On the 16th of February, after having added three new men to our crew,
(two of them Englishmen, the third a Swede,) we hove short, and at
3 P.M. stood out of the bay. On arriving off Cape Naturaliste, some
twenty miles from our place of anchorage, we sighted a sail that proved
to be the barque Pamelia, which was hovering off this locality, to
intercept the barque Eagle, which was to bring her third mate out, and
also provisions for her consumption. Esculents she needed very much, as
several of her people, the captain amongst the number, were affected
by scurvy. We supplied them temporarily, and thus kept off that
disease, which occasions so much terror to the seaman. She contemplated
returning home in a short time, and several of her crew, whose motives
I cannot fathom, not contented with a three-years’ sojourn in these
waters, exchanged into the ship Lapwing, that had some twenty months
more to remain. They must either have had an overweening desire to
acquire money, or else there were but few attractions at home to induce
them to return.
After leaving the bay, we steered to the southeast, in hopes of picking
up a whale or two; but we met only with strong gales of wind, which
put whaling out of the question. We then returned to the northward,
and had the like success: nothing occurring to vary the sameness, day
after day, but a series of heavy tempests, attended by terrific thunder
and lightning. One night (the 12th of March) the scene was absolutely
appalling--presenting a perfect war of the elements. In the words of an
old song (than which I know of no better description):
“Now the dreadful thunder roaring,
Peal on peal contending clash;
On our heads fierce rain falls pouring,
In our eyes blue lightnings flash.
One wide water all around us,
All above us one dark sky;
Different deaths at once surround us--
Hark! what means that dreadful cry.”
What the words “that dreadful cry” referred to in the song, the reader
must imagine; in our case it was that of a shark. A monster of that
species, attracted probably by his instinct, which led him to expect
prey on such a night as this, swam around and around the ship; the
intense darkness of the night and phosphorescent gleam of the ocean
made his huge bulk show out in relief, and appear treble his real size.
With a swab trailed astern, we soon got him within darting distance,
and hove an iron into his carcass, which stopped his marauding forever.
He was an enormous sized one, and required the united strength of half
a dozen of us, after he was mortally wounded, to drag him part way from
the water.
The storm did us no damage--the lightning ran over our yards and the
various ironwork of the ship in a manner to terrify the boldest. The
reason assigned for so few cases of injury to ships by lightning, is
the number of points presented in her structure for the dispersion of
the electricity. One precaution is invariably taken, that is, to remove
the pump-spears, and fill their place with swabs, to prevent the iron
rods acting as conductors for the electric fluid into the hold of the
ship.
There is something terrifying in such a scene, that carries with it a
sense of danger to the sturdiest: no matter how many such outbreaks
have before been viewed by the beholder, still an indefinable fear will
pervade his system. The gale is a feature to which, in his routine
of life upon the ocean, the seaman becomes accustomed, and only asks
for a short warning to battle with it; but there is something in the
lightning that makes one feel completely at its mercy, though we know
that in this as in all other perilous situations, we are under the
protection of the same wise Creator.
On these grounds we were continually meeting merchantmen bound to and
from the various Australian and East Indian ports, and it was a matter
of congratulation to us to see that all the swiftest and best of these
ships carried our own starry flag, maintaining the pre-eminence of our
ship-builders in this far-off sea.
We were now thirty months from home, and as our ship was fitted at
the outset to remain from home but forty, this was to be our last
cruise; and home was the all-engrossing topic on every tongue, from
the captain’s to the steerage boys’, all uniting in a sincere wish to
return, oil or no oil. Our return, which but a short time previous had
been commented upon as a vague and distant termination of a protracted
voyage, was now viewed as feasible and not very remote; and we felt
ourselves considerably elevated by the mere thought, when we gammoned
with ships but a short time from home, of the probation they, poor
fellows, would have to go through ere they arrived at the degree of
experience we had acquired on this coast. The wildest of those of our
crew, who had left home on the impulse of the moment, were the most
anxious to return, feeling that they had paid dear enough for their
whistles.
We were now the longest out of any ship on the coast. It is an old
adage, amongst whalemen, that when a year from home, on gammoning with
any ship that has sailed subsequent to your own departure, you have the
privilege of begging; when two years out, of stealing; and when three
years, of stealing and begging too; so that we now had the right of
exercising this privilege, in which there is more reality than romance.
Fresh provisions are seized upon by the old residenters without ruth,
as if they had the best right to them. This is seldom disputed by the
owners, who, in the abundance of their sympathy, do not wait to be
asked for such things, but press them for acceptance without thought of
remuneration; doing as they would be done by, and setting an example
worthy of imitation by more polished ones.
During the latter part of February and the month of March, we were
occupied in beating around the south-west coast of New Holland,
occasionally seeing land or sighting a ship to vary the monotony. Early
in April we steered to the northward, the strong south-east trades
being greatly in our favor. These winds prevail throughout the year in
this vicinity, only interrupted by fierce gales from the north-west,
which, though severe throughout their duration, seldom last more
than from twelve to sixteen hours. During our passage, as we emerged
into the warmer latitudes, shoals of flying-fish, bonita, albacore,
and dolphin were continually in sight, skipping hither and thither.
