The Homecoming

Only 8 of the Essex’s crew of 20 survive the voyage: three on board your boat, two on Captain Pollard's boat and the three men left on Henderson Island. You and the others in the boats turned to cannibalism to survive. News of this spreads through the ports of North America. Several months pass before you return to Nantucket, but not to a hero’s welcome. More than 1,500 people gather for the arrival of Captain Pollard. As he makes his way home, the silent crowd parts to let him pass. After all, he has eaten his cousin!

FACT TO FICTION
Left, the story of the Essex inspired Herman Melville’s famous novel, Moby Dick. Published in 1851, it is the story of Captain Ahab’s search for a giant, white sperm whale which eventually kills both him and his crew.

WHAT HAPPENS TO YOU?
Right, you become a merchant captain and write a story about your adventure. It lay undiscovered for almost 100 years, but is published in 1984.

Today, many countries have signed agreements not to hunt whales — there are alternatives to the oil and the baleen that the large whale species once provided. Whales are now an endangered species. However, some countries continue to hunt them. In 2001 about 1,500 whales were killed

WHALE WATCHING
Boats once sailed from Nantucket to hunt whales, now they carry passengers who want to watch whales in their natural environment. The town is also home to a whaling museum where visitors can explore the gruesome past of the whaling industry and see artefacts from the fateful voyage of the Essex.

Based on the book, You Wouldn't Want to Sail on a 19th-Century Whaling Ship!
Copyright 2004 - the Salariya Book Company