by Edgar L. McCormick

22

Capt. Josiah C. Long and His Logs Memorial to Nantucket Whaling Master

by

Edgar L. McCormick

IN 1887, THE ATWATER correspondent for the Ravenna, Ohio, Republican, had never seen such sea-journals: ledger-like books filled with daily notations about weather and navigation, sprinkled liberally with drawings, often in color, of whales, flukes, ships, and landfalls. The Nantucketers who had come to Portage County from 1839 on into the 1850's were familiar with such records in this inland farming community. Captain Josiah C.Long had brought them with him to Atwater township late in 1886 when he came as an invalid to be cared for by his daughter, Mary Frances, and her husband, Ira Jackson.

Captain Long and his wife, Mary Ray, and their three children, Josiah C., Jr., Charles William, and Mary Frances, had come from Nantucket to Ravenna, Ohio, in 1853, immediately after Josiah's return from his eighth voyage to the Pacific. He preferred life in town to life on a farm, and soon found employment in Stowe's Steam Hub Factory, making bent materials for carriages and wagons. He was also actively engaged for years as sexton and treasurer of the Ravenna Congregational Church.

Captain Long was 80 years old when he fell on the pavement late in 1886 and injured himself critically. His wife, Mary, and son Charles W. were dead. Charles, a Civil War veteran, had died on September 1,1868, just four hours after he managed to get home from Minnesota where he had spent the summer, hoping that a change of climate would help him overcome tuberculosis. Josiah C., Jr., the other son, and his wife, Emma Reed, had left Ravenna in 1874, and were living in New York. So it was his daughter, Mary, who cared for the invalid Captain in her home about ten miles southeast of Ravenna. He died there on February 16, 1887.

Although the Ravenna Republican took note of his death immediately and carried a long obituary on February 23, it was the paper's Atwater correspondent who fortuitously let the dead captain's logs speak for him about his long career in the whale fishery. Everything the obituary said about the Captain always being "at his post" was vague and general beside the specific details in the journals he kept during thirty years at sea.

The township correspondent found these records "very interesting

CAPTAIN JOSIAH C. LONG 23

to peruse", and proceeded to quote about 1000 words from them, choosing entries that were usually concerned with the taking of whales, encounters with other ships, and unusual happenings at sea. On March 2 and March 9,1887, the Atwater column in the county paper was filled with extracts from at least three of Captain Long's voyages as Master, those of the Foster (1837-1841), the Richard Mitchell (1843-1847), and the Charles Carroll (1848-1852). There were also quotations from journals kept by Long, apparently when he was a member of the crew on the Foster in 1822-24 and in 1828-29.

It is quite understandable that this inland journalist was greatly impressed by these unusual records of life at sea. Among the logs was that of the Charles Carroll's 1848-52 voyage, which was to be described nearly a century later in a Sotheby's catalogue (December 16-17, 1983) as the "ultimate whaling journal . . . completely illustrated, whales taken, and many other subjects. . . .These illustrations have a particular charm because Long tried to convey perspective and shadings ..." The log, being auctioned, was estimated to be worth between $20,000.00 and $40,000.00.

It seems certain that the township correspondent had no thought at all of any such potential monetary value. Rather the logs were records of difficult voyages to far away places, documents to be marveled at and shared. And so the correspondent chose excerpts from them to fill two columns of Atwater news in the Ravenna Republican less than a fortnight after the captain's death.

The two columns are reproduced here much as they appeared in the newspaper, with some comment by the correspondent deleted. What are basically Captain Long's entries are now enclosed in single quotation marks. It is evident that the passages were chosen for content and arranged in random order, but the reference to voyages, ships, and masters correspond with the data given by Alexander Starbuck in the History of the American Whale Fishery . . . to the Year 1876 (Washington, D.C., 1878).

"Atwater News", Ravenna Republican, March 2,1887: ". . . On the first of September, 1837 (Josiah C. Long), embarked on board the ship Foster, as captain,... from Nantucket for the Pacific Ocean April 21,1839, when north of the equator, his journal says, 'Most tired of cruising here. Saw whales struck one which stove two boats, killing one man. Lost one boat with oars ... and all that belonged to her. Took in sail, and when all things were ready performed the burial service.'

" 'In the Gulf, April 13,1841 — Lowered the boat to try the current, found it setting to west half a knot. Sent down a junk bottle well corked, and it came up full of water with the cork in, the other end up. Sent

24

HISTORIC NANTUCKET

down a square bottle and it came up with the cork gone and the bottle broken.' This was Captain Long's sixth voyage (the ship was the Foster) and he reached Nantucket April 28,1841, after an absence of forty-four months, bringing 2100 barrels of sperm oil. Captain Long's last voyage was commenced on ship Charles Carroll, December 1848. 'On the 23rd of March, 1849, when west of Cape Horn, a native of the Sandwich Islands died. Laid him out preparatory to burial. At 8 p.m. committed the remains to the deep, there to rest until the sea shall give up her dead. April 9, 1851, when near the equator, saw a shoal of whales. Lowered, struck five and got three, first we have got for seven months, from which were taken fifty barrels of oil.'

