Fighting the Whales
- Downloads
- Under 100
- Pages
- 57
About this book
Bob Ledbury looks back on nearly forty years of whaling, beginning with the hardship that drove him to seek work at sea. As a boy of nearly fifteen in an English seaport, he has lost his job and exhausted the money needed to support his mother. A friendly sailor offers him a berth on a ship bound for the South Seas, setting up a children's adventure rooted in family responsibility and the demands of seafaring life.
R. M. Ballantyne combines the sailor's recollections with explanations of whales and the work of hunting them. The narrative pauses to distinguish whales from fish, discuss their breathing and describe the care a mother whale gives her calf. Alongside boats, harpoons and the handling of whale oil, readers encounter advice about controlling anger and admitting mistakes. The book offers a view of maritime labour through an older style of adventure writing and natural history.
About the author
More from this genre
See all- F The First MateThe First Mate
- M More cargoesMore cargoes
- V The Voyages of the Ranger and CrusaderThe Voyages of the Ranger and Crusader
- T Two Gallant Sons of DevonTwo Gallant Sons of Devon
- J John Corwell, Sailor and Miner And, Poisonous FishJohn Corwell, Sailor and Miner; and, Poisonous Fish
- W Won from the WavesWon from the Waves
Discussion
No comments yet. Share a thought, a question or a favourite passage.
Copyright concern? Read our DMCA policy
Read or download
Public domain book This work is in the public domain and free of copyright. Anyone may read, download and share it.
- PDF 576 KB
- EPUB 184 KB
Downloads start right away. How to open EPUB on your phone
Book facts
- Author
- R. M. Ballantyne
- Reading time
- About 100 minutes
- Pages
- 57
- Language
- English
- Formats
- PDF, EPUB, Read online