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This quiz consists of 5 multiple choice and 5 short answer questions through Chapter 4.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. When did ships from Nantucket first start rounding Cape Horn?
(a) 1718.
(b) 1719.
(c) 1791.
(d) 1781.

2. How long is it in between whale sightings in Chapter 3?
(a) Several months.
(b) Several days.
(c) Several weeks.
(d) Several hours.

3. How long are the shifts that each man serves on watching the decks during the evenings in Chapter 2?
(a) Six hours.
(b) Two hours.
(c) Four hours.
(d) Eight hours.

4. How many men normally would attempt to approach, harpoon, and kill the whale?
(a) Four.
(b) Six.
(c) Eight.
(d) Two.

5. When did English settlers begin arriving in Nantucket?
(a) 1695.
(b) 1653.
(c) 1635.
(d) 1659.

Short Answer Questions

1. According to the Preface, what is the primary reason for whale hunting?

2. As described in Chapter 1, what does the sighting of a comet indicate?

3. After stopping at the Cape Verde Islands in Chapter 3, how many spare whale boats does the Essex now have?

4. How long does the average hunt for a sperm whale take?

5. What do Pollard and Daniel Russell, the captain of the Aurora, discuss in Chapter 4?

(see the answer key)

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