The adoption of this new method seemed to cheer the men up. One advantage was that we were disposed to converse more than we did in the gloomy forecastle, and pleasantries were indulged in. The good manners noticeable in the forecastle were not discarded on deck. Food may not have been partaken of according to the requirements of polite society, but each had due regard for the rights of others, and there was no sign of greediness.
I have said that I was not a great success at the masthead, and I repeat it. My vision may have been poor or I may not have had very good luck, but good fortune came in an unexpected way. A few days after leaving the island I stood in the hoop, looking out on a sea that was hardly moved by a ripple and on a sky that was clear of clouds. I think I have said that a whale will suddenly appear when for some time not a spout has been seen from the ship. The belief is that the whale must have sounded at a place a long way off and then made great speed under water. While I was scanning the horizon, suddenly my attention was attracted by a spout not more than two hundred yards away, and I shouted “B-l-o-w-s, b-l-o-w-s, b-l-o-w-s. There he breaches! There he white waters.” I saw just enough of the whale to convince me that he was a large one.
Silva’s boat was the first to take water, and that boat was the one which got him. When the whale was fast to the ship, Silva said, “I never see such a whale in my whalin’. He’s the biggest fellow I ever see; he’ll make a good deal over a hundred. When we struck him he didn’t seem to show no spunk. I never see a whale with such weak flukes. He didn’t make much more suds than a washwoman makes, and, when he sounded, it wa’n’t no more than a boy divin’. The line went out so slow that you’d think there was a child pullin’ at the other end, and we didn’t lose no more than eighty fathoms. And he ain’t no dry skin. His jaws is all perfect. He ain’t been fightin’ with no whale. There’s somethin’ the matter with the big fellow, but I don’t know as we’ll find out.”
[Illustration: I shouted “B-l-o-w-s, b-l-o-w-s, b-l-o-w-s. There he breaches!”]
Turning to me, Silva said, “See here, young fellow, I guess you’ve got ahead of all the boys. Seems to me you’ll be sportin’ a gold watch when you get back to New Bedford.”