Whalers` stories (19th century): the reasons of some editorial failures

Whalers’ stories (19th century): the reasons of some editorial failures
… and successes
HU 07
Odile Gannier, GREC, Antibes, France / Université de Nice-Sophia Antipolis, France
odile.gannier@unice.fr
Nowadays it seems that some great books, published during the 19th century and dealing with cetaceans, have been immediate and complete editorial successes:
Moby Dick by Melville seems to be one of the best known references – in fact, it is not exactly the case.
Literature
Young adult literature: adventure novels
Joseph C. HART became widely known with his novel Miriam Coffin;
or, The Whale-Fisherman (1835).
W. H. G. KINGSTON (London, GB, 1814-1880) wrote his first book for boys, Peter the Whaler, in 1851: he had such a success that he retired
Excerpt
from business and devoted himself to such kind of literature.
“Our commercial and national importance cannot be supported without a
navy, or our navy without commerce, and a nursery for our seamen”. (Introduction XIV)
“If we have succeeded in conveying a useful moral, and in showing the young
and inexperienced female where the true sphere of her duties lies; […] – if we
have, in any way, contributed to give to the world a just representation of the
character and hazardous pursuits of the daring Whale-Fishermen, who form
a race of mariners of whom we are proud; – in short, if we have afforded the
reader but a moiety of the pleasure in perusing some of the simple annals of
Nantucket, that we have experienced in tracing them, – we shall be satisfied
that our time has been spent to some good purpose : – for we have been both
instructed and amused, while collecting and putting together the various parts
of this tale. And here is the END OF THE «WHALE-FISHERMEN».” (p. 335)
Why did it meet success?
The hero is a young boy, clever and courageous. At the beginning, he is sent to sea because of being a young scamp. But his adventures lead him to wisdom. The young readers can follow him in all the troubles he gets into during the voyage.
No time for boring: each chapter is a new adventure (shipwreck, pirates, whaling, wintering on ice floe, escaping, and so on)
Whaling
is only a few chapters of the novel. However it is just in the middle of the story and shows the right peak of his adventures.
He becomes “Peter The Whaler”.
Jules VERNE (1828-1905), wrote a lot of extraordinary voyages, like
- The Voyages and Adventures of Captain Hatteras, 1866
- Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea, 1869-1870
- Dick Sand (A Fifteen Years old Captain), 1878
Why did it meet success?
Why did these novels meet success?
Support of national navy and experienced seamen, patriotism, admiration at
courageous seamen, moral instruction,… and pleasure. This period is favourable for pioneers and big game hunters.
Dick Sand for example is a young boy (a “fifteen years old Captain”),
honest, efficient and courageous. The young readers can model themselves on him.
Every chapter tells adventures: how exciting!
Illustration by Edouard Riou, in Jules
At the same time, Verne always intends teaching some scientific matter.
Verne, Twenty Thousand Leagues
What about whaling?
Under the Sea, 1869-1870
Illustration by Edouard Riou, in Jules
Verne, The Voyages and Adventures of
Captain Hatteras, 1866 (II,21)
He becomes captain because the whole crew has gone for whaling in the middle of the voyage: whaling could be not very reasonable.
In Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea, one of the heroes wonders if it is not stupid to kill a dugong they happen to see – and maybe shoot: it could
be the very last one. But the response is: if it is the last one, actually it is as if it was already dead.
But, if killing an animal, whatever its species, can save human lives, no hesitation.
Melville, Moby Dick; or the Whale
This novel was published in 1851. It was the third book written by Melville (after
Typee, Omoo, Mardi), but the author never focused specifically on whaling before.
Plot
“Call me Ishmael”… This first person narration tells the story of an ordinary seaman who signs on with the Pequod, a whaleship commanded by Captain Ahab.
In fact, Ishmael soon understands that the Captain is not interested in ordinary
whaling, but has one purpose in life: search and take revenge on an enigmatic and
ferocious animal, the White Whale, which bit off his leg on a former voyage.
Moby Dick appears in just three of the 135 chapters, but is the main figure of the
novel. He finally kills the entire crew of the Pequod, with the exception of Ishmael.
