National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1884-11-22
TRAGEDIES OF THE DEEP.
A Few OF the Disasters Caused by En-
ragged w hnles.

tHCNNuu enquirer
If the tragedies of tho whaling industry
could be collected thoy would form on in
toresting work. When whalers return
the report is often given of "a man lost"
no particulars reaching the general public
or the press. In such cases nine times
out Of ten the whale is tho cause of all the
trouble. In some cases tho boat is tossed
into the air, and the mon fall ten or fif-
teen feet upon tho back of the onragod
animal, and are either beaten TO death or
carried down by the suction of the animal.
In one case u whale was struck, and a coil
of the rope as it rushed out caught sailor
by the arm and jerked him overheard 80
quickly that no one knew what had hap
pened until they suddenly missed him.
In several cases whales have been
known to utterly demolish vessels; and,
perhaps, the most remarkable case ia. that
of the ship Essex, chronicled by DR..
Cheever. The Essex was an American
full-rigged ship, bailng from Nantucket.
and on ono Of her voyages, which proved
to BIO her last. they sighted large school
Of whales in latitude 400 in the South
Pacific. Several boats were put out, and
that steered by the mate soon fastened to
whale. that rose under 1t, however, and
80 damaged IL that 1t was obliged to put
back to the ship. The boat had hardly
got alongside when a sperm whale, that
they estimated was at least eighty-fivo
feet long. rose alongside of the vessel, and
in moment struck her in the bow, going
about three miles an hour. The ship
shook SO that every man aboard was
knocked to the deck, and the masts
threatened to fall. The whale dived i'm
mediately and appeared about 200 yards
ahead of the vessel, where 1t dashed the
water for several moments, as il under.
going great agony; then, however, it
seemed to be seized with a desire for re-
venge, as it suddenly started ahead, in
creasing its speed, and finally striking
the vessel head on as before. The COM
ing together of such heavy bodies was
fatal, as the bow of the vessel was COM
pletely crushed in. She had already
commenced to settle from the first blow,
but the second threw her on her beam
ends, and in ten minutes from the time
she was struck she went to the bottom.
The crow had taken to the boats. and were
thus left in the open ocean with q lin
tied supply of food. Their hardships and
suferings are described as terrible. Some
of them finally reached desert island
called Ducies. There was small supply
Of water here, but nothing but guls and
other sea-fowl to eat. The majority of
the crew soon decided to leave, three
preferring to take their chances ON tho
island. They have never been heard of
since. The others attempted to row to
tho island of Juan Fernandez, over g.
600 miles away. The mates boat was
picked up. however, by tho Indian of
London, ninety three days later, oil the
crew having died but three. The cap.
tain's boat was picked up by the ship,
Dauphin of Nantucket, with only two
men alive, and those had only been
saved, as were tho members of the Greedy
party. by eating their dead companions.
Out Of the entire crew of twenty, five
only were saved to tell tho most tragic
story ever associated with the whaling
interest