeping a sharp lookout for the old
boat-eater, who showed himself near our boat. The mate, in the
meantime, had kiUed his whale, or had him spouting blood,
CHASING A TEIO OF WHALES,
The whales had started off to the leeward on a double quick, but
the breeze had freshened and I soon came up to the "hindmost" and
in went the harpoons. There were three of her sister whales with the
whale we were after, and they all kept together, running to leeward
and making good time. HauUng up in the suds, I played on the

112
loose whales until I killed two of them; then I gave my undivided
attention to the whale that was taking us still further from the ship,
which was already four miles away. I soon had her fin out, but not
until she whipped the corner of her flukes through the bottom of our
boat. I took off my outside shirt and stopped up the hole as best I could,
and by keeping one man bailing, we were able to keep afloat.
No sooner had the whale turned fin out than I saw a signal of dis
tress at the ship's masthead. Placing a flag on the whale, so that
we might afterwards discover its whereabouts, we made all possible
speed to the ship. MATE CRUSHED BY A WHALE,
On arriving alongside I was told that my mate had been hurt by a
whale and was dying.
On gaining the deck I saw a sight that was shocking even to one
accustomed to such things.
My mate lay stretched upon a mattress on the quarter deck; he
was foaming at the mouth and unconscious, I ordered hot water to
be brought; and placing bags of hops on his chest, throat and shoul
ders, I kept them wet with the hot water.
In a few hours there was an evident change for the better, I re
mained with him through the night, and also gave needed attention to
my other patients. In the meantime my officers secured two of the
dead whales and brought them alongside the ship.
PATCHING UP THE MATE.
Early in the morning, my mate having recovered consciousness,
I made an examination and found the right shoulder out of joint, the
collar bone broken and the breast bone crushed iu on the right side.
I put the shoulder bone in place without difficulty, but the collar bone
taxed my skill, to the utmost.
I finally succeeded in bandaging it in place; but for the breast bone
I could do nothing. He suffered much pain in the right lung, but
finally recovered, though there remained a depression in the right
breast. IN DANGER FROM ICEBERGS OFF CAPE HORN,
Having secured the oil from the two whales, I decided to return
home as fast as the breeze would permit.
When off Cape Horn we experienced a heavy gale from the north
east, which is unusual there in January, the summer-time of that
latitude. We were blown to the south among icebergs without
number.

113
Once we were embayed so that the ocean became smooth. While
in this position the gale abated and we were becalmed for twenty-four
hours. The current took our ship alongside of a big iceberg, and we landed
and took on board a quantity of ice, after which we ran a line to
another berg some six hundred fathoms distant and hauled our ship
off. It looked at one time as though our ship would be crushed
between these mountains of ice.
When the breeze oame there was only one avenue of escape, and
that was fast closing up. When out of that bay I felt relief — but
still we had to steer on many different courses to get out of the
tangle. MURDEROUS MUTINY ON BOARD.
WJhen in latitude 20 degrees south and longitude 30 degrees west,
while seated at my table in the cabin, I heard an unusual noise in
the forward part of the ship. I hurried on deck and saw my second
mate and another man down on the deck fighting, aud a third man
with a deck bucket in his hand beating the officer on the head.
In an instant I was there and with my fist struck the man with the
bucket under the ear, the force of the blow and rush knocking him
headforemost under the windlass.
FIGHTING WITH ONE AGAINST SIX.
At this moment six other men rushed up from the ioreeastle,
shouting: "KiU him! kiU him!"
Within my reach was hanging a number of white-oak heavers, used
for lashing spars and anchors, I caught one of these and with a
jerk snapped off the lanyard by whioh it was hanging,
I dealt the first man who rushed upon me a blow that broke his
under jaw and felled him to the deck. In an instant two more
rushed upon me. One raised his arm to ward off the blow and re
ceived a fractured wrist; — the other was felled with the bridge of his
nose broken. The other desperadoes retreated.
It was the stowaway who began the row with the second mate; —
and afterwards I learned that a jjlan was made up to put the captain
and officers out of the way and then run the ship ashore on the
island of Trinidad, which was then not far distant.
A TRINIDAD GHOST STORY,
Eegarding the island of Trinidad, mentioned above in connection
with the mutiny that developed aboard the Arctic, there is a legend.
Ships passing near it during the night are said to be visited by
apparitions.

