A Nautical Library:

The “Forster Collection”

A Presentation to the Shellback Club

2022-11-09

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In his library Irwin Hickson Forster collected
nautical books. His collection went to his
son, Clark Irwin Forster, my godfather.

On Clark’s passing his widow, Joyce, asked

whether I was interested in his collection
of nautical books. I said yes.
Nautical Fiction

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Seamanship

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Histories

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Sir Francis Drake
William Dampier
Lord George Anson
Captain James Cook
Adventure

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Whaling as
Nautical Adventure
SHIPWRECKS AND DISASTERS AT SEA. The Juno steamer, from
Auckland the 22nd August, reached Sydney on Saturday last, bringing
intelligence of a distressing accident which occurred at the Bay of Islands,
into which place she was compelled to put for a supply of fuel. On the
morning of the 2nd instant a boat left the steamer for the shore, containing
the following individuals-Thomas Atherton, engineer ; James Cotham,
engineers assistant ; James Anderson, fireman; George Church (the
whisperer); and Mr. A. Peckham, passenger. The parties landed at
Kororarika, where they remained until evening, when they re-embarked on
their return to the steamer. The following day the boat was discovered
bottom upwards, and subsequently the oars, two casks, and two half-
emptied bottles of spirits, were washed on to the beach. On the 10th instant
the bodies of Atherton and Peckham were found on shore by the natives,
and buried the same day. Most of the unfortunate men have left families in
Sydney to mourn their loss.

The fine brig Maid of Cashmere, wrecked on the bar at Port Aitkin, has
broken up and completely disappeared. Whatever may happen to be
recovered of her was sold by Mr. Mort on Saturday last, to Messrs.
Northwood and Buck- land, for £75 10s.

The schooner Clarence, from Port Phillip the 21st August, is reported to have
been driven ashore, during a violent gale on the evening of the 11th
September, and is expected will go to pieces.

The John Fleming in getting under weigh at Twofold Bay on Saturday last,
got ashore, when her captain and part of the crew proceeded in a boat to
carry out an anchor. On letting the anchor go, it caught the boat, upset her,
and precipitated all hands into the water. Captain Hamlin had a very narrow
escape, having sunk twice before he was rescued; but providentially no lives
were lost. With the assistance of the crews of the Bramble and the whalers,
the vessel was subsequently got off with little damage, and proceeded to sea
the following morning.

Serious apprehensions are entertained relative to the safety of the cutter

Rambler, hence for Twofold Bay on the 20th July, with a general cargo, and
the following passengers :-Messrs. Kinghorne, Ridgeway, Fawcett,
Thompson, and Wells. No tidings whatever have been heard of her.

Bell's Life in Sydney and Sporting Reviewer, Sat 2 Oct 1847

Autobiographical
Narratives

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The earliest surviving mention of what became Moby-
Dick is a letter Melville wrote to Richard Henry Dana, Jr.
on May 1, 1850:

"About the "whaling voyage"—I am half way in the

work, & am very glad that your suggestion so jumps
with mine. It will be a strange sort of book, tho', I fear;
blubber is blubber you know; tho' you may get oil out of
it, the poetry runs as hard as sap from a frozen maple
tree; — & to cook the thing up, one must needs throw in
a little fancy, which from the nature of the thing, must be
ungainly as the gambols of the whales themselves. Yet I
mean to give the truth of the thing, spite of this."
Powder monkey (nautical)
The persons employed to
carry gun powder from the
ship's magazine to the gun
deck during a battle; in the
18th century Royal British
and U. S. Navies, this task
(also carrying water)
during battles became a
permanent nickname for
the ship's cabin boys and
apprentice seamen.
Guides and
References

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Thank-you

Ron Jenkins

2022-11-09

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