Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1904-11-17

william q. Kirchbaum IN New Bed
ford Standard-Casnalties at sea, in
which the whale ships of New Bed
ford and vicinity have figured, would
fill volumes. Shipwrecks, dreaI ,
boat voyages with their terrible sequel
death from hunger and thrist-might
furnish material for adventure far
more thrilling than any romance yet
written. All this and more is the ex-
perience of many a whaleman who left
home in search for that which years
ago was the great wealth producer of
the world-the whale. No nobler
class of men no more skillful naviga-
tors ever trod deck, than the whale
men Of New England. 1t is to the whale
men of New Bedford and Nantucket
that the navigator who frequents the
Pacific today is largely Indebted; for
1t was through their venturesome spirit
that much Of the perils of navigation
in those waters have been removed
To the early navigators from the con
tinent of Europe must be given the
credit of discovery, but It must also
be conceded that New England whale
men made easy navigation in those
waters, which, prior to whaling, was
teset with great dangers. Not alone
did these hardy sons of Massachusetts,
brave the perils arising from wind and
wave, but they faced danger at every
island touched, and 1t was only by the
utmost vigilance that ship and crew
escaped from the clutches of savages,
whose habits were but little known.
Glance over the history Of American
whaling industry and you will find all
through its pages story of adventure
Told briefly, to be sure, yet with a
force which is known to every person
who has been reared with the air Of
ocean hreezes in his nostrils. It needs
no Clark Russell, with his vivid imagi
nation in depicting a shipwreck or
storm at sea- to enlighten the people
of Nantucket or New Bedford as to
these. They know from experience
what these things mean. One need
go back but half century to learn of
such sorrow, frequently at that, when
experiences of this kind bereft many
family OF It's protector Look over
the pages OF this record, and 1t is no
uncommon thing to find but brief men
ton of the loss of this or that vessel.
Never heard from after sailing"
sunk at sea-" Struck on reef, to.
tai loss" missing" and similar men.
ton Is the only record of fact. Such
was the fate Of many good ship which
had sailed on whaling cruises with
every prospect for q successful voy,
age. bright as the MONDAY sun.
1t is hut few years ago that the peo-
pie of this city were shocked by the
disaster of the Sarah. which capsized
Just outside the entrance to Buzzards
bay on the eve of voyage. Three OF
her crew survived that disaster, and
from them was learned the sad story
of shipwreck. A similar incident which
happened to one of the handsomest
vessels that ever sailed out of Padana-
ram harbor is that which befell the
bark Henry II. Grape, on her second
voyage, when but two of her crew
were fortunate in being rescued from
watery grave Only those advanced
IN years recall this disaster, for II
happened nearly so years ago great
many miles from home. The only men.
ton of IL in Startuck's record is found
in these words: Lost at sea. Janu
airy 49, 1857, with full cargo of sperm
oil: the captain and one mantle
sole survivors-were rescued by the
English steamer England" This is
the brief record of the loss of tina,
handsome craft. Neither Capt. Baker
her master. or the Kanaka who was
rescued with him. is living to tell us
Of that experience. but from men whc
knew Capt. Baker and had heard him
relate the experience something more
definite Of the loss mas been learned,
The Grape was lost in squat II
the southern Indian ocean, homewar(
bound. shortly afte: leaving Madagas
car, where she had probably touched
for water That squall came upor
the ship and her crew like mania,
unclaimed. lashing the sea into fur,
which made futile any human effort I,
do battle, and IL was only by shee
good luck that Capt. Baker and one o
his crew were saved. That crew, hap
by in the thought of returning hom,
with rich cargo. persisted in few
short hours after the ship was strucs
But for the rescue of Capt. Bake
from small raft, missing" woul,
have been her only record. She wa
launched In the summer of 1856;
and was built by Tucker 4 Cumming
at Padaneram. for Capt. Spooner Jer
kins. one of South Dartmouth's luck
whaling masters in those busy days
She was bark-rigged. of 1879 tons, an
when she returned from her first voy
age in less than so months. a ful
ship, paying for herself handsomely
II was Io wonder that her agents wer
ready to build her captain a large
vessel. and the BENJAMIN Cummings
considered the flower of the whaling
fleet. was soon launched and turne'
over to him Thus Il was that Capt
Archelaus Baker. Jr,. came to be mas
Of hnr