The Wreck of the Whaleship Essex: Narrative of the Most Extraordinary and Distressing Shipwreck of the Whale-Ship Essex by Owen ChaseMy rating: 3 of 5 stars
Although attacks by whales on whalers were not at all common, there were instances, of which Herman Melville was aware. This collection of related pieces leads off with the lion's share of the content, a first-hand account of the sinking of the Nantucket whaler Essex in 1820, after a large sperm whale rammed her 2,000 miles (3,200 km) from the western coast of South America. First mate Owen Chase, one of eight survivors, recorded theses events in his 1821 narrative where the privation and cannibalism after the attack dwarfs the drama of the violently defensive animal. This leads to additional supporting pieces on attacking whales and cannibalism including the late 1830s of the albino sperm whale Mocha Dick. Mocha Dick was rumored to have 20 or so harpoons in his back from other whalers, and appeared to attack ships with premeditated ferocity. Mocha Dick was an albino and partially inspired Herman Melville's 1851 novel Moby-Dick, or, the Whale .
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