Kathleen (Bark) of New Bedford, 1857-1858, KWM_493

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A partial sperm and right whaling voyage to the Indian Ocean. John C. Marble. Master, Elizabeth C. Marble, keeper. Journal kept by the captain's wife of a whaling voyage to the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. Includes descriptions of whales seen and taken, illnesses, desertions, accidents, a rescue at sea, and interactions with natives. Also contains letters the keeper wrote home describing her time at sea from 16 September 1857 to 18 December 1857. The keeper writes of the crew, describes the ports of call, writes often of the food, notes when supplies were taken onboard at various ports, and writes of the social interactions that happen among the crew and during ship spokens and gams. The keeper sometimes sews in her spare time. The crew played music and sang on 16 September 1857, 19 October 1857, and 26 December 1857. One man fell overboard on 30 November 1857 but was rescued. The keeper got badly sunburned while fishing on 2 January 1858. The keeper writes of Christmas 1857 and Christmas dinner. Other places represented include Lumbok Island (Indonesia).

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1 August 25th 1857 On Bord Bark Kathleen Aug 25 /57 /57 Tues 25 Sailed from New Bedford Aug 25 /57 with a fair wind but light the pilot boat left us at four Oclock in the afternoon, we had a very pleasant day we ware not sick eney to speak of George or me Wens 26 very pleasant with light winds in the afternoon caught a porpus and saw a lot of black fish but it was so late did not lore for them not sick attall Thurs 27 very pleasant but light winds saw another school of black fish but did not lore for them, caught another porpas Frid 28 last evening it commenced blowing and blew very hard thrugh the night and to day it is no better all hands sick Sater 29 the wind still blowing very hard and squarley green hands very sick Sun 30 the wind still blowing a gale very squorly and the rain falling in torants at midnight last night all hands was called and thare was a sorry looking set thare ____________________________________ NOTE: Lines 15, 19 - "lore" probably means "lower"... as in "lowering the boats" to chase the whales, "black fish" referring to humpbacks.

Last edit 4 months ago by Joanne Seymour
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2 was more than one that was sorry they had shiped all the hands forward are sick and some pretty sick, I think we have a fine set of Oficers they all seam to know thare place and are ready to do thare duty, also the boat stearers, I think we shall like very well, Our Cooper is a very smart man and understand how to do his work well, Our formast hands are very light and green, thare are not but 4 on bord regestered over 18 years old but I think thare are some older but they are very green and the wether we have had has given them a try

Mon 31 rather better wether but very rough George gets along very well he is sea sick some but he does not mind it he will stop and vomit and of for some something to eat agane or fast as he can he is not stil a moment except when he is a sleep

Tues Sep 1 heavy sea and wind a head

Wens 2 much the same as yesterday wind a head and light

Thu 3 about the same as the two days past in the afternoon Mr Buts and Mr Borden caught a large logerhead turtle

Fri 4 very rough and squarly they have

Last edit over 1 year ago by Gordon T Waring
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3 turtle supe for dinner to day but I have green corn. I think we have a good cook but we have a miserable stuard you cant lurn him eney thing and he is two durty to live, John says h shall get another when he gets to the Island and I hope he will or I shall starve for I have ate my peck allready Sat 5 wind still a head and very light Sun 6 compleat calm, men begin to get over their sea sick nes but rather sick of thare burth we have two forward who cant speak a word of English, also our cooper is a Jurman and cant speak a word of English and it is very hard work to make him understand, Mon 7 calm all day last night the boats ware all lowared to practice the crues George has much the best crue George F cried to go in the boat two, to day saw a large school of black fish loared and chased five hours but did not succeed in taking one Tues 8 another day calm but to night thare is a light breaze and it is fair, yesterday and to day I have not ben very well I am very nurvas I have not had a good nights sleep since I left home. I drempt of Sarah and George E and

Last edit over 1 year ago by Joanne Seymour
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4 Jenet last night but it was all confused and I could not tel whare we ware Wens 9 last night and to day we have all kinds of wether but pleasant it was squarly through the night and this morning after breakfast we had a surveer tempest and very sharp lightening and through the day it has continued squarly and very heavy showers tonight it looks very bad and John think we are going to have a bad night of it Thur 10 we had a very squarly night with heavy showars of rain, just after day light this morning we had another sevear tempest and it continued to rain until noon very hard, since then it has ben squarly and head winds Frid 11 this day first part squarley last part more even but wind a head Sat 12 to day very pleasant with fair wind but light Sun 13 last night we had a very surveere night gale and a heavy ground swell and the vesel roleing all under the wind went down at noon but the sea is high and it thick and heavy, in the hight of the gale last

Last edit over 1 year ago by Joanne Seymour
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5 night the farit got out of the molasses barriel and a hole barrel ful of molasses ran all out they waded around in the pantry in the molasses dep to their anchels and it ran all out on the cabin flore Mon 14 we have another gale the last 24 hours with the vesel a rowling so that we had to hold on for our lives with both hands and then sometimes we would be throne headfomast acrost the cabin and the vesel rowling her rail under boath sides and the most part of the time the water on deck was from thare kneas to the top of the rail we have a board fitted in the cabin doar that comes about to Georges sholders and it would come over that and into the cabin at night we had to lay to, it blew so hard we could not lay in our burth Tues 15 to day very fine wether with fair wind and plenty of it and very high sea we have had a whale anong side to day a small fin back he came of his one a cord he followed the ship for sometime but they did not try to get him They sayed they

Last edit over 1 year ago by Joanne Seymour
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