Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1843-04-14
TRIALS AND DANGERS OF THE
WHALE FISHERY.

WHALE FISHERY.
The following very graphic description of the
trials at home and dangers abroad, which are in.
cident TO the Whale Fishery, is by Nantucket cor
respondent Of the n. Y. Eyangest-no doubt the
Rev. John S. c. Abbot.
NANTUCKET is sustained entirely by the
whale fishery. But few persons are aware
of the peculiar trials and dangers which this
business involves. have rarely been able
to see the United States banner run up to
the top of our flag staff, announcing that
a Cape Horn ship has appeared in the dis
tant horizon or to sit upon my house top.
and watch the lcssenng sail of one as it re-
cedes from the island disappearing in the
haze ofthe ocean, without having emotions
excited which will moisten the eve. Our
ships are fitted out for cruise of four years
II they return with cargo of sperm oil in
forty months, they are thought to be re-
markably successful; but not unfrequently
they recruit their exhausted stores in some
port around Cape Horn, and nearly five
years pass away ere the storm worn-shp a.
gain appears in our harbor Who then can
imagine the feelings which must agitate a
family when the husband and the father
leaves his home for such voyage as this.
man was speaking TO me few DAYS ago
OF the emotions with which he was over
whelmed, when he babe adeu 10 his family
on his last voyage. The ship in which he
was 10 sail was at Edgartown, on Marthas
Vineyard. The packet was at the wharf
which was to convey him from Nantucket
to the ship. lie went down ia the morning
and saw all his private sea stores slowed
away in the little sloop, and then returned
to his home to take leave of his wife and
child. His wife was sitting OF the freside.
struggling in vain to restrain her tears
She had an infant few months old in her
arms, and with her foot was rocking the era
die in which lay another little daughter A.
bout three years Of age, with her cheeks
flushed with burning fever. No pen can
describe the anguish of such parting. Ii
was almost like the bitterness of death. The
departing father imprints kiss upon the
check of his child Four years will pass a.
way ere he viii again take that child in his
arms. Leaving his wife sobbing in anguish,
he closes the door of his house behind him
Four years must clapse ere he can cross that
threshold again. One sea captain upon
this island has passed but seven wears Of
iorty-nine upon the land. A lady said to me
few evenings ago, have been married | /
years, and counting all the days my husband
has been at home since our marriage. it a.
mounts TO but three hundred and sixty DAYS.
lie is now absent, having been gone fifteen
months and two years more must undonbt-
eddy eapse ere his wife can see his face a.
gain. And when he shall return, it will
be merely TO visit his family for a few
months, when he will again bid them adieu
for another four years absence
/ asked lady the other day, how many
letters she wrote to her husband during his
last voyage. Gone hundred" was the an
swer "And how many of them did he re-
celveF Six" The invarable rule is TO
write by every ship that leaves this port. or
New Bedford, or any other port that can be
heard from, for the Pacific Ocean. And
yet the chances are very small that any two
ships will meet on that boundless expanse.-l
1t sometime happens that a ship returns,
when those on board have not heard one
word from their families during the whole
period of their absence. Imagine then the
feelings Of husband and father, who re-
turns to the harbor of Nantucket after SEN
aratlon OF iorty-eight months, during which
time he has heard no tidngs whatever from
his home. He sees the boat pushing off
from the wharf which is to bring him the H. I
dngs of veal or 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, Captain, your ihmi- I
ly are all we'll" Or, perhaps, he saws. (
Captain, have heavy news for you your
wife died two years and half ago" A
young man left this island last summer.
leaving in his quiet home young and beau
tiiul 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 of II for months to come. He perhaps
falls asleep every night thinking Of the loved
ones he left at his fire side little imagining
that they are both cold in death.
On bright summer afternoon, the tele-
graph announces that Cape Horn ship has
appeared in the horizon. And Immediately
the stars and stripes of our national banner
are uniurled from our flag staff, sending a
wave of emotion through the town. Many
families are hoping that it is the shin in
which their friends are to return, and all are
hoping for ;idngs from the absent. Soon
the name of the ship is announced. And
then there is an eager contention with the
boys to be the first bearer of the joyful IL
dings to the wife of the captain, for which
service a silver dollar is the established and
lnvariable fee. And who can describe the
feelings which must then agitate the bosom
of the wife. Perhaps she has heard no IT,
dings from the ship for more than year,
Trembling with excitement she dresses her