A Visit to the American Whaling Ports Along the North Atlantic Coast

(The old whaling ports along the New England coast can be a timely place to visit for their fascinatinghistorical background and their scenic vista.)

"Though I be not speakin' to most you hearty fellers through these tankers of brown ale, ye'll most likely think I be a crazysort of a chap,"the old captain spoke in the garble of his words. "Tis' not so, be a sane as the whole lot of you in chattin'and poking me nose into your affairs. For that me mates I apologize as a gentlemen and a dastard. I says 'ahoy' and comeaboard for I be knowin' ye no other way. Now let me tell you a bit aboutme time on the Whaler "Mary Jane" when Lars me matey setting on the crow's nest upon the mizzen mast gives a shout "Thar She Blows" and..."

The Old Sea Dog continued in his tale through the rumbled slang of his tongue... "Upon the sighting of the whale, sixstalwart men rushedto lower the long boat to give chase, which was treacherous and difficult in the rough sea."
He continued with frenzy gesticulations to indicate movement. "They attached a line to the whale by throwing a
harpoonthat plunged though its body, and after fierce struggle they were able to lance it to death. It was many a wearyhour ofdangerous work before they theywere able to tow the whale back to the shipand by cable and pulley pulled thecarcass onto the deckof the whaler. Other crewmen were ready to stripthe outer layer of the whale and to boil the blubber into oil. It washard three days work for all handsbefore we stowed it away in barrels below deck."

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Just imagine yourself sitting in one of the taverns in a whaling port to a during the era of the whaling industry that thrivedalong the North Atlantic coast in the 18th to the 19th centuries and listening to one of the tales told by an old sea captain.