Samuela was "all there," though, and as the great beast
passed he plunged a harpoon into him with such force and vigour
that the very socket entered the blubber it needed all the
strength I could muster, even with such an aid as the nineteen-
feet steer-oar, to swing the boat right round in his wake, and
prevent her being capsized by his headlong rush.
For, contrary to the usual practice, he paused not an instant,
but rather quickened his pace, as if spurred. Heavens, how he
went! The mast and sail had to come down--and they did, but I
hardly know how. The spray was blinding, coming in sheets over
the bows, so that I could hardly see how to steer in the
monster's wake. He headed straight for the ship, which lay-to
almost motionless, filling me with apprehension lest he should in
his blind flight dash that immense mass of solid matter into her
broadside, and so put an inglorious end to all our hopes. What
their feelings on board must have been, I can only imagine, when
they saw the undeviating rush of the gigantic creature straight
for them. On he went, until I held my breath for the crash, when
at the last moment, and within a few feet of the ship's side, he
dived, passing beneath the vessel.
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