Episode 520: The Tragedy of the Essex Part I - Thar She Blows!
Last Podcast On The Left
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The Essex and the Whale Oil
The crew of the Essex were forced to abandon ship after it broke apart in a storm. Captain Pollard was left with no choice but to sail towards Marquesas and Tahiti, two South Pacific islands known for their cannibals. In 1820, Nantucket sailors had come to believe that many South Pacific islands were infested with cannibals; this is not coincidental.
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