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The Sinking of the Essex: A Narrative of a Distressing Shipwreck

Ken Simmons

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Published in The Whale Ship Essex: Narrative Of The Distressing Shipwreck Of The Whale Ship Essex

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On November 20, 1820, the American whaling ship Essex was attacked by a sperm whale and sunk in the Pacific Ocean. The surviving crew spent months adrift in small boats before being rescued.

The Whale Ship Essex: Narrative Of The Distressing Shipwreck Of The Whale-Ship Essex

by L. Frank Baum

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Language	:	English
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Print length	:	195 pages

The Essex was a 244-ton whaling ship launched in 1799. She was commanded by Captain George Pollard Jr., and had a crew of 20 men.

The Essex set sail from Nantucket, Massachusetts, on August 12, 1820. She sailed around Cape Horn and into the Pacific Ocean. The crew hunted whales for several months, but they had little success.

On November 20, 1820, the Essex was attacked by a sperm whale. The whale rammed the ship twice, and then stove in the hull. The crew abandoned ship and took to the small boats.

The surviving crew spent months adrift in small boats. They were constantly hungry and thirsty. They also had to contend with storms and attacks from sharks.

In order to survive, the crew resorted to cannibalism. They ate the bodies of their dead shipmates.

On February 11, 1821, the crew was rescued by the whaling ship Dauphin. The survivors were taken to Valparaíso, Chile, where they were eventually repatriated to the United States.

The sinking of the Essex was a tragic event. Twenty of the ship's crew died, and the survivors were forced to endure unimaginable hardships.

The story of the Essex was told in a book by Herman Melville, titled Narrative of the Distressing Shipwreck of the Whale Ship Essex. Melville's book was a bestseller, and it helped to popularize the story of the Essex.

The Causes of the Essex Disaster

There are many factors that contributed to the sinking of the Essex. One factor was the ship's design. The Essex was a wooden ship, and she was not designed to withstand the powerful ramming attacks of a sperm whale.

Another factor was the crew's lack of experience. The Essex was commanded by a young captain, and many of the crew members were new to whaling.

Finally, the Essex was attacked by a particularly large and aggressive sperm whale. The whale was estimated to be over 80 feet long, and it weighed over 100 tons.

The Legacy of the Essex

The sinking of the Essex was a tragedy, but it also had a lasting legacy. The story of the Essex helped to raise awareness of the dangers of whaling.

The Essex also inspired Herman Melville to write his classic novel, Moby-Dick. Moby-Dick is a fictionalized account of the sinking of the Essex, and it is considered to be one of the greatest American novels.

The story of the Essex is a reminder of the dangers of the sea, and the importance of courage and perseverance in the face of adversity.