Whale Hunters

Whale Hunters: P.S.Jhon Nullo

Cover image: Kubilay Sak

Translation: Google/Gemini

E-isbn (İng): 978-625-6020-52-8

Year of Printing: 2025

It cannot be reproduced, published or distributed without permission from the publishing house, except for short quotations for promotional purposes, provided that the source is cited.

Publication and Distribution: Özlem Publishing House

Yenibati Mahallesi Uğrak İş Merkezi No: 61

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Publisher Certificate: 53253

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Whale Hunters

The raging waves further darkened the sky. It was past midnight, and the watches were about to change on the whale ship sailing towards the Arctic Ocean. The two sailors by the helm kept their eyes on the compass, awaiting the captain's orders. Though only two of the ship's sails were open, it was heavily affected by the strong winds.

A young man in whaling attire spoke:

“Isn't the sea awfully rough, Captain?”

“You're right, Henri,” the captain replied.

“I've been at sea for thirty years, and I've never seen such a terrifying sea.”

The captain appeared to be in his fifties. His short-cropped hair was completely white. His intelligent gaze was easily discernible. The young man facing him was named Henri. Henri was a tall, handsome lad of twenty-three. When he began to speak, he captivated his listeners. His love for adventure and his courage stemmed from a determined nature. This young man, who loved reading and traveling as much as adventure, was the ship's second mate. He was unexpectedly experienced and knowledgeable for his age.

The captain asked Henri: “What do you think about the Arctic Ocean and whale hunting?”

“Whale hunting isn't the primary purpose of our journey. My reason for coming here is clear,” Henri said.

“If you didn't have a secret purpose, you wouldn't have left your fiancée and your wealthy family to come here.”

“If you don't want to sleep, shall I tell you why I came here, Captain?”

“I'm listening. But you should light your pipe, like me. In these clothes, I'll think you're a real sailor.”

Henri lit his pipe, sat across from the captain, and began to speak:

“My father was a very wealthy merchant. Because he was generous and lived in prosperity, he wanted to give me a good education. He built a large library in the mansion's garden. My interest in seamanship grew from the books I read. When I turned fifteen, I revealed this curiosity to my parents. I loved studying, but sailing to distant seas and seeing new countries was my greatest desire. After long discussions, they agreed to let me go to the East Indies, accompanied by an assistant. When I returned home at the beginning of the year, I had hundreds of stories about that country in my head...”

The captain, changing the tobacco in his pipe, said:

“You can tell us these stories whenever you find a chance.”

“I'd be delighted to,” said Henri, as he also refilled his pipe. Leaning back, he began to speak again:

“My second voyage was to America. Seeing new places had matured me. My mother started talking about me getting married. Fani, who had moved into our mansion after her parents died, interested me. Our ages and heights were suitable. One day, I told her I wanted to marry her. Fani spoke of my wealth and her poverty. She emphasized that she had nothing but her love as a dowry. Hearing this, my father told Fani, 'When you turn twenty-one, you will have an income of six thousand English pounds.' He asked us not to worry about the rest after securing our future.”

“How fortunate for you,” the captain said.

“You've secured your future at a young age.”

“Thanks to my father,” Henri began again.

“If my father hadn't been wealthy, how could I have bought such a ship at this age? My father gifted this ship to my fiancée and me. That's why I named this ship after my fiancée. That's where the name Fani comes from. After acquiring the ship, my desire to explore the North Pole increased. Despite my fiancée, my parents, as you know, here I am. It saddens me to think of them shedding tears after me.”

Seeing Henri's emotion, the captain placed a hand on his shoulder: “Separation is the fate of seafaring. As you sail towards endless seas, you always think of those left behind. I've lived with this longing for thirty years. You are still very young. You'll return safely, God willing, and reunite with your loved ones.”

When Captain Shiptin and Henri went on deck after this conversation, they encountered a violent wind. The rain mixed with snow falling from the sky stuck to the ropes and deck like glue. The raging waves lifted the ship forty feet high, sometimes plunging it just as deep. It was essential to hold onto the ropes to avoid falling into the sea.

No one spoke, and no reassuring thoughts were offered to alleviate the anxiety. The captain held onto the ropes, gazing into the distance, but could not offer any hopeful statements. In the Arctic Ocean, icebergs were frequently encountered, making them as dangerous as the waves. The increasing hurricane left those on board unable to know what to do in the darkness of the night.

Henri, soaked by the waves washing over the deck, approached the captain: “Where are we, for God's sake?” he asked.

“Let's hope we haven't gotten too close to the icebergs. If we hit an iceberg in such foul weather, it means our end.”

