Two and a half hours of energetic work was required of us before
we got on terms with the fleeing monsters; but at last, to our
great joy, they broke water from sounding right among us. It was
a considerable surprise, but we were all ready, and before they
had spouted twice, three boats were fast, only myself keeping
out, in accordance with my instructions. Samuela was almost
distraught with rage and grief at the condition of things. I
quite pitied him, although I was anything but pleased myself.
However, when I ranged up alongside the mate's fish, to render
what assistance was needed, he shouted to me, "We's all right;
go'n git fas', if yew kin." That was enough, and away we flew
after a retreating spout to leeward. Before we got there,
though, there was an upheaval in the water just ahead, and up
came a back like a keelless ship bottom up. Out came the head
belonging to it, and a spout like an explosion burst forth,
denoting the presence of an enormous bull-cachalot. Close by his
side was a cow of about one-third his size, the favoured sultana
of his harem, I suppose. Prudence whispered, "Go for the cow;"
ambition hissed, "All or none--the bull, the bull." Fortunately
emergencies of this kind leave one but a second or two to decide,
as a rule; in this case, as it happened, I was spared even that
mental conflict, for as we ran up between the two vast creatures,
Samuela, never even looking at the cow, hurled his harpoon, with
all the energy that he had been bursting with so long, at the
mighty bull.
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