Many
and deep were the curses bestowed upon him by the infuriated
crews of those two ships, although he had certainly done them no
harm. But the sight of other people's good fortune is gall and
wormwood to a vast number of people, who seem to take it as a
personal injury done to themselves.
Only two days elapsed, however, before we again saw an immense
school of sperm whales, and each ship succeeded in securing one.
We made no attempt to get more this time, nor do I think either
of the others did; at any rate, one each was the result of the
day's work. They were, as usual, of huge size and apparently
very fat. At the time we secured our fish alongside, a fresh
north-westerly wind was blowing, the weather being clear and
beautiful as heart could wish. But instead of commencing at once
to cut-in, Captain Count gave orders to pile on all sail and keep
her away up the Straits. He was evidently determined to take no
more chances, but, whenever opportunity offered, to follow the
example set by the wily old skipper of the CHANCE. The other
ships both started to cut-in at once, tempted, doubtless, by the
settled appearance of the weather, and also perhaps from their
hardly concealed dislike of going into port.
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