The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1902-06-05
SHIPS SUNK BY WHALES
WHEN LEVlATHANS HUNT THEIR
HUNTERS THERE is TROUBLE.

Yarn OF the Sinking Of tho Ann Alexan-
der by Maddencd Whale - The Ship
Essex OF Nantucket Met a Similar Fate
"A Fighting Whale a Dangerous Foo.
Nothing definite has been learned
of the sinking of the bark Kathleen
b. whale, reported last week. Capt.
Thomas H. jenkins, her master, only
cabled to her owner, William R. Wing
Of New Bedford, as follows:
Kathleen sunk by whale. Captain
and wife and officers saved. Nine men
missing"
The disaster occurred on the 18th of
March off the coast of Brazil. This
tells ali that is known of the mishap.
Sc rarely have whalemen had such an
experience that old sailors find mate
rial in plenty to discuss the report.
But two like occurrences are known
since the early days Of whaling.
The Kathleen was always called a
lucky ship and made many a good
voyage. She was cruising IN the South
Atlantic anG it Is presumed that she
must have been on the River La
Plata grounds when sunk. The cable
comes from Pernambuco, Brazil, and
whether Capt. Jenkins and his crew
were picked up and taken 10 Pernam-
buco by a vessel, or reached that port
in boats Of his own, is not known. The
nine men missing were undoubtedly
in one of the stanch whaleboats, and
it is possible that they may have
reached land, but have not been able
t. communicate the fact as did Capt.
Jenkins.
Cases Of whalers rushing head on
are very rare. One instance which
will be remembered by some of the
older whalemen was in 1851, when the
ship Ann Alexander was sunk in the
Pacific Ocean by maddened whale.
In the Whaleman's Shipping List of
Nov. 4, 1851, is a very full account of
that occurrence. The story, told by
Capt John S. Deblois. follows:
The ship Ann Alexander sailed from
New Bedford, June 1, 1850, for a
cruise in the south Pacific. Having
taken so barrels of sperm oil in the
Atlantic Capt Deblois proceeded on
the voyage to the Pacific On the
goth of August, 1851, while cruising
on the "off shore grounds" at
o'clock in the morning whales were
discovered, and at noon of the same
day succeeded in making fast to one.
The mates boat made fast to the
whale, which ran with the boat for
some time, and then suddenly turning
about rushed at the boat with open
jaws crushing the little craft into
splinters. Capt. Deblois rescued the !
boats crew.
Later the waist boat was lowered |
from the ship and another attack
made upon the leviathan. The mate
again in charge of the attacking boat |
experienced another smash-up, for In |
the battle the whale again turned on |
the boats crew and crushed the sec.
ond boat. The crew was saved and |
all hands returned to the ship, which
proceeded after the whale. The ship |
passed on by him, and Immediately af- !
ter it was discovered that the whale
was making for the ship. AS he came
up near her they hauled on the wind
and suffered the monster to pass her.
After he had fairly passed they kept |
off to overtake and attack him again.
When the ship had reached within 50
rods of him the crew discovered that
the whale had settled down deep be-
low the surface Of the water, and as |
It. was near sundOwn it was decided to |
give up the pursuit. rhe ship was
moving about five knots and while
Capt. Debluis stood at the rail he sud-
denly saw the whale rushing at the |
ship at the rate cf Is knots.
In an instant the monster struck the
ship with tremendous violence, snak-
ing her from stem to stern. She quiv-
cred under the shock as if she had |
struck upon rock. The whale struck
the ship about two feet from the keel,
abreast the foremast, knocking great
hole entirely through her bottom,
through which the water rushed in.
The anchors and cables were thrown
overheard, as she had a large quan.
tity of pig iron aboard. The ship
sank rapidly, all effort to keep her
af1oat proving futile Capt. Deblois or
dered all hands to take to the boats
and was the last to leave the ship,
doing so by jumping from the vessel
into the sea. and swimming to the
nearest boat. The ship was on ner
beam ends, her topgallant yards under
water. They hung around in the vi
cinity OF the Ann Alexander all that
night, and the next day the captain
borded his vessel, and cutting away
the masts she righted, when they sue
ceeded in getting stores from her
hold with which to supply their boats,
should it become necessary to make
4 boat voyage to land. On Aug. %
ship Nantucket, Capt. Gibbs, cruising
IL that vicinity, discovered the imper-
illed sailors, and taking them In
charge landed them at Paiyta, Sept.
Is. The Ann Alexander was hopeless
ly wrecked and left to her fate on
Aug. %.
Five months after this disaster this
pugnacious whale was captured by
the Retecca Simms of this port. Two
OF the Ann Alexanders harpoons were
found in him and his head had sus-
tained serious injuries, pieces of the
ships timhers being imbedded in it.
The whale. yielded 10 to 80 barrels of
oil.
The only other known case of
like nature occurred to the ship Essex
of Nantucket, commanded by Capt.
George Pollard, Jr. She sailed from
Nantucket Aug. II, 1919. for cruise
-. ~, Doo;Ro orcan IN the morn