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This is a picture of the Narwhal(e), a 523 ton sailing ship that seems to have carried out seven whaling voyages. Although it looks very old it was actually built in 1883, probably long after the Narwhal Brind captained, ceased sailing. The 1883 ship was sunk in 1934 and is presently located at Latitude 32deg 40'00'N Longitude 117deg 10'00'W in San Diego administered waters.

The Narwhal left London about December 14, 1835. On January 3, 1836 it was at a place called something like Mellice Bank. The ship reached New Zealand on May 27, 1836 returning to London in December 1838. On July 10, 1836 the ship was in mid Pacific, at Samoa the Navigators' Islands and stayed there until at least August 14, 1836. On November 10, 1836, it was at another difficult to read place that could have been Pilstarts.

The ship was in New Zealand on June 8, 1836, December 26, 1836, June 12, 1837, Sept 17, 1837, July 13, 1838, July 18, 1938, July 23, 1838, January 24, 1838 and probably at other times as well.

This may have been a difficult voyage on the Narwhal since two of the crew, Henry Cook and William Bryan died at sea, the latter was drowned. A dozen members of the crew are listed as "running" instead of being discharged. The meaning of being on the run at the time was to be outside the law.

The ship got back to London on December 3, 1838, having spent three years away. Since the Panama Canal was not opened until 1914, the Narwhal must have used the infamous Drake's Passage, rounding Cape Horn. Sailors used to say: "Below 40 degrees, there is no law. Below 50 degrees, there is no God."




(REGISTRATION LIST.--FOREIGN)          (SCHEDULE C.)
Ship Narwhal of the Port of London   380 tons Register
Whereof William D Brind was Master
A LIST OF THE CREW (including the Master and Apprentices) at the period of her sailing from the Port of London in the United Kingdom, from which she took her first departure on her Boyage to the South Seas Fisheries and of the Men who joined the Ship subsequent to such departure and until her return to the Port of London being her Port of Destination in the United Kingdom.
NOTE- The Christian as well as the Surname must be set forth at length in legible characters.
CHRISTIAN & SURNAME OF MENAgePlace of birthIn what capacity engagedShip in which he last servedDate of joining this ShipPlace where joined this ShipTime of Death or leaving the shipPlace where died, or left the ShipHow disposed or, or if remaining one of the Crew, state so
William D Brind41Birmingham MasterToward Castle of Glasgow 14 Dec. 1835 London3 Dec 1838 LondonDischarged
Frederick Hunt37Southampton1st Mate Gledland 14 Dec. 1835London3 Dec 1838LondonDischarged
James Benn32Harrogate2nd MateVigilant 14 Dec. 1835 London3 Dec 1838 LondonDischarged
Martin Flinn45????3rd Mate Vigilant 14 Dec. 1835 London3 Dec 1838 LondonDischarged
Unity Arnold27NewcastleSurgeonToward ranch? 14 Dec. 1835 London3 Dec 1838 LondonDischarged
?????????37HullCarpenterFleet Indian 14 Dec. 1835London3 Dec 1838LondonDischarged
??? Martin34LynnCooperRegimen/ Regency? 14 Dec. 1835London3 Dec 1838LondonDischarged
Richard Brille27LondonCooper's MatePolly Hall 14 Dec. 1835London3 Dec 1838LondonDischarged
???? Friday?32SheernessStewardAsley 14 Dec. 1835London3 Dec 1838LondonDischarged
Charles ??????36East GrinsteadCookVigilant 14 Dec. 1835London3 Dec 1838LondonDischarged
Thomas Basin26SalisburyBoat steererVigilant 14 Dec. 1835London14 Aug. 1836Navigators Isle Run
Francis Reed28Suland?Boat steererVigilant 14 Dec. 1835London23 July 1838New ZealandDischarged
William ?????32?????Boat steererBombay 14 Dec. 1835London24 Jan 1838New ZealandDischarged
James Bacon22LondonBoat steererToward 14 Dec. 1835London3 Dec 1838LondonDischarged
William Hicks35PortsmouthBoatswainVigilant 14 Dec. 1835London3 Dec 1838LondonDischarged
William Bryan30Peterhead?Able SeamanBombay 14 Dec. 1835London19 June 1836New ZealandDrowned
Robin Hirn?30LondonAble SeamanFawn? 14 Dec. 1835Londonf-a-31?New ZealandRun
Line deleted








