HISTORY OF THE AMERICAN WHALE FISHERY. 133 



upon whom the choice fell met his fate without a murmur. Toward the 

 close of the day a shower fell. 



Being without compass or other instrument to determine their course 

 or situation Captain Hostner was obliged to steer as best he could with 

 such aid as was afforded by the north star and the rolling swell of the 

 sea from the south. On the eighth day another of their number died 

 from exhaustion, aud it was deemed necessary to steer a more northerly 

 course in hopes to agaiu be blessed with rain. 



On the niuth day another shower fell, aud this blessing was followed 

 by the remarkable circumstance of a dolphin leaping directly iuto their 

 boat. Several birds also approached so near as to be killed by the 

 wanderers, and great relief was afforded them by these happy events. 



On the 13th of July, land was seen, which proved to be Cocus Island 

 (uniuhabited),* aud this land the shattered remnant of a strong and 

 hardy crew succeeded in reaching. They succeeded in catching a pig, 

 and, drinking its blood, were reiuvigorated. A plentiful supply of 

 birds and fresh water aided their recuperation. On the second day 

 after landing they were overjoyed to see a boat approach, which proved 

 to belong to the Leouidas, Captain Swift, of New Bedford, a brother 

 whaleman, then recruiting in Chatham Bay, and it is needless to say 

 that all that could be done for the survivors was done.t 



Revolts among the crew, occasioned sometimes by the brutality of 

 the officers, and fully as often by a spirit of lawlessness in a very small 

 minority of the men, and spreading from them like an infection to their 

 shipmates, are at times met with. Two of the most notable of these, 

 coming entirely within the latter category, are given. 



Scarcely had the horrors of the loss of the Essex ceased to appal the 

 minds of the people of Nantucket, wheu news of another and a more 



* Latitude 5° 27' north, longitude 87° 15' west. Of the crew of six, but two sur- 

 vived. 



t In a letter from the mate of the Janet to her owners he says that after his boat re- 

 turned to the ship, he run down for that of the second mate, the only one then in sight 

 from the ship. They then proceeded in the direction in which the captain's boat was 

 last seen going, and lay to all night with all sail set and lights burning. They cruised 

 three days, but were unable to get any trace of the captain's boat and were forced to 

 the melancholy conclusion that it had been carried down by a foul line, more particu- 

 larly as he had a new line with him coiled but two days before. (See "The Whale and 

 His Captors.") 



In January, 1860, the Massachusetts, of New Bedford, lowered four boats for a school 

 of whales. One was killed aud the mate was sent to bring the ship. She was not out 

 of sight and the mate did not succeed in regaining her until 10 o'clock in the evening. 

 The other three boats lay by the whale all night, and the next day, having seen noth- 

 ing of the vessel, cut from him, and started for Brazil, 330 miles distant, reaching land 

 in five days. Cheever, in " The Whale and His Captors," p. 219, instances another 

 thrilling adventure of this kind. 



"Foul lines" have been the death of many a whaleman. A kink in the line, as it 

 runs from the tub, catches an arm, or a leg, and in an instant the unfortunate man is 

 overboard and too often never seen agaiu alive. On page 138 of " The Whale and His 

 Captors" may be found an example of this form of peril. 



