Lewis Monto, son of Joseph Monto (1776 - ?) and Mary Barrett (1769 - ?) was born in Boston on August 13, 1806 and died in Allston, Massachusetts on March 26, 1881.

      When he was almost seventeen years old, Lewis registered as an "American Seaman" in Nantucket. It is likely that soon after he shipped on board a Nantucket whaling ship bound to the Pacific Ocean. Quite possibly, it was the Plough Boy making its second voyage under the command of Captain William Chadwick. On this voyage, the Plough Boy sailed from Nantucket on September 1, 1824. It returned on March 12, 1827, having visited among other places, the Sandwich Islands (Hawaiian Islands) and St. Francisco in New Albion (San Francisco).

      Lewis' daily journals of the Plough Boy's next two voyages — 1827-1830 & 1830-1834 under the command of Captain Nathan Chase — are transcribed here. The Plough Boy sailed again on July 22, 1834 with Moses Brown as captain -- returning on April 9, 1839. Whether or not Lewis Monto was on this voyage is not known.

      In the fall of 1839, at the age of thirty-three, Lewis married eighteen year old Mary N. Cook of West Sandwich, Massachusetts. By 1850 they were living in Boston. Until his death in 1881, Lewis is listed on various birth and marriage documents as an "oil manufacterer". Of their ten children born between 1842 and 1862, eight survived childhood.

      The Plough Boy was built at Haddam, Connecticut in 1821. It was a ship-rigged vessel with a registered displacement of 391 3/95 tons. The ship was 109 ft. in length, 28 feet, 5 inches in width, and 14 feet in depth. It had two decks, a square stern, no galleries, and a "man bust" figurehead. The Plough Boy probably sailed with a crew of about thirty officers and men.

      Between 1821 and 1843 the Plough Boy was registered at Nantucket from where it made voyages in 1821, 1824, 1827, 1830, 1834 and 1839. In the early 1840s she was sold to New Bedford owners and sailed from that port in 1843 and 1848.

      On the Plough Boy's final voyage in 1849, she grounded and broke up on a shoal in the Bay of Guayaquil while en route to Tumbes, Peru. Part of this voyage is documented in: In A Sperm Whale's Jaws: An Episode in the Life of Captain Albert Wood of Nantucket, Mass, Edited by George C. Wood (Hanover, New Hampshire: Friends of Dartmouth Library, Dartmouth College) which was first published in 1954.

      To help tell the story of early nineteenth century whaling and to provide background and detail to Lewis Monto's two journals, either full text or selections from books and periodicals from this period are linked from this page. "The Ploughboy Anthology" will be used to identify this collection.

