American Museum of Natural History Research Library
author: American Museum of Natural History

Andrews Whaling Expedition to Korea of the American Museum of Natural History (1911-1912); Andrews Whaling Expedition to Japan and Korea of the American Museum of Natural History (1911-1912); Andrews Whaling Expedition
birth: 1911
death: 1912
Andrews requested permission to to go to Korea in order to ascertain whether the California Gray Whale was extinct, as was generally thought, and to collect specimens of marine mammals. He was authorized to conduct the expedition by Professor Osborn who was the director of the museum at the time and the museum financed that part of the trip. In order to conduct the necessary observations, Andrews used his existing relationship with the Japanese Whaling Company that he established during his previous trip to the Orient. The company allowed Andrews to study whales at their whaling station on the Korean coast. Andrews planned to follow the study of the whales on the coast with an expedition into the interior of the Korean peninsula. The interior was generally unexplored and Andrews wanted to map it and to collect mammal and bird specimens. Andrews had to raise the money for the second half of the trip. At the end of the expedition, Andrews briefly visited China to do some sightseeing. After that he travelled to Europe through Russia, stopping in Moscow. On the way to New York, Andrews also visited Finland, Sweden, Norway, and Denmark.
While on a collecting trip to Japan in 1910, Andrews learned of an existence of a whale, called by the Japanese "Devil-fish". The description of the mammal, that was hunted by the Japanese on the coast of Korea, reminded Andrews of the California Gray Whale, which was thought to be extinct. Andrews resolved to come back to the Far East and to confirm his guess. At the end of 1911, Andrews left New York for Korea in order to study whales and other marine mammals. The Museum allocated $4000 towards the expedition, $2000 were contributed by the Smithsonian Institution in Washington (14, pp. 41-42), and Andrews raised a further $4000 from private philanthropists. Andrews spent the months of January and February of 1912 at Ulsan, a Japanese whaling station on the coast of Korea. While stationed there, Andrews proved that the "Devil-fish" was indeed the Gray Whale (10)(13). Andrews collected two Gray Whale skeletons, one of which he sent to the Museum and the second one to the Smithsonian. (14, p. 42) After the end of his stay in Ulsan, Andrews visited Seul and organized an expedition to explore the Northern regions of Korean Peninsula. With 4 Korean helpers and a Japanese-Korean interpreter he treked through dense forests to the foot of the Long White Mountain (Paektu-san) (13). From there the expedition walked to the Yalu river. From that point, Andrews dismissed his men and floated down the river on a raft. In that manner he reached Antung at the mouth of the river. During the expedition Andrews collected specimens of animals and birds, took still images and recorded a film. (4)(13) After finishing up the Korean trip, Andrews decided to use the oportunity to visit China. He briefly visited Beijing and the Great Wall. (13, p. 115) From Beijing Andrews sailed to Shanghai and Hong Kong. When in Hong Kong, a friend who was travelling to Europe through Russia, convinced Andrews to join him. Andrews took the trans-Siberian railroad to Moscow where he spend two months at a house of an aristocratic Russian friend, hunting and participating in the social life. From there Andrews travelled for two months through Finland, Sweden, Norway, and Denmark before boarding a ship for New York.