The bonita and albacore remaining in attendance upon our journey for
months, we occasionally caught them. Their prey being flying-fish, they
are easily hooked by cutting from solder or tin a shape resembling
the little creature, attaching a hook to the lower part of the solder
image, and a line to the upper; the angler then perches himself upon
the end of the flying jib-boom, and dangles his tackle to and fro,
imitating as nearly as possible the aerial flight of the tiny creature
it is intended to represent. The voracious skip-jack, or albacore, as
the case may be, ever on the alert for its prey, rushes to the bait,
seizes it, and is hooked for his pains. It is a pleasant sight to watch
these fish whilst about the ship; their agile movements in pursuit of
the flying-fish; their instinct teaching them that these are to be
found in the greatest number about the vessel’s prow, which, in her
onward course, disturbs them in their retreats, and forces them to
seek safety in the air, on their descent from which an ever watchful
enemy is prepared to meet and devour some of their number. At all times
these creatures, apparently with the utmost ease, keep in advance of
the ship, leaping from the water and varying their course with the
direction of the vessel. As I before said, they are often caught, but
are only serviceable for food when cooked with other articles, their
flesh being extremely dry and insipid. I have been assured by those
who have had experience of it, that long indulgence in eating them,
produces scurvy of the most violent type--more than one instance of
such a fact being on record.
At noon of April 20th we saw the Abrolhas’ Islands, and a reef in
their vicinity known as the Turtle Dove, which, from observation, we
found considerably out of the position laid down on the chart for it.
Immediately on closing with the land we lowered away two boats--one of
which went fishing, the other prospecting; at dark both returned, the
fishing boat with several barrels of snappers, jew-fish, and gropers;
the prospecting party landed on Long Island, and found it a long,
narrow strip of coral reef covered with broken shells and fragments
of coral cast up by the surf. A few mangroves and stunted bushes
comprised the vegetation. Large numbers of birds were present, and on
some portions of the island were extensive deposits of guano, though so
mixed with coral and fractured portions of shells as to be unfit for
the purposes of the agriculturist.
On the following day we again went in, and, carrying the boat across
a narrow part of the island, we launched her again in the so-called
bay, and proceeded to make soundings, by which we ascertained the
feasibility of anchoring here. We also visited Middle Island, where
a small mound and a head-board gave notice of the interment of a
poor remnant of mortality. The board bore the inscription, “Thomas
Williams, deceased April, 1851;” purporting to have been placed there
by the captain of a schooner. From a person who knew something of
the history of the vicinity, I learned that the deceased had been an
American seaman, a colored man, who had left an American whale-ship in
Freemantle, years previous; there he had married, joined the schooner
and set out as one of a whaling party to the Abrolhas’; but before he
had reached the scene of operations, he had fought his last battle, and
been conquered by death.
On Middle Island there is a rough house erected, which has remained for
many years; as also the ruins of a try works--memorials of a whaling
party. The tenement is built of stone, the roof of mahogany, and, no
doubt, was formerly quite a substantial building; but the north-westers
that howl through the islands have made sad havoc with its fair
proportions, and it is no longer tenantable.
At night we braced forward and stood out to the open ocean. On the 29th
we gammoned the clipper barque Sunlight, of New Bedford, a beautiful
craft, twenty-one months from home, with eight hundred and fifty
barrels of oil. Her captain, a namesake of the iron-handed protector of
England, was described by his crew as being a fiend incarnate--cursing,
beating, and abusing every one under his command; giving them scarcely
enough to eat. Poor fellows, they were glad to get hard bread, which
we, touched by their relation, gave to them: this they secreted on
their persons to carry aboard and make a meal of. The account of their
sufferings from this monster almost exceeded belief; but as it was the
same story from all grades of the members of the ship’s company, and
was afterwards corroborated by the crew of another vessel, we were
forced to yield credence to the tale.
On May 1st, a few minutes prior to sunset, we saw boats and a ship
whaling. On nearing the scene of operations we found it to be the
ship Abigail, of New Bedford, which proved to be unsuccessful. The
succeeding day we again saw her boats whaling. We lowered away our own,
but to no purpose. They, however, made an acquisition in the shape of
an eighty barrel whale.
On the 6th we gammoned the ship Congress; she brought from home a
budget of letters for us, but had delivered them over to the James
Allen, in October last, supposing that the latter would see us
first--they are now lost to us entirely. The Congress, it will be
remembered, returned to the States since we have been on this coast,
full of oil; and in the sixteen months, during which she has been from
home this voyage, she has taken sixteen hundred barrels of oil, or
nearly double what we have taken in three years. She is commanded by
the person who acted as her mate during the last voyage.
On the 9th we saw a barque to leeward, manœuvring for whales, and
evidently desirous, from her signals, of attracting our observation.