1821	Chase, Owen.. Narrative of the Most Extraordinary and Distressing Shipwreck of the Whale-Ship Essex, of Nantucket; Which was Attacked and Finally Destroyed by a Large Spermaceti-Whale, in the Pacific Ocean; with An Account of the Unparalleled Sufferings of the Captain and Crew During a Space of Ninety-Three Days at Sea in Open Boats; in the Years 1819 & 1820. (New York: W.B. Gilley, 1821) Complete text
1822	Porter, Captain David. Journal of a Cruise Made to the Pacific Ocean, by Captain David Porter, in the United States Frigate Essex, in the Years 1812, 1813, and 1814. Second Edition. To Which is Now Added. The Transactions at Valparaiso, from the Period of the Authors Arrival Until the Capture of the Essex; The Fate of the Party Left at Madison's Island, Under Lieut. (Now Major) Gamble; and an Introduction, in Which the Charges Contained in the Quarterly Review, of the First Edition of this Journal, are Examined, and the Ignorance, Prejudice, and Misrepresentations of the Reviewer Exposed. (New York: Wiley & Halsted, 1822) Complete text
1828	"On the Expediency of Fitting Out Vessels of the Navy for an Exploration of the Pacific Ocean and South Seas", March 25, 1828.. American State Papers: Naval Affairs, Vol. 3, pp. 189-197. (Washington: Gale's & Seaton, 1860) Complete text - (62,527 bytes)
1829	"Exploring Expedition to the Pacific Ocean and South Seas", February 16, 1829.. American State Papers: Naval Affairs, Vol. 3, pp. 308-317. (Washington: Gale's & Seaton, 1860) Complete text - (69,218 bytes)
1829	"On the Policy and Objects of the Exploring Expedition to the Pacific Ocean and South Seas", February 23, 1829.. American State Papers: Naval Affairs, Vol. 3, pp. 336-343. (Washington: Gale's & Seaton, 1860) Complete text - (57,872 bytes)
1830	"Authorization of the Naval Exploring Expedition in the South Seas and Pacific Ocean, and of the Purchase of and Payment for Astronomical and Other Instruments for the Same", March 17, 1830.. American State Papers: Naval Affairs, Vol. 3, pp. 546-560. (Washington: Gale's & Seaton, 1860) Complete text - (97,608 bytes)
1831	Beechey, Frederick William (1796-1856).. Narrative of a voyage to the Pacific and Beering's strait, to co-operate with the polar expeditions: performed in His Majesty's ship Blossom, under the command of Captain F.W. Beechey ... in the years 1825, 26, 27, 28 ... (London: H. Colburn and R. Bentley). Vol. 2. [Selected text - (33,925 bytes)]
1834 (1872 ed.)	Hart, Joseph C. (1798-1855).. Miriam Coffin; or, The Whale-Fishermen: A Tale. (San Francisco: H.R. Coleman, 1872). [Complete text - (846,818 bytes)]
1835	Macy, Obed.. The History of Nantucket; Being a Compendious Account of the First Setlement of the Island by the English, Together with the Rise and Progress of the Whale Fishery; and Other Historical Facts Relative to Said Island and its Inhabitants. (Boston: Hilliard, Gray, and Co., 1835) Complete text
1835	"Information Collected by the Navy Department Relating to Islands, Reefs, Shoals, Etc., in the Pacific Ocean and South Seas, and Showing the Expediency of an Exploring Expedition in that Ocean and those Seas by the Navy", January 29, 1835.. American State Papers: Naval Affairs, Vol. 4, pp. 688-700. (Washington: Gale's & Seaton, 1861) Complete text - (108,566 bytes)
1835	"On the Expediency and Importance of Authorizing a Naval Expedition to Explore the Pacific Ocean and South Seas", February 7, 1835.. American State Papers: Naval Affairs, Vol. 4, pp. 707-715. (Washington: Gale's & Seaton, 1861) Complete text - (63,698 bytes)
1835	Beale, Thomas (1807-1849).. A few observations on the natural history of the sperm whale with an account of the rise and progress of the fishery, and of the modes of pursuing, killing, and "cutting in" that animal, with a list of its favorite places of resort. (London: Effingham Wilson, 1835). [Complete text - (108,219 bytes)]
1835	W.. "A Chapter on Whaling", The New-England magazine.. Volume 8, Issue 6, June 1835, pp. 445-449. Complete text - (15,780 bytes) - courtesy of Cornell University Library, Making of America Digital Collection