Moby Dick edition - C. H. Simonds Co, 1892
A giant albino sperm whale is the dark figure of the novel.
Moby Dick - edition: Charles
Scribner’s Sons, New York, 1902
Log books and sea reports
Novel/Reality: the Whale
Critical failure
“The book is not a romance, nor a treatise on Cetology. It is something
of both” (London Leader, Nov. 8 1851)
The novel is partly based on reality:
- Melville had been actually aboard the whaler Acushnet in 1841-42 as
a sailor: he has got a practical knowledge of whales and sailing.
During «gams» (social meetings of two ships on the open sea), he heard
of whales’ attacks.
- Many chapters of the novel are dedicated to whales: natural history
and whaling science: he is undoubtedly interested in this matter.
- in the first chapter, Melville assesses he took a lot of observations in
books: he read a lot about whales, as an autodidact.
- Owen Chase, first mate of the Essex wrote about the shipwreck due
to a whale attack in Narrative of the Most Extraordinary and Distressing Shipwreck of the Whale-Ship Essex (published in 1821).
- biblical connection
- symbolic meaning and thoughts on human madness, good and bad,
fate, … “a coat of book-learning and mysticism”
(New York Albion, November 22 1851)
The book initially received mixed then scathing reviews: according to the
London Athenaeum, October 25 1851, Moby Dick was «an ill-compounded mixture of romance and matter-of-fact”. It finally led Melville to literary obscurity: (between 1876 and 1878, his American publisher Harper
sold only 66 copies of Moby Dick).
His works were increasingly relevant only in the twenties. But… in fact,
even most of people who say they “know” this novel didn’t ever read it in
its entirety.
Why?
Moby Dick was considered as too kaleidoscopic, hybrid in genre and tone:
“This sea novel is a singular medley of naval observation, magazine article writing, satiric reflection upon the conventionalisms of civilized life,
and rhapsody run mad.” (London Spectator, October 25 1851).
- The readers who liked whales or whaling stories were bored with Ahab’s
madness and symbolic meaning.
- Those who wanted to read adventure novels didn’t like long chapters on
natural history.
- Some readers who like Melville’s work don’t like whaling industry!
- It is quite a lengthy book…!
The Essex being struck by a
whale on November 20, 1820
(sketched by Thomas Nickerson)
Owen CHASE
His book is said to have inspired Melville to write Moby Dick. On November 20, 1820, the Nantucket whaler Essex was attacked by an angry sperm whale and sank. During three months, the
remainder of the crew survived in small open boats in the South Seas. The first mate, Owen Chase,
told the Narrative of the Most Extraordinary and Distressing Shipwreck of the Whale-Ship Essex,
in 1821. In spite of the whaling disaster and their terrible fate – of twenty men who escaped the
shipwreck, only eight survived, by eating their died shipmates – Owen Chase is nevertheless still
proud of the whaling industry of Nantucket, as shown in the beginning of his account.
“A spirit of adventure amongst the sons of other relatives of these immediately concerned in
it, takes possession of their minds at an early age; captivated with the tough stories of the elder
seamen, and seduced, as well as the natural desire of seeing foreign countries, as by the hopes of
gain, they launch forth six or eight thousand miles from home, into years of their lives in scenes
of constant peril, labour, and watchfulness. The profession is one of great ambition, and full of
honourable excitement: a tame man is never known amongst them; and the coward is marked
with that peculiar aversion, that distinguishes our public naval service.” (p. 3-4).
Frank BULLEN, The Cruise of the «Cachalot»: Round the World After Sperm Whales,
1889. Kipling was enthusiast!
Charles FROUIN published his Log-book on the whaleship “l’Espadon” (1852-1856)
as a surgeon. The voyage seems to have been a failure and Frouin shows the slaughter they made,
often in vain.
Frederick Debell BENNETT, Narrative of a whaling voyage round the globe,
from the year 1833 to 1836. Comprising sketches of Polynesia, California, the Indian Archipelago, etc. with an account of southern whales, the sperm whale fishery, and the natural history of
the climates visited (1840).
