Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1851-11-15
From the Panama Herald, Oct. 10.
DESTRUCTION OF wHALE-sHIP BY A
SPERM WHALE.
Sinking of The Ship-Loss Of 1tro Boats
and miraculous Escape of The Crele.

w
Sinking Of The Ship-Loss Of 1tco Boats
and Miraculous Escape Of The Cre,g.
We have jus. received The following thrill
ling account Of the destruction of the whale
ship Ann Alexander, Captain John S. Deb.
lois, of New Bedford, by large sperm
whale, from the lips of the captain himself
who arrived in this city from Paita, Oh Sun
day last, in the schooner Providence. A
similar circumstance has never been known
10 occnr but ouce in the whole history Of
whale-iishinn, and that was the destruction
of the ship Essex some twenty or twenty
five years ago, and which many ot our rea-
ders fully remember We proceed TO the
narrative as furnished us by Captain Drblois,
and which is fully authenticated by nine of
the crew in a protest under the seal of the
U. S. Consul, Alex. RIDDEN, Jr., al Pata.
The Ship Ann Alexander, Capt. S. Dpblois
sailed from New Bedford, Mass. June l-t
1850, for a cruise in the South Pacific for
sperm whale. Having taken about 500 bar
rels Of oil in the Atlantic, the ship pro.
cceded on her voyage 10 the Pacific
Nothing of unusual interest occurred until
when passing Cape Horn, one of the men,
named Jackson Walker of Newport, n. H.
was lost overheard in storm. Reaching
the Pacific, she came up the coast and stop
ped at Naldiyia, Coast OF Chill, for fresh
provisions, aud on The 3lst of March last
She called at Paia, for the purpose of ship
ping man. The vessel proceeded on her
voyage to the South Pacific.
On the 2Olh Of Argus, last, she reached
what is well known TO all whaers as the
! .Shorr-Grouud. in lat. s deg. so miu
South. lon. lO2 deg. West. In the morning
discovered in the ueighhorhood, and about
noon, he same day, they succeeded in
making fast one. Two boats had gone after
The whales-the larhoard and siaIhoard, the
former commanded by The first mate, and
the latter commanded by Captain Debloi..-
The whale which they had struck, was har.
pooncd hy the laIhoard boat. After running
some time, the whale turned upon The boat
and rushing at it with Tremendous violence,
lifted open its enormous avs, and taking
The boat in, actually crushed it into frag-
meus as small as a common-sized chair =
Captain Dehcls Immediately pulled for the
scene Of the disaster with the siarboard boat
aud succeeded against all expectations, in
rcscuing the hole Of the crew of the boat
zine in number
There were now eighteen men in the
s,alhoard boat, consisting of The captain, the
first mate, aud The crew Of the both boats.
The frlahlful disaster had been witnessed
from the ship, aud the waist boat was cal
led into readiness and ,ent to their relief
The distance from the ship was about six
miles. As soon aS he waslboal arrived,
the rreWs were divided, and 1t was de.
teruued to pursue the same whale, and
make another attack upon them. Acco'd-
m2ly ihey separated and proceeded al some
distance from each Other, as is usual on such
occasions, after The whale. IL a short lime
hey came up 10 him, aud prepared 10 give
him battle. The waisl-boar, commanded by
he first mate, was in advance. As ,Oon as
the whale perceived The demonstration
being made rpou him. he TUNED hIs course,
suddenly, and making Il tremendous dash at
lhis boat seized it wlh his widespread jaws
and crushed it into atoms, allowing the men
barely time TO escape his vergencc; by
throwing themselves into the ocean
Cap!. Dehlols again seeing the periious
condition o! his men, al the rlsk of meeting
the same lalr, directed his boat 10 hasten to
their rescue, aud in short lime succeeded
in saving them all from Il death little less
horrible than that from which they had
twice so narrowly escaped. He then order
ed the boat TO put for the ship as speedily as
possibly and 40 sooner bad The order beer
} given than lhey discovered the monster o
! he deep making tUward them with hi
+ Jaws widely extended. Fortunately III,
monster came up and passed them al shor
: distance. The boat then made her way Il
. the ship and lhey all got on board il
> safely.
After reaching The ship a boat was DIES
. patched for the oars of the demolishe
, boats, and it was determined 10 pulsue In
y whale with the ship, As soon as the boa
II returned with the oars, sail was sci, and II.
= ship proceeded after the whas In a shoI
/ time she overlook him aud lance wa
t thrown into his head. The ship passed o
by him, and Immediately after they dlscoS
cred that the whale was making for III
a ship AS he came up near her, they haule
i to the wind, aud suffered the monster |
n pass her. After he had fairly passed the
e kept oil to ovel'ake aud attack him again.
d When the ship had reached within abor
P tiily rods Of him, they discovered hal II
d whale had settled down deer h.Ioy II
= surface of the water, an3 as !, was ne
L sundown, they concluded TO give M II
e pursuit.
'' Capt. Deblo'.s was at this time standing
g Ihe NIGH. heads on the larboard bow, wi
e. crit in hand, ready to sliike The monster
-, deadly blow should he appear, the sh