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=My Father.=

[Illustration: Wm. Scoresby]




MEMORIALS OF THE SEA.

=My Father:=

BEING RECORDS OF THE ADVENTUROUS LIFE OF THE LATE

WILLIAM SCORESBY, ESQ. OF WHITBY.

BY HIS SON

THE REV. WILLIAM SCORESBY, D.D.

FELLOW OF THE ROYAL SOCIETIES OF LONDON AND EDINBURGH; MEMBER OF THE
INSTITUTE OF FRANCE; OF THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE, PHILADELPHIA, ETC. ETC.

LONDON:
LONGMAN, BROWN, GREEN, AND LONGMANS.
1851.




LONDON:
PRINTED BY M. MASON, IVY LANE, PATERNOSTER ROW.




TO THE LADY MATILDA MAXWELL,

WHOSE DISCERNMENT OF AN UNUSUAL AND SUPERIOR CHARACTER IN A MERCHANT
SEAMAN, WHEN KNOWN ONLY BY REPORT, FIRST LED TO THE GATHERING OF RECORDS
CONCERNING HIM;

AND TO WHOSE EXPRESSIONS OF DEEP AND ADMIRING INTEREST IN THE RELATION,
REPEATEDLY SOLICITED, OF MANY CHARACTERISTIC INCIDENTS, THEIR
PUBLICATION IS STRICTLY DUE,--

=This Volume,=

COMPRISING THE OFT-TOLD STORIES, WITH ADDITIONAL RECORDS, OF THE
ADVENTUROUS LIFE OF

=His Father,=

IS, WITH GREAT RESPECT AND SINCERE REGARD, NOW ADDRESSED, BY HER
LADYSHIP'S FAITHFUL AND OBLIGED FRIEND,

THE AUTHOR.

_Torquay, Feb. 3, 1851._




=My Father.=




CONTENTS.


                                                         Page

CHAPTER I.--EARLY LIFE AND PROGRESS AS A SEAMAN            3

SECT. 1. My Father's early Life                            3

      2. His First Year's Apprenticeship                  12

      3. His Progress as a Seaman, with Incidents of
           Sea-life                                       20

      4. Capture by the Enemy, and Escape from a
           Spanish Prison                                 26

      5. Rewards of Masterly Seamanship                   31

      6. Entrance on, and Progress in Training in, the
           Greenland Whale-fishery                        36


CHAPTER II.--COMMENCEMENT AND PROGRESS IN WHALE-FISHING
  ENTERPRISE AS COMMANDER                                 42

SECT. 1. Disappointment in his First Command              42

      2. His Second Adventure and commencing Prosperity   52

      3. Further Successes, with their comparative Relations,
           in the Ship Henrietta                          55

      4. Episodical Incident--the Rescue of endangered
           Pleasurers                                     65

      5. The Greenland Doctor                             71

      6. Taming of a Bear--interesting Recognition        78


CHAPTER III.--THE SHIP DUNDEE, OF LONDON                  86

SECT. 1. Entrance on, and general Results of, this new
  Command                                                 86

      2. Dangerous Accident--admirable Tact               89

      3. The Dandy Sailor, or "Fine Tommy"                92

      4. Unfortunate Voyage, and Adventure in the
           Greenland Ices                                 96

      5. Successful Stratagem in War                     103

      6. Extraordinary Exploit in "cutting in," single-handed,
           a moderately-grown young Whale                108


CHAPTER IV.--THE SHIP RESOLUTION, OF WHITBY              116

SECT. 1. Continued Prosperity; the Results, comparatively
  and generally, of this fresh Enterprise                116

      2. Treatment and Recovery of a half-frozen Seaman  126

      3. Judicious Treatment of Men having suffered
           from severe Exposure                          129

      4. The Crow's Nest                                 135

      5. Extraordinary Celerity in preparing an empty
           Boat for the Fishery                          139

      6. Tact and Bravery in attacking and killing a
           dangerously-resisting Whale                   144

      7. Remarkable Enterprise: the nearest Approach
           to the North Pole                             152

      8. Devotional Habits, at Sea and on Shore          164


CHAPTER V.--FURTHER ENTERPRISES: GENERAL RESULTS         171

SECT. 1. The Greenock Whale-fishing Company              171

      2. "Cum au greim a gheibhthu"                      174

      3. Subsequent and concluding Enterprises           178

      4. General Results of his entire Whale-fishing
           Adventures                                    185

      5. Unusual Capture of Walruses                     189


CHAPTER VI.--GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS, AND MISCELLANEOUS
  NOTICES                                                195

SECT. 1. Superiority as an Arctic Navigator              195

      2. Natural Science                                 203

      3. Improvements and Inventions                     215

      4. Miscellaneous and concluding Notices            224




MEMORIALS OF THE SEA.

