"There she blows! there she blows!" hailed the look-out from the
mast-head, as a school of whales hove in sight, about three miles
astern, one afternoon, when they had been four months on the whaling
grounds. It was the first discovery that had been made, they having been
thus far unsuccessful. All hands were immediately called up; every man
was at his post, making ready for the coming scene of action; not as a
man-of-war, in the charging of cannon, the priming of musketry, and the
brandishing of swords, a battle between man and man, but the boats were
lowered, the harpoons were got out, and everything was made ready for an
encounter with the monster of the ocean. Now was the time when the
captain would exhibit his skill as a whaler; all depends on his
management as to their success; he must be cool, and collected, working
systematically; for not only does it require great skill and caution in
the capturing of the whale, but there are many dangers attendant upon
the encounter.
"There she blows!" No sooner did Captain Jostler hear the report, than
it seemed as if he would go beside himself; every man was ready to do
his duty, and had they possessed the right kind of commander, might have
done well; but where there is no head, nothing is accomplished.
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