214 THE AMERICAN WHALEMAN 



its eighteen verses seem doubly long.® Nor were Dr. Osborn's 

 scattered successors able to display any marked improvement. 

 American whaling was responsible for one masterpiece of prose 

 composition — Herman Melville's immortal "Moby Dick"j 

 but it was able to inspire no poetry worthy of the name.^° The 

 following bits of whaling verse, mostly obvious adaptations of 

 well-known English poems, will convey some concept of the 

 caliber of the efforts which were made. As poetry their value 

 is nil} but as reflections of certain current tendencies to roman- 

 ticize the pleasures, adventures, and compensations of whaling 

 life, they have a slight significance.^^ 



The whale he shall still be dear to me, 

 When the midnight lamp grows dim; 

 For the student's book, and his favorite nook, 

 Are illumined by aid of him. — Sailor's Song. 



Ye gentlemen of England, that live at home at ease. 



Ah, little do ye think upon the dangers of the seas. — Ocean Song. 



Spout! spout! spout! 

 The waves are purling all about. 

 Every billow on its head 

 Strangely wears a crest of red. 

 See her lash the foaming main 

 In her flurry and her pain. 



Take good heed, my hearts of oak, 



Lest her flukes, as she lies. 



Swiftly hurl you to the skies. 



But lo! her giant strength is broke. 



Slow she turns, as a mass of lead; 



The mighty mountain whale is dead. — Whaler's Song. 



^ Both this "W^haling Song" and some remarks about its author may be 

 found in Ricketson, D., "History of New Bedford," p. 68. 



If* Melville published, in connection with "Moby Dick," a curious assortment 

 of literary odds and ends which referred to whaling. But these references, 

 gleaned from many nooks and crannies of the world of books, possess little 

 value except as a sort of whaling curiosity shop. 



11 These selections were taken from Cheever, H. T. (Reverend), "The Whale 

 and His Captors; or. The Whaleman's Adventures, and The Whale's Biog- 

 raphy, as Gathered on the Homeward Cruise of the Commodore Preble." The 

 bits of verse are placed at the beginning of various chapters; and it is to be 

 inferred, at least, that the author was personally responsible for many of thera. 



