Journals & Pictures

 
With more time on their hands than seamen in any other trade, whalemen more than other sailors tended to fill the idle hours with songs, yarns, and “scrimshonting.”

Whalemen were also prolific diarists, keeping journals of their experiences; and these were often interspersed with poems and epigrams written or learned at sea.

Orray Taft



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One such anonymous sketch-book in the Kendall Whaling Museum collection, from the bark Orray Taft of New Bedford circa 1864-65, is perhaps unique in its watercolor depictions of Black crewmen.

Other sailor-diarists illustrated their journals with drawings or watercolor images of the people, ships, wildlife, and exotic places encountered along the way. A few even kept separate sketch-books, where aspects of the voyage could be recorded in original pencil, ink, and watercolor compositions.

Reward


Set-to


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 These two drawings depict fights that took place during the voyage of the Orray Taft: a kick delivered to the unfortunate steward, “The Seward [sic] receiving the reward of merrit”; and a “Set-to between the Steward and the Cook,” in which the unlucky seaman does not fare much better
© Copyright 2001 Old Dartmouth Historical Society / New Bedford Whaling Museum