[Thomas Waters to his mother, Mrs Elizabeth Waters]
Addressed to Mrs Waters, King St, Woolwich, Kent, England
VII
Barque Fawn Woahoo [Oahu]. Nov.r llth/1842
My Dear Mother
Having just received five letters by the Henrietta (dated E.&M. Waters 12th July 1840.-Nov.r 13th/40. April 1841… J. Waters Sept 22.d 1840. New Years day 1841) from home, the first which I have had since I left you, I hasten to write in return.
Nearly all my shipmates have received plenty before.
From Woahoo Dec 5th/41 we took a season on the Line between Long’s 170°E. & 170°W., one or two degrees either side of the Equator , but were very unfortunate, capturing only 50 lbs of sperm oil. Two of our boats, one to which I belong, were nearly lost. We fastened to a calf whale and had nearly killed it, when the cow, took the bight of the line which was fast to the calf, between her jaws, and got it foul of her flukes, which irritating it, sent it off at full speed, dragging the calf, our boat, and another boat fast to ours, along with her. We being badly in want of oil, determined not to cut the line, but to take the chances; out of sight of our ship to windward, fortunately we took the bearings of the ship with the boats compass, and it was past sunset when both tired and hungry we managed to kill the whale, which we had to tow to the ship. Meanwhile, the person at the mast head on the look out, (a native of the Sandwich Il’s) not being able to keep the run of all the boats, the other two being fast to another whale, reported that he had seen us last to leeward, and the helm was up, when our boat having killed the whale, let off blue lights, which luckily our ship observed, they immediately showed blue lights in return and made fires for us to steer for; 11h’sP.M. we had the whales alongside, the only ones we got that season. Our cooper, and a boatsteerer, knocked off duty, and a few days after all the hands ‘fore the mast refused to do any other duty, than ship’s duty, unless the Captain would steer for some port to get a cooper, to cooper the casks, as it was useless for them to get oil, with no one to take care of it. The Captain and his officers consulted together, and determined to steer back for Woahoo, and put the ship under the consul’s hands. As soon as we drop’t anchor at Woahoo, May 1842 and the decks cleared up, all hands refused duty until their grievances were redressed. They stated them as follows : provisions bad, decks, and upper works leaky, and that they would not sail under the Chief mate, Mr Stephens; Third mate, Mr Clark; and Captain’s headsman, Mr Gardener, any more. About five days after we had been in port, I was taken bad with the dysentery, and was dangerously ill with it. It reduced me much, and made me very weak. The men managed to get plenty of grog, and of course got drunk, which was bad for me, as they generally got to singing, dancing, and fighting, and not being able to get out of their way was anything but comfortable amongst them, at last our doctor sent me to the hospital ashore. Hospital they call it. I give you its description, it is an outhouse, belonging to one of the grog shops, where all the men who are on the British consul’s hands are kept, and free to any, who can pay two dollars and a half per week, for boarding there, the resort of drunkards, it is an oblong thatched house, with one door, places meant for windows all round, small wooden bedsteads with one grass mat to sleep upon, fills up the interior, and as my mattress through being continually wet, had rotted, I had thrown it overboard, so the mat was all I had to sleep upon. There was no scarcity of bugs, fleas, mosquitoes, smoke, curses, or groans etc. but a great scarcety [sic] of sleep, at least it was to me; but altogether I was more comfortable ashore than aboard. I remained three weeks ashore, and returned quite well, as I am at present. The disagreements with the crew were settled, by sending the bad meat ashore, and discharging the before mentioned officers, and shipping new ones in their places. We left Woahoo in June, and sailed for Japan, where we met with more misfortunes getting but 150 lbs of sperm oil, and had six or seven boats stove to pieces, fortunately we lost none of our crew. We had a typhoon, which lasted nearly 12 hours, and carried away our trysail gaff, with two of our boats, and we were nearly under the necessity of starting oil, as we had seventy lbs of oil on deck, which made the old ship top heavy. A few nights afterwards, my watch on deck, when the main topsail split quite athwart. I went up into the top to tend the sheets which were of iron; raining and blowing hard, when the lightning struck me blind for some minutes attracted I suppose by the iron; however all I felt of it afterwards was a severe headache. We lost two or three of our sails. I have drawn two or three pictures of whaling for you, but the officers and shipmates have nearly spoilt them by handling them, they consider them fair drawings. The only thing I cannot draw is a heavy sea. You will see them and must judge mildly, one is the Fawn cutting in with the blanket piece, as it is termed by whalers, just rising, and the other a scene in Japan where we lost one hand and had several hurt. I hope my dear Mother and Father with little Nancy that you are quite well, remember me to the rest of my brothers, and sisters, and to all my friends. Edward Wild wishes to be remembered to you. I hope Miss Gibson is quite well. I should like to know the name of the ship which her relation sailed in. I was much pleased with your letters, and was glad to see them filled up, as it is useless to send blank paper such a distance
I remain
Your affectionate son
Thomas Waters