Down To The Sea

Originally Aired: March 26, 1941 Cavalcade of America #219, "Down To The Sea," dramatizes the early seafaring adventures of author Herman Melville aboard the whaling ship Acushnet. In 1841 New Bedford, Massachusetts, young Herman bids farewell to Elizabeth Shaw and her disapproving mother as he embarks on his first whaling voyage. Under the brutal command of Captain Valentine Pease, conditions aboard ship deteriorate rapidly through floggings, starvation, and death. When fellow sailor Toby proposes deserting at a cannibal island, Herman agrees, choosing exile over the captain's tyranny. On the island of Taipi, Herman finds an unexpected paradise and falls in love with a native woman named Fayaway. He becomes enchanted with the peaceful valley and its people who live without the constant struggle that defines civilization. When Toby announces that a friendly ship has arrived offering passage home, Herman must choose between this island Eden and the world he left behind. Fayaway's heartbreaking wisdom forces him to confront what he truly wants, leading to a difficult decision that will shape his future.