=My Father.=




CHAPTER I.

EARLY LIFE AND PROGRESS AS A SEAMAN.


SECTION I.--_My Father's early Life._

The name of SCORESBY, it is believed, is entirely unknown, in this country,
except in the case of the family, and one or two relations, of the subject
of the present records.

My Father's "more immediate ancestors," as a short biographical account of
him by a friend, states,[A] "occupied respectable stations in the middle
walks of life, supporting, in each case, unblemished character, and
possessing, at times, considerable property;" and, in periods rather
remote, holding conspicuous stations.

In Drake's History of York, the family name, varying in the spelling in a
progress through several centuries, repeatedly occurs. But the single line
traceable through my Father's ancestors, now alone appears to exist in
Britain. Walter de Scourby was "bayliffe of York," in the year 1312; and
in the seventh and ninth years of Edward III., Nicholas de Scor[=e]by, it
appears, was Member for York. Subsequently, we find, under the date of
1463, Thomas Scawsby, holding the office of Lord Mayor of that city. Some
member of the family, after the name assumed its present form, must have
given the designation of "Scoresby Manor" and "Scoresby Lodge," to places
still known in the neighbourhood of York.

At the period, however, of this memoir, the family occupied more humble
stations in life, chiefly in the class of yeomen,--a class once of much
importance in this country, but now, unhappily, so diminished in numbers,
under the absorbing influence of extensive properties, as to be scarcely
recognised as a designation.

William Scoresby, my Father, 'was born on the 3d of May 1760, on a small
estate farmed by his parent, called Nutholm, in the township of Cropton,
about twenty miles south-west of Whitby, in the county of York. In this
place the periods of his childhood and boyhood were spent.'

The memoir, here again quoted, refers to some incidents among his earliest
recollections, by which his life was greatly imperilled, marking 'the
superintending providence of God, which, on all occasions, he gratefully
acknowledged.'

At an endowed school, in the nearest adjoining village, Cropton, his early,
and indeed chief, education was received. But the distance being
considerable, and the roads indifferent, his attendance was much
interrupted, and, in winter, totally suspended. His progress, therefore,
was far from being satisfactory. Nor was this disadvantage compensated by
any long continuance of opportunities for obtaining scholastic instruction;
for, at the age of nine, he was removed, and from that time forward
employed, as his strength and years might qualify him, in occupations among
the cattle, and about the farm.

Occasionally, during his advance towards manhood, he was engaged with the
neighbouring farmers, when, during such occupation, an incident, of
_apparently_ no material importance, occurred, which constituted, under the
ordering of an allwise and gracious Providence, the grand turning-point in
his destiny, from a probable ordinary and unobserved occupation, to a
stirring, adventurous and conspicuous life. The change was induced by some
unpleasant treatment he received from the family with whom he was residing.
He became disgusted with a position which, without satisfying the natural
capabilities and enterprise of his mind, exposed him to such indignities.
The idea had, probably, been often in his mind before; but he now first
resolved on leaving the occupation for which his father had destined him,
and on trying at the nearest sea-port, Whitby, the adventure of a seafaring
life.

It is somewhat curious that the course of life, in respect to the adoption
of a seafaring profession, of two individuals,--Captain Cook and my
Father,--whose names are associated with much of interest in the history
of Whitby, and who became, in their relative degrees, conspicuous as
adventurous seamen,--turned upon apparently trifling incidents; and, as to
the exciting of feelings of disgust with their previous occupations, of a
similar character.

James Cook, like my Father, was, in early youth, employed along with his
father, in agricultural labours.[B] His turn of mind, however, being suited
to something requiring more tact than the ordinary toils in which farmers'
boys were wont to be engaged, he was removed from the work of the field to
that of the counter, with the view of learning the business of a country
shopkeeper. It was at the fishing town of Staiths, about ten miles
north-west of Whitby, and at the shop of a Mr. W. Sanderson, haberdasher,
where Cook, at the age of sixteen or seventeen, entered on his new
employment; and it was whilst there that the incident, which led to his
abandonment of domestic trade for sea-life, occurred.

