Grand Rapids morning telegram., 1885-02-09
LONG SPREE
Captain Martins Cruise Fer
Whales Ia Northern Waters.
The Effect Of New England Ram Upon the
Whale fisheries-A Dsbsuch Lasting
Over Three Years "A Big Crop
of Rum blossoms.


IA the Spring of 1881. II. .. Roberts, a
wealthy ship-owner Of Boston, Mass, hays
Ing before his eyes the vision OF the prohtS
10 be gained in the whaling fields Of the
North Pacific, QUILTED the staunch A l
barque Emma u. Hartman, and place2
her under tho command of Captain Mar
tin. The Harriman's tonnage was 80
tons, and she carried a crew all told OF
thirty six hands. Previous 20 her new de-
parture she had been IN the su4ar-trada
and carried the usual cargo of sugar and
rum. Had the owner been as careful as
our mining operators in a stock deal, and
cleaned her up closely, the future OF the
Hartman might have been as respectable
al even IA Boston Puritan could desire, bus
there always is a but-part OF her for
mer cargo was left on board, and this was
thirty barrels OF fine New England rum.
IL will DO we'll To bear this in mind, as all
the disasters arose from this fact. Well,
the Hartman left Boston in good shape;
tho owner went home To dream OF enor-
nous sperm whales, with occasionally q
ton or two OF ambergris thrown in, all OF
which were To be the prize of the Harri-
man.
Days rolled into months and months into
years, but nothing was heard of the vessel; (;
the owner was seriously considering the
expediency OF calling on the underwriters
for his insurance, when rumors began to
reach Boston that a vessel resembling his
Was having a grand picnic up and down
the Pacific Ocean; she was like the flying
Dutchman, always spoken of, but never
spoken TO; she was described as entering
port and leaving between two days. This
was not what the owner sent her out for;
her object was whaling, and while she in
some part fulfilled her mission by causing
Mr. Roberts much waiting, still such cruises
did not pay, and Captain Holmes was dis
patched with full powers to hunt her up
and get an explanation from Captain Mar
tin Captain Holmes went TO every port
frequented by whalers, and discovered
that the Hartman was still afoat, and
could always be relied on as being exactly
where Captain Holmes was not.
Captain Martin, on oyerhauling his
stores, discovered the New England rum
Lonanza, and sampling it, found it to be of
A / quality. Turning the matter over
in his mind, he consulted his officers,
and found them also alive TO the
good qualities of the liquor, and his
proposal that they should leave the
sordid hunt after whales as wealth for the
owners alone, and turn the business into
pleasure trip, met with the approval of all
hands A grand, high old time was de-
termined on and another nip of rum served
out Every port of any pleasure note was
hat Wis
such whales as could be easily caught, took
place. Success seemed to smile on their
pleasure trip; whales would come along
side and beg TO be harpooned-a request
easily granted by the captain. After each
whale caught, a move would be made TO
some congenial port, the oil sold, pro
rata distribution on the principle of every
thing for the crew and nothing for the
owners would take place, and some South
American seaport would be painted red by
the whole outfit. This grand pleasure
tip lasted for three years, Captain Holmes
following on the trail like "Old Sleutb, the
whaling detec i've" only TO find she had
just left the day previous. But he kept up
the chase, and at last ran her TO ground, or
To bay, in the Bay of st. Thomas, early in
nothing TO show for his cruise but the thir-
ty empty barrels of New England rum and
as fine collection of rum blossoms as ever
we're seen in an orchid bouse
Captain Holmes dispossessed Captain
Martin OF his command and discharged the
crew. Considering it cheaper not to prose-
cute Captain Martin, he left him at ST.
Thomas 10 ruminate on the evil influences
of New England rum. La justice to Cap
tain Martin il must be said that he laid all
the blame ON the rum being left on board,
and offered, If pardoned, To sign the pledge
aud wear a blue ribbon the rest of his life.
Under Captain Holmes command the
Hartman was brought to San Francisco
and the owner, Mr.. Roberts, disgusted with
bis i'll success, instructed w. T. Coleman g.
Co., his agents here, to sell her to the high
st bidder. Messrs. Magee, Moore, Kelley
aud Perry formed pool and bought her as
she stood for SO 900, and expended a fur
ther sum of $4,000 on refitting her and
alakins her ready tor another venture as 4
whsler. These gentlemen were fortunate
tnou2h to secure the valuable services of
Captain Hamilton, one of the very best
v. aling captains who ever sailed out of
Pew Bed ord, and under his command the
Hartman left San Francisco on the sth
81 April of this year for the North Pacific.
On Saturday, the 22d of November, her
owners hearts were made glad by her
return here with the finest catch
OF the season of all the sailing vessels,
an more than the average OF the steam
waelers.
The Emma G.. Hartman brought down
t.075 barrels whale oil, 125 barrels sperm
oil aud l2,00O pounds OF bone. She VIII
show splendid profit on the original in
vestment; she viii clear what she cost and
pay a handsome dividend over. Messrs.
Nag e & Go. must be congratulated on the
success OF their initial enterprise so
whalers, and on their luck in obtaining the
valuable aid OF Captain Hamilton. The
Weather up North Is reported by Captain
Hamilton "a unusually severe, and two
a~l.f,.v ks--~. h.