Charles Bodge

In 1847 whaleships ventured to the southwest corner of Western Australia. There was an established trade with settlers at Vasse, Castle Rock, Bunbury and Augusta.

Settlers grew crops of vegetables and raised meat animals. They also had milk and butter. Whalers took one or two tons of fresh vegetables and paid well for them. The southwest trade developed because the prices in Fremantle and Albany were high enough to stop the ships from calling there.

Ann Parry was on her way to the southwest, with Herald, a sister whaler. In the small fleet making their way to the southwest with Ann Parry were Two Brothers under command of Captain Humphrey Shockley, American with Captain Mercator Cooper, and Triton with Captain Martin Bowen.

Already at Cape Leeuwin were Commodore Perry, Garland, Rajah, Pantheon and Cadmus.

Command of Ann Parry fell to Captain James Youngs. He had worked his way up through the mates’ positions to become a reputable captain who caught whale. His second in command was the first mate James Dennett. He had gone aboard the whaleship in 1834 as her carpenter.

Two young men signed on with the Ann Parry for a three-year voyage in September 1839, 15 months before. They agreed to the greenhand lay of 1/180 share of the net profit and provisions for the voyage. They were Charles Bodge and Leander Huntress. Charles was 16 years of age when he joined the whaler. He had his 17th birthday aboard.

Ann Parry was an American whaleship out of Portsmouth, New Hampshire. She was built there on the Piscataqua River by William Badger in 1825.She was a 328-ton barque with three masts. Her maiden voyage was made in December 1825, with a cargo of cotton.

With whaling increasing and investors clamouring to be involved in the roaring trade of whale oil, Ann Parry was converted into a whaler in 1832. by Portsmouth Pier Co. She gained 30 tons in the conversion and was re-registered as a whaler.

There were adverts for positions aboard whalers, aimed at young men. So many men had gone gold hunting, seeking more money than a whaler would/could pay them. The advertisements were aimed at young men. They advertised adventure and Charles and Leander responded to an advert for the successful whaler Ann Parry.

On 30 December 1840, young Charles was aloft in the lookout for a two-hour watch. They were approximately 300 miles from Cape Leeuwin and it had been blowing hard for nearly week. Charles was at the end of his shift. In a moment of inattention or a lurch of the ship, he fell.

With a sickening thud, he landed 20 metres below on the deck. His feet struck a deck hatch causing his right femur to break. His head landed on the capstan [the rotating drum used to wind up anchors and whales].

Captain Youngs hove to and the captain of Herald did the same and hurried aboard the Ann Parry to render help with whatever first aid could be applied.

Charles lay on the deck unconscious while the Captains of Ann Parry and Herald tried to revive him. Charles remained motionless and did not wake, which was a mercy as his injuries were serious.

Charles died a few hours later at 7.30pm without gaining consciousness.

The next morning Captain Youngs hove to again. The crew gathered mournfully and a reading from the bible was heard. Then Charles’ body was committed to the deep. They resumed their route to Cape Leeuwin.

Leander kept a journal. He wrote in detail each day about weather, whales and any other little event that occurred. He dedicated a page to commemorate his ship mate Charles, complete with a drawing and a double border.