I picked this up for a dollar at the hospital. A gripping and worthwhile read.
In 1820, this ship out of Nantucket was hunting sperm whales in the centre of the Pacific Ocean when an enraged whale rammed and wrecked the ship. Setting out for South America in their three small whaleboats, only 8 of the crew ended up surviving, most resorting to cannibalism.
I think the background Philbrick paints of the life and economy of the New England island of Nantucket is even more striking than the adventure itself. Here are some highlights.
First, here is a small, remote, culturally unique corner of the world that ends up driving sectors of the global economy by its hold on a key commodity – in this case whale oil. That is not an unfamiliar story. Consider, for example, parts of Texas or the Middle East that have a hold on another kind of oil today.
Second, it is a striking picture of a society where most of the working men marry and are away from home for three years or more, then home for three months, then away again. Philbrick draws a fascinating comparison with the mating habits of the sperm whales: the bulls spend most of their lives wandering the world’s oceans alone, only returning to the mating grounds momentarily. The hunters learned to imitate their prey.
Third, the very names in the story connect to my home here in Nova Scotia. Within a short walk I can visit Nickersons or Chases. My sister travels to work down Nantucket Avenue in Dartmouth. The story of Nantucket whalers in 1820 is not far removed from the story of my home province.
Fourth, throughout the adventure, Philbrick gives fascinating background about the various expected leadership roles of the young officers of this whaling ship. The captain was expected to be decisive and firm, the mates were expected to be helpful and malleable to him. The adventure shows how that did not happen the way it was supposed to.
On an incidental note, this book was the second in a row for me to read about a killer whale attacking a small craft. Makes me cringe when my son tells me about reading Free Willy.
At the end of the book, Philbrick comments that second mate Chappell returned to England and composed an account of the disaster for a religious tract, in which he milks the story for all of its possible spiritual lessons. I have ordered a copy of that tract, and I look forward to reading it.
WhatPastorSamIsReading 