Wonderful Whalers

from Alone on the Wide Wide Sea by Craig Edwards

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about

In 1851, just after Herman Melville sent Moby-Dick off to the publishers, an article about yet another whaleship sunk by a whale, the Ann Alexander, went viral in newspapers around the world. These lyrics, closely based on the article, appeared in a New Bedford newspaper not long after.

lyrics

Fathers of the oratory
List to my surprising tale
Hearken to a wondrous story
More than very like a whale
Each mesmeric marvel monger
Lend to me your ears likewise
If for miracles you hunger
You shall ope both mouth and eyes

In the ship Ann Alexander
Cruising in pursuit of whales
Bold John S. DeBlois, commander
with a crew so gallant sails
In the South pacific ocean
Reaching to the Off Shore Ground
‘Mong the waves in wind commotion
several monstrous whales they found

These two boats did follow after
larboard boat and starboard too
And with shouts of glee and laughter
The Leviathans pursue
When the larboard boat commanded
By the stout first mate did soon
In the whale, with force strong handed
Deeply plunge a sharp harpoon

Off the mighty monster started
pain and anguish gave him cause
Suddenly he backward darted
seized the boat between his jaws
Into smithereens he cracked it
or as witnesses declare
Who beheld the thing transacted
bits no bigger than a chair

In the starboard boat the Captain
to the rescue quickly struck
And although the boat was snap
in pieces saved the crew by luck
Now the good Ann Alexander
to their aid the waist boat sent
Half the band then having manned her
At the whale again they went


Soon the ocean giant nearing
they prepared to give him fight
Little thinking never fearing
that the beast again would bite
But without their host they reckoned
At the boat he also flew
Like the first he served the second
Snapped it into pieces too

Sure his jaws together clapping
would the gallant seamen crush
But when they perceived him snapping
straight into the sea they rushed
To afford the help they needed
Bold Deblois repaired again
Once more also he succeeded
In the aim to save his men

Tired perhaps of sport renewing
To their ship this time they hied
When behold the whale pursuing
With his jaws extended wide
Gloating with revenge he sought ‘em
But with blubber pierced and gored
He was crippled or had caught ‘em
But they all got safe on board

Risk the heroes little cared for
Speedily they set their sail
In the ship herself prepared for
One more tussle with the whale
Now they reached him, plunged a lance in
The infuriate monster’s head
Then of course they had no chance in
Close encounter onward sped

For the ship they saw him making
But the chase he soon gave o’er
Which the animal forsaking
Down on him again they bore
Fifty rods below the water
There they saw the monster lie
So despairing him to slaughter
They resolved no more to try

At this time Deblois was standing
Sternly on the larboard bow
Ready with harpoon in hand
To inflict the deadly blow
Up he saw the monster rising
With velocity and power
At the rate of speed surprising
Of full fifteen knots an hour

In an instant (Heaven defend us!)
Lo, the whale had near the keel
Struck with such a force tremendous
That it made the vessel reel
And her bottom knocked a hole in
Into which the water poured
And the sea so fierce did roll in
That the billows rushed and roared

The ship could not be saved from sinking
So riddled was it by the whale
But DeBlois and his unshrinking
Crew survived to tell the tale
Strong are those daring fellows
Dauntless the harpoon to throw
And to judge from what they tell us
Stronger still to draw the bow.

credits

from Alone on the Wide Wide Sea, released August 9, 2022

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about

Craig Edwards image

Craig Edwards New London, Connecticut

I play American roots music, from Appalachian fiddle and banjo tunes to Zydeco accordion. For nearly four decades i worked as a staff musician at Mystic Seaport Museum, demonstrating the use of chanteys, or sailor work songs, aboard the museum's collection of historic ships. I've plumbed the depths of sailor music, from the African American origins of chanteys to world maritime traditions. ... more

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