FATE OF THE SHIP "ESSEX." 



371 



entirely through the plankings of a stout whaling-boat, and another well- 

 known individual destroyed nine boats in rapid succession. This for- 

 midable animal was at last killed, and in its carcass were found a whole 

 armory of harpoons and spears belonging to different ships. Not only 

 boats, but even ships have been sunk by the attacks of an infuriated 

 " old bull," as the adult male is styled. 



An American ship, the " Essex," was thus destroyed by the vengeful 

 fury of a sperm whale. The story of the disaster is as follows: "The 

 'Essex,' Captain Pollard, sailed from Nantucket in August, 1819. Late 

 in the fall, in latitude 40° of the South Pacific, a school of sperm whales 

 was discovered, and three boats were manned and sent in pursuit. The 

 mate's boat was struck by one of them, and he was obliged to return to 

 the ship to repair damages. While he was thus engaged, a sperm whale, 

 judged to be eighty-five feet long, broke water about twenty rods from 

 the ship on her weather-bow. He was going at the rate of about three 

 knots an hour, and the ship at nearly the same rate, when he struck the 

 bows, just forward of the chains. The ship shook like a leaf; the whale 

 dived and passed under the ship, grazing her keel, and then appeared at 

 about the distance of a ship's length, lashing the sea with fins and tail as 

 if suffering the most horrible agony. He was evidently hurt by the 

 collision, and frantic with rage. In a few minutes he seemed to recover 

 himself, and started with great speed directly across the vessel's course 

 to windward. Meanwhile the hands on board discovered the ship to be 

 gradually settling at the bows, and the pumps were rigged. While 

 working at them, one of the men cried out, ' God have mercy ! here he 

 comes again!' The whale had turned at about one hundred rods from 

 the ship, and was making for her with double his former speed, his path- 

 way white with foam. Rushing head on, he struck her again at the bow, 

 and the tremendous blow stove her in. The whale dived again and dis- 

 appeared, the ship filled and fell over on her broadside in ten minutes 

 from the first collision. After incredible sufferings, the survivors reached 

 Ducie's Island, where three of the crew resolved to remain. The 

 remainder, in three boats, made for Juan Fernandez ; the mate's boat 

 was taken up by the ' Indian ' of London, ninety-three days after the 

 catastrophe, with only three survivors. The captain's boat was fallen in 

 with five days afterward by the ' Dauphin ' of Nantucket, with only two 

 survivors. Thus, out of a crew of twenty, only five survived to tell the 

 sad tale." 



