First published in 1895, this book provides a glimpse of the last years of whaling fleets under sail from Hull, Peterhead, Aberdeen and other whaling ports. The story told is of incredible hardships and danger, of long voyages - some of which are frustrated by lack of success - related in the matter-of-fact manner of the seasoned mariner. The history of "Truelove", from her early days as a privateer in the first American War until her last voyage as a whaler in 1867-68 is given in the appendix.