Owen Coffin
(to whom Nantucket Sleighride
is dedicated)
But you might wish you hadn't...
Owen Coffin was cabin boy aboard the whaler Essex,
which was destroyed by a sperm whale in 1819. Owen ended up
in the lifeboat with Captain Pollard, his uncle. Two other
lifeboats also put out. During the next 3 - 4 months, the lifeboats
separated. One was never seen again, but some of those on the
remaining two boats were eventually rescued.
The long journey was an attempt to reach Peru. The Marquesas islands
were much closer, but were known to be inhabited by cannibals.
During those long months at sea (and on desert islands), many of
the men died. The remainder eventually had to resort to cannibalism
to survive. After the dead of natural causes were consumed, the
men determined to draw lots to see who would sacrifice his life for
the others. Owen Coffin ``won'' the lottery. The Captain tried
to take Owen's place, but the youth insisted on his ``right''. The
executioner was also drawn by lot. That ``winner'', another young
man named Charles Ramsdell, also tried vainly to swap places with
Owen. Again he refused. Owen's body kept the others alive for ten
days (Captain Pollard refused to eat his nephew). Another man died,
and his body kept Pollard and Ramsdell alive a few more days until
they were rescued.
Ultimately 8 of the 20 sailors of the Essex survived.
``...'Cause you know I'm coming home soon .'' Copyright 1997 Miles O'Neal, Austin, TX. All rights reserved.
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