James Bennett19??????Able SeamanDorothy Forth 14 Dec. 1835London3 Dec 1838LondonDischarged
John Smith22????Able SeamanMaryland 14 Dec. 1835London12 June 1837New ZealandRun
John Jacobs24?????Able SeamanAtalanta 14 Dec. 1835London13 July 1838New Zealandto be returned to ??
Thomas Bryant26PlymouthAble SeamanThames 14 Dec. 1835London8 June 1836New ZealandRun
??????? Henry23??????Able SeamanSt Vincent 14 Dec. 1835London3 Dec 1838LondonDischarged
James Thomas22ShadwellOrd. Seaman?Mary 14 Dec. 1835London???? 36New ZealandRun
Hiram Brown19?????Ord. Seaman?Thames 14 Dec. 1835London???? 36New ZealandRun
Alfred Miller19PoplarOrd. SeamanCarnatic 14 Dec. 1835London3 Dec 1838LondonDischarged
Anthonie Foop?28?????Ord. SeamanVigilant 14 Dec. 1835London27 May 36New ZealandRun
Thomas ??????26???????Ord. SeamanVigilant 14 Dec. 1835London18 Nov 1836Pilstarts?Discharged
William Folkes19StratfordBoyNot been to sea before 14 Dec. 1835London3 Dec 1838LondonDischarged
Thomas Simmons19LondonBoyAugustus Ceasar 14 Dec. 1835London3 Dec 1838LondonDischarged
Francis Pike16PoplarApprenticeNot been to sea before 14 Dec. 1835London17 Sept 1837New ZealandRun
??? Lawson16WoolwichApprenticeFrancis ???? 14 Dec. 1835London3 Dec 1838LondonDischarged
John Taylor30Ashburton??????????Falcon 3 Jan 1836Mellice Bank?18 July 1938New ZealandFal'd H M B Polar??
David Flinn39DoverAble SeamanColumbine 23 June 1836New Zealand3 Dec 1838LondonDischarged
William Bennett27CroydonAble SeamanRodney 23 June 1836New Zealand26 Dec 1836New ZealandRun
John Spooner24BlackneyAble SeamanRodney 23 June 1836New Zealand26 Dec 1836New ZealandRun
Charles Englebert31WoolwichAble SeamanRoger Williams 23 June 1836New Zealand3 Dec 1838LondonDischarged
John Thomson34DumfriesAble SeamanBettey 23 June 1836New Zealand26 Dec 1836New ZealandRun
James Lather?30LondonAble SeamanJane      
Henry Cook24HarrogateB't steererWalmer 10 July 1836Navigators' Isle22 April 1838At seaDied
James Kialy?26Dublin4th MateEarl of ????? 29 Dec 1836New Zealand3 Dec 1838LondonDischarged
Thomas Marshall?43LondonA. SeamanMary 29 Dec 1836New Zealand3 Dec 1838LondonDischarged
Benjamin Marshall25PortsmouthBt steererHarlequin 24 Jan 1838New Zealand18 July 1838New ZealandRun
????????37BristolA. SeamanHarriett 24 Jan 1838New Zealand3 Dec 1838LondonDischarged
James Rapele?29ChathamA. SeamanLady Featherstone? 24 Jan 1838New Zealand3 Dec 1838LondonDischarged
Henry Harper21LondonA. SeamanHarriett 24 Jan 1838New Zealand3 Dec 1838LondonDischarged
William Maclean35LondonderryA. SeamanHokianga 24 Jan 1838New Zealand3 Dec 1838LondonDischarged
James James30ColchesterOrd. SeamanFolkstone 24 Jan 1838New Zealand3 Dec 1838LondonDischarged
Edwin Davies33LondonLandsmanHarriett 24 Jan 1838New Zealand3 Dec 1838LondonDischarged
Chas Tredow?48LondonderryLandsmanPetorus 24 Jan 1838New Zealand3 Dec 1838LondonDischarged
Dated in London this 3rd day of December 1838?
F Green & Co
64 Cornhill Brokers
  MASTER

If any of the Crew has entered the Naval Service of Her Majesty, state the name of the Queen's Ship under the head "How disposed of"
This List to be filled up and Signed by the Master and delivered to the Registrar, if at the Port of London, or to the Port Collector at the Port of discharge at the time of reporting arrived in the United Kingdom.


A Landsman is usually a person who has not been to sea before and has no experience of the Royal Navy. The Landsman was the lowest rank in the Royal Navy at that time. Oddly both the landsmen on this ship had been to sea before!