The Unusual Career of the Whaleship' 'Hero" of Nantucket

AMONG THE MANY Nantucket whaleships which experienced unusual adventures in the Pacific Ocean was the ship Hero, which began her long career in 1816, the year she was launched at Rochester, Mass. Her first voyage (1816-1819), under Captain James Russell, was most successful, returning with 2025 bbls. of sperm oil after two and a half years from home. It was on her next voyage, (1819-1822) that the most exciting incident in her career took place.

While lying at the island of St. Mary's, a favorite rendezvous for whaleships off the coast of Chile, the Hero was captured by a bandit named Benevedes, who took Captain Russell and the ship's boy on shore after sailing the ship to Concepcion on the mainland. The ship's crew was driven below in the forecastle and locked up, and the Mate, Obed Starbuck, was imprisoned in his stateroom, in the main cabin. A brig sailed into the area and Benevedes was concerned that this was a government vessel, and he slipped the Hero's cables, thinking the ship would go ashore, and then left the whalemen locked up while he rowed to the shore.

Mate Starbuck, aware that the ship was abandoned, broke down the door of his stateroom and immediately went forward to free the crew. Taking command, he got sail on the ship and took her to Valparaiso, managing to escape a boat's crew of the bandits who were returning to recapture the ship. When the authorities at Valparaiso learned of the situation, they sent a vessel to take Benevedes and his men. In the interim, Captain Russell and the boy were killed by the pirates, who were angered at the escape of the ship and her crew. When the Hero, stripped of her provisions and most of her oil by the bandits, sailed for home, the news of the near disaster preceded her arrival. Mate Obed Starbuck was duly rewarded by the ship's owners and given the command of the Hero on her next voyage.

It was on this 1822-1824 voyage that Captain Obed Starbuck discovered a sandy island close to the equator, southwest of the Sandwich (Hawaiian) Islands, which he called New Nantucket. It was many years later renamed Baker Island by a whaling master of that name who believed it was a new discovery. Captain Starbuck on this same voyage discovered another island, which he also placed on his chart after determining her position, and called it Starbuck Island. He came home with a full ship - 2,173 barrels of sperm oil.

On her next voyage, (1824-1827), the H e r o was under the command

The Whaleship "Hero' 17

of Captain Nathaniel Fitzgerald and again had a full cargo. The success of the ship continued during her 1827-1830 voyage, when, under Captain George Alley, she brought home 2,353 barrels of sperm, one of the best records of any Nantucket whaleship. Captain Alley continued this good fortune on her 1830-1833 voyage, bringing back 2,240 barrels of sperm under her hatches. The Hero's career as a lucky ship continued under both Captain Peter Smith (1833-1836) and Captain Reuben Joy, Jr., (1837-1841).

From 1841 to 1844, the H e r o ' s reputation suffered when Captain William S. Chase had the misfortune to frequent those parts of the Pacific where the whales had become scarce, and she returned to Nantucket with only 830 barrels. In 1846, on her very next venture, she sailed out under Captain Sylvanus Swain but returned in a leaking condition, and was laid up for repairs. After having her hull re-planked and coppered she sailed in April, 1847, again under Captain Swain, and returned on July 6,1851. The voyage was one of the poorest experienced, and Captain Swain described the old South Pacific whaling grounds as being virtually "fished out."

Captain Joseph McCleave, one of the famous whaling family members, took the Hero out on her next voyage, this time to the North Pacific and the Northwest Grounds. Along with 838 bbls. of oil the ship brought home 8,300 bbls. of whale bone. Leaving on Nov. 1, 1851, the Hero returned on May 31, 1855 — a long voyage. Captain William Holway was the next commander of the Hero, sailing on October 11, 1856, and arriving back to Nantucket on July 11,1860 — nearly a fouryear voyage. It was a lucrative voyage due to the increasing oil prices of that time.

The last voyage of the H e r o began on Sept. 30,1860, when she sailed from the old home port for the Indian Ocean, under the command of Capt. Edward B. Hussey, Jr. A year later she was lost in Algoa Bay, east of Capetown, and although there was no loss of life, the ship and her outfits were totally destroyed.

For nearly half a century this sturdy Nantucket whaleship had created a rare chapter in the maritime history of both this Island and our country.

Captain Obed Starbuck who had rescued the ship, and later commanded her, became almost a legend in his own right.