Book Review Dorothy Cowlin Greenland Seas

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1967 - E J Arnold Press An obscure and largely forgotten true story, but one that is very special to me as it was the earliest book I remember reading (after basic reading guides). It i the true story of a 19th century whaling ship crewman, William Scorsesby, from his first voyage on his father's ship, to his own captaincy and beyond. The book was a big influence on Herman Melville's Moby Dick. Young Scorseby visited his dad's new ship, The Resolution, only to be tricked by his dad into joining the crew on a ix month Arctic Voyage, without telling the boy' mum first. William proved unusually apt at calculating charts, ea depths and temperatures , taking sextant readings, etc. He broke the World Record for getting a sailing ship the furthest North (a record not beaten further for decades). His maps and log illustrations gained him a lot of appreciation in scientific communities. There were dangers, from pack ice, frostbite, a whale that tipped over a harpoon boat, etc. William's first wife died while he was away at sea, and though he remarried twice, he was unsettled and eventually joined the clergy. Not a book for those squeamish about whaling and descriptions of the chase and the cutting up of whales are quite explicit. I see why this book moved me so much and set me on course for further reading. I found the original copy by chance when I was about seven and in hospital for my tonsils out. I only recently rediscovered a copy on Amazon. Arthur Chappell