1836	O'Connell, James F.. A Residence of Eleven Years in New Holland and the Caroline Islands: being the Adventures of James F. O'Connell. Edited from his Verbal Narration. (Boston: B. B. Mussey, 1835) Complete text
1836	"On the Expediency and Importance of Authorizing a Naval Expedition to Explore the Pacific Ocean and South Seas", March 21, 1836.. American State Papers: Naval Affairs, Vol. 4, pp. 867-873. (Washington: Gale's & Seaton, 1861) Complete text - (51,861 bytes)
1839	Beale, Thomas (1807-1849).. The natural history of the sperm whale : its anatomy and physiology, food, spermaceti, ambergris, rise and progress of the fishery, chase and capture, "cutting in" and "trying out", description of the ships, boats, men and instruments used in the attack, with an account of its favourite places of resort : to which is added, a sketch of a South-sea whaling voyage, embracing a description of the extent, as well as the adventures and accidents that occurred during the voyage in which the author was personally engaged (London: J. Van Voorst) Complete text - (661,747 bytes)
1839	Reynolds, J. N. . "Mocha Dick: or the White Whale of the Pacific: A Leaf from a Manuscript Journal", The Knickerbocker, or New-York Monthly Magazine. Vol. 13, No. 5, May 1839, pp. 377-392. Complete text - (61,342 bytes)
1840	Bennett, Frederick Debell (1806-1859).. Narrative of a whaling voyage round the globe, from the year 1833 to 1836. Comprising sketches of Polynesia, California, the Indian Archipelago, etc. with an account of southern whales, the sperm whale fishery, and the natural history of the climates visited. (London:, R. Bentley). Vol. 1: Complete text - (572,703 bytes) Vol. 2: Complete text - (651,439 bytes)
1840	Dana, Richard Henry Jr. (1815-1882).. Two years before the mast : a personal narrative of life at sea. (New-York: Harper & Brothers) Complete text - (982,511 bytes)
1841	Olmsted, Francis Allyn (1819-1844).. Incidents of a whaling voyage : to which are added observations on the scenery manners and customs, and missionary stations of the Sandwich and Society Islands: accompanied by numerous lithographic plates. (New-York: D. Appleton and Co.) Complete text - (667,078 bytes)
1845	Darwin, Charles (1809-1882).. Journal of Researches into the Natural History and Geology of the Countries Visited During the Voyage of H. M. S. Beagle Round the World, under the Command of Capt. Fitz Roy, R.N.. Selection -- Chapter 17 -- Galapagos Archipelago. - (76,325 bytes)
1846	Browne, J. Ross (1817-1875).. Etchings of a Whaling Cruise, with Notes of a Sojourn on the Island of Zanzibar. To which is Appended a Brief History of the Whale Fishery, its Past and Present Condition. (New York: Harper & Brothers, 1846). [Complete text - (1,151,730 bytes)]
1846	"Whale-Fisheries". The United States Democratic review. Volume 19, Issue 102, December 1846, pp. 453-465. Complete text - courtesy of Cornell University Library, Making of America Digital Collection - (67,649 bytes)
1847	Coulter, John.. Adventures onn the Western Coast of South America, and the Interior of California: Including a Narrative of Incidents at the Kingsmill Islands, New Ireland, New Britain, New Guinea, and Other Islands in the Pacific Ocean; with An Account of the Natural Productions, and the Manners and Customs, in Peace and War, of the Various Savage Tribes Visited. Two Volumes. (London: Longman, Brown, Green, and Longmans, 1847) Complete text
1851	Melville, Herman (1819-1891).. Moby-Dick; or : The whale (New York: Harper & Brothers) Complete text - (1,359,610 bytes)
1853	Cheever, Henry T. (1814-1897).. The whale and his captors; or, The whalemen's adventures, and the whale's biography as gathered on the homeward cruise of the "Commodore Preble." (New York: Harper & Bros., 1853). Complete text - courtesy of University of Michigan's Making of America Digital Collection - (464,874 bytes)
1854	"Aboard A Sperm Whaler". Harper's new monthly magazine. Volume 8, Issue 47, April 1854, pp. 670-674. Complete text - courtesy of Cornell University Library, Making of America Digital Collection - (31,996 bytes)
