# The Watch's Wild Cry: A Voyage Aboard the Whaling Vessel Clara Bell - Hardcover

by **Robert F. Weir** (Author), **Andrew W. German** (Editor)

At the age of nineteen, Robert F. Weir of West Point, New York, ran away to sea, where he spent the next ten years of his life. Assuming the pseudonym Robert Wallace, Weir sailed aboard the bark _Clara Bell_ out of New Bedford, Massachusetts, in 1855 for a voyage to the whaling grounds of the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. Upon the death of one of the _Clara Bell_'s boatsteerers (harpooners), Weir was promoted to this position of great responsibility. Recording daily events aboard the _Clara Bell_ over the course of nearly three years, from 1855 to 1858, Weir's journal vividly relates the whaleman's life, both in prose and in detailed hand-drawn illustrations.

This is a timeless account of life on a nineteenth-century whaler, from the misery of seasickness and the rigors of sea voyages; to the thrill and violence of whale hunts; to the sights, sounds, and foods of foreign cultures. The Weir journal is a staff favorite at Mystic Seaport Museum for its compelling story, beautiful illustrations, and immaculate penmanship.

### Author Biography

**Robert F. Weir** (1836-1905) earned his living in the various careers of seaman, naval officer, engineer, and freelance artist. His sailing career spanned the better part of a decade, first on whaling cruises and later as a junior engineering officer on the USS _Richmond_ during the Civil War. After the war, he continued to supply freelance illustrations to _Harper's Weekly_, a practice he began while serving in the Navy, and worked as a civil engineer in New Jersey.

**Andrew W. German** is former director of Mystic Seaport Museum's Publications Department and coauthor of multiple Mystic/whaling-related books, including _America and the Sea: A Maritime History_ and _The Charles W. Morgan: The World's Last Wooden Whaleship_. He lives in Mystic, Connecticut.

**Number of Pages:** 256

**Dimensions:** 0.8 x 5.5 x 6 IN

**Illustrated:** Yes

**Publication Date:** November 05, 2024

## Details

- **Price:** 30.0 USD
- **Vendor:** Books by splitShops
- **Type:** Books
- **Tags:** Books by splitShops, Shopify Collective

## Variants

| Variant | Price | Available |
|---------|-------|-----------|
| Default Title | 30.00 USD | In stock |

## Images

- The Watch's Wild Cry: A Voyage Aboard the Whaling Vessel Clara Bell - Hardcover

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