Rafael Osona's Annual Auction Catalog Rafael Osona Annual Catalog 2019 | Page 85

177. JOURNAL OF THE BARK MERMAID OF WESTPORT, E.E. HICKS MASTER, BOUND ON A WHALING
VOYAGE TO INDIAN OCEAN, KEPT BY GEO. E. ALLEN, FIRST OFFICER VOYAGE OF AUGUST 28 TH 1873 –
APRIL 16 TH 1876.” The whaling bark Mermaid was built in 1855 in Westport, Massachusetts and lost in October of 1899 in Dutch
Harbor, Alaska.
The journal is leather bound with marbleized endboards. The log of daily entries includes ship’s position, weather observations, records of other
sighted ships, gamming, 23 partial whale stamps indicating whales sighted or lost, 84 full body whale stamps indicating whales struck, with
numerous stamps showing “Chimneys of Fire” spouting blood from blowholes. The voyage had a very active and successful harvest with 1825
barrels of oil taken. The other interesting occurrences include visits to various foreign ports, crew fighting and punishment, discovery of a stowaway,
sailing through storms and gales, in clear and legible script. 210 pages.
13 in. x 8 ¼ in.

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