| | Abstract: | The Hector was a whaling ship out of New Bedford, Massachusetts, under the ownership of William T. Rotch. Amos A. Chase was captain of the 360-ton ship, and John Hilbs served as his second officer and logkeeper during one voyage, which lasted from November 17, 1856, to July 19, 1860. During that trip, the Hector sent home 910 barrels of sperm oil before it was captured by a rebel privateer. After being recaptured, it returned to New Bedford with an additional 864 barrels of sperm oil. During its next voyage, the ship was captured and burned in 1865 by the Shenandoah natives of Ascension in the Pacific. The collection consists of a logbook of a voyage to the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, describing daily life on a whaling ship, whale hunts and preparation of the oil, crew's tasks, ships encountered on the journey, and islands and coastlines they visited. The journal was kept by second officer John Hilbs between 1856-1859. | |