On running down to her we found that she had a whale alongside, and
that she was the John A. Robb, of Fair Haven, captain Baker, the
same who was cast away in the barque Henry H. Crapo; her whale was a
sulphur-bottom, and, as these are seldom captured, much curiosity was
manifested to get a sight at him. The head was shaped like an inverted
scoop; the fins and flukes resembled much those of the right whale. It
has on its ridge a very small fin or hump, which serves to distinguish
it from the fin-back; its jaws are furnished with black bone, but so
short as to render it of little value as an article of commerce. In
color its body is of a light grey, and is much longer, in proportion
to its bulk, than any other fish I have seen. The blubber was about
four inches thick, corrugated and arranged on the belly in great folds
or rolls; it was literally covered by wounds made by the remora or
sucking-fish. The whole length was eighty feet, and its yield fifty
barrels--the oil commanding the same price as that of the right whale.
It is seldom this variety of the whale is disturbed by the whaleman,
its extreme shyness rendering it almost an impossibility to strike it.
In this instance it was shot from the ship by a bomb-lance, which, by a
great chance, caused a fatal wound, disabling the fish so that he was
an easy capture.
The high price of whalebone at home renders the ships on this ground,
which have a large supply of it, anxious to get theirs to market ere
there is a depression in price, and we being the only ship anticipating
a speedy return, we are continually having it offered to us as freight.
Amongst these ships is the Richard Mitchell, which narrowly escaped
being driven ashore at Bunbury a few weeks ago. She had landed her
captain to bargain for provisions, whilst the vessel was standing off
and on, when a heavy southerly gale sprang up and stripped her of every
inch of canvas. By great exertions they bent new sails, but it was not
until after seventy-two hours beating that she was enabled to get an
offing that secured her safety.
From this time up to July 4th we saw little and done less, with the
single exception of lowering away for a sperm whale on June the 6th,
but seeing nothing of him after we had dropped our boats. On the 4th,
whilst in company with the Europa, making for the Abrolhas’ Islands,
we sighted sperm whales, lowered, struck, and killed one. Previous to
striking we had hoisted our ensign, which was imitated by the Europa.
This signal was a bond of copartnership between the two ships during
the day’s operations, each being entitled to half the proceeds of the
day’s capture. The Europa did not fasten, but chased the whales to
windward, in which pursuit we lost sight of her; meantime we tried out
our whale and stowed it between decks, so that we would have but little
trouble in giving her her half of it when we met. After some days we
fell in with her, when her captain, with a generosity unusual with his
profession, declined taking any part of it, assigning as a reason our
long-continued bad luck; saying, that after having taken but one whale
in six months, it would be too bad to deprive us of half of that.
The Europa had experienced a hard time of it since we had last seen
her, meeting with several of those accidents which the vicissitudes
of a seaman’s life render him ever liable to--having, in the first
place, shipped a sea that went completely over her, and stove the three
larboard boats almost beyond repair; then, again, having run close in
towards the land in hopes of seeing us, she had been jammed between the
Turtle Dove, Abrolhas’ and main land, in a gale of wind, when crowding
sail to madness was their only hope; but, fortunately, a timely shift
of wind enabled them to clear the main land by a hair’s breadth, and
dispelled all their gloomy fears.
On the 16th both vessels stood in for the Abrolhas’ Islands, and at 9
o’clock were snugly anchored amid the cluster, of which, by ascending
our tops, twenty-five different islands could be counted. As soon as
our ground-tackle was secured, we struck the topsail and topgallant
yards and the topgallantmasts, housed our mizzen topmast, and then
unbent all the sails, except the spensers: our object being to present
as little surface as possible to the action of the wind; thereby
rendering our anchorage more secure. The anchorage showed coarse white
sand, combined with pulverized coral and shell, which constitutes
excellent holding-ground.
Not expecting the humpbacks in before the first of August, we passed
the time in making excursions to the various islands of the group. We
soon found a novel and exciting sport in the destruction of seals,
which exist here in great numbers. These creatures bring forth their
young on the land; and, this being the season in which they breed, they
could at all times he seen basking in the sun, fast asleep, and quietly
enjoying themselves to the full. Our method of attack was to approach
as slyly as possible, and deal heavy blows on the tip of the nose,
which is the most sensitive portion of their organism. If well aimed,
the first blow despatches them; but, on the contrary, if you should
deliver it on the shoulders, back, or quarters, it seems to produce no
deleterious effect on the animal, which instantly rears upon his hind
flippers, and, with a sharp, querulous yelp, displays a set of ivories
little inferior to those of the lion; however, it requires hardly any
address on the part of the pursuer to avoid him. When the animal once
gets into water, no matter how shallow, farther chase becomes hopeless,
as it can then propel itself at a powerful rate; but while on land,
though its movements are by no means slow, it is no match for a good
runner.
A young seal, by the knowing ones said to be about six weeks old, was
captured alive, passed into the boat, and carried aboard the ship.
