Log Entries:  July 11 - July 17, 1844

Thu, Jul 11, 1844 (Sun Obscure)

Thick fog for all day…  Saw nothing but two humpbacks…

Fri, Jul 12, 1844 (None Taken)

This day [for the] most part clear weather…  Saw a-plenty of humpbacks… Saw one right whale; lowered the boats and fastened to him. [Killed] him and towed him to the ship.  Got him alongside at 7 p.m. [and] put the fluke chain on…

Sat, Jul 13, 1844 (Not Taken)

… Began at daylight to cut in our whale.  Finished at 12 o’clock.  Made all sail and commenced boiling.  Lowered and chased twice without success…

Sun, Jul 14, 1844 (Not Taken)

This day clear with light breezes…At 9 a.m. saw two right whales; lowered and chased without success.  Saw two more at 12; lowered, fastened to and killed both – one of them sunk, saved the other.  Got him alongside at 9 in the evening.  Boiling all day…



Mon, Jul 15, 1844 (Not Taken)

… Boiling all day.  Saw 3 ships and a-plenty of whales.  Chased three times; got nothing.  Stowed down 70 barrels of oil…

Tue, Jul 16, 1844 (Sun Obscure)

All this day somewhat thick with light rain…At 5 p.m. spoke ship Levi Starbuck on Nantucket:  950 barrels sperm [whale oil] and two right whales; 37 months out.  Gammed til 7 o’clock.  Boiling out all this day…

Ship Levi Starbuck of Nantucket (376 tons, Captain Nye) departed May 26, 1841.  Returned Mar 31,1845 with 850 bbls sperm whale oil and , 865 bbls whale oil.

Wed, Jul 17, 1844 (Not Taken)

… Made some sail at daylight and commenced stowing down oil.  Got down about 100 bbls… Lowered at 1 p.m. and fastened to two whales; [the] iron drawed [out] from one, killed the other.  Got him alongside at 3:30 p.m.  Cut him in and took in sail and commenced boiling.  Boiling in the morning till 8 a.m…

Well now, this is more like it!  Three whales in one week.  Perhaps the luck of the Thames is finally beginning to turn.   We will have to see if both the luck and the weather can hold…