The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1907-11-14
Rich Whale Ship Cargoes.
Some Voyages That Were Record Breakers

l.
Josephine, completing whaling cruise
valued at not far from $685. 900, has
caused, says the New Bedford Standard,
no end of talk along the waterfront and
among others who are interested in
shipping.
Some have even gone so far as to
speak of this voyage as the best cut
ever made by vessel hailing from New
Bedford. Such statement, however.
is as far out of the way as to say that
Capt. Smith caught his whales right
here in Buzzard's Bay. He certainly
made a good voyage and is to be con-
graduated on his success, but in speak
ing of the arrival of such rich cargo
We are apt to forget occurrences in tile
past of similar nature, some of which
place the present arrival way in the
shade. There are number of record
voyages which whaleRen today speak
If with pride, and still others which
are recorded in the annals of whaling
which make some of the older residents
smile when they hear the talk which is
yanded out by some who see only the
Happenlngs of the present.
1t isn't but two years ago this coming
ii)l that Capt, H. H. Bodfish of Vine
ard Haven, master of the steam whaler
William Bayies, arrived down from
tde Arctic Ocean, only six months from
san Francisco, with cargo valued at
lot far from S1S5,00O. The lucky ships
the Arctic fleet in the last decade
I'VE made some great cuts, and it isn't
uch great while ago, November 5,
-, to be exact, that the steamer
riuga, after wintering north the pre-
aus season, arrived at San francisco
.th the product of sixty-three whales.
lat season was an exceptionally good
ne north. Melville Bay was full of
tales, and the Belugas catch, after
aenty -four months absence, must
We sold for $3.50, 600, even though the
zee OF Zone had dropped.
some great voyages have been made
which Whaebone has figured as the
nclpal product, as is the case with
T. Josephine. Take the voyages made
the late Capt. Jacob Taber in the
$. He made record with his whal-
in the Hudson Bay, and frequently
y hears of the work of this veteran.
D of his cruises were of short dura-
..u. On November Is, 1861, he sailed
m this port in the ship Northern
git, and she was back and at her
berth at Merrill's wharf October II,
~'2-just eleven months from home
Jh 1926 barrels of whale oil and 49,.
pounds of whalebone Again. in
NprlI, 1868, he sailed in the same vessel
1914 was back in port during the fall of
i with 1,27O barrels of whale oil and
900 pounds of whalebone. That car
was valued at 100000, and bone
4 for less than one half what it now
ugs.
apt, Charles E. Allen, master of the
ok Eagle, was another successful
iSon Bay fisherman, one of his
ses, extending over a period of
H-een months, netting the owners
ID barrels of oil and 80, 900 pounds of
.Iebone. On June 4, 1864, Capt.
meier Morgan sailed out of New
don in the old Pioneer for the
..ris Straits, and fifteen months later
returned with a cargo which sold
~130, 900
mong other bonanza voyages in
n vessels have cruised for the bone
,Auclng levlatilan might be mention
The following: The ship Onward,
Ut. William H. Allen (who died not
since i'll Connecticut,) returned to
port, july ), 1862, after forty-f
tbs absence, with 10 barrels of
rm oil, $3.50 barrels of whale oil
4 80, 600 pounds of whalebone That
tge Melted the owners $500, 600
lie the very next cruise of the ship,
with the same commander, resulted in
re Itch of more than 5000 barrels of
and 81, 100 pounds of whalebone.
--ut. Thomas Mellen of Edgartown
N,, first officer when she returned
H M her first voyage.
It'll another clever cut during that
-ade was made by Capt Valentine
LtWls in the old ship Corinthian. He
turned April 20, 1866, forty-four
.aths out, with $50 barrels of sperm
3,593 barrels of whale oil and Il, $50
lndS of whalebone. The George
IHWland was another vessel which
.he home that year with rich cargo,
id also the ship Cornelius Rowland.
mother wonderful cut was that of
tr-bark Thomas Pope, Capt. Willard,
.a late William Lewis agent, which
went into the Arctic in the spring of
ISL and was back at San Francisco
a.y 18th, full. She had taken 200
oarels of oil and $4,000 pounds of bone.
Aiter dischargng her cargo she re-
p.Ied to the Arctic the same season.
>hps had previously filled their casks
tTd returned to port in august, but
never before in July.
cam whaling was introduced in
'>Na by Capt. William Lewis, who fitted
tire Mary and Helen. She came out