Thomas Nickerson's sketch of the Essex being struck by a whale.
It was on this day in the year of our lord 1820 that one creature, being hunted by humans said, “I’ve had enough!” …and then decided to do something about it…the described 87′ whale took aim at the whaling ship and struck it not once but at least two times, holed it below the waterline and sent the majority of the crew to their eventual deaths. He then had a pina colada at Trader Vic’s…
Despite the account of the sinking of The Essex having become the basis for Melvile’s “Moby Dick”, one of the most famous tales of man against monster in the world…I find it somehow heartening to reflect on the possilbility that this is really the story of a protest by one creature against human exploitation…not unlike the recent killing of humans by elephants in China’s Wild Elephant Valley in Xingschuan Banna.
