(Editor's Note: This is the third of five articles which Thomas R. Bayles has
adapted from the log of the old whaler Sheffield. The first installments
described early phases of the voyage out of Cold Spring Harbor in 1845.)
"Monday, Nov 2, 1846.
Civil account. At 1 P.M. came to anchor Lahainer Roads in twenty fathoms of water.
Found a large fleet of ships.
"Tuesday, Nov 3. Shipped 6900 pounds of
bone on board ship Charles of Boston for home. Strong symptoms of
insubordination among the crew. Got off raft of water, broke out after
watch for flour. Starboard watch ashore on liberty.
"Saturday, the 7th.
Fine weather. Three of our hands shut in fort for assault on the
second mate.
"Monday, the 9th. Put two men in irons for attempting to
run away, and afterwards refusing duty. Rafting water casks.
"Friday, the
13th. Nearly ready for sailing. Getting off vegetables etc. Released
our two men from irons and they have gone to their duty.
"Saturday, the
14th. Brought off a load of pumpkins. Shipped one man from ashore, a
Portuguese discharged three men. These were the men who were shut up
in the fort.
"Wednesday, Nov 18th. Got underway between the Island Raine
and Moritoo. At 1 p.m. raised Wahoo ahead. At sundown nearly abreast of
Honolulu stand off and on through the night Sunday Nov 29 spoke the
Huron of sag harbor four days from Honolulu.
"Sunday, Nov. 29th. Spoke the Huron of Sag Harbor, four days from
Honolulu.
"Monday, Nov 30th. Close
in with Orohyee. Saw one or two native towns on the shore. Employed in
breaking out molasses.
"Thursday, Dec. 8th. at 8 P.M. Spoke bark Columbia
of Sag Harbor. Reports Capt. Pierson ashore four days and not returned
yet.
"Friday, Dec. 11th. Spoke ship Mary Ann of Sag Harbor, cruising.
"Sunday, Dec. 13th. At 9 a.m. saw sperm whale. Chased but no success.
Later saw
more killed one. Took him alongside and put the fluke chain on him,
and let him lay until morning.
"Monday, Dec. 14th. Got through cutting in
at 2 P.M.
"Tuesday,
Dec.14th. Plenty of sperm whale in sight. Lowered
three boats. Struck and killed one cut the body in and paid him
astern to a hawser. Spoke Daniel Webster of Sag Harbor, cruising. Through the night employed in boiling out oil.
"Friday, Jan. 1, 1847.
Another year is upon us, like a tale is told. Nearly all hands ashore
on liberty.
"Sunday, Jan. 3rd.
In the afternoon had preaching in English
by the Rev Mark Ives missionary at this station. Capt. White Mr. Halsey
and Mr. Payne attended while I kept ship.
"Saturday, the 9th. Received
seven barrels of sweet potatoes from shore.
"Sunday, the 10th.
Most of
the crew on shore, some at church
"Monday, the 11th.
Received on board
700 oranges.
"Tuesday, the 12th.
Received on board eight barrels sweet
potatoes and 1400 oranges.
"Saturday, the 16th. Stood in shore to mouth
of Karakoa Bay, Capt.. White went ashore at 10 a.m. saw sperm whale
chased, no success. At 4 P.M. Capt.. White returned and brought with him
two deserters, John Bunn and William Bateman.
"Thursday, the 28th.
Lowered and struck a humpback, run some distance, cut the line. Starboard watch ashore.
"Wednesday,
Feb.3rd. Died at U.S. hospital
Charles Lopper, from on board bark Columbia. A large number of
shipmates and countrymen attended him to the grave. The foreign counsels
and the ship displayed their colors at half mast.
"Wednesday,
March 10. At sunset hove our ship to latitude 29-42. It is to our Maker we
tender our sincere thanks in conducting our voyage with many
bountiful favors. Set quarter watches and turned in.
"Friday, April 2.
Don't know when we shall get any whale."
On a while ship every member
of the crew was "on a lay" that is he had a share in the profits of
the voyage. Our historian of the cruise of the Sheffield would
therefore naturally get discouraged when weeks passed without a
capture of a whale.
"Saturday, April 3rd.
It is about time we were
getting some oil if we expect to get any this season.
"Wednesday, April
14. Chased a finback through a mistake. Thought it was a right whale.
"Tuesday, the 20th. Lowered and chased this afternoon, no success. Spoke
ship Isaac Hicks, had taken nothing this season.
"Saturday, the 24th.
Saw
two right whales. Lowered, struck and killed one and took him
alongside.
"Sunday,
the 25th. Hooked on to our whale, found him a dry
skin, and let him go.
A dry skin was whale so poor in oil as to be
not worth cutting and trying.
"Monday,
May 3rd. Saw plenty whales,
lowered, struck and killed one, sunk him got the bow boat slightly
stove in, broke my steering oar. Spoke ship Corea, had taken nothing
this season.
"Tuesday, the 4th.
Struck one whale in the morning and drawed from him. Spoke ship
Morrison, had taken nothing this
season. Had struck two whales today and lost them, and had sunk one
yesterday."
Occasionally a whale after being struck, would sink and it
was imperative to cut loose in order to prevent the boats from being
pulled under.