The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1861-01-17

over SgDD. DDO, whilst the value OF all taken Dy
the northern whaling fleet (sOme 200 sail-prin-
cipally owned in New Bedford) since i went out
there, has been over $50 900 900. / have been
stove and overheard twice-Once on the back of a
California Gray. | came home ON the United
States steamer MeTTIDgdc, from Honolulu, some
Is months aboard, along the Spanish Coast. and
expect by the lst or middle of May, To 20 20 sea
~again-prcbably on a whaler, as | do not much
like the society on & man-Of-war. If | though.
IL would interest you, and not trespass on your
time, | could write L series of letters-the out
Lines OF my experience in rowing over the Pacific
describing the incidents, islands. countries and
people,-from the beautiful islands Of the Pacific,
TO the coast of Siberia and the Arctic OCEAN
describing Russians and natives, and the Spanish
natives OF South America. especially Of the an
eient city Of Lima but | presume your literary
labOrs are such that these descriptions from an
uneducated seaman would not be very interesting.
/ think that the last nine years, with the previ-
Gus nineteen months in the Mexican war, under
Generals Worth and Scott, in three battles, and
SIX months in the city of Mexico, has pretty well
occupied the last twelve years.-Respectfuliy,
l.. III. VERMLYEA.
Nine Years i the Pacific from 1851 to 1860, by
l. III. VERMILYEA-
I left New Bedford the Goth day Of June, 1851,
on the whaleship COrfes, Captain Peter Crom-
well, fitted out for 80 months, for the Arctic and
Northwest right whaling. She was an old ship
some said 30 or 50 years built, and bad been
repaired so often that scarcely 4 stick of her
original timbers remained. We had n pleasant
passage across the Gulf, and when within 4 short
distance of the Western Islands raised n large
sperm whale. The boats were lowered, the Cap
tain's boat pulling Immediately after him 1.-THE
best way for getting on sperm whales, though
right whales and bowheais are best approached on
the quarter, or head, the eyes of the two species
b,ing differently ssuated.) and the boatsteerer
fastened to him. The boat was 80 far over the
whales small, which was under water, that,
when he rounded to 90 down, it was gently cap
sized, and the carpenter, a young man from
Maine, by the name of Gallup, "a green handy
jumped. or fell, into the line-tub, and was taken
out of the boat, and down a few fathoms, when
the Captain cut the line, and let him loose, but
his leg was badly splintered below the knee, 50
tina. when we got to Eayal wv estern islands,)
three days after, il was taken off above the knee,
at the Hospital, and he was afterwards sent home,
the Captain, / am told, giving him SIS, and the
owners 800. The whale was easily captured.
There are no doctors on i whaleship, the Captain
having a doctor book and medicine chest, and
xhen the man was brought aboard, the Captain
vas 50 tender-hearted that he could not bear To
look upcn him, or help to carry him below We
had three DAYS calm, warm weather, and they
bandaged up the leg the best they could, but
when we reached Fayal, the toes and feet had
turned black. The mans first request when
brought aboard was for liquor, which was given
him To stop the pain. This Circumstance will
serve I'D SHOW not UnlN N ufnScEe OI winning.
but the great inconvenience in not having doctors
in a class of ships exposed TO more danger, sick
Ness. hardshipS. and accidents than any other.
The Captain seldom knows anything about adj
ministering any kind Of medicine except salts, an
emetic. or castor-oil: and another great want on
ships which 90 in the Arctic and Northwest, il a
stove in the fOrec.stle to warm the benumbed
limbs, and dry the wet clothing of the sailor :, in
4 climate of cold and ice. snow, rain. and fog
where sometimes, for six weeks, clothing cannot
be dried. Not one ship in Fifty, has a stove in the
forecastle. How many accidents and diseases,
coughs. colds. consuInptiOns. rheumatisms. and
premature deaths, have been OccasiOned by this
neglect? Whilst Sailors Homes, Bethels. and
moral, religious, and intellectual means for i'm
prrvement are multiplying in our own and for
eiyn countries, and = general interest IL beginning
10 be felt for the poor sailor by all classes ashore,
should there not be 4 more practical application
of this doctrine in looking 10 the physical comfort
and well-being of n class of men. 30 necessary in
carving on the eommerce of the worlds short
lived, and whose lives are spent in hardships and
toll to build the princely palaces. and enrich the
wealthy owners, whilst their bones lie bleaching
at the bottom of every SEA CandOr cOmpels me
To say that. in regard to good substantial food. on
New Bedford whaleships, there - generally plen-
~ If the Captain has n mind To give 1t, and that
on the seven different vessels | have been on, |
seldom went hungry, and never saw q case of
fOgying, but that such cases do occur, where the
Captain is n selfish. tyrannical man, there Is no
reason 10 doubt. The above Is the only accident
that ever occurred on ships l have been on, where
over so whales have been taken, though n good
many have Lost their lives on other ships. from
careiessness. want of good w~halemen, poor boats
crews, and other Gauss
We stopped ut the Western Islands i few DAYS,
took in potatoes and onions, and sent ashore in
the lighter, the 100 barrels of oil to be sent home.
The Western Islands are famous for grapes and
wine, which last can be bought for 4 cents per
bottle, and the prospect from the ship of the
green hill-sides, and prctusIOn of small houses Is
delightful. Peak Pike l. an abrupt lofty island,
in the form Of u sngar-lOaf, opposite Fayal- con-
nected by small schuouers and boats. We next
went To the Cape de Verde Islands. and then
across he line in the direction of ~PernambUcO,
thence southwark 10 the river La Platte In
crossing the line the water, in the night time.
presented a brilliant appearance. sparkling like
sO many millions of diamonds. OF the Ia Platte
We raised u large school IF sperm whales, lowered
the bBats. and struck Oue-twO boats were stove
and capsiZed.-One by a loose whale, and the
crews and boats brought aboard by the other two
bOa,s. and no whales taken. We then started
for Cape Horn, arriving there in October. or
November, which we were l. DAYS in rounding,
experiencing 4 heavy gale, which. for severity.
the Captain. who had followed the sen over 80
wears. had never seen egualled- We lost one
boat, two or three sails. the cooks galley was
blown over, and the medicine chest stove This
same Captain. SIX years alter, was destined - lose
his own life off Cape Horn, by = fall ON deck
frum the main rigging lie had ordered officers
and men alOft to do something. and. a. they were
afraid, he went himself. He lived = day or 50.
and his body, preserved in spirits. was brought To
Honolulu. and thence sent across the Isthmus 10
his home 1T Holmes Hole. Martha's Vineyard.
where he left q wife and two children. He was
u Tesolute, energetic man, generally filling his
chip the first season, and was highly esteemed st
the Sandwich Islands. After rounding the Cape.
We kept Of 10 the westward TO s. new right-whsl-
ing ground, and saw plenty of whales, but it was
continually blowing and rough. and after two or