1||Researchers from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration have discovered the remains of a ship piloted by the captain who inspired Herman Melville’s classic novel, Moby Dick. The ship, named the Two Brothers, belonged to Captain George Pollard, and sank when it hit a coral reef in 1823.
Pictured here is a giant blubber hook discovered among the wreckage. ||NOAA/Greg McFall&&
2||Dr. Kelly Gleason of the NOAA holds a spear tip. ||NOAA/Greg McFall&&
3||Melville, shown here, wrote his novel about a different ship piloted by Captain Pollard, named the Essex. ||World History Archive/Newscom&&
4||A sperm whale rammed into and sank the Essex, providing the basis for Melville’s tale. ||flickr.com/stefinstall&&
5||A ginger jar from the Two Brothers. ||NOAA/Greg McFall&&
6||Dr. Gleason swims above a ginger jar. ||NOAA/Greg McFall&&
7||The ship’s artifacts were found in the PapahÄnaumokuÄkea Marine National Monument, about 600 miles northwest of Hawaii. ||Google Maps&&
8||A grinding stone. ||NOAA/Greg McFall&&
9||Dr. Gleason examines a cluster of spear tips. ||NOAA/Greg McFall&&
10||One of four enormous try pots found on the ocean floor. Try pots were used to boil oil out of raw blubber. ||NOAA/Greg McFall&&
11||||NOAA/Greg McFall&&
12||A sounding lead left over from the wreckage. ||NOAA/Greg McFall&&
13||Dr. Gleason investigates a grinding stone. ||NOAA/Greg McFall&&
14||Dr. Gleason holds a sounding lead. ||NOAA/Greg McFall&&
15||Another try pot nestled on the ocean floor. ||NOAA/Greg McFall&&
16||Dr. Gleason with a ginger jar. ||NOAA/Greg McFall&&
17||Dr. Gleason hefts a blubber hook.||NOAA/Greg McFall&&
18||||NOAA/Greg McFall&&
19||Melville’s tale remains a staple of American literature courses, and has inspired numerous adaptations. Here, Gregory Peck plays the role of the vengeful Captain Ahab in a 1956 film version of the novel. ||Album/Oronoz/Newscom&&
