The New York herald., 1851-11-06
Thrilling Account of the Destruc tion of a
Whale Ship.

Thrilling Account of the Destruction of u
Whale Ship.
The following interesting particulars Of the satas-
trophe to the whale ship Ann Alexander-a brief
notice Of which we have already published-we find
in the Panama Herald Of the 10th ult.:-
We have just received the following thrilling &C.
count of the destruction Of the whale ship Ann
Alexander, Capt. John s. Deblois, of New Bedford,
by large sperm whale, from the lips OF the captain
himself, who arrived in this city, from Pata, on
Sunday last, in tho schooner Providence 1t is one
Of the most remarkable events on record, and will
be read with deep interest throughout the whole
commercial and civilized world, where it may be
made known. A similar circumstance has never
been known to occur but once in the whole history
of fwhale-hing, and that the destruction of the
ship Essex, some twenty or twenty five years ago,
and which many of our readers fully remember.
We proceed to the narrative as furnished US by
Capt. Deblois, and which is fully authenticated by
nire of the crew, in protest under the seal of the
United States Consul, Alexander Runen, Jr., a.
Paita.
The ship Ann Alexander, Capt. John S Deblois.
sailed from New Bedford, Mass June lst, 1850, for
a cruise in the South Pacific, for sperm whale.
Having taken about 500 barrels Of ell IN the Allan
tc, the ship proceeded on her voyage to the Pacific
Nothing Of unusual interest occurred until, when
passing Cape Horn, one Of the men, named Jackson
Walker, OF Newport, N. H., aged about twenty-
four years, was lost overheard in storm Reach
ing the Pacific, she came up the coast and stopped
ut Valdiya coast of Chill, for fresh provisions and
the 3ls Of May last, she called at Paita, for the
purpose OF Snlpplng q mhn. L ne vessel proceeueu
on her voyage TO the South Pacific.
On the 10th of August last, she reached what is
well known as the "Of shore Ground, in lat deg.
80 min south, long l02 deg west On the morning
covered in the neighborhood and about nsen the
same day, they succeeded in making fast to one.
Two boats had gone after the whales-the arboard
and the starboaId-the former commanded by the
first mate, and the latter by Capt. Deblois The
whale which they had struck was harpooned by the
larboard boat After running some time, the whale
turned upon the boat, and rushing at 1t with tre-
mendous violence, lifted open its enormous JAWS
and taking the boat in, actually crushed it into
fragments rs small as a common sized chair Capt
Deblois Immediately struck for the scene Of tae dis
aster, with the starboard boat, and succeeded,
against all expectation, in rescuing the whole Of the
crew Of the demolished boat-line m number. How
they escaped from instant death when the whale
rushed upon them with such violence, and seized
their boat in It's ponaerous jaws, Is mystery known
only to " Him who holds the waves in the hollow Of
His hands"
There were now eighteen men in the starboari
boat, consisting of the captain, the first mate and
the crews Of both boats. The frghttul disaster had
been witnessed from the ship, and the waist.boa.
called into readiness and sent to their relief.
The distance from the ship was about six mules.
AS soon rs the waist boat arrived, the crews were
divided, AID ii was determined to pursue the same
whale, and make another attack upon him. Ac-
eordingly, they separated and proceeded at some
distance from each other, as Is usual on such ooca
sions, after the whale. In short time, they came
up 10 him and prepared TO give him battle. The
waist-boat commanded by the FIRST mate, was in
| advance. AS soon as the whale perceived the de-
moustIation being made upon hin, he turned bis
course, suddenly, and making tremendous dash
ut this boat, seized il with nis wide spread Jaws,
and crushed itdnto atoms, allowing the men oarsly
time 70 escape his y1nSearce by throwing them
capt. Deblois, again seeing the perilovs conii.
ticn Of bis men, al the risk OF meeting the same
fate directed his boat to hasten to their rescue,
and in q short time succee ded in saving tken all
| from death little less horrible than sast which
| they rad twice 20 miiaculously escaped lie
then ordered the boat to put for the ship az speedily
as possible. ard sooner had the order been given
than they discovered the monster Of the deep max
/ irg towards them with bis jaws widely extended
/ Escape from death now seemed totally cut Of the
| question. They were six or seven miles from the
! shiI-no aid even there to afford them necessary
/ relief, and the whale, maddened by the wounds OF
/ the harpoon and lances which had been thrown
into him, and seeming y gloatng With the prospect
ofspeedy revenge, within few eles length tor-
! tuIately, the monster came up and passed them at
a short distance. The boat then made her way TO
the ship, and they all got on board in safety
After reaching the ship q boat was despatched for
the of the demolished boats, and IL vas deter
mined 10 pursue the whale with the ship. As soon
MS the boat returned with the oars, sail was set,
and the ship proceeded after the whale. In short
time he overlook him, and lance was thrown into
bis head. The ship passed on by him, and imme-
| diniely after they discovered that the whale was
making lor the ship. AS he came up near her, they
hauled on The wind, and suffered the monster 70
|
to ov6rtske AMI attack him again. When the ship
| he "a reached within about hfty rods Of him, they
| discovered that the whale had settled down deep
below the surface Of the water, and as il was near
sundown, they concluded to give up the pursuit.
Capt. Deblois was at this time standing in the
night heads the larboard bow, with craft in hand
| ready TO strike the menster deadly blow should
be appear, the ship moving about five knots, whom,
working on The side of the ship. he discovered the
whale rushing towards her at the rate Of 6fteen
kpou. In an instant the monster struck the ship
with rGme endous violence, shaking her from stem to
stern. She quyered under the violence Of the
shock, as If che had struck upon a rock. Capt.
Deblss Immediately descended into the forecastle,
end there to his horror discovered that the monster
bad struck the ship about two feet from the 9eel,
abreast the foremast, knocking great hole entirely
through her bottom, through which the water
reared and rushed in inpetuously. Springing TO the
deck, he ordered the mate to cut away the anchors
ard get the cables overheard to keep the ship from
sinking, as she had large quantity Of pig iron on
beard In doing this. the mate succeeded IN reliev-
ing only ore anchor and cable clear the other bsv
irg been fastened around the foIemsst. The ship
was then sinking very rapidly The captain went
into The cabin, where be found three feet Of water
lie however. succet ded 10 procuring chronometer,
sextsnt, and chsrt. Reaching the deck, he order
ed the beat to be cleared away and TO get water
and provisions as the chip was heeling over. He
again descerded to TIE cabin, but the water was
rvshirg in rapidly that he could procure nothing
He then came upon deck ordered all hands into the
boats ard was the last, bimsel TO leave the ship,
Nnlcn ne ulu ~ throwing himself INTO the sea, and
swimming to the nearest boat, The ship was on
her beam end, her top gallant yards under water.
They then pushed of some distance from the ship,
expecting her to sink in very short time Upon
an examination Of the stores they had been able 10
save, be discovered that they had only twelve
| quarts Of water, and not n mouthful Of provisions
oisny kind. The boats contained eleven men each,
were leaky and night coming on, they were obliged
10 bail them all night, to keep them from sinking
Next day, at daylight, they returned to the ship,
10 one daring to venture on board but the captain,
their intention being TO cut away the nasts ana
fearful that the moment the masts were cut away
the ship would 20 down. With single hatchet the
captain went on board cut away the mast, when
TIE ship righ.ed. The boats then came up, and the
men, by the sole aid Of spades, cut away the chain
cahls from areund the foremsst, which got the ship
nearly on her keel. The men then tied ropes round
| ~. uot into ha and cut holes thrOu