Sample Chapter
"Artemis: Huntress of the Seas"
Chapter 1
The Artemis
Captain Mordecai Pettibone, sailing master of the whaling bark Artemis, stood lost in thought on the quarterdeck of his ship as the massive vessel plowed crisply through the rolling waves of the North Atlantic.
The sky was clear—a cloudless rich deep blue—and the wind was from the southwest, strong and steady, driving the three-masted ship over the billowing green sea with ease. The Artemis, which only a few days ago had stood so tall against the low buildings of the New London waterfront, was almost lost in the undulating ocean, a tiny twig against the endless canyons of water.
Aloft, a single sentinel perched one hundred feet above the main deck, balancing precariously on the crosstrees of the top-gallant masthead as the Artemis heeled with the waves. With only a small iron hoop for support, the mate braced himself with one hand, using the other to shield his eyes from the glare of the sun as he searched the horizon for approaching ships, or the telltale sign of a whale.
Below, the men of the Forenoon Watch labored easily, listening for orders from the First Mate as he called for adjustments to the lines that controlled the canvas sails. But the breeze was steady and the helmsman needed little help in keeping the ship before the wind, and the crew mostly sat in the shade of the deck cabin, chatting quietly to help pass the time.
The smells of the ship, tar and wood, canvas and rope, combined with the salt breeze to create a pleasant, almost tangy sensation that seemed to fill the air. The ship was one with the wind, scudding along with a mild creaking sound that was a constant part of life at sea.
The voyage was less than a week old and all signs pointed to a successful hunt. For the captain and crew of the Artemis, this was a happy thought indeed.
* * *
But not everyone was so optimistic.
Below the quarterdeck in the galley, fourteen-year old Becky Meade struggled to keep her footing as she scrubbed the heavy iron cooking pots. She had developed the unconscious habit of sliding her right foot back and forth to keep her balance as the ship rocked with the waves. But the deck was wet, and when the ship took a particularly strong roll, Becky lost her balance. Her legs flew out from under her, and the pot she was scrubbing tipped over, dumping hot soapy water down the front of her trousers. At the same time she crashed into the bulkhead behind her—and felt a sharp, stabbing pain in her back.
Stunned, she pulled herself to her feet, biting her lip as hard as she dared to keep from crying out. For a long moment she stood motionless, afraid to imagine how badly she was hurt. The pain in her back was intense but the constant burning sensation on her legs was almost unbearable.
“Cursed pants,” she grumbled to herself, trying to pull the soggy fabric away from her skin. “I don’t know how boys can wear these stupid things.”
As the pain in her legs subsided, she could feel a trickle of blood running down her back. Grabbing a towel she pressed it against the wound as best she could, and again resisted the urge to cry out. If anyone heard her scream they would know that she was not the boy she was pretending to be. She had to endure any pain to avoid being found out.
* * *
When she had finished her work Becky went topside to get some fresh air. She was surprised by what she saw. Overhead, the sky was turning grey, a sure sign of bad weather. Standing by herself near the deck cabin, she watched as several of the crew climbed into the rigging and began to furl the sails.
“What are they doing?” she asked.
“A storm’s blowing up,” hollered one of the men. “We gotta take in the canvas.”
“But how can the ship maneuver without the sails?”
But no one heard the question, and the silence filled Becky with dread. She had never been on a sailing ship before, but she had heard stories of shipwrecks, and they always happened in bad weather.
Tears filled her eyes as she stared at the open ocean. The waves were getting bigger, and the water was turning an ominous greyish-green.
What am I doing on a whaling ship? she wondered.
Original Artwork
Artemis: Huntress of the Seas is illustrated by Miranda Norris. Each chapter comes with its own drawing, and the story has its own distinctive logo. In addition, Miranda provides hand-drawn maps and illustrations for the teacher's guides.
Teacher's Guide
Types of Whales and Whale Products
Whales are divided into two main categories: toothed and baleen. The toothed whales (about 35 species in all) are hunted primarily for their oil, while the baleen whales are hunted for both their oil and baleen, the cartilage found in the jaw (baleen whales eat krill and plankton, and use the baleen as a strainer to filter the tiny animals from the sea water).
The most important toothed whale is the Sperm Whale, which is known for its high quality oil, although the Sperm Whale can be a dangerous adversary when being hunted. The most popular variety of baleen whales included the Grey Whale, the Blue Whale, and the Right Whale, as each was easy to catch, yielded highly desirable products, and stayed afloat when they were killed, making it easier to process the animals.
Two other products were harvested from the whales: ambergris, which is a waxy substance formed in the intestines of sick whales that is used in perfumes to retard evaporation, and ivory, which is found in the teeth of toothed whales (and was used to make combs, billiard balls, buttons, and piano keys).
In the nineteenth century, whale oil was used in lamps to provide light in houses and businesses. The finer oil found in the head of the Sperm Whale (known as case oil) was used to lubricate delicate machinery, such as watches. Case oil was also used to make candles, which were very desirable as they did not smoke or give off an odor, as candles made from other animal fats did.
In the nineteenth century, Americans dominated the whaling industry, and provided lamp oil for much of the industrialized world. Whaling declined after the Civil War, in part due to the depletion of whales worldwide, but largely because of the rapid development of kerosene after the first oil well was drilled in 1859.
Baleen is strong and flexible and was used to make a variety of products, from buggy whips and fishing rods to carriage springs and stays (supports) for ladies corsets. Baleen was also used in the manufacture of umbrellas and hoop skirts. It was replaced by steel and later plastic and today is not used at all in industrialized societies although it is still be used today in less developed regions of the world.
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Last Updated on 06/20/08