114
The form of a sailor will appear at the wheel, frightening the helms
men away, and immediately the ship's head will be turned toward
the island; if the helm is not taken by force from the spectre, the
ship will be run on ashore. In early times, near approach to this
island was avoided by ship masters.
As the legend goes, a ship was run on the shore of Trinidad island
by the crew, who murdered the captain and officers.
I once sailed with a man who declared that he had passed the
island in the night, and the man at the wheel had been driven away.
The mate, who was a courageous man, booted the ghost from the
wheel and put the ship ou her course. I have heard this story from
many sources, but take no stock in ghost stories.
At the time our skirmish began the third officer was sleeping, it
being his watch below, and the mate had not recovered from his
injuries previously mentioned. The mutineers doubtless thought they
could easily accomplish their outrageous designs,
INVESTIGATING THE MUTINY.
Soon after the battle subsided I mustered all hands aft on the lee
side of the quarter deck, except three who were not able to be
present on account of their wounds.
Alter questioning the men closely, I Iound that the man who had
stowed himsell away on the ship was the leader in the mutiny. I put
handcuffs on him and assigned him to a small dark room under the
ship's cabin, his rations being hard bread and water. I then went to
look alter the wounded men.
The man with the broken jaw was suffering intense pain. I iound
two double teeth so loosened that I easily took them out with my
fingers; then pressing the broken bones in place, I leit him to
meditate upon his lolly. Two others were treated to liniment and
good advice. So the show ended lor that day.
PATCHING UP THB MUTINEERS.
Early the next morning I visited my patients and Iound the man
with the broken wrist suffering much pain, I had three men hold
him while I put the splintered bones in place and applied bandages.
The operation was a success. The man with a broken nose then
received my attention. It was a delicate job to probe the nostrils,
press the bones out and hold them in place; but with cotton wool and
bandages I succeeded, and the man came out ol the smoke oi battle
with a nose as good as new,
TERMS OP PARDON TO THE EIN6LEADEE,
Alter five days' solitary confinement Mr, Eingleader sent word by
the steward that he wished to see me. Stepping to the skuttle lead-

115
ing to his place of confinement I inquired what he wished. He re
plied, "I want to be released and go on duty." I told him he could
do so by going on deck, getting on his knees and begging pardon of
the ship's company for getting them into trouble. He replied, "Cap
tain, that is hard," I said that no other conditions would be of
fered, and left him.
The next day he sent word that he would comply with my demand.
I immediately called all hands on the quarter-deck and the prisoner
was marched on deck. Dropping on his knees he begged the men to
forgive him for the wrong he had done them,
THOUGHT A PRAYING CAPTAIN WOULD NOT FIGHT,
Then turning to me he said:
"Captain, I have always believed that a religious man would not
fight; but you have cured me of that belief, and I humbly beg your
pardon and solemnly promise to be a better man hereafter,"
I took him by the hand and helped him to rise from his kneeling
position, promising him that I should hold no hard feelings toward
him, and that I would do all I could to help him to become a better
man, I had no further trouble with the men on the passage home,
IN THE HORSE LATITUDES.
We sighted Cape St. Eouque, on the Brazilian coast, in latitude
6 degrees S. and longitude 35 degrees 25 minutes W.
On the Equator we had a ten days' calm, and intensely hot
weather, the sun being nearly overhead. As it was nearly forty
months since we had left our home, these calms were trying to the
nerves. In latitude 20 degrees N. is what is known as the "Horse Lati
tudes," on account of vessels in early times being becalmed with
horses on board. Getting short of water the horses would die of
thirst and be thrown overboard.
After a ten days' calm, during which time we made only about
fifty miles, a breeze oame and we steered on our course ior New Bed
ford, arriving there early in AprU, 1855.
SETTLING IN MINNESOTA.
Eemaining at home until the fall of 1856, I went to Minnesota and
invested my money in land in St. Paul and Cannon Falls. Had I
invested in Minneapolis I might have been a wretched millionaire.
At Cannon Falls I built a residence and engaged in farming. Two
years' experience cured me of my love for agriculture. While I was

