The Wreck of the Essex
On the chilly morning of November 20, 1820, the American whaling ship *Essex* sailed resolutely through the vast expanse of the Pacific Ocean. Her wooden hull, stained with the salt of countless voyages, cut through the water as her crew prepared for another journey into the whaling grounds. The men aboard the *Essex* were seasoned sailors, hardened by years of battling the unforgiving sea. Among them were Captain George Pollard, a man of steady resolve, and First Mate Owen Chase, whose keen eyes and experience were relied upon by all.