Four Years Aboard the Whaleship is a first-hand account of a voyage to the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans in search of the sperm and right whales. The account is by William B. Whitecar, Jr., a Philadelphian who signed on as a common sailor on the New Bedford whaler Barque Pacific. It is based on a detailed journal, which the author kept, as he explains in his preface, "at sea, on a sailor's chest, amongst seamen, by night and by day, amid storm and calm...." The book offers a vivid picture of life at sea, as well as observations on locations on land that the ship passed or stopped at, including the Azores, Madagascar, Australia, New Zealand, and numerous islands in the Pacific. Written just a few years after Herman Melville's literary classic of 1851, Moby-Dick: or The Whale, the book touches upon many of the same topics and themes that Melville covers in his great work of fiction: the long hours at sea, the diversity of the whaling crews and the international character of the whaling industry, "gammoning" with other whaleships at sea, the dangers of the hunt, and the death of fellow crewmen at sea. In his concluding chapter, under the heading "Advice to Landsmen," the author concludes, perhaps somewhat tongue in cheek, by "advising all young men who can gain a livelihood ashore, to stay at home." As arguments against whaling, he cites the low pay (which he calculates at about a dollar a month, after expenses are deducted and the gains from the sale of the barrels of oil apportioned among the crew and ship's owners), and the drudgery of much of the work.

Having been one of the crew of an American whaleship, I cruised on the ocean for the four years of my life that have just elapsed. During this long period it frequently occurred to me, and excited my wonder, how little knowledge of the whaling-service in its practical features was possessed by the people ashore, excepting a small portion of those residing in cities whose maritime trade is represented almost exclusively by whaleships. My convictions as to the utility of an exposition of one’s daily experience in this service—of the good, bad, and indifferent fortune, as well as the perils of a pursuit which engages so many of our American youth—were so forcible, that I was led, at the moment of embarking on my voyage, to keep a log-book or journal, in which, at the expiration of each nautical day, I noted the different employments of the crew, manner of sailing the vessel, incidents arising in the capturing of whales, general personal treatment, amount and quality of provisions, and the phases of the weather in different latitudes. Thus a description of life at sea alone came within my original intention; but as I progressed, and became more interested in my self-imposed task, (which, by the way, enabled me to occupy pleasantly what would otherwise have been weary and unprofitable hours,) it seemed to me, that my journal would not be complete, unless I should also describe the seaman’s bearing when ashore, at liberty, and unrestrained by discipline; and, as such a description involved adventures in various localities of the globe, I at first was unconsciously betrayed into a still farther enlargement of my task: namely, to incorporate the most striking (or, rather, those in which I was most interested) features and characteristics of the countries and people we visited. My object, however, was merely to complete a narrative which might be read to my relatives and friends, in the family circle, by the homestead fireside: fancying, indeed, that it would really interest and amuse those, whose knowledge of such incidents in a whaleman’s cruise, both on the sea and land, was limited. Publishing a book was not, therefore, within the object aimed at; but through the advice of many kind (possibly, too partial) friends, I have been induced to submit the manuscript to my generous and enterprising publishers, who, despite its imperfections, have determined to present it to the public. Such being the ground upon which I have now come forward as an author, I trust that due allowance will be made for the literary imperfections of my book, when I further state, that the entire matter comprised in my journal was written at sea, on a sailor’s chest, amongst seamen, by night and by day, amid storm and calm, in localities situate between the latitudes 41° 30´ north and 45° south, and longitudes 71° west and 170° east—embracing a wide field for observation: and comprehends bird’s eye views in Australia, New Zealand, and other British possessions in the Pacific, Atlantic, and Indian oceans, also in the Malay, Mascarenha, Azore, and Abrolhas’ islands. Throughout the recital, I have confined myself entirely to facts, without drawing on my imagination for coloring; but I have been forced, from a fear of being too voluminous in this, my first effort, to omit much that came under my observation during the voyage, which at some future period I may find time to lay before the public. Before taking leave of the subject, I would, if it were in my power, press upon the notice of the Federal government the necessity of cherishing and encouraging this important branch of our commerce. If good seamen are to be formed anywhere, it is in the whaling-service of this country. Here it is, on a three or four years’ voyage, that a man becomes acquainted with the minutiæ of a seaman’s duty; and from the great proportion of the time spent at sea in vessels cruising for whales, the crew become perfectly familiar with, and wholly at home upon, the sea. The class of men, too, who sail from home in our whaling-vessels, being generally well-informed men, and having home-connections, understand and appreciate our free institutions; but it is too often the case that, in the absence of any special inducement to remain true to their engagement, a large proportion of the original crew desert from the vessel. To obviate this, the government should attach a bounty to the earnings of every sailor who remains in this service, in the same vessel, for three years or more; and by this means foster a class of citizens accustomed to danger and emergencies, not only in their everyday occupation of battling with the elements, but by their familiarization with peril in their conflicts with the Leviathan of the deep—citizens, who would at all times be prepared to take charge of our Navy, and defend the nation’s honor and privileges against the world!

Hardcover reprint of the original 1860 edition - beautifully bound in brown cloth covers featuring titles stamped in gold, 8vo - 6x9". No adjustments have been made to the original text, giving readers the full antiquarian experience. For quality purposes, all text and images are printed as black and white. This item is printed on demand. Book Information: Whitecar, William B. Four Years Aboard The Whaleship. Embracing Cruises In The Pacific, Atlantic, Indian, And Antarctic Oceans, In The Years 1855, '6, '7, '8, '9. Indiana: Repressed Publishing LLC, 2012. Original Publishing: Whitecar, William B. Four Years Aboard The Whaleship. Embracing Cruises In The Pacific, Atlantic, Indian, And Antarctic Oceans, In The Years 1855, '6, '7, '8, '9, . Philadelphia, J. B. Lippincott & Co.; Etc., 1860. Subject: Whaling

Excerpt from Four Years Aboard the Whaleship: Embracing Cruises in the Pacific, Atlantic, Indian, and Antarctic Oceans, in the Years 1855, '6, '7, '8, '9 I was led, at the moment of embarking on my voyage, to keep a log - book or journal, in which, at the expiration of each nautical day, I noted the different employments of the crew, manner of sailing the vessel, incidents arising in the capturing of whales, general personal treatment. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.