Mar13
Abner’s whale, from the Cruise of the Cachalot
‘We went alone, with barely a hundred fathoms of line, in case he should take it into his head to sound again. The speed at which we went made it appear as if a gale of wind was blowing, and we flew along the sea surface’
Everyone’s heard of Melville’s blockbusting novel Moby Dick – but perhaps fewer know about Frank T Bullen’s real-life description The Cruise of the Cachalot or Round the world after sperm whales.
My copy was published in 1901 and I think it’s a piece of work that brilliantly captures the cruelty, fear, hardships and excitements the whalers must have known while about their ghastly trade. Here’s a short chapter that I hope makes the point – do take time out to read it; I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.
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1 Comment »Culture: songs, stories, photography and art, Locations, Rowing boat, Sailing boat, Sailing ships, Traditional clinker, Uncategorized, Working boats, history, wooden boat
Ben Mar 13th 2010 at 11:33 pm 1
Have just spent a very enjoyable few minutes reading that. Thanks. I remember how amazed I was when I first found out how whales used to be hunted and killed, and I’m still just as amazed.
Ben