The captain gestured for them not to worry. Despite the deepening lines on his face, he announced that the danger was passing. At one point, the ship's bow lifted into the air and stayed there. The ropes and sails stretched as if they would snap, and then the ship suddenly settled. His respect and trust for the captain, who had predicted the outcome due to his extensive experience, increased even further. Because very soon, the sea became perfectly calm. The clouds began to disperse, and the sky started to clear.

After lunch, the captain determined the ship's position. They were at sixty-four degrees, thirty minutes latitude. The freezing cold was enough to prove they were approaching the poles. Moreover, after the fogs had dispersed, a large iceberg was seen heading towards the ship. If this serrated mountain collided with the ship, it could turn everything upside down. The captain increased the number of sailors on watch around the ship. He ordered them to be very careful.

Less than an hour passed when a lookout sailor:

“Whale! A whale has appeared!” he began to shout.

Everyone came on deck. It was understood that the iceberg had drifted aside and no longer posed a danger to the ship. The movements of the whale, sailing half a mile to the northeast, were carefully observed. The captain:

“Prepare the boats!” he ordered.

Soon after, two boats, each with twelve people, were ready to move. Henri would command one of the boats, and Wilyams the other. In accordance with the captain's instructions, they began to make their way towards the whale. Despite the terrible cold, every sailor kept their attention on the whale. Henri, excited about his first whale hunt, was shouting orders left and right. Sometimes, he would stand in the middle of the sinking boat, risking falling into the sea.

The two boats approached the whale from two different directions. The whale was swimming slowly, sometimes surfacing its head, sometimes its tail. Occasionally, it spouted water high like large fountains. Wilyams, an experienced sailor, wanted his crew to hunt the whale. Therefore, he intended to approach the whale before Henri's boat.

The whale, as if sensing the boats approaching, became aggressive and sped up its movements. Its head and tail thrashing created danger for the boats. Meanwhile, the most suitable time for hunting had arrived. Henri plunged his harpoon into the whale's back. Seeing this, Wilyams expressed his anger:

“Damn it, who did that?” he grumbled.

Those in Henri's boat, however, were shouting with joy:

“Direct hit! Bravo, Henri!”

However, the whale hunt was not complete. It had dived into the water with the harpoon embedded in its back. The rope attached to the harpoon rapidly paid out. At one point, the rope stretched as if dragging the boat. Henri, realizing the danger, shouted:

“Cut the rope, friends! Or we'll be dragged into the sea!”

But the experienced sailors in the boat waited patiently for a while. Then they shouted:

“It's settled!” “Wow, it's huge!”

“We've never seen a whale caught better than this!”

Henri expressed his happiness at gaining their admiration. Meanwhile, there was talk of Wilyams being jealous. Henri asked why. A sailor replied:

“You acted before him. And you made a good shot. He always wants to do these things himself. He loves to be appreciated.”

As the boats approached the ship, the ropes were pulled in. Preparations began to dissect the whale. Everyone's face showed the joy of achieving their goal.

The next day, they caught two more whales. Since Wilyams had killed one of these whales, his mood improved as well. As the weather was favorable, they continued hunting in the same spot for ten days. Every whale hunt was another adventure. Besides its difficulties, there was also danger.

On the morning of the eleventh day, it was decided to proceed north. When Henri came on deck, he said to the captain:

“I can feel the cold of the ice within me.”

“Feel it? What do you mean, you'll see the icebergs much closer soon,” the captain replied.

Henri began to observe his surroundings more carefully. The deep green of the sea had vanished, and everything was covered in a dirty white color. In the distance, icebergs of various sizes drifted. Henri had never encountered such a sight on any sea voyage. The icebergs swayed as if walking on the sea, coming towards them. The captain, understanding Henri's thoughts, said:

“These icebergs appear to be coming towards you from a distance, but as you approach, you'll see they are going in other directions. However, it is also possible to collide with them and be shattered.”

Indeed, very soon, the ship found itself in an ice field. The sea was invisible, covered in ice fragments. In the distance, two icebergs were approaching each other.

Henri:

“Everyone on deck!” he shouted, but the captain preferred to wait. It was impossible to pass between the two icebergs. Hooks were immediately attached, and iron bars were prepared. The ship was stopped. Meanwhile, the two icebergs met. After a terrifying roar, white particles like those from waterfalls spread into the air. If the ship's speed hadn't been reduced, it might have been shattered. Everyone exchanged well wishes. Prayers were offered to God for escaping this danger.

Those on the ship spent six weeks among these icebergs. They grew tired of searching for a passage to reach Baffin Bay. Meanwhile, great dangers were overcome. The inhospitable icy coasts made this journey difficult.

The Fani, named after Henri's fiancée, was anchored at seventy degrees north latitude in mid September. The lack of wind prevented the ship's movement. The sailors frequently gathered, expressing their boredom at waiting in the middle of the sea like this. Understanding this unrest, the captain said to Henri:

“We'll need to settle in our wintering spot as soon as possible. We should tow the ship with the boats and get as close to land as possible.”