It seemed in no wise disconcerted, except at night when a light was
placed near its eyes, whereat it became much alarmed. It showed but
little timidity when caressed, and evidently considered our dog as one
of its own species, so solicitous was it to form an intimacy with him;
but puppy fought shy, and avoided companionship with the amphibious
creature. From its docility, we anticipated keeping it for a long
time; yet during the several days that it was retained, although
offered both small and large fish, it would partake of no sustenance,
but wandered fore and aft the decks, crying for its dam in a note not
unlike that the cow-calf uses on similar occasions. We were at last
reluctantly compelled to kill it--stuffing the skin for a memorial. The
skins of these, known as the hair-seal variety, are of little value
intrinsically; but, being easily tanned, they were very useful to us as
chafing-gear for the rigging.
Some of our savants, having either themselves eaten, or having heard
of other persons eating, the liver of the seal, assiduously extracted,
cleaned, and cooked one. It being a young seal, the dish proved very
palatable, in taste much resembling hog’s liver. All now became alert
to procure a fresh supply of them; but, as it happened, the next
seal pitched upon was a patriarch of the gang, whose destroyers were
overjoyed indeed at the quantity yielded by their prize, and brought it
aboard the ship with the air of conquerors. The cook dressed it; but,
lo, and behold! the following day, most of those who had partaken of it
were affected by nausea at the stomach and distressing headache--half
of the number being unable to leave their berths: consequences, I
opine, arising from the indigestibility of the liver, rendered tough by
the animal’s great age. Since then I have been assured that this is by
no means an isolated case of indisposition from the same cause.
In rambling, we found Long Island the most inviting of the group. It
was scantily furnished with several varieties of low shrubs; amongst
which were the native Australian gooseberry and a species of wild
oats. There are also on the island several thickets of the mangrove,
which, from the peculiar growth of the trees, though of only a moderate
height, are almost impenetrable. This tree affords excellent fuel,
and we took advantage of this by cutting and carrying away some eight
or ten cords of it for firewood. Its fracture is of a light yellowish
color, and the heart of it is decayed, but I cannot say whether this is
owing to the bad quality of the soil, or is a natural characteristic
of the wood. It is very heavy. The leaf is small, and eagerly sought
for by the rabbits, which abound on the island. Several pairs of these
little creatures were placed here years ago, and they have increased
until their number is legion. Had they a supply of fresh water, they
would in a short time become so much more numerous as to consume all
the herbage within their reach. We seldom visited the island without
bringing away half-a-dozen of them. Occasionally, in running our arms
into the burrows for rabbits, we would take hold of a disgusting
iguana, or get a handful of small eggs, deposited by a very diminutive
variety of gull, that burrows in the ground, and there hatches its
young. The whole island is excavated by these little diggers. Their
eggs, almost double the size of a pigeon-egg, have a white shell, and
are very excellent eating. The larger gulls lay an egg superior in
size to those of our domestic hens, which are mottled, and food fit
for an epicure. The shag, another variety, lays a pink egg, of goodly
size, which is also equally palatable. These birds would lay on the
bare ground; and, on our robbing their depositories, they would move
to another island, and repeat the process. This they did four or five
times, and at last either gave up in despair, or lit upon some place
secure from our depredations; for we were unable to procure a further
supply.
On Long Island we saw several osprey-nests, in one of which were eggs;
in another, the half-fledged young of the species. The eggs were about
the size of a goose-egg; but, as we had reason to think they were
addled, we had no opportunity of testing their fitness for the table.
During the whole of one day we observed immense flocks of birds flying
in the direction of this island, and on visiting it found the clumps
of mangroves literally swarming with small birds about the size of
a blackbird, busily engaged in building nests from the kelp which is
thrown up by the surf. They seemed to take but little notice of us.
We held a consultation, and finally decided that they were fit to be
eaten, and, in pursuance of this resolution, began bagging them. This
we found but little trouble; all that was necessary being to ascend one
of the mangrove trees, and, as the birds wheeled around in circles to
more nearly examine our, to them, strange appearance, knock them down
left and right. In this way but very few minutes elapsed before we
had sufficient for our purposes--two hundred and fifty of the little
feathered bipeds being a mess for the ship’s company; and all united
in deciding that they made an exceedingly savory stew. We repeated the
operation often after having been initiated into their good qualities.
Some idea may be formed of the number consumed, when I state that the
feathers, which were saved by old Jack, weighed twenty pounds; the old
salt in his green old age being determined to have a soft bed to repose
his weatherworn limbs upon. To this end he had been collecting feathers
during the greater part of the voyage--albatrosses, monimokes, ducks,
pigeons, hawks, and whale birds, contributing each their quota to his
store.
I cannot take leave of this subject without attempting to give some
idea of the immense numbers of the birds. I had read of the innumerable
flocks of wild pigeons which frequent our Western States, and I
had seen at sea immense flocks of various birds migrating to other
countries, but I had never formed an estimate that came within many
removes of the actual number I here saw. I can indeed liken them to
nothing else, as regards number, than a swarm of bees; their bodies
obscuring the sun’s light when they passed overhead, and a stone thrown
at random never failing to meet a mark.