116
engaged in whaUng, thirty men used to appear when I called "All
hands! "—but on the farm no one but the dog responded.
The winters were so severe that I resolved to go to a more genial
clime. Leaving my wife at Cannon Falls, in March, 1859, I took
the first steamer that came up the Mississippi for La Crosse, and
traveled thence by rail to Boston,
BACK TO SEA AGAIN— CAPTAIN OF MORNING STAR.
I looked around Boston and New York a few weeks, but finding
nothing to do I resolved to return to the Sandwich Islands, I there
fore took passage iu the steamer Colon for San Francisco, via
Panama, Arriving in July, I sailed for Honolulu,
Here I remained -until June, 1860, when I took charge of the mis
sionary packet Morning Star, belonging to the American Board of
Foreign Missions.
This vessel was engaged in transporting missionaries and their
supplies to and from Honolulu and Micronesia, and from one island
to another. MOBNING STAE LOST WITH ALL ON BOAED,
I remained master of the Morning Star until 1866, The vessel
then became unseaworthy and was sold out of the missionary service.
She was repaired and sent to Hongkong in 1867, commanded by Cap
tain Dillingham, — and she has never been heard from since. Captain
Dillingham was with me on one voyage on the same vessel, as second
mate. In the year 1873 I commanded the new Morning Star during one
voyage. The following year I oame to California, where I have since re
sided, excepting three years spent in Massachusetts,

(The End)

INDEX

Page
Adventures ; See * 'Bears,' *
"Gelett," "Lion," "Mutiny,"
' 'Negroes, ' ' * 'Storms, ' ' ' 'Wal
rus," "Waterspout," "Whales."
Africa, Experiences in... 14-15, 26-28
Air current, Remarkable  71
Albatross, Description. Habits of 58
Aldabra Island, Experiences at.. 16
Arctic, Snow storms in  82, 83
Armstrong, Rev. Richard, Ac
quaintance with  47
Augustine Bay, Madagascar ; Ex
periences at  28
Avalanche, A race with an  67
Barker, Capt., converts Gelett in
Indian Ocean  41
Bears, Adventures with 
 74, 76, 89-92, 96, 97, 104
Behriug Island, Narrow escape
from shipwreck on  49
Birds, Sea, Description and habits
of  58, 59
Remarkable flights of in Tel-
low Sea and Arctic. .70, 85, 86
Brazil, Gelett defies government of
 55-57
Breakers, Drifting among the... 101
Brown, Capt'., Experiences of with
lava flow and earthquake. . . .68, 69
Burial at sea  80
California gold fever, Experiences
with  71
Canoeing around Hawaii  62
Cape Horn, A squall off  35, 36
Among the icebergs off  112
Ship on beam ends off  73
Cape of Good Hope, Man over
board off  10
Storm off described  28
Chamberlain, Mr. and Mrs., Ha
waiian missionaries  33
China Sea, Experiences in  100
Coal in Kamchatka  106
Cocos Island described  78
Collision with a French whale
ship  ,  49
Conversation heard at distance of
five miles  93
Currants, Wild in Siberia  91
Dabney, American Consul at
Fayal, Acquaintance with... 51, 52
Damon, Rev. S. C, Acquaintance
with  34
Delagoa Bay, Description of  26
Dillingham, Captain, lost" on
Morning Star  116
Dismasting of ship in storm  110
Drunkenness, Deadly results of.. 20
Earthquake, Experiences with. ... 67
Emerson, William, Voyage and
death of  79, 80
Falkland Islands, Description of . . 59
Fall from masthead  ,. 22
Fayal, Description Of and experi
ences at  9. 51, 52

Page
Feychelle Islands, Experiences in 16
Fight; See "Gelett, Fight of."
Galapagos Islands, Description of
Tortoise at  31, 78, 79
Gambler, How one was reformed 22
Gelett, Acquaintance with Hawai
ian missionaries 
 33, 34, 47, 66, 67, 99
Adventure with savages at
Delagoa Bay  26, 27
Adventure with a whale,
given up for lost  95
Arctic Ocean, Voyage to ... .
 72, 82, 85, 95
Attacked by a lion.  14
Attacked by negroes  15
Attempt of to harpoon a bear 76
Birth and ancestry of  7
Brazilians fired on by  55
Captain of Morning Star. . . 116
Captain on fifth voyage. ... 29
Caught by tide in a cave. . . 16
Church joined by In Honolulu 47
Collision with a French
whaleship  49
Conversion of  41
Dines with Kamehameha III 33
Disciplines mate  109
Dismasting of ship under
control of  110
Dragged by the leg by a
whale  4, 21
Early life of  ._  8
Experiences among icebergs
off Cape Horn  112, 113
Experience in a hurricane. . . 17
In a storm in the Arc
tic  75, 82, 85, 95
In storm off La Plata.. 73
In storm in the N. Pa
cific  81
In storm off Cape Horn
 35, 36, 73, 74
With birds in Yellow
Sea  70
With a Mexican man-of-
war  36
Fac simile signature of .116
Falls through the skylight. . 86
Fight of with bears 
 90, 91, 92, 96, 97
With a giant kanaka
sailor  29
With mutineers ...113, 115
With a whale 
25, 32, 46, 77, 78, 93, 94
With a walrus  76
Fifth voyage of, made captain 29
First cruise to Hawaii  32
First voyage of  9
Fourth voyage of  26
Horse runs away with, at
Lahaina  43
In Hawaii 
32, 62, 63, 66, 74, 99, 110, 116
Kilauea. Visit to  63
Life at home after marriage 41

