Customer Reviews

The Yankee Whaler

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Clifford Ashley went to sea on a yankee whaler at a time when he felt that whaling would soon end as a viable business. He was right of course, his trip was one of the last and we are lucky today that someone had the foresight to preserve this information for the history books. The real business of whaling was for the oil taken from the whales blubber. The newly introduced practice of pumping petroleum oil from underground quickly made whaling a costly alternative instead of the prime source. This is the author's first hand account of whaling men and methods in the early 1900's. Fascinating stuff.

This book is filled with Artwork that was done by someone who was actualy there. The entire process from the hunt to delivering barrels of finished oil is covered. A lexicon of whaling terms is included. You can almost hear the timbers creaking as you go on a several year enterprise! I just wish all the paintigs where in color!

An eye witness acount, writen by a man who went to sea when he knew the age of whaling was coming to an end. The most incredible book on whaling I have ever read. A definate must buy!