United States Merchant Marine Academy - Midships Yearbook (Kings Point, NY)

Page 13 text:

An artist ' s conception of the main street of Nantucket in the year 1790. W - fU ■€ ' fe 1? ' A ' ' Wr, M ' Jiii. J% W l w llL;£ - m ' » » SIp ' wm -ahiiiifen B ftlMI H A whaler trying out oil while cruising the Off-Shore Grounds. America and Whaling dustry took many years and it seems that this was one of the facts that was lost during this period. Historians have supported the legend that the island community of Nantucket initiated the whaling industry. For example, the aforementioned Obed Macy writes A whale of a kind called ' scragg ' , came into the harbor and continued there for three days. This excited the curiosity of the people, and led them to devise measures to prevent his return out of the harbor. They accordingly invented and caused to be wrought for them a harxjoon, with which they attacked and killed the whale. This first success encouraged them to undertake whal- ing as a permanent business, whales being at that time numerous in the vicinity off the shores. Wherever in America it began, one thing for certain can be said, that it did begin here and grew to a one time world industry. The American Colonists had the know how and the enterprising spirit that was necessary for its success. The islanders of Cape Verde, the Azores, and many lesser island groups had the brawn and the will to do what the American Colonists set out for them to accomplish. As a nationality, we can not claim full credit for developing the mechanics of this industry. Many, often more than half of every crew that signed on a New England or Southampton whaler were not born Americans. The officers were mostly Americans, but occasionally we find the record of an alien who, through initiative, physical adeptness and integrity, achieved status in the industry. The owners and captains of these whalers, very often the same man, were, with again a few alien exceptions, of old Colonial American stock. These were men who had grown up in families that, for generations, had gained their livelihood from the sea. While we are searching for a nationality to which we can attribute the birth and growth of this industry, let us always bear in mind that during this time America wasn ' t the uni-lingual and multi-race society that it is today. The men who crewed the whalers of the eight- eenth and nineteenth centuries were of many colors, originated from many countries, and spoke various languages. But in all reality, they were Americans— they were hardy, brave, adventuresome, and willing to sac- rifice their lives for a nation the name of which many were never even able to pronounce correctly. Now that we know something of the origin of the industry and those who peopled the factories or, more properly, the ships, let us discuss the subject of whaling completely. Let us endeavor not to leave a page un- turned in this long lost and outmoded art that was so influential in the development of our prosperous country and in general, our merchant marine and fishing industry.

Page 12 text:

Indians of Northeastern America pursuing the Great Leviathan along the coast. Long Islanders preparing to strip the blubber from a whale on the beach. The whale was captured a short distance from the shore and hove on shore using winches. efore our forefathers came to tlie American continent, the epic in American history concerned with whaling had long since begun. Whaling was first taken up by the American Indian tribes of the Northeastern region of what was later to become the United States. At first these Indians were content with the bone and oil they could extract from the carcasses of dead whales that washed up on the shores bordering their tribal holdings along the Atlantic Ocean. Later, as the de- mands for these staples become greater, these same Indians began to venture out on the ocean, at first only a short distance from the head lands, in pursuit of the great leviathan. In the personal diary of Captain George Waymouth, an early English explorer, we find the first written record of the observing of such a hunt. He wiote that they went after the whale with a multitude of tlieir boats; and strike him with a Bone made in fashion of a harping iron fastened to a rope; which they made great and strong of Barb of trees, which they veer out after him as he riseth above the Water; with their Arrows they shoot him to death; when they have killed him and dragged him to Shore, they call all their Chief Lords together and sing a Song of Joy ... While frequent mention of whales appearing off our New England coast are to found in early Colonial publications, there are no records of attempts being made to capture, take or kill these whales until after the year 1672. The first recorded epic of whaling in the history of our country is found in Alexander Star- buck ' s History of Whaling. The history of the development of whaling as an early American industry is very vague and at best, often very sketchy. It seems that the first real interest ap- peared on the island of Nantucket about 1690. Obed Macy, in his History of Nantucket, writes In the year 1690, some people were high on a hill . . . observing the whales spouting and sport- ing with each other, whom one observed there, pointing to the sea, ' is a green pasture where our children ' s grand children will go for bread ' . However, they never waited for their owti children much less their children ' s grandchildren. New Eng- landers were busy at offshore whaling before the turn of the eighteenth century. Within a few short years, htudy seafaring men from the communities stretched along the north shore of Long Island were joined in the pursuit of this great titan over the oceans of the world. In exactly which one of the New England fishing towns whaling was first taken up is another point in this historical sketch which will have to remain at the best very sketchy. The development of whaling as an in-

Page 14 text:

Mnnsfivk ' ' hasto. Abingdon .; M i shfii ' ld VlIrHifax BrijlgcN tcr Y piympton Jooto c. y y Kingston JVliaaieboro M r ' ' ' m Carver Cen, Four Cor. FAl LRIVERX M AcuslA net . ' . j ' Mli madoS the Bay mtaumut NEW BEDFORD :::| Apponefonsc tmli