CONTENTS. 



CHAPTER I. 



Stoiy of Ohther and King Alfred.— Krst Whaling in America.— Work 



proposed in this History. — My Owner. — The young Candidate. — Papers 



signed, and we sail. — The first Eeef.— Going Aloft. — The Chelsea. — The 



Crew.— The Outfit.— Pood Page 13 



CHAPTEE II. 



Uneventful Passage. — Captain's Inaugural. — Mast-head and Place in Boat. 

 — Discipline in Boats, and first Whale raised. — Awkwardness of Crew, 

 and Whale lost. — Music and Song a Necessity. — Hinton, the Nightin- 

 gale. — The Yarn as Mental Food. — Porecastle Philosophy. — Burrows'."! 

 Theory of the Gulf Stream. — Whales pass under the Isthmus of Da- 

 rien. — Ben Cofiin. — His Idea of Luxury 23 



CHAPTEE III. 

 Ben's first Whale. — Struck on a Breach. — Cedar cracking, and Ben goes 

 up. — As he rises from deep Water he meets Captain Davis coming 

 down. — He takes a Departure, and strikes out for New London. — Chip- 

 man confiims the Yarn. — Albatross, and one sent homeward as Mes- 

 senger. — The Pilot-fish, and its long Passages. — Work of the Watches, 

 and learning the Eigging.— Washing, Mending, and other Accomplish- 

 ments of the Sailor. — Lessons taught on the Porehatch of the Chelsea. 

 — My Crony Posey. — His Love Story. — Why the Nobility of Nantucket 

 go Whaling. — Posey's Ambition. — The Secret of Nantucket's first Suc- 

 cess. — Successful whaling Co-operation. — Obed Macy's Description of 

 Whaling 34 



CHAPTEE IV. 

 A brave, righteous Man first Settler of Nantucket. — Early English and 

 Dutch History of Whaling. — Bounties and Immunities granted by Brit- 

 ain. — Captain Wilkes's Picture of American Whaling. — Prepara&n to 

 weather the Cape. — Able Seamanship of our Whale Captains. — Con- 

 stant Vigilance of Captain B , and slight Toss of Whalemen. — 



Where the Whaleman shows to best advantage.- — Eun to 62° S. lati- 

 tude, and meet a favoring Gale. — The "Lay" and Fibre of a Cape 

 Yarn : Hinton's last Passage around. — The great icy Barrier, and Home 

 of Mother Carey. — ^A Gale of Wind in the Ice 51 