The conchological specimens found on these islands are varied but
inelegant; they comprise both descriptions of the nautilus--the true
and paper varieties being found in abundance. These shells externally
possess but little beauty, but on being sawn apart in a lateral
direction, they present a handsome pearly arrangement contained in an
air-tight apartment in the base of the shell. A small variety of the
cowrie, too, is abundant. There are also periwinkles, scollops, and
oysters, all three of which are excellent eating, and, therefore, were
in great request with us.
Crabs are also found in great numbers, and can be had for the trouble
of picking up; so that we made shift to fare pretty well during our
stay here.
One of the islands to which we made several excursions, was known as
Dead Man’s Island, from the fact that an encounter between the members
of the crew of a Spanish ship, which was wrecked on the reef in the
seventeenth century, resulted in the death of several of their number.
The circumstances are these: the crew, after their vessel was stranded,
made for this island, having saved provisions and other articles,
amongst which was a chest of treasure. A dispute arising regarding
the ownership of this treasure, from words they proceeded to blows
and bloodshed, and some of them were sacrificed to their avaricious
spirit. After the battle the defeated party were banished to another
island, and the cause of strife was deposited for greater security on
Square Island, where, tradition says, it still remains; and many have
been induced by the rumor, incited by love of gain or adventure, to
toil in hopes of its _éclaircissement_. To this day human bones are
to be seen on the surface, and had there been as good evidence of the
treasure as of the struggle, no doubt our Yankee inquisitiveness and
acquisitiveness would have induced some of us to have made search for
it.
I can imagine no more inhospitable locality for a ship’s company to be
cast away than amongst these islands. They would be unable to find any
material to erect a covering for protection from the weather, unless
some portions of their vessel were cast ashore--the islands themselves
supplying nothing of the kind. To be sure they might manage to eke out
a subsistence from the birds and fish which are so abundant at certain
periods of the year; but they would be unable to exist without water
in the summer season, when, for months, no rain falls. The only place
where we found any fresh water was on Middle Island; and it was a mere
deposit of rain, in a well dug by the whaling party who formerly made
it the scene of their fishing operations.
On the 27th of July we sent off two boats from each ship to erect a
look-out on an island several miles to seaward of the ship. Whilst the
boats were thus engaged the crews saw humpback whales, but forebore to
meddle with them, supposing them to be the pioneers of the school said
to frequent these islands, and wishing to do nothing at this early date
to scare them from the haunts. On their return to the ship with this
cheering intelligence, all was bustle and activity. The blubber-room
was cleared out, useless casks were sent ashore, and every preparation
was made to carry on whaling with the utmost spirit; but alas! for
the vanity and frailty of human expectations, these were the sole and
only representatives of their species that we had a sight at during
our five weeks’ sojourn amongst the Abrolhas’. Things thus remained in
_statu quo_ until the 14th, when, as we began to send up spars and make
preparations for our departure, the luminous idea struck somebody of
sending one or more boats over to Champion Bay, to ascertain whether
whales had been seen on the coast, and whether the Port Gregory
whaling company had accomplished anything during the present season.
In pursuance of this resolution a boat from each ship, provisioned for
a week, was despatched to the main, under the conduct of the mates of
the respective vessels. We started at 1 o’clock P.M. with a fair wind,
and at nine the same evening made the main land, in the vicinity of
a headland known as the Wizard’s Peak. In the opinion of our fourth
mate, who had been here previously, we were too far to the northward,
and, as the line of breakers presented no point where we could land,
in pursuance of his suggestion we kept off to the southward, and
continued running until midnight, when we anchored in fifteen fathoms
of water, and endeavored to get some sleep; one of our number standing
watch all through the night. At daybreak we resumed our course to
the southward until about 3 o’clock in the afternoon, when we became
convinced of the incapacity of our pilot, and thought it advisable to
retrace our course to the northward; the wind being ahead, we had to
pull in the teeth of wind and sea. At dark we again came to anchor in
fourteen fathoms of water, and passed the night in the same manner as
the preceding one. At daylight, seeing nothing of the entrance, the
feasibility of a return to the ship was mooted, but as our supply of
water had dwindled to a gallon in both boats, we were loath to adopt
this measure, except as a dernier resort; but the wind, fortunately for
us, having hauled during the night, we set sail, and at nine o’clock
in the morning discovered the wished for haven within a few miles of
the peak we had sighted the first night--a very fortunate conclusion
to our misadventure. On reflection, we could now see the dangers of
our late situation. Had a gale come on from the westward we could not
possibly have escaped being driven on shore; and if it had come from
the eastward, even provided our boats had not been swamped, we were
without a supply of water, and must have perished from thirst before we
could have reached the ship.