118

Page
Marriage and wedding tour
of  40
Morning Star, Becomes cap
tain of  116
Narrow escape from ship
wreck  49, 97, 99
Narrow escape from a mar-
lin spike  48
Navigation learned by  24
Religious life of . . . .34, 41, 44, 47
Rescues man overboard. . . .
 10, 11. 81
Reminiscences of  4
Residence of in Honolulu... 4
Retires from sea, settles in
Minnesota  115, 116
Returns to sea and Hawaii. . 116
Seamanship of, making New
Bedford in a snow storm. . 38
Second voyage of  20
72 hours without sleep. . . .75, 76
Sixth voyage of  41
Third voyage of  24
Whales, Capturing three at a
time  Ill, 112
Whale, Capture of first  24
Knocked overbnard by a 45
Whaling on Sunday and
swearing tabooed by ... . 44
Whaling, profits of  50, 51
Wrecked by a whale  92
Wrecked in a sleigh  39, 40
Gelett, Mrs., Accompanies husband
to sea  51
Poem by, on "Whaling" ... 52
Poem by, to a snow bird. .59, 60
Travels about Hawaii  62-69
Ghosts off Trinidad Island. . .113, 114
Gold, Hunting for  77
Gold fever, California, Experi
ences with  71
Grigan, Visit to, Experiences at.. 70
Guadalupe, Cruising off  77
Gulick, Rev. L. H., Acquaintance
with  99
Hawaii; See "Gelett in Hawaii."
Hawaiian sailor, Desperate fight
with  29-31
Hawaiians, Hospitality of  63
Hervery Islands, Experiences at. . 72
Conversion of people of. .110, 111
Hilo, Visit to described  66
Hongkong, Experiences at  100
Honolulu, Gelett resident in  4
Gelett joined church at  47
Visiting at 
 33. 34. 61, 69, 71,
72, 74, 77, 79, 99, 110, 116
Horans reef, Location of  35
Horse latitudes, Origin of name. . 115
Hurricane in Indian Ocean de
scribed  17
Ice, Arctic experiences with. ... 74-76
Barrels of water frozen solid
in ship's hold . ._  82
Barrier in the Arctic  74
Cutting ship out of  87
Fields in Okhotsk Sea, Mys
tery of  88

Page
Pack, Experiences in off
Kamchatka  103, 104
Ship described  86
Storm in the Arctic described 85
Whaling in the  84, 85
Iceberg, Explosion of  75
Off Cape Horn, Experiences
among  112-113
Ice-bound in the Arctic  82
Insane sailor, Pight with an... 29, 31
Insanity cured by a bath  23
Island, Disappearance of an.... 25
Japan, Description of, from the
sea  102
Japan Sea, Whaling in  102
Juan Pernandes, Description of. .
 61, 62
Kamehameha III, Gelett dines
with  33
Kamchatka, Coal in, Visible from
sea  106
Experiences in  83, 84
Exploring in  104
Fast in the ice off  104
Fight with a bear in  104
Moose-hunting in  84
Mosquitoes in  84
Kilauea, Volcano of, Visit to, De
scription of  63-66
Killers, Attack by on whales.. 105, 106
Kona storm at Lahaina  77
Korean Strait.s, Wbaline; in  101
Kurile Islands, Description of,
Volcano in  103
Whaling near  71, 108, 109
Ladrone Islands, Description of,
Experiences at  69, 70
Lahaina, Visit to in 1844  43
Whaleships in a storm at. . . . 77
Laudanum given a negro to drink 14
Lava fiow, Cattle destroyed by. . . 69
Of '68, Description of, Expe
riences in connection with
 68, 69
Specimens made at Kilauea 65
La Plata, Experiences in a storm
off  73
Lion, Adventure with a  14-15
Liquor, Gelett becomes total ab
stainer  19
Liquor sellers, Experiences with,
in Chili  50-51
Lyman, Rev., Entertained by at
Hilo  66, 67
Madagascar, Experiences at. .12, 26-28
Mail, Quick arrival from Boston 34
Man overboard, rescued by Gelett
 10, 81
Marquesas, Natives treacherous,
foreigners vile  99
Masthead, A fall from the  22
Maui, Visit to  32, 74
Midnight sun, a puzzle to the
chickens  76
Minnesota, Gelett settles in.. 115, 116

