Now although, according to etiquette, I kept my position in the rear of my superior officers, I had fully determined in my own mind, being puffed up with previous success, to play second fiddle to no one, if I could help it, this time.  Samuela was decidedly of the same opinion; indeed, I believe he would have been delighted to tackle a whole school single-handed, while my crew were all willing and eager for the fight.  We had a long, tedious journey before we came up with them, the wind being so light that even with the occasional assistance of the paddles our progress was wretchedly slow.  When at last we did get into their water, and the mate’s harpooner stood up to dart, his foot slipped, and down he came with a clatter enough to scare a cachalot twenty miles away.  It gallied our friends effectually, sending them flying in different directions at the top of their speed.  But being some distance astern of the other boats, one of the fish, in his headlong retreat, rose for a final blow some six or seven fathoms away, passing us in the opposite direction.  His appearance was only momentary, yet in that moment Samuela hurled his harpoon into the air, where it described a beautiful parabola, coming down upon the disappearing monster’s back just as the sea was closing over it.  Oh, it was a splendid dart, worthy of the finest harpooner that ever lived!  There was no time for congratulations, however, for we spun round as on a pivot, and away we went in the wake of that fellow at a great rate.  I cast one look astern to see whether the others had struck, but could see nothing of them; we seemed to have sprung out of their ken in an instant.

The speed of our friend was marvellous, but I comforted myself with the knowledge that these animals usually run in circles —­sometimes, it is true, of enormous diameter, but seldom getting far away from their starting-point.  But as the time went on, and we seemed to fly over the waves at undiminished speed, I began to think this whale might be the exception necessary to prove the rule, so I got out the compass and watched his course.  Due east, not a degree to north or south of it, straight as a bee to its hive.  The ship was now far out of sight astern, but I knew that keen eyes had been watching our movements from the masthead, and that every effort possible would be made to keep the run of us.  The speed of our whale was not only great, but unflagging.  He was more like a machine than an animal capable of tiring; and though we did our level best, at the faintest symptom of slackening, to get up closer and lance him, it was for some time impossible.  After, at a rough estimate, running in a direct easterly course for over two hours, he suddenly sounded, without having given us the ghost of a chance to “land him one where he lived.”  Judging from his previous exertions, though, it was hardly possible he would be able to stay down long, or get very deep, as the strain upon these vast creatures at any depth is astonishingly exhausting.  After a longer stay below than usual, when they have gone extra deep, they often arrive at the surface manifestly “done up” for a time.  Then, if the whaleman be active and daring, a few well-directed strokes may be got in which will promptly settle the business out of hand.