The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1843-05-16
Miscellaneous.
TRIALS AND DANGERS OF TIE WHALE
FISHERY

The following very graphic description of the trials
at home and dangers abroad, which are incident to
the Whale Fishery, is by Nantucket correspon-
dent of the N. Y.Evangelist-no doubt the Rev. John
s. c. Abbot.
NANTUCKET is sustained entirely by the whale
fishery. But few persons aware of the peculiar
traits and dangers which th business involves. i
have rarely been able 10 the United States Ban
ner run up to the top of our flag staff, announcing
that Cape Horn ship has appeared in The distant hor
izon or to sit upon my house top and watch the les
sening sail of one as it ecedes from the island, dis
appearing in the haze Of the ocean, without having
emotions excited which will moisten the eye Our
ships fitted out for cruise Of four years. IF they
return with cargo ofsperm oil in forty months, they
thought to be remarkably successful: but not
frequently they recruit their exhausted stores in some
port around Cape Horn, and nearly five years pass
away ere the storm worn-ship again appears in our
harbor. Who then imagine the feelings which
must agitate family when the husband and the faith
er leaves his home for such voyage this. A man
| was speaking to me few days ago of the emotions
with which he was overwhelmed, when he babe a.
| deu to his family his last voyage. The ship in
| which he was to sail was at Edgar,own, Marha's
| Vineyard. The packet at the wharf which was
to convey him from Nantucket 10 the ship. He
went down in the morning and al his private sea
stores slowed away in the little sloop. and then re-
! turned to his home to take leave Of his wife and
child. His wife sitting at the freslde struggling
in vain to restrain her tears.She had an infant few
months old in her arms, and with her foot was rock
ing the cradle in which lay another little daughter
| about three years age, with her cheeks flushed
with burning fever. No pen can describe the an
gush of such parting. II was almost like the Bit
terness of death. The departing father imprnts a
kiss upon the cheek of his child. Four years will
pass away ere he will again take that child in his
arms. Leaving his wife sobbng in anguish he closes
| the door of his house behind him. Four years must
elapse ere he can cross that Threshold again. One
sea captain upon this island has passed but seven
| years of forty-nne upon the land. lady said to
me few evenings ago,I have been married l years
and counting all the days my husband has been al
home since marriage, it amounts to bat three hun
dred and sixty days. He is absent, having been
gone fifteen months; and two years more must I'M
doubleday eapse ere his wife can his face again.
And when he shall return, will be merely to visit
his family for few months, when he will again
bid them adieu for another four years absence
asked lady the other day, how many letters she
wtote to her husband during his last voyage. Gone
hundred was the answer. ssAnd how many OF
them did he receive?' ssSix.'' The invariable rule
is to write by every ship that leaves this porte New
Bedford, or any other port that can be heard from,
for the Pacific Ocean. And yetthe chances are very
small that any two ships will meet on that boundless
expanse.-H sometimes happens that ship returns
when those on board have not heard one word from
their families during the whole period OF their abb
sence. Imagine then tile feelings of husband and a
father, who returns the harbor Of Nantucket after
separation of forty-eisht months, during which time
he has heard tidngs whatever from his home He
sees the boat pushing off from the wharf which is to
bring him the tdings of veal woe. He stands
pale and trembling, pacing the deck, overwhelmed
with emotions which he in vain endeavors to conceal.
A friend in the boat greets him with smile, and
says, ssCaptain, your family are all we'll" Or, per-
haps, he says "Captain, have heavy news for you;
your wife died two years and half ago. young
man left this island last summer, leaving in his quiet
home young ard beautiful wife and infant child.
That wife and child are now both in the grave. But
the husband knows it not, and probably will not
know it for months to come. He perhaps falls asleep
eyery night thinking of the loved he left at his
fire side, little imagining that they both cold in
DEATH
On bright summer afternoon, the telegraph an
nounces that Cape Horn ship has appeared In the
horizon, And Immediately the stars and stripes of
our national banner are unfured from flag staff,
| sending a wave Of emotion through the town. Many
families are hoping that is the ship In which their
friends are to return, and all are hoping ioF ndngS
from the absent. Soon the name oil the snip Is an
nounced. And then there an eager contention win
the boys to be the first bearer of the joyful tdngs 10
the wife ofthe captain, for which service silver
is the established and invarabe fee. And VINO can
describe the feelings which must then agtate the DO
som of the wife. Perhaps she has heard no tdlngs
from the ship for more than year Trembling with
excitement she dresses hersefto meet her husband.
.Is he alive she says to herself cor am widow