Henri, listening distractedly to the captain, said:

“If necessary, I'll give orders on this matter,” but first, “I suggest we arm ourselves. If it were up to the sailors, they wouldn't winter here.”

Both went down to their cabins and put their weapons in their pockets. When they returned to the deck, Henri:

“Prepare the large dinghy!” he ordered. At that moment, Wilyams advanced towards the captains.

“I don't understand these maneuvers,” he said. “Going west isn't doing us any good. In my opinion, we should use the wind, turn our backs to the ice, and head towards the open sea.”

The captain replied:

“Mr. Henri is both the owner and commander of this ship. It is our duty to obey his orders.”

Upon this, Wilyams muttered some curses that the captains couldn't hear and walked away. Very soon, with Wilyams and Hyke leading, the sailors came on deck. They began to walk towards the captains. Henri then pulled out both of his pistols and shouted:

“Come gentlemen, do you have a problem?”

Wilyams advanced a few more steps: “I've spoken with all the men. They don't want to go any further, just like me. We have no intention of being buried alive in the ice,” he said.

Henri:

“Stop it, Wilyams! You've said enough! We intend to reach one hundred ten degrees north!” he shouted.

Wilyams, unconcerned by Henri's anger, said mockingly:

“If it were one hundred ten degrees, we'd have found it by now.”

Meanwhile, the captain interjected:

“What do you want from me?” he asked.

“We want you to turn the ship back,” Wilyams said.

“If you don't agree, we will act as we see fit.”

The captain, facing this rebellion, turned to Henri:

“What do you say about this?” he asked. Henri:

“I will shoot anyone who approaches the helm or touches the sails to change the ship's direction,” he declared his decision.

In response to Henri's resolute stance, Hyke said:

“Wilyams, I won't listen to what you say. Why would I throw myself to my death? Have I lived this long just to swing like a pumpkin from the mast one morning? I'm very sorry for what happened, Captain. From this moment on, I am at your command.”

Upon Hyke abandoning the rebellion, the sailors scattered like young chicks. From that day on, they never rebelled again.

The next day, the wind had died down, and the sea was calm. However, a fog that settled in towards evening made it impossible to see anything. Unexpectedly, lightning illuminated the horizon. Then the ship began to sway. The sailors held their breath. Everyone seemed lost in their clothes. Henri, in a voice even the captain could barely hear, murmured:

“We're stuck in the ice.” The captain, in a distressed state, could only say:

“Tomorrow, we'll try to free the ship from the ice.”

Snow fell heavily throughout the night. The bone-chilling cold began to sweep through everything. The next morning, it was understood that the ship was surrounded by a thick layer of ice. Perhaps the ship would remain here motionless for nine months. They had to wait for summer for the ice to melt.

Immediately, the sails, ropes, and masts were lowered, and a tent was set up from them on deck. All the ship's openings were sealed. Measures were taken to prevent the sailors from freezing. The watch regulations were set aside, and it was decided that everyone would go to bed and wake up at the same time. The sailors were distributed warm clothes and wool socks.

Two days later, the layer of snow had made it impossible to distinguish between sea and land. The sea was invisible, and the movement of the waves was imperceptible. In the middle of this dirty white world, there was a ship, and inside the ship, people waiting for the ice to melt.

When May arrived, the weather began to warm up slightly. The sailors had endured the three-month-long night, albeit unwillingly. Meanwhile, the spreading scurvy had caused panic, but thanks to the measures taken, the danger had been averted.

Despite the snow on the deck tent melting, the thermometer consistently showed zero. The occasionally increasing blizzard indicated that winter would continue. To escape this tedious situation that had lasted for months, the sailors sometimes went outside the ship and built themselves ice houses, like Eskimos. When they approached the distant blue patches they glimpsed, they realized they were seeing mirages in the snow, like in a desert, and fell into despair.

Henri decided to organize a hunting party to break the monotony on board. Soon after, Wilyams, Hyke, and a group of the ship's most skilled marksmen set off. They all carried pistols and rifles. Some also carried axes. A bottle of rum and a bag of gunpowder were placed in the hunters' backpacks. They also had a sled with them to carry any game they caught.

After advancing five miles, the hunters under Henri's command realized that the shape of the plain was changing. The path they were following led them to more dangerous places. During a rest stop, they discussed what they should do. They decided it was best to leave the sled at the mouth of these wild rocks. As they stood up to hunt, one of them shouted:

“There are bear tracks here!” Henri grabbed his rifle: “Follow me, friends,” he said.

He turned onto a narrow path that passed between two ice columns. He climbed through a narrow gorge to the top. From there, he shouted to his friends again.

