While not primarily a whaling voyage, the “Catalpa” Expedition should
be outlined in any account of whaling adventures.
[Illustration: Whaling-bark “Catalpa” of New Bedford rescuing prisoners
from Australia in 1876; on the left is the police-boat racing to
intercept the convicts in the rowboat, and on the right is the English
armed cruiser “Georgette” coming to the assistance of the police. The
prisoners barely escaped.]
A number of Irish subjects who had joined the Fenian conspiracy of 1866
had been banished to Australia for life and were serving in the English
penal colony at Freemantle. John Boyle O’Reilly had escaped with the
aid of a whaleship and immediately began to form a plot to release
his fellow prisoners. O’Reilly suggested a whaleship for the rescue,
chiefly because it would create little suspicion, as whaleships were
frequently seen off the coast of Australia. Captain H. C. Hathaway,
who was the head of the night police force at New Bedford, was then
consulted, and he recommended their approaching a certain George S.
Anthony, a most successful whaler. Accordingly a meeting was held in
a dark room, and Captain Anthony finally accepted the leadership of
the expedition, probably not realizing fully the danger involved. The
“Catalpa” was selected, and she sailed from New Bedford on April 29,
1875, not even an officer sharing the secret with the brave commander.
The ship actually captured whales and finally arrived off Bunbury on
the coast of Australia. In the mean time a man called John J. Breslin,
who used to be a freight agent in Boston, had gone to Australia with
a fellow conspirator to arrange the land end of the scheme. On the
day appointed Captain Anthony rowed ashore with his crew, and with
great difficulty Breslin and his six prisoners, who had escaped from
their work in the woods, were placed on board the rowboat, which set
out to sea to join the “Catalpa,” some miles off shore. A storm came
up, but by good fortune and skilful seamanship, after a whole day
and night, the “Catalpa” was sighted. At the same time the English
cruiser “Georgette” was seen coming out of Freemantle in search of the
refugees. By great luck for some reason she never noticed the small
whaleboat and after questioning the “Catalpa” put back towards the
shore. The rescued and rescuers rowed on and finally were observed by
the men on the “Catalpa.” At the same time Captain Anthony noticed with
horror that there was an armed guard boat almost as near the “Catalpa”
as was his boat. It was a terrific race, but the whaleboat arrived a
few seconds ahead and the occupants climbed on board; the officers
had lost, and the prisoners were free. The rescued men knew their
pursuers and, leaning over the rail of the “Catalpa,” wished them “Good
morning,” and there was nothing for the officers to do but to answer
them in the same tone. When the captain reached home he weighed one
hundred and twenty-three pounds, having lost thirty-seven pounds on the
voyage, through worry and excitement. The police of Western Australia
endeavored to get these prisoners returned, but as their letter was
addressed to the same Captain Hathaway who assisted the plotters of the
expedition, there was not much help in this direction!
It is a very curious fact that at the precise moment that Disraeli was
telling the House of Lords that he would not release these prisoners
they were free on the Yankee ship. Receptions were held in New Bedford
and Boston in honor of Captain Anthony and the other rescuers, and the
daring captain will always be a hero with the Irish people.