119

Page
Mirage, Remarkable example of.. 48
Missionaries, Acquaintance with in
Hawaii  33, 34, 47, 66, 67. 99
Acquaintance with, in Micro
nesia  99
Moose-hunting in Kamchatka. ... 84
Morning Star, Gelett captain of.. 116
Loss of  116
Mosquitoes in Kamchatka  84
Murder on shipboard described. . 19
Mutineer, Punishment of  114, 115
Mutiny on board ship  113, 115
Napoleon, Visit to grave of  18
Negroes, Adventure with. . . .15, 26, 27
Anecdotes concerning  12-14
Neptune, Adventures with on
crossing equator  10
New Granada, Experiences in. . . . 79
Olaa described  66
Plymouth, Experiences and sights

Queen Charlotte Islands, Whaling
near  32
Red Pepper drink, given to a
negro  13
Religious life led by Gelett 
 34, 41. 44, 47
Rio Janeiro, Experiences at.. 55, 57
Robinson Crusoe Island, Descrip
tion of  61
Russell, Jane, married to Gelett 40
Russians in Siberia, Experiences
with  107, 108
Seamen ' s Chapel Honolulu ; At
tendance of Gelett at  34
Sever, James M., Death of ni
sea  53
Shantar Islands, Storm off.. 97, 98
Whaling near  87
Ships wrecked in the Arctic... 75
Shipwreck, A narrow escape from
 34, 35, 49, 81
Siberia, Experiences in.. 90, 107, 108
Slave whipped to death at St.
Catherine  23
Smith, Rev. Lowell, Acquaint
ance with  47
Snow, Rev. B. G., Acquaintance
with  99
Snow bird, Poem to by Mrs.
Gelett  59, 60
Storm off Cape Horn described. . 73
In the Arctic, Experiences in
 72, 82, 85. 95
In the North Pacific  81
In the West Indies described 24
Sturges, Rev. A. A., Acquaint
ance with  99
St. Catherines, Pineapples and
experiences at  23
St. Helena, Visit to Napoleon's
grave  18
St. Paul Island, Description of
and experiences at  42
Sulphur banks at Kilauea de
scribed  65, 66
Swans, Capturing wild, Pight
with  93, 94

Page
Tahiti, Visit to  42
Talcahuano, Chili, a rum hole ;
Description of, Experiences at 50
Temperance ship, Experiences of
in Chili  50
Tortoise at Galapagos Islands de
scribed  31^ 79
Traveling by donkey express.... 51
Trinidad, Ghosts on ship near...
 113, 114
Valparaiso, Experiences at  72
Volcano of Kilauea, Arrival at.
Visit to. Description of  63-66
Volcano, Lava fiow and earth
quake described  67-69
Waiohinu, Kau; Experiences at.. 62
Walrus, A fight with  76
Waterspout, Narrow escape from 1 4
West Indies, Terrific storms in
described  24
Whale, Adventure with a fight
ing  25
Adventure with, given up for
lost  95
An eighteen-hour chase after 88
Bites a boat in two  Ill
Capture of first  24
Collision of with ship  45
Description of and method of
handling  109
Desperate fight with a.... 93, 94
Fatal fight with  61
Fight with, in the Arctic. 84, 85
Gelett dragged by leg by a. .4, 21
Gelett knocked over by. . . . 45
Mate knocked overboard by 44
Mate crushed by  112
Northern characteristics of.
Fight with  32
Terrific battle with a.... 77, 78
Towed ten miles by a.... 88, 89
Yielding 200 barrels of oil. . 83
Whales, Attacked by killer.. 105, 106
Chasing a trio  Ill, 112
Description of  18
Frightened away by storm 76
How caught  17
Officers scared of... 79, 101, 105
Plentiful in the Arctic  83
School of one hundred  94
Sperm, Desperate fight with 46
Profit from  47
Whaling in the Japan Sea 
 71, 102, 103
In the ice  84
Near the Kuriles  108, 109
Neari Queen Charlotte and
Kodiac Island  32
Near Shantar Islands  87
On Sunday aud swearing ta
booed  44, 92
Poem on by Mrs. Gelett. ... 52
Profits of  19, 47, 61, 71, 83
Whaleship, Crew of described. . . 24
Whaleships in storm at Lahaina 43
Whirlwind strikes the ship  110
yellow Sea, Remarkable flight of
birds In  70