“The hunt is ahead for those who dare to follow me,” he said, crossing the hill and advancing towards a black speck moving in the distance. He ran far, sometimes sliding, sometimes tumbling on the ice. When he turned and looked back, he saw no one. The urgency of shooting the stirring white polar bear had made him forget everything. The polar bear was enormous. It took elephant like strides. Henri aimed his rifle and fired. The bear tumbled to the ground. Red spots appeared on the snow. When Henri approached the bear, he couldn't see it. Thinking it had blended into the snow, he probed the ground with his axe handle, then realized from the footprints that the bear was not dead; it was wounded and had fled.

At that moment, the pitch darkness that descended prevented Henri from pursuing the bear. He wanted to go back to his friends, but on the dirty white blanket of falling darkness, he couldn't distinguish the direction he had come from. Mistaking another hill for the one he had just climbed, he ascended it. He tried to determine his location by observing the horizon, but he found no sign of the ship or his friends.

By this time, he had started walking both frightened and aimlessly. He felt as if he were alone in the middle of the ocean. Wherever he looked, he saw nothing but dirty white snow and piles of ice.

As he grew tired from walking, his eyes caught sight of a hollow. He walked towards the hollow, hoping to spend the night there. Upon entering, he saw that it was a cave. From the bones inside, he understood that bears sheltered here. Clinging tightly to his rifle, he explored the interior by feel in the darkness. It was a place about six feet wide. At present, there was no living creature inside.

Henri hesitated whether to stay in this terrifying place. Thinking he wouldn't find another such place, he crouched in a corner. Very soon, he heard footsteps scratching the ice. As the sounds approached, the growls, similar to howling, increased. He aimed his rifle at the mouth of the cave and waited. A wolf, having caught the scent inside, was cautiously peering into the cave. Unaware of the surprise awaiting it, it took another step or two. This time, Henri had hit his target.

After a troubled wait, Henri fell asleep around midnight. He believed no other animal would come to the cave.

He couldn't tell how long he had slept. It was still twilight, but the silence from when he slept had been replaced by noises. In the polar regions, everything could change in an instant. When he went to the mouth of the cave, he saw that the ice was melting, and large pieces were rolling downwards. At one point, he felt as if he were on a boat. Because the piece of ice he was standing on was spinning on its axis. So, the places he thought were mountains were actually pieces of ice on the sea. The waves began to drag these pieces.

Henri, including the collapsing cave, was being dragged along with these pieces of ice, which were fifty paces long on their axis. If it had two masts and two sails, this piece of ice could go as fast as a boat. For a while, he traveled without knowing which way he was going. Meanwhile, he saw the ship's sails. He immediately fired his rifle but couldn't be heard. The piece of ice he was on was moving forward, crashing against other pieces of ice. He had a feeling it would catch up to the ship:

“A little faster... A little faster...” he couldn't help but say.

However, the ship was moving even further away. Henri, who occasionally tumbled to the ground from the fast collisions of the ice, had nothing but a rifle, a pistol, an axe, a dagger, and a bag of gunpowder by his side. When would this danger end? How would he satisfy his hunger? He couldn't help but think deeply. Also, his fiancée, his wealthy family, and the vast opportunities in his country weighed on his mind. What situations had he fallen into for the sake of traveling?

On the other hand, although he didn't give it much thought, he also considered that those on the ship might have abandoned him and fled. Let alone the ship's owner, not even a sailor would be left among the ice. Besides betrayal, he also considered the possibility that the ship might drift north as the ice melted. Whatever the reality, he was now all alone in the middle of the ice islands.

Henri's failure to return after slipping from the hill and pursuing the bear had greatly worried the hunting party. Hours of searching yielded no results, and the unanswered rifle shots had plunged everyone into despair. After darkness fell, everyone had a different opinion:

“The bear must have suffocated Henri.”

“He must have gotten lost and wandered away from here.”

“He must have been trapped under falling pieces of ice,” they said.

The hunters, who had marked their locations and spread out to listen for sounds, found no results after hours of searching. They were forced to return to the ship after cannon shots announced that they were delayed.

The captain, writhing in anxiety, went mad when he saw that Henri hadn't returned.

“Where is Henri? What happened to him?” he asked.

Everyone bowed their heads, and no sound came from the hunters. The captain then angrily retorted:

“Tell me the truth quickly so we can take action!”

They explained that Henri had gone after the bear, hadn't returned, and that they had done their duty by searching everywhere. Upon this, the captain formed teams. Giving everyone ship's lanterns, he ordered them to go to different places. He had a cannon shot fired every half hour, but no trace of Henri was found.

After the ice melted, the ship was freed from where it had been stuck. They decided that the best course of action was to proceed slowly and fire cannon shots frequently. Observing the surroundings with binoculars, they began