"On the 16th of June, 1850, when near the Island of Huaheine, 'while we were down to dinner eating a roast pig, saw whales. Lowered, struck four, and saved two cow whales and one large fellow, from which were taken 110 barrels of oil. Sunday, August 24,1851, saw — Pitcarnes (sic) Island. Lowered two boats, went ashore, saw the people who are a very nice sort of people, and went to church. October 12,1852, when off Cape Horn, discovered a ship with torn topsail, aback and lying in an awkward position. Ran for him and found him to be a French ship, abandoned and loaded with dry goods. Loaded two boats with such goods as we could get at, broad cloths, shawls, bombazines, tablecloths, muslins, calicos, raisins, etc., and returned on board. Made all sail and steered northeast. At 10 discovered a sail near to us. Kept off and got clear of him. Set a light and kept it burning all night. December 29,1852, reached home after an absence of forty-eight months and twenty-four days with a cargo of 1085 barrels sperm and 300 barrels whale oil.' "

"Atwater News", Ravenna Republican, March 9,1887: "Capt. J. C. Long's journal (apparently from the Foster, 1822-24) says 'April 7, 1823, came to anchor at Woahoo (Oahu), about thirty sail of ships at anchor. The Francis of Nantucket, Captain Whippy, came at anchor with 250 barrels. April 18, got underway bound on Japan in company with the Franklin, of Nantucket, Capt. E. Coffin, with the intention of having our chances together ... until about the 22nd of September.'

" 'May 17, got a large whale. May 24, got two large whales. June 1st, spoke the Atlantic, Capt. (Sylvanus) Russell, and Ocean, Capt. Fitchgerrald (Timothy Fitzgerald), both of Nantucket. June 6, got four small whales and one large whale in company with Franklin... June 24th, struck a large whale, he bit off the line and we lost him. July 4th, got five whales between the two ships 19th got five and on the 24th got a large whale and got a boat stove. Aug. 1st, spoke the Stonington of (New London?) Capt. Ray, with 1600 barrels. ... the 7th got two sixty-barrel whales Sept. 11, got a whale in company, 14th got four between the two ships. On the 22nd dissolved partnership with the

CAPTAIN JOSIAH C. LONG 25

Franklin on the 24th... 1750 barrels and out but fifteen months.'

"November 28,1829 (on the Foster?) 'got a whale that proved to be a dry skin, had no oil in his blubber, and was obliged to heave it overboard, got about seven barrels of black oil from the lips and throat.'

"June 30th, 1838 (from the log of the Foster), 'struck and got our first whale, ten months out. I was never gladder to get a whale in my life. June 22nd, 1839, the smallpox broke out among the crew and we were obliged to go back to anchor (at Payta. See "Marine News", Nantucket Inquirer, November 9, 1839). On the 23rd got all the sick on shore, five in number, left them in care of Mr. Charles Higgerson (sic). Acting American Consul. . ..'

" 'April 13,1844 (from the log of the Richard Mitchell) saw the island of Martea. At three o'clock a.m. the alarm of fire was given which proved to be in the fore hold between the decks. Found by examination that some evil-minded person had attempted to fire the ship, but we extinguished it without much damage.'

" 'April 30th got under way and went to Tahiti and put a man on shore who we suspected set fire to the ship and shipped two others. July 14th, 1845, struck a fin-back, killed him and he sank, lost two irons, two lancets and thirty fathoms of line. On the 30th we got a whale that made us 100 barrels, noble fellow.'

" 'July 15,1846, got a whale, found the head of an iron in him marked Y. H. which we concluded was Young Hero. April 6, 1847, ship struck a drift, let go another anchor, the first one got hooked to another anchor, could not get it up, the shakle broke and lost it. Went on shore and bought another which cost $140.00. Aug. 3rd, ship pitched into a sea and carried away the jibboom sprit sail yard, fore and main top gallant mast.' "

Thus abruptly the excerpts ended, with only a final observation that "Capt. Long made eight voyages to the Pacific Ocean which resulted in securing the aggregate of 14,567 barrels of oil."

This final reference to success seems like an afterthought. Intrigued by the reality and drama summed up in the logs, the correspondent had written the captain's best obituary. The people of Ravenna had known and respected Josiah C. Long for thirty-three years as an unassuming hub factory hand, devoted to his family and church. As they read the columns in the Republican on March 2 and 9, 1887, they knew at last what his true calling had been.

One of Nantucket's seldom seen areas — The Hidden Forest, off Polpis Road.