On this day: May 31

What American whalers wrote in their logbooks on May 31, in every year of the atlas's voyages: the most interesting first, each linked to its day and the original logbook.

1. 1833 · Bengal: Saw a shovel-nosed shark.
2. 1853 · Fortune: Harpooned whale lost in the ice.
3. 1837 · Edward Quesnel: Caught a sperm whale.
4. 1846 · Charles Phelps: Heard Captain Pendleton was recovering.
5. 1848 · Draco: Keeper prayed for whales.
6. 1917 · Pedro Varela: Caught 2 whales.
7. 1832 · Bengal: Inexperienced sailors praised for their work.
8. 1833 · Bengal: Heavy rolling made masthead watch disagreeable.
9. 1845 · Edward: Keeper lamented a month without oil.
10. 1848 · Mary and Susan: Rain, hail, and snow while boiling.
11. 1849 · Mary and Susan: Squalls of light snow.
12. 1854 · Active: Encountered a large field of ice.
13. 1853 · Fortune: Encountered ice while whaling.

May 30 · June 1

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