Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1849-1856, 1851-11-06
Destruction OfWhalc-Ship A mn
AlcXnndcr,b by q sperm Whale.

Destruction OfWhalc-Ship 4 mn
Alexander, by n Sperm Whale.
We copy from the Panama Herald, OF
the 10th Of October, the following thrill
ling account Of the loss of the ship Alex
ander, of New Bedford, commando by
Capt. John S. Deblois, of this town. 1t
is one of the most startling and extraor-
dinary accidents ever heard of; great
praise is due TO Capt. DebIois for his
coolness and skill OIL the occasion, in
saving the lives Of all his men. Capt.
Dcbois arrived at his home in This town
Sunday morning, bringing the news OF
the catastrophe; We are indebted TO
him for the Panama Herald, from which
we copy the account of The accident -
We have just received the following
thrilling account OF the destruction OF
the Whale Ship Ann Alexander, Capt.
john S. DEBLoIs, Of New Bedford, by
a large Sperm Whale, from the lips Of
the Captain, himself who arrived in this
city from Patio on sunday last, in the
Schooner Providence. Ii is one of the
most remarkable events on record, and
will be read with deep interes. through
out the whole commercial and civilized
world, where, i, may be made Known
A similar circumstance has never been
known to occur but once in the whole
history OF whale-fshing, and that was
the destruction OF the Ship Esse.r, some
twenty or twenty-five years ago, and
which many Of our readers fully remem-
ber. We proceed to the narrative as
furnished US by Capt. Deblois, and
which Is fully authenticated by nine of
the crew in a protest under the seal Of
the U. S. Consul, Alex. Ruden: Jr., at
Paita.
The Ship Ann Alexander, Capt. John
8. Deblois, sailed from New Bedford,
Mass, June LIST. 1850, for a cruise in the
South Pacific for sperm whale. Having
taken about 400 barrels Of oil in the At
lanlic, the ship proceeded on her voyage
To the Pacific. Nothing Of unusual in
terest occurred until when passing Cape
Horn, one of the men, named Jdchson
Walker OF Newport, N. H., aged about
81, was lost overheard in Storm
Reaching the Pacific, she came up The
coast and stopped at Raidiria, coast Of
Chill, for fresh provisions. and Oh the
3lst of May last, she called Pdita for
the purpose of shipping men. The ves-
sci proceeded on her voyage TO the
South Pacific.
On the 20lh ofAugust last, che reach
=. fn al I.rc q -
the "Of. Shore. Ground" in Lat. 5 deg.
SO min. South Long. l02 deg. West In
the norning Of that day at about 90
clock, whales were discovered in the
neyhborhood, and about Q, on the same
day, they succet ded in making ia.t to
one. Two boats had gone after the
whales-the larboard and the siarboarJ,
the former commanded by the first mate,
and the latter by Capt Deblois The
whale which they had struck was har-
pooned by the Iarboard boat; the whale
turned upon the boats and rushing AT
them with tremendous violence, lifted
open its enormous jaws and taking the
hoat in, actually crushed it into frag-
ments as small as Il cOmmon-sized char
Capt Dehois Immediately struck for
the scene of the disaster with The star
hoard boat and succeeded against all
expectation in rescuing the whole Of the
crew OF the demolished boat six in
number! How they escaped from in
slant death when the whale rushed up
on ,hem with such violence and seized
their boat in Its ponderous jaws, 10 a
mystery known only TO "Him who holds
Tie waves as in The hollow Of His hands"
There were now twelve men in the
starboard boat. consisting Of the Cap
tain the first mate, and the crews Il
both boats. The irighiiul disaster had
been witnessed; the waste-bOat went
Immediately TO their relief The dis
tance from the ship was about six miles.
AS coon as the waste boat arrived, the
crews were divided, and it was deter
mined TO pursue the same whale, and
make another attack upon him. Ac.
cordingly they separated and proceed
ed at some distance from each other, as
is usual on such occasions, after The
whale. In a short time, they came up
To him and prepared to give him battle.
The waste-boat, commanded by the
first mate, was in advance. As soon AS
the whale perceived the demonstration
being made upon him, he turned his
course, suddenly. and making fremen-
dous dash a, this boat, seized it with his
wide. spread jaws and crushed it into
atoms, allowing the men barely time to
escape his vengeance by throwing them
selves into the ocean!
Capt. Deblois again seeing the peril
Gus condition Of his men, AT the risk OF
meeting the same fate directed his boat
| 10 hasten to their rescue, and in short
time, succeeded in saving them all
from a death, little less horrible than
that from which they had, twice, so
racuIously escaped. lie then or.
dcred the boat to put for the ship as
speedily as possible, and no sooner had
the order been given than they discov-
cred the monster Of the deep making
towards them with his jaws widely ex-
tended! Escape from death now seem
ed totally out OF the question. They
were six or seven miles from the ship =
no aid even there 10 afford them neces.
sary relief, and the whale, maddened by
the wounds Of the harpoon and lances
which had been thrown into him, and
seemingly gloating with the prospect
/ Of speedy revenge, within few cables