Essex on November 20th 1820 at 8 1/2 AM

Identifier: MS106.1
Title: Essex on November 20th 1820 at 8 1/2 AM
Creator: Nickerson, Thomas, 1805-1883
Measurements: Unknown
Materials: pencil (marking material); ink; paper (fiber product)
Technique: drawing (image-making); writing (processes)
Date Created: ca. 1870
Location: Nantucket Historical Association Library
Subject: Whaling ships; Whaling; Shipwrecks
Description: A drawing of a sperm whale and a sailing ship, the whale’s head facing the ship’s bow. While hunting whales almost two thousand miles off the coast of Peru in the “Offshore Ground” in November 1820, the Essex was attacked twice within ten minutes by an unusually large bull sperm whale. Nickerson, who was fifteen years old at the time, was steering the Essex when the attacks occurred. The whale is estimated to have struck the Essex at three knots (3.4 miles per hour/5.5 kilometres per hour) the first time and between six knots (6.9 miles per hour/11.1 kilometres per hour) and nine knots (10.3 miles per hour/16.6 kilometres per hour) the second time, puncturing the ship’s bow. It is unclear which strike is depicted in Nickerson's drawing.
Inscriptions: Handwritten upper center: This Sketch Shows the Ship at the moment of attack with the Boats \ 2 miles under the Ship’s lee and amidst a Shoal of whales with 2 Boats lost.; Handwritten lower center: Ship Essex as She appeared On the morning of Nov 20th 1820 at 8 1/2 AM.