Chapter I: Preface

Of all classes of fishermen, the whaleman takes the precedence. This front position will be readily conceded to him, whether we consider the stupendous object of his pursuit, or the vast extent of waters over which he roams to secure his prey, or the dangers and perils peculiar to his avocation, or the immense pecuniary outlay with which the enterprise is carried on.

Some of the reasons which induced the author to present to the public this narrative containing an account of the wreck of the whale ship _Citizen_, and the subsequent exposure and sufferings of her officers and crew in the Arctic Ocean, are the following:--

1. The instance has never been recorded in the history of marine disaster, in which a ship's company, consisting of _thirty-three_ persons, lived so many months among the natives in so high a latitude. 2. Being cast helpless and almost destitute upon such a desolate coast, they had to depend principally upon the kindness and generosity of the natives for protection, food, and clothing. 3. Considering the unfavorable and forbidding circumstances of their condition, in living as the natives lived, and their travels in the depths of winter from one settlement to another in order to avoid starvation, it is remarkable that so many of them, with so little sickness, should be rescued the following year.

A plain statement of these facts the author felt was due to his fellow-townsmen, and would probably be of some considerable interest to all classes of readers, and therefore meriting a permanent record with the varied experience of whalemen.

The limited time the author spent with Captain Norton,[A] who was then preparing for sea, from whom he received the leading facts in the narrative, after it was concluded to give it to the public, is his only apology for not introducing more extended particulars.

Mr. Abram Osborn, Jr.,[B] Mr. John P. Fisher,[C] and Mr. John W. Norton,[D] now absent at sea, confirmed the report of the captain, besides having contributed important materials to the narrative themselves.

Any information respecting the physical features of the arctic region, and the character of its inhabitants, is not only deeply interesting, but highly useful. The recent explorations of Dr. Kane, in the American Arctic, has largely increased the bounds of knowledge respecting that remarkable portion of the earth's surface.

Though less attention, perhaps, has been given to the exploration of the Asiatic Arctic, through Behring's Straits, it is, however, a region which is yearly visited by scores of American whalemen, and who have become quite familiar both with its eastern and western coasts, even to the impassable ice barrier, which forbids all further approaches to the north.

The acquaintance which the officers and crew of the _Citizen_ formed with the natives during the space of _nine months_ in which they lived with them, and thus had so favorable an opportunity to learn their characters and habits, has probably never been surpassed by any other company of men within the present century.

The HISTORY OF WHALING will give the reader a succinct view of the commencement, progress, and present state of the enterprise. The author would here express his acknowledgments to whalemen who have readily furnished him with many valuable incidents connected with the details of their employment.

L. H.

EDGARTOWN, June, 1857.

ILLUSTRATIONS.

1. A WHALE BITING A BOAT IN TWO, FRONTISPIECE.
2. WALRUS AMONG ICEBERGS, 47
3. WRECK OF THE CITIZEN, 63
4. NATIVE COSTUME, 85
5. HUNTING THE POLAR BEAR, 105
6. POLAR BEARS, 125
7. A SHIP AFTER A GALE, 147
8. WHALES RAISED, 169
9. LOWERING FOR WHALES, 189
10. TWO SHIPS NEAR SHORE, 205
11. PERILOUS SITUATION OF WHALEMEN, 239
12. ENEMIES OF THE WHALE, 257
13. HARPOONING A WHALE, 269
14. CUTTING IN A WHALE, 277
15. BOILING OUT, 289

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER I.

Ship Citizen sails from New Bedford.--Captain, Officers, and
Crew.--Interest centred in a Whale Ship.--Accompanying Ships.
--Seasickness and Homesickness.--Arrival at Cape Verd Islands.
--An Agreement with Captain Sands, of the Ship Benjamin Tucker.
--Whales raised.--Christmas Supper on board of the Citizen.
--A Whale Scene.--"An ugly Customer."--A Whale Incident,
copied from the Vineyard Gazette.--Arrival at Hilo.--Sandwich
Islands 25

CHAPTER II.

Recruited for the Arctic.--Departure.--Coast of Kamtschatka.--
Copper Island.--Going into the Ice with Captain Crosby.--Gale
of Wind.--Dangerous Sailing in the Ice.--Captain Thaddeus.
--Bay of the Holy Cross.--Plover Bay.--Dead Whale.--St.
Lawrence Bay.--Whales working north.--Loose, floating Ice.--
Ice covered with Walrus.--Fine Weather.--Striking an Iceberg.
--Ship leaking.--Return to St. Lawrence Bay.--Damage
repaired.--Arrival in the Arctic 43

CHAPTER III.

Northern Lights.--High Winds.--Spoke with Captain Clough.
--Ships seen in the Distance.--Storm increasing.--No
Observations.--Blowing heavily.--Scene awfully sublime.--
Ship struck by a Sea.--Shoal Water.--Rocks and Breakers.--
Ship unmanageable.--Fore and mizzen Topsails carried away.--
Ship striking astern, bow, and midships.--Foremast cut away.
--Narrow Escape of Captain Norton.--Mizzenmast gone by the
Board.--Sad Condition of the Seamen.--Land in Sight--Ship
drifting towards the Shore.--Undertow.--The Lantern Keg.
--Mainmast cut away, and falling towards the Shore.--Men
escaping on the Mast.--Trying Scene.--Captain washed ashore.
--Affecting Deaths.--Wreck piled up on Shore.--Fire made.--
Men perishing with Cold.--Five missing.--Prospects dark.--
Destitution.--Tent erected.--Merciful Circumstances connected
with the Wreck 53

CHAPTER IV.

First Night on Shore.--Sleeping in empty Casks.--Parties of
Exploration.--Dog Tracks.--Arrangements to leave the Wreck.
--Desire to reach East Cape.--Reflections upon our Condition.
--The dead Hog roasted.--The "pet Hog."--Company travel
towards the South and East.--Two Natives seen.--Parley.--
Directed to the Settlement.--The old Woman and her Ceremony.--
The second Settlement.--Head Man cordial.--Men distributed
among the Huts.--Not able to reach East Cape.--Company
entertained.--Motives for it.--Government should reward the
Natives 72

CHAPTER V.

No Prospect of reaching East Cape.--Painful Conviction.--
The Province of Christian Faith.--The Wreck visited.--The
Natives.--Hope unexpectedly revived.--Ship in Sight.--Comes
near.--Signals from the Land.--No Assistance offered.--
Sails down the Coast.--Indescribable State of our Minds.--
Card in The Polynesian 90