Journal of a voige from Nantucket to Cape Horn, July 12, 1832

Journal kept by the harpooner on the Nantucket whale ship Young Eagle during her maiden voyage in the Pacific. The log, which records the entire voyage, was kept by the boatsteerer or harpooner, Joseph Reynolds Luce. The Young Eagle, captained by Benjamin A. Coleman, fished in Western and Japan grounds. The journal begins with an entry dated July 12, 1832 and ends on Oct. 16, 1835. Places mentioned or visited include the Galapagos, the coast of Peru, Hawaii (where they recruited), and Cabo San Lucas in Baja California. It was a successful voyage, returning 2625 barrels of sperm oil. It was also an eventful one... "July Wednesday 9 1834... at 2 in the afternoon saw whales loward and got fast I fastened to the mates whale got my bot stove got a fowl in a Snarl of Line and was Caried Sum distance by the whale but was enabled to Cler the Line from a round my body So Saved my Self with no other accident but getting my body Squeazed and one of my legs hurte wee Saved the whale Lat 30.30N Lon 171.5E." Ten days later... "Saw whales lowered the first Mate got faste and got his boat Stove the Second mate fastened to the Same whale the Capt got fast to the Same what got his boat Stove So the Second mate hade to Cut his Line and fetch the Capt and Crew on board then went off and got the whale." At the end of the book are two pages giving details of ships spoken, including master, home port, length of cruise, and amount of oil. Another page contains 68 whale stamps tabulating a "List of Whale Taken by the Bots." On the final page the names Joseph R. Luce and Bartholemew Garret appear. The front cover is boldly labeled: "Log Book / J. R. Luce."

• 1832-1835

• Luce, Joseph Reynolds

132 unnumbered pages ; 34 cm

text

Binding: Early leather-backed marbled boards, red leather spine label. In ink on front cover: "Log Book / J. R. Luce."

Title from first lines of journal

• Pacific Ocean
• United States

• Young Eagle (Ship)

• Luce, Joseph Reynolds

• Logbooks
• Nineteenth century
• Sailors' writings, English
• Voyages and travels
• Whaling
• Whaling ships

• text

• English

Mms: 991004389759706535

Hill Collection of Pacific Voyages

Public domain (US)

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2024-07-20