This is the true story of Billy Chamberlain aged 8, who was kidnapped from the Sydney Docks by crewmen from a deep sea whaler. For 3 years he was forced to work at sea. Set in 1811 the book describes the hunt for the giant sperm whale, the kill, boiling down the blubber, harvesting the sperm oil, and all facets of deep sea whaling before there were any on shore whaling stations in New South Wales. Billy was eventually rescued and reunited with his father, a convict bricklayer of Sydney Cove. A5 format. pp 24. 13 illus.