PBA Galleries

Journal is approx. 150 leaves including 3 leaves of accounts, plus a number of blank leaves. The entries are from Nov. 22, 1846, to Oct. 26, 1850. With about 68 full whale stamps and 110 whale tail stamps, plus a few ink sketches of whale tails. 33.5x20 cm. (13¼x8”), period quarter calf & marbled boards, spine lettered in gilt “Journal of a Whaling Voyage.” Account book is approx. 46 leaves written on either one or both sides, plus occasional blank leaves interspersed. 39.7x16 cm. (15¾x6¼”), period quarter sheep & marbled boards.

Excellent journal and logbook of a nearly four-year whaling voyage out of New Bedford, around Cape Horn and into the Pacific, most of the time cruising the west coast of South America off Peru and Ecuador, with stops at the Galapogos, etc. There are occasional stops at various ports for supplies, recruiting replacements for the crew, and social diversions. Mostly it was searching for whales, sighting the whales, lowering the boats, striking the whales, and bringing them aside for rendering. The journal contains some 68 full whale stamps, indicating whales harpooned and captured, brought along side, cut into pieces, and boiled down to oil, with the number of barrels obtained from each whale inked into the center of the stamp. There are also 110 stamps of whale tails, placed when whales were signed and possibly chased, but no caught. The entries record the weather, sailing conditions, route, longitude and latitude, plus the afore-mentioned whaling activities as well as stowing the barrels of oil, mending sails, painting the boat, and when ashore or at a harbor gathering or purchasing supplies, water, timber, etc.  There are running headings throughout describing the general course.