Beschreibung:

Title: Three Log Books/Journals of whaling and trading voyages of the steam barkentine Herman, command by Captain Hartson H. Bodfish, out of San Francisco to arctic seas Author: Place: At sea Publisher: Date: 1909-1911 Description: Three volumes: Commencing April 27, 1909, ending November 2, 1909. 61 pp. Commencing April 30, 1910, ending November 9, 1910. 34 pp. Commencing March 22, 1911, ending November 9, 1911. 42 pp. Together, 3 journals. Handwritten in ink, with daily or nearly daily entries, unused blank pages at the end of each. 31x19 cm. (12¼x9½”), matching decorated canvas with leather corners. Original manuscript log books of three whaling voyages in the early part of the 20th century, departing from San Francisco for the Arctic Ocean. The 1909 log with notation at the beginning “Log Book Str. Herman April 27th 1909. Keep by chief officer E. F. Morgan. Sail from San Francisco”; the others seem in different hands, and are not identified as to author, but the running headings note the ship and the master, Captain Bodfish. The daily entries detail the winds and weather, events and activities on board, lowering boats to capture whales, encounters with other ships, etc. In the first journal, there are a number of inkstamps of whales in the margins, indicating sightings. A sample entry: “Sunday, Aug. 29th, 1909. Begin with strong N.E. Wind BF tied up to ice East Point Barrow due the forenoon ?? squalled latter part clear up some at 3 p.m. we raised Bowhead out side the ice. We had S. Boat on lookout in the ice so he struck the whale. We lowered 4 Boat took the whale along side cutting before night at night we clear away the head so end.” Captain Hartson H. Bodfish commanded a number of whaling and trading voyages into the Pacific and along the Northwest Coast, and produced, with the assistance of Joseph C. Allen, “Chasing the Bowhead: As told by Captain Hartson H. Bodfish,” Harvard University Press, 1936. There are logbooks kept by him at the New Bedford Whaling Museum, including one for the 1910 expedition, in a binding matching the present volume, with entries conforming to the activities recorded here. The three journals here seem to have all been kept by first officers. Lot Amendments Condition: Some soiling and wear to covers; dampstains/darkening to first several leaves of each, a few leaves detached; overall very good, generally clean and quite legible within. Item number: 236116