Essex, U.S. whaling ship that was rammed by a sperm whale in 1820 and later sank. All 20 crew members initially survived, but only 8 were rescued, following an arduous journey that devolved into cannibalism. The sinking inspired the climactic scene in Herman Melville’s Moby Dick (1851). Built in 1799 in Amesbury, Mass., and known as a lucky vessel, the 87-ft- (26.5-m-) long Essex set sail Aug. 12, 1819, on its last journey, heading from Nantucket to the South Pacific Ocean with the intention of being at sea for about three years. Just two days out it was briefly knocked onto its side by a squall and almost sank, but its captain, George Pollard, Jr., was persuaded to continue the voyage. That fateful journey took it around Cape Horn to waters off Peru and on to Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands. On Nov. 20, 1820, it was more than 1,500 nautical mi (2,800 km) from the Galapagos when a huge male sperm whale, perhaps mistaking the Essex for a rival whale, rammed and capsized it. Fearing that they would encounter cannibals in the Marquesas or Society Islands, the crew sought to make their way to Peru or Chile, more than 4,000 mi (7,400 km) away, in three whaleboats outfitted with makeshift sails. Dehydrated and hungry, they arrived in the Pitcairn Islands but, finding little food there, set off for Easter Island, on the way becoming separated, dying off, and turning to cannibalism before the survivors were safe by April 9, 1821.
Essex Article
Essex summary
Learn about the Essex, the American whaling ship that sank in 1820 and inspired Melville’s Moby Dick
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whaling Summary
Whaling, the hunting of whales for food and oil. Whaling was once conducted around the world by seafaring nations in pursuit of the giant animals that seemed as limitless as the oceans in which they swam. However, since the mid-20th century, when whale populations began to drop catastrophically,
ship Summary
Ship, any large floating vessel capable of crossing open waters, as opposed to a boat, which is generally a smaller craft. The term formerly was applied to sailing vessels having three or more masts; in modern times it usually denotes a vessel of more than 500 tons of displacement. Submersible