It happened, as the early record goes, that, at a period when the coinage
generally in circulation was much defaced and worn, a new and fresh looking
shilling was paid in by a customer. Cook, attracted by the comparative
beauty of the coin, and thinking with regret of its going forth again in
the ordinary progress of business, substituted the sterling value, and
appropriated the new coin, as "a pocket-piece," to himself. It was
ill-advised that he did so without previously asking permission or
intimating his purpose; for the shilling had been observed by his master,
its abstraction was detected, and Cook was suspected and charged with
dishonesty,--a charge which the production of the shilling from his pocket
_seemed_ to confirm. His keen sense of right feeling, and of what was due
to himself, rendered this incident so painful, that he determined, if he
could get permission to do so, to leave his employment, as a shopkeeper,
and, indulging a strongly imbibed prepossession, turn to the sea. The
unmerited suffering was abundantly compensated by that good and gracious
Providence, whose dispensations reach to the humblest, and specially
regards the oppressed. The young shopkeeper--turned apparently by this
fretful incident from his monotonous pursuits, and stimulated to seek an
adventurous profession, and not opposed, but kindly aided, by his master,
who had become perfectly satisfied of his integrity--was led into those
paths of distinction whereby he became so highly conspicuous, if not chief
among the circumnavigators of the globe!

"It is worthy of remark," says Dr. Young, in his life of Cook, "that the
coin which so forcibly attracted his notice was what is called a
_South-sea_ shilling, of the coinage of George I., marked on the reverse
S.S.C., for _South-sea Company_; as if the name of the piece had been
intended to indicate the principal fields of his future discoveries."

If the result of disgust at his experienced indignity turned not to
account, with my Father, in so eminent a degree,--it yet was so over-ruled
for good as to place him at the head of the adventurers engaged in the
whale-fishery of the Greenland seas, and to render his example,
perseverance, and talent, highly beneficial to his country in the
furtherance of that, then, extremely important branch of national
enterprise.

It was in the winter of 1779-80, that my Father proceeded to carry his
resolve into effect, by leaving his place and travelling to Whitby. Guided
by the suggestions of a relative, to whom he had communicated his
intentions, he was recommended to Mr. Chapman,--an opulent and respectable
ship-owner, and a member of the Society of Friends,--with whom he engaged
himself to serve as an apprentice, for three years, in a ship called the
Jane, commanded by a son of the owner.

As his services, however, were not required till the ensuing
spring,--because of the practice, as to ships trading to the Baltic and
Archangel, "of laying them up" for the winter,--he returned immediately
home, informed his father of what he had done, and then, at his suggestion,
went back to the farm he had somewhat abruptly left, and there remained
until his place could be satisfactorily supplied. This being speedily
accomplished, he set himself arduously to work to the studying, by the help
of whatever suitable books he could get hold of, of the subjects connected
with his new profession.

On the 1st of February 1780, according to previous arrangement, he
repaired to Whitby for the ratification of his agreement, and for receiving
directions as to when and how his services would be required. His anxiety
on this occasion, to proceed with his studies in the manner in which he
found himself making gradual and encouraging progress, led him at once into
an adventure of much peril, and into circumstances in which his
acquirements in the _principles_ of navigation had their first, yet most
successful and important, application.

Finding that his services would not be required until the month of April,
he determined, being full of ardour for self-improvement, not to lose a
single day; so that, although the afternoon had arrived before he finished
his arrangements with Mr. Chapman, he set out on his pedestrian course
towards the Moors, intending to sleep at the village of Sleights. Urged,
however, by his feelings, and tempted by the fineness of the evening, and
the brilliant sunset, by which the distant hills (then covered with snow)
were illumined and gilded, he resolved on proceeding to Salter Gate, a
position, in the midst of the Moors, eight miles further in advance, and
attainable only by a not very well-defined line of road across a heath-clad
and totally uninhabited country. It was a region, therefore, of complete
desolateness, through which he prepared to pass, and, on occasions of
snow-storms, one of great danger to any travellers who might be
unfortunately overtaken by them whilst in the midst of the Moors;--for, at
the period of which we now write, there were neither fences to confine,
nor poles (as in subsequent years were erected) to mark, the line of road,
so that an hour's continuance of thick drifting snow might totally
obliterate, in many places, the distinctions betwixt the highway and the
general trackless heath. Hence it happened, that scarcely a winter passed
over without yielding the records of perilous or fatal adventures; and,
whenever snow-storms abounded, of travellers, more or less in number,
perishing by being overwhelmed in the snow-drifts.

It was not long before our traveller, advancing rapidly with vigorous and
elastic step within the region of lonesome moorland, became aware that he
had entered upon a critical adventure; for having arrived near the sixth
milestone on the high-moors over Whitby, he became unexpectedly encircled
by a dense and gloomy cloud, attended with a sudden and furious storm of
wind and fleecy snow, the snow descending so thick as to envelope him in
such dark obscurity, that, for some little time, he could neither see his
way to advance nor to return.

Recovering somewhat from his first embarrassment, and considering what
might be well to be done, he determined, adventurous as the attempt might
be, to go forward toward Salter Gate, yet six miles distant, and not a
house on the road. He had made but little progress, however,