Fighting the Whales by Robert Michael Ballantyne

01 In Trouble, To Begin With.

02 At Sea.

03 Our First Battle.

04 ‘Cutting-in the Blubber’ and ‘Trying out the Oil’.

05 A Storm, a Man Overboard, and a Rescue.

06 The Whale – Fighting Bulls, Etc.

07 Tom’s Wisdom – Another Great Battle.

08 Death on the Sea.

09 News from Home – A Gam.

10 Return Home.

A fatherless boy joins the crew of a whaling ship in order to earn a living for himself and his mother. Beyond being a fascinating depiction of a now-alien time, occupation, and culture, it’s also a rousing adventure story. One is left with the impression that hunting and catching a whale in a sailing ship was akin to you or me being stalked, ambushed, and killed by a shoebox full of mice.