BIOGRAPHY 



THE VICTOKYS CREW. 



This short Biographical Sketch of the Men, composing the Crew of the Victory, may 

 not be found uninteresting to my Readers. 



MR. THOMAS BLANKY, First Mate. 



Mk. Bl.anky was born at Whitby, in the year 1800; is five feet seven inciies 

 high, stout made, has a fair complexion, with light hair: went to sea at eleven 

 years of age, and served an apprenticeship of six years in a colher, between Shields and 

 London, on board two vessels, called the Liberty and the Property, after which he was 

 one year in the coasting trade, and two years in the Greenland fishery, on board the 

 Volunteer, of Whitby, where he filled the situation of line manager. He was twelve 

 months in the Swan, revenue cutter, from which he went second mate of the Latona, for 

 one voyage in the timber trade : after making a voyage as second mate of the Lord Wel- 

 lington to Dantzic, he went two voyages first mate of a collier. In the year 1824 he 

 volunteered to serve on board his Majesty's discovery ship, the Griper, Captain Lyon, 

 and was on board her on that disastrous voyage to Cumberland strait. On her return 

 he entered on board the Navigator, as second mate, and made a voyage to Alexandria ; 

 and then as first mate of the Sprightly, to Riga, and two voyages in the coal trade. In 

 1827 Sir E. Parry's attempt to reach the North Pole was undertaken, and he volun- 

 teered on board the Hecla as a leading man ; but this attempt being also unsuccessful, 

 he returned to the merchant service, making a voyage to Quebec, and another to St. 



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