On our landing at Champion Bay we were met upon the beach by the
three magistrates of the settlement, and a large proportion of the
inhabitants, who anxiously inquired if we had been wrecked. On our
answering in the negative, they inquired where we were from. On our
again answering, the barques Pacific and Europa, at the Abrolhas’
Islands, they evidently regarded us with suspicion--thinking that we
were either mutineers or deserters, who had fabricated this story for
our own purposes; and I believe that, had they dared, or even had
they thought themselves the strongest party, they would have clapped
us all in limbo, until assured of the truth of the story we told. We
heard whisperings as to our physical ability. The boats’ crews being
picked men, they said, were a very rugged-looking set of fellows; and
the fact of each man being provided with his belt and sheath-knife
seemed a recommendation to their respect. Then, again, had there been
any difficulty, the penal population, who are largely in the majority,
would have readily joined the strangers, in hopes of being delivered by
them from their penal servitude.
Our first queries were, as to whether whales had been seen in any
numbers on the coast the present season. They stated, that, from some
unknown cause, the whales’ food was not so plenty as it is during most
years at this period. The meducæ, which exist in great quantities, or
rather numbers, generally by their volume gave to the water a yellowish
hue, but at present scarcely any indication of their existence was
perceptible; therefore, although the whales had appeared as usual, they
made but a short stay. The Port Gregory fishery had been fortunate
enough, during their brief visit, to capture five of them--making quite
a profitable season’s business. They took their last whale some weeks
since--about the same time that we saw whales at the Abrolhas’; and I
am persuaded that we were too late for the season.
On our informing them that there were no whales at the Abrolhas’
Islands, they professed much surprise, and would scarcely give credence
to our intelligence; stating that, for years, every vessel which had
passed these islands had borne testimony to the immense number of
whales that frequented the waters around them.
Having now progressed up towards the settlement, we found it neatly
situated, although the buildings, which number about sixty, were much
scattered. The herbage appears luxuriant, and the soil fertile. Many
of the settlers own immense flocks of sheep and herds of bullocks; but
they deprecate the system of raising stock with a view to a pecuniary
return: for in the immediate vicinity of the settlement there grew, I
was assured, no less than sixteen varieties of vegetable poisons, which
the cattle browse, and are soon afterwards affected by spasms that
result in death.
A short distance from the settlement there is an extensive copper-mine,
which is the means of affording employment to most of the inhabitants.
The ore is said to be very rich, and is exported to England, whence
several vessels were daily expected for freights of it. This article
affords their only means of commerce with foreign countries: their
supplies and wool coming through, and being shipped from, Freemantle,
to and from which city cutters continually ply.
The wind being unfavorable for us to return to the ship, we made up our
minds to enjoy life ashore, for a day or two, as well as circumstances
would allow. So, in accordance with the decree of the clerk of the
weather, we took up our quarters at the only public house in the place,
and were soon deep in the discussion of a dinner, consisting for the
most part of fresh mutton. We had brought with us several hams, which
the habitues of the house preferred to the fresh meat. We therefore
had them boiled, to their as well as our own satisfaction; for while
they were engaged with the bacon, we were enabled to appropriate to
our ourselves the lion’s share of the other edibles, which--as our
appetites had been sharpened by between sixty and seventy hours’
exposure to the bracing sea-breeze, with a spice of hard pulling--we
were fully competent to dispose of.
Not feeling in the mood to cruise around much during the afternoon,
the greater part of us remained about the house, wondering, from the
sparsity of the landlord’s visitors, how he managed to eke out a
living; but, as soon as night approached, we were convinced that he
lacked not for customers, who now one after another dropped in to have
a look at us, and imbibe the potations he had to dispense.
One thing is greatly in favor of this colony; that is, the government
has as yet refused to grant a license for the sale of spirits in less
quantities than a gallon; and, as a gallon costs two pounds sterling,
(equivalent to nine dollars and eighty-eight cents of our money,)
the ardent is not within the reach of everybody. During the time
we remained in the place, I did not see a glass of spirits drank.
Malt-liquors, comprising porter, ale, and beer, were however swallowed
without regard to quality or quantity.
Here, as well as everywhere else that I have visited in these colonies,
the males and females alike frequent the tap-room. They were all very
hospitable, and it may be imagined how it sounded to our ears, for
a matronly-looking woman, with a child held by the hand, to address
us with, “What will you have to drink, Jack?” while everybody about
seemed to regard it as a matter of propriety.
At night, as there were not beds sufficient for our accommodation, we
took a shake down in the dining-room, using kangaroo-skins as blankets.
We had scarcely got settled, before we were rolling, pitching, and
tossing, by way of a forced accompaniment to the flea-bites that were
being inflicted upon us: the numbers of these pests being myriads.
Although they are little heeded by those who are acclimated here and
inured to their tortures, yet to us thinner-skinned gentry these fleas
now proved objects of real terror. For hours, sleep was out of the
question. All of us had been accustomed to considerable blood-letting
aboard from the bed-bugs that always infest old ships in warm weather;
but we were by no means prepared for a wholesale depletion by these
vampires. At length, towards morning, we managed to gain some
intermission from their attacks, and the sun had made a great portion
of his daily journey ere we broke our slumbers.
After breakfast was over, we took a tramp, and found that we were not
deceived in our estimate of the country. Instead of the sandy surface
we had been accustomed to see in the southern sections of the colony,
there was here an excellent soil, and the appearance of the crops
promised an abundant harvest; while the live stock we saw were in a
good condition.
