A complete reproduction of the rare 1838 edition reprinted for the first time in over one hundred years. This little volume was originally penned by a whaling captain for his son. Irresistibly collectable, this edition featuring 112 original black-and-white plates retains all the charm of the original, including descriptions of successful voyages, whale hunting advice and sailing superstitions." Captain Henry Acton was a whaler in New England in the early 19th century. After a morning walk, on which his son William saw an arch formed of the jawbone of a whale over a gate, Acton set out to write an account of the great sea mammals and how they are hunted for the child. Using knowledge gleaned from his own sea adventures, he details each aspect of the whaling industry at the time.