The school, as if with one impulse, hauled up on
their course four points, which made them head direct for the
western verge of the Solander ground, and--what was more
important to us--made our coming up with them a matter of a short
time. We made the customary signals with the upper sails to our
friends to the northward, who recognized them immediately, and
bore down towards us. Not only had the school shifted their
course, but they had slackened speed; so that by four o'clock we
were able to lower for them at less than a mile distance.
It was an ideal whaling day--smooth water, a brisk breeze, a
brilliant sun, and plenty of whales. I was, as became my
position, in the rear when we went into action, and hardly hoped
for an opportunity of doing much but dance attendance upon my
seniors. But fortune favoured me. Before I had any idea whether
the chief was fast or not, all other considerations were driven
clean out of my head by the unexpected apparition of a colossal
head, not a ship's length away, coming straight for us, throwing
up a swell in front of him like an ironclad. There was barely
time to sheer to one side, when the giant surged past us in a
roar of foaming sea, the flying flakes of which went right over
us.
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