The trees here embrace all the varieties of the she-oak, bankshire,
mahogany, peppermint, blackberry and raspberry jam, and some little way
in the interior the precious sandal-wood is found.
The houses are of stone, and neatly fashioned: mahogany being applied
to all the various purposes of the architect--its great plentifulness
and durability rendering it preferable to any other wood they possess.
The following day, the wind still being unfavorable and precluding
our departure, the officers in charge of the expedition began to feel
alarmed as to the insufficiency of their funds--the whole amount of
money brought being ten pounds, or fifty dollars; this amount would
not go very far towards the support of thirteen men, for any length
of time, in a place where all the necessaries of life were held at an
exorbitant price. Now that their suspicions had worn off as to our true
character, I do not think that they would have allowed us to want;
still, we did not feel inclined to depend on their charity, so we asked
them if there was any work that we could perform. The only branches
of business open were wood-chopping and supplying the community with
fresh fish; they possessing no boats, and the snapper banks being
some distance from the settlement, it is only by chance that they are
enabled to indulge their appetites for them. We, on this information,
held a consultation, and one party, including the two officers,
shouldered axes and went into the woods, where they gave the colonials
a specimen of Yankee wood-chopping; the rest of us took the boats, and,
having been supplied with tackle, made their hearts glad by a display
of fish superior to any they had seen for a long time.
This was a pretty specimen of occupation for gentlemen’s sons to
engage in; but it only verifies our national peculiarities: and the
originator of the remark that a Yankee, with or without his jack-knife,
could make a living anywhere, was not far from the truth.
The natives here, as elsewhere, are the same miserable, debased race;
but are ruled by an iron hand--the early experience of the colonists
forcing them to adopt severe measures to secure them against the
depredations of these nomadic tribes. I was informed that little
account was taken of the death of one of them, by a white man’s agency,
if detected in any little peccadillo; but a few years since the whites
were still more severe, shooting the natives down like dogs whenever
they approached their habitations.
At nine o’clock on the morning of the 19th we bade farewell to Champion
Bay, under strict surveillance of the authorities--they being fearful
that we would convey away some of the prisoners. We were favored with
a fair wind, and at 4 o’clock the same afternoon boarded the ship,
perfectly satisfied with our jaunt. We found that during our absence
changes had taken place--a Portuguese boy, whom we shipped at Flores,
having exchanged, and gone aboard the Europa as steward; her former
steward, a native of New York city, having received his discharge
on account of inability, from sickness, to perform his duty. He is
suffering from spasmodic stricture of the urethra, and goes with us to
Mauritius in order to procure efficient medical aid. He lives in the
forecastle, and, as well as his health permits, agrees to perform duty
as a foremast hand; on arriving at Mauritius, it is optional with him
either to remain ashore or go with us to the United States.
During the whole time that we lay at anchor here, the most intimate
relations existed between all grades of the two ships’ companies; every
day and every night we held re-unions, in which, by merriment, we
strove to dispel the recollection of being so far separated from home.
A boat seldom left either ship on an excursion for pleasure, without
calling on the other party to see if any wished to go; and if either
ship was to be kedged ahead, or her anchorage shifted, the other crew
were ever ready to volunteer their assistance.
One favorite trip was to go with the boat to within a short distance of
the heavy surf that broke on the reef at low water, where live shells
were to be collected. These were then buried in sand, or immersed in
fresh water, until the death of the animal rendered dislodging him
from his shell an easy task. In this manner we cleaned them, without
impairing the enamel, which so greatly enhances their beauty.
One of our last moves previous to sailing, was to stow some two hundred
barrels of salt water in our after-hold, the ship being so light as
to render more weight in her hold necessary to make her sea-worthy;
we having put into her nothing like her carrying capacity of oil, and
having eaten the principal part of the provisions, there remained but
little in her to act as ballast.
Having now been from home almost our allotted period, we have exhausted
almost all the original supplies. Our meat is reduced to some forty
barrels, flour to ten or twelve, sugar none, molasses none, (the latter
we procured a supply of from the Europa,) and our tea is so near its
ultimatum that it is reserved for special occasions, and coffee takes
its place as a beverage for supper. Our boats are nearly all worthless,
and now only comprise the four on the cranes--two having been disposed
of to Captain Phinney, of the Europa; who likewise got all of the
spare oars. We have but one respectable set of topsails and courses
that can be depended upon in heavy weather, and are ill provided for a
much longer stay from home. Should we take another cruise or two, the
expenses of refitting would be great; and, should we then do nothing,
instead of a source of profit to the owners, we would prove a burden,
independent of the loss of time to ourselves. At the same time we feel
loath to return with so sorry a cargo; and there are a number amongst
us who are anxious and willing to risk the prospect of another six
months’ or a year’s work, so as to have something due them on their
return; forgetting that, although they were to land penniless, the
six or twelve months thus spent at sea, if steadily devoted to some
occupation ashore, would return a much larger sum.
