The Life of William Scoresby

Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: CHAPTER II. APPREXTICE WITH HIS FATHER?ADVANCED TO THE BANK OF CHIEF OFFICER ?HIGH LATITUDE?A SAILOR'S PRIVILEGE AND CONSOLATION? FIHST SESSION AT THE UNIVERSITY OF EDINBURGH?SURVEYS. 1803-1807. In the year 1803, Captain Scoresby changed from the Dundee to the Resolution, a Whitby ship, and thus again...
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Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: CHAPTER II. APPREXTICE WITH HIS FATHER?ADVANCED TO THE BANK OF CHIEF OFFICER ?HIGH LATITUDE?A SAILOR'S PRIVILEGE AND CONSOLATION? FIHST SESSION AT THE UNIVERSITY OF EDINBURGH?SURVEYS. 1803-1807. In the year 1803, Captain Scoresby changed from the Dundee to the Resolution, a Whitby ship, and thus again enjoyed the opportunity of sailing from the port where his family was stationed. Desirous of training his son to the profession in which he had himself experienced remarkable success, he made him, from this date, the constant companion of his voyages. William, though still very young, manifested considerable skill and aptitude for his calling, and on several occasions, even in this his first voyage in the capacity of apprentice, made hazardous personal attempts at the capture of the mighty leviathan. Nothing of interest occurred during the three following years; 1806 was an eventful year in his life. Although not more than sixteen years of age, he was deemed equal to the duties of a chief officer, and in this honourable capacity he sailed, still under his father's command, in the month of April. In commercial interest this voyage was equally successful with the rest; in other circumstances it was still more remarkable. Let us review them. Many years subsequent to this date, in a letter to Mr.Scoresby?as we shall now designate the subject of these memoirs, to distinguish him from his father, Captain Scoresby?Captain Basil Hall remarked, after inquiring the project of his voyage, I trust you mean to attempt the pole; it will immortalize you, and very deservedly so. Mr. Scoresby was never nearer accomplishing the pole than in his voyage of 1806. It was a voyage which, for the display of consummate skill, ingenuity, and boldness of enterprise, could scarcely be excell...