The first part narrates his voyage, then the second part is dedicated to zoology (250 pages, about
a third out of the whole book). This important part can be used for itself as a scientific report
Charles Melville SCAMMON: About The marine mammals of the northwes-
tern coast of North America [1874], it was said that he “wrote one book, and it has fascinated
seafaring men, historians, and naturalists for 94 years.” (Introduction, p. V). But at the moment
it was not a best-seller! However,
“The chief object in this work is to give as correct figures of the different species of marine mammals, found on the Pacific Coast of North America, as could be obtained from a careful study of
them from life, and numerous measurements after death, made whenever practicable. It is also
my aim to give as full an account of the habits of these animals as practicable, together with such
facts in reference to their geographical distribution as have come to my knowledge.” (p. 11)
The general plan of the book follows first a zoological classification (“Cetacea”, “Pinnipedia”, with
a “Catalogue of the Cetacea” appended to this work); then he presents “The American whalefishery”. His book has been considered as very useful and complete in an era of descriptive zoology. He explains all is known about the species, and adds reports of his own whaler’s experiences
to the description.
Bennett, vol. II, p. 153.
Scammon
Scammon
Conclusions
When Moby Dick was published in 1851, the readers were scarce, because of its very particular conception of writing, half symbolic, half scientific
novel; it was not young people literature. Another book describing cetaceans didn’t meet with editorial success: Scammon’s Marine mammals (1874),
a very important account in the history of American whaling. These books describe cetaceans throughout detailed pages and are very concerned
with science. On the contrary, novels such Kingston’s Peter the Whaler or Verne’s Twenty thousand leagues under the sea met with success, whereas
Moby Dick and Peter the Whaler were published exactly at the same period. So, how can this difference be explained? In fact, Kingston’s and Verne’s
novels are ordinary adventure novels in a maritime context: the life aboard (and its hazards) is interesting enough in itself, even if the scientific
aspect is variable; Verne wrote for educational purpose, based on second hand encyclopaedic knowledge. However the interest for reel and vivid
accounts (like Bennett’s or Bullen’s) was great at this period (gold rush time), when big game hunting and pioneer adventure was highly prized.
The readership interested in marine mammal science between 1850 and 1875 was certainly smaller. Nowadays the editorial situation has changed,
and Moby Dick, and Scammon’s Marine mammals, to a lesser extent, are greatly prized in themselves and because of their historic interest.
Bibliography
CHASE Owen, Narrative of the Most Extraordinary and Distressing Shipwreck of the Whale-Ship Essex, [1821], A Ria Press Edition, 2006.
HART Joseph C., Miriam Coffin; or, The Whale-Fishermen [1835], republished by H.R. Coleman, A.L. Bancroft & Co, printers, 1872.
BENNETT Frederick Debell, Narrative of a whaling voyage round the globe, from the year 1833 to 1836. Comprising sketches of Polynesia, California, the Indian Archipelago, etc. with an account of southern whales, the sperm whale fishery, and the natural history of the climates visited, London,
Richard Bentley, 1840.
MELVILLE Herman, Moby Dick; or the Whale, 1851.
KINGSTON William Henry Giles, Peter the Whaler [1851]; Dodo Press, 2007.
FROUIN Charles, Log-book on the whaleship “l’Espadon” ; Journal de bord (1852-1856), chrirugien à bord du baleinier l’Espadon, France Empire,
1978
VERNE Jules, The Voyages and Adventures of Captain Hatteras, illustrations by Edouard Riou [1866]; tr. Boston, James R. Osgood and Company,
1876.
VERNE Jules, Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea, 1869-1870.
VERNE Jules, Dick Sand (A Fifteen Years old Captain), 1878.
SCAMMON Charles M., The marine mammals of the northwestern coast of North America, Together with an account of the American Whale-Fishery,
San Francisco, John H. Carmany and Co, 1874; New York, Dover Publication, 1968.
BULLEN Frank, The Cruise of the «Cachalot»: Round the World After Sperm Whales, 1889.
PHILBRICK Nathaniel, In the Heart of the Sea. The Tragedy of the Whaleship Essex, Penguin, 2001.