1856	Perry, Matthew Calbraith (1794-1858).. Narrative of the expedition of an American squadron to the China Seas and Japan, performed in the years 1852, 1853, and 1854 : under the command of Commodore M.C. Perry, United States Navy, by order of the government of the United States / compiled from the original notes and journals of Commodore Perry and his officers, at his request, and under his supervision by Francis L. Hawks. (Washington: A.O.P. Nicholson, Printer). [Selected text - (71,743 bytes)]
1865	Stavers, Thomas Reed (1798-1867). Journal of Thomas Reed Stavers. Complete text of manuscript source - courtesy of Albert Bos of the Netherlands - (269,907 bytes)
1870	Verne, Jules (1828-1905). Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea. Selection
1874	Davis, William M. (1815-1891).. Nimrod of the sea; or, The American whaleman. (New York: Harper & brothers, 1874). Complete text - (739,616 bytes)
1874	"Huntsmen of the Sea". Harper's new monthly magazine. Volume 49, Issue 293, October 1874, pp. 650-662. Complete text - courtesy of Cornell University Library, Making of America Digital Collection - (53,152 bytes)
1874	Scammon, Charles M.. The Marine Mammals of the North-western Coast of North America, Described and Illustrated: Together with an Account of the American Whale-Fishery. (San Francisco: John H. Carmany and Company / New York: G. P. Putnam's Sons, 1874) Complete text
1878	Starbuck, Alexander (1841-1925).. History of the American whale fishery from its earliest inception to the year 1876. Washington, Government Printing Office, 1878. Complete text of narrative - tabular section omitted - (467,097 bytes)
1884-87	Goode, G. Brown et. al.. The Fisheries and Fishery Industries of the United States: Prepared Through the Co-operation of the Commissioner of Fisheries and the Superintendent of the Tenth Census by George Brown Goode, Assistant Director of the U.S. National Museum, and a Staff of Associates. (Washington: Government Printing Office, 1884-1887) Selections relating to the whale fishery.
1898	Bullen, Frank Thomas (1857-1915).. The Cruise of the "Cachalot" Round the World After Sperm Whales. (London: Smith, Elder, 1898) Complete text
1915	Cholmondeley, Lionel Berners (1858-1945).. The history of the Bonin Islands from the year 1827 to the year 1876, and of Nathaniel Savory, one of the original settlers; to which is added a short supplement dealing with the islands after their occupation by the Japanese. (London: Constable & Co., Ltd., 1915). Complete text - courtesy of Prof. Daniel Long - (269,771 bytes)
1916	Verrill, A. Hyatt (1871-1954).. The Real Story of the Whaler: Whaling, Past and Present. (New York: D. Appleton and Company, 1916). Complete text (399,256 bytes)
1924	Hawes, Charles Boardman.. Whaling: Wherein are Discussed the First Whalemen of Whom We Have Record; the Growth of the European Whaling Industry, and its Offspring, the American Whaling Industry; Primitive Whaling Among the Savages of North America; the Various Manners and Means of Taking Whales in All Parts of the World and in all Times of its History; the Extraordinary Adventures and Mishaps That Have Befallen Whalemen the Seas Over; the Economic and Social Conditions that Led to the Rise of Whaling and Hastened its Decline; and, in Conclusion, the Present State of the Once Flourishing and Lucrative Industry. (Garden City, New York: Doubleday, Page & Company, 1924.) Complete text
1925	Townsend, Charles Haskins (1859-1944).. The Galapagos tortoises in their relation to the whaling industry. New York: New York Zoological Society, [1925]. Complete text - (256,324 bytes)
1935	Townsend, Charles Haskins (1859-1944).. The Distribution of Certain Whales as Shown by Logbook Records of American Whaleships. (Also in: Zoologica: Scientific Contributions of the New York Zoological Society, Vol. 19, No. 1 (April 3, 1935) (New York: New York Zoological Society, [1935].) Complete text
1958	Gardner, Edmund, (1784-1875).. CAPTAIN EDMUND GARDNER of Nantucket and New Bedford: His Journal and His Family. Edited and Compiled by John M. Bullard (New Bedford, The Author, 1958) Complete text - reproduced in HTML with the permission of the Bullard family, New Bedford - (358,689 bytes)