TITLE: NATHANIEL PALMER
1998 24X18 INCHES

Nathaniel Palmer:
1799-1877, American sealer.

Born in Stonnington, Connecticut, USA, he went to sea at age 14. Soon he was
captaining small coastal vessels.

This was the heyday of the American sealers and Palmer sailed to the South
Shetland Islands as a mate, (1819-20). The same year, at age 21, he returned as
the captain of the Hero. On 16 November, he sighted land, other than
islands, and became part of the on-going controversy as to who first sighted the
Antarctic mainland. A year later, he discovered the South Orkney Islands with
British sealer George Powell. It must be kept in mind that sealers were not
explorers. Their "discoveries" were only the result of trying to find the best
areas to kill seals. In 1820, Palmer's fleet killed 80,000 seals. Palmer later
became a successful business man and was involved with the Clipper trade to
China. He died at 78 in San Francisco.