At 11 o’clock on the morning of the 20th, we weighed our anchors with
the intention of going out; but no sooner were they tripped, than the
current set us down upon the Europa, which lay a cable’s length astern.
All hands jumped on the taffrail and quarters, and shoving with might
and main, prevented a collision. We then kedged her ahead, and, finding
it impossible for us to leave until the Europa sailed, we lowered our
boats and towed her into the channel. Then kedging ahead to clear the
shoal, after narrowly escaping planting her stern on it, off she went
in gallant style.
The Europa went out rigged as a barque. Her mizzenmast being
defective, carrying sail on it would be rather hazardous; so her
crossjack, mizzen topsail, and topgallant yards, were sent down, and
the leg-of-mutton-shaped gaff-topsail substituted in the stead of the
canvas pertaining to them.
These whaleships often undergo striking changes between the date
of their leaving home and the period of their return: the captain
possessing a discretionary power to pull down and build up any of his
ship’s arrangements. But, woe betide him! if he does anything that
results disastrously, unless he makes a good voyage (which last is
the New-Bedford apology for a multitude of sins). Some old-fashioned
skippers are content with leaving things as they find them; whilst
those of the more modern school want their quarter-deck made clear, so
that when in port a fore-and-after can be indulged in by the select
assemblages who then ordinarily rendezvous aboard whalers.
By the way, I recently heard a story about a party of such visitants,
who boarded the ship Twilight in King George’s Sound. Amongst them
were the daughters of one of the most aristocratic families in the
town. The steward of the vessel, supposing of course that they were
ladies, had gone to considerable pains in preparing a collation, which
the guests seemed much to enjoy. After concluding their repast, they
stuffed their pockets with the cakes they were unable to eat; indeed,
one went so far as to make her bosom a storehouse for provender. They
then adjourned to the quarter-deck for a dance; and, as they displayed
much activity during its progress, the hidden dainties were dropped:
an eclaircissement which much surprised the neophytes of the ship, who
were unaccustomed to such practices. The possessors were by no means
disconcerted; but, re-collecting their prizes, continued the dance.
This relation of New Holland manners may by some be deemed overwrought
and extravagant; but, as I have the story from most reliable authority,
I can vouch for its correctness. I have seen the participants, and
although, as I before said, they belonged to the first circles and
affected to be aristocratic, were they arrayed in jacket and trowsers,
they would make first-rate man-of-war’s men.
And now that the Abrolhas’ are dropping astern, we will contrast the
present state of our feelings with what they were when we entered
this channel, five weeks since. Then we were pregnant with hope:
no doubt existing in our minds as to the preconceived certainty
of taking several hundred barrels of oil--the only damper to our
ardent expectation being the forethought of our toil in towing. The
possibility of there being no whales never struck us; for we had from
various testimonies of their presence put this point so far beyond all
question, that if any one had started the least misgivings he would
have been treated with derision. At that time, too, we firmly expected
to leave directly for home on quitting the islands; having only to
make a short stoppage at the Island of St. Helena for water. But now
we had before us the unpleasant prospect of another cruise; and this
still more darkened with the thought of our putting into ports, where
the little we had due to us would most likely be foolishly spent.
Instead of the hundreds of barrels of oil that we had anticipated to
have stowed below, we had two hundred barrels of salt-water; and to
counterbalance our other disappointments we had--just nothing at all.
Yet, had we not made the attempt, none of us would have been satisfied;
and I think the captain perfectly justified, although the result was so
disastrous.
But there is no use in repining: for this was only one of the series of
maladventures we experienced throughout our voyage. The season in the
Bight and that on New Zealand (on both of which we had counted largely)
returned us almost nothing. We had, however, solaced ourselves with the
reflection that the Abrolhas’ season was yet to come; and, although we
preferred the sperm oil, still we had made up our minds to be satisfied
with a cargo of that of the humpback, which we were assured we could
get without trouble, except hard work. And now, when this too had
failed, our sheet-anchor was gone: for, if there were any who still had
an idea of making a good voyage, they were hoping against hope. For us,
certainly, the day had gone by; unless, indeed, when we returned, the
market for oil should by some strange revulsion have become so much
exhausted as to cause it to bring an almost fabulous price. Then, and
then only, would any of us make pin-money enough to repay us for more
than three years of a hard, wearisome life. However, as I said before,
there is no use in repining. We must grin and bear it, and at the same
time admit ourselves convinced of the aptness of that axiom which reads
“Blessed are they who expect nothing; for they are sure not to be
disappointed.”
And now, the general feeling that pervaded the ship’s company was a
wish for a speedy return home: all being convinced of the inutility of
a longer absence. But whether the captain would act in accordance with
it remained to be seen. His mind fluctuated, with the tide of time,
between these two points: to go, or not to go. This was the question
which he appeared to be continually debating in his own mind. One
moment, “going home” was in the ascendant; the next, all his sympathies
were enlisted in favor of staying out for another cruise: points which
were perhaps ultimately decided to our disadvantage.