Johnson, George S., fl. 1881-1884

Whaler Georg [George] S. Johnson served on the schooner Antarctic based in Provincetown, Massachusetts. He kept the ship's log for two whaling voyages between 1881 and 1884.

The first whaling voyage into the Atlantic lasted from November 10, 1881, to July 27, 1883, under the shipmaster Newton P. West. The second voyage lasted from October 31, 1883, to July 11, 1884, under shipmaster John [Jno] Bell. Some day's entries are headed in bold letters "SPERM WHALE" which denotes the importance of this type of whale to the crew. The sperm whale was the most sought after type of whale because its head contained spermaceti, a white waxy substance that was worth significantly more than any other whale oil.

It is not known how long the Antarctic served, however there are several historical registries where the schooner is listed: The New Bedford Public Library Whaling Collection Archives has a registry entry for the vessel dated 1852, while Mystic Seaport's G. W. Blunt White Library has journals covering 1828-1831 as well as registries with data on the ship from 1861 to 1894.

"Antarctic (Schooner)." Mystic Seaport Library. http://www.mysticseaport.org (accessed January 12, 2007). "New Bedford Whaling Museum Research Library Logbooks and Journals." New Bedford Free Public Library Whaling Collection Archives. http://www.ci.new-bedford.ma.us/services/library/whalingproject/whaling.htm? (accessed January 12, 2007). "Overview of American Whaling: How Whales Were Processed." New Bedford Whaling Museum. http://www.whalingmuseum.org (accessed January 21, 2007). Additional information derived from the collection.

From the guide to the Journal of a whaling voiage [sic] in the Atlantic ocean on Board Schr Antarctic, 1881 November 10-1884 July 11, (University of Delaware Library - Special Collections)