Throughout the following week all hands toiled nobly to stow away their great catch, but the captain and officers had a pretty bad time, for every day small pods of sperm whales would come nosing around, quite close to the ship, as if they knew (and perhaps they did) that her crew was unable to take advantage of this wonderful opportunity through having their hands so abundantly filled. Then when at last the whole catch had been reduced into the comparatively small compass of nearly 600 barrels, or 60 tons of oil, and the lash rails all round the ship were fully occupied by huge casks full of oil getting cool, the harponeers of each boat made haste to refit their boats, sharpen their weapons, and make all ready for the next opportunity, thinking at the same time how very unlikely it was that those visiting whales would happen along again now that they might look for a cordial reception.
I have not made any special mention of my hero in connexion with this great piece of work, because he did only what every one else did, his best, and at a time like that the slightest softness or slacking-off of a man in a position of authority is noted at once, not merely by his compeers but by his subordinates. Through this really severe ordeal C. B. passed triumphantly in spite of the novelty of much of the work to him, and by the time it was over there really seemed to be a tacit agreement on the part of the men who hated him to let him alone, since he had proved in the most satisfactory way that he was entirely capable, willing and cheerful, and that the men forward would jump more eagerly at his slightest pleasantest word than they would at a bitter curse weighing a threat from one of the truculent Portuguese. In fact, although no one told him so in so many words, all the circumstances attending this great catch went to place C. B. in the position in the esteem of his fellows that he deserved to occupy, and lasting peace seemed assured.
CHAPTER X A Gam and a Revenge
There was ample time after this severe ordeal to restore the Eliza Adams to her pristine cleanliness, for as the captain caustically remarked, the whales seemed to have all concentrated in that spot and subsequently to have all left for parts unknown. And really it did seem like it, for no solitary spout was seen for nearly three weeks. Then came a pleasant diversion; how pleasant only those can know who for many months have been denied all the intercourse with their kind outside of the little population of the ship. Pepe being at the masthead from 4 to 6 p.m. yelled “Sail ho.” This was the first cry of that kind that the crew had heard since leaving Norfolk Island, and be sure they were proportionately excited.
Many eager speculations were made during the next two hours, for the wind was but light and she was fully ten miles away, as to whether the stranger was a “spouter” or a merchantman. And a great relief was felt when just at sunset she was made out to be one of their own fraternity, and joyful greeting signals were exchanged. It was quite dark before the two ships came near enough to each other to “gam” as we call it, but what of that? What of the fact that a stiff breeze had got up, and that boats passing between the ships in the dark must necessarily have a rough time. In the Navy and among the whalers such things are most lightly esteemed. I have seen a group of Naval officers brave a most tempestuous passage of half an hour’s duration, the picquet boat taking green water over as she plunged through the seas, merely to have an hour’s lawn tennis or golf and come off again, and I have known repeatedly whalemen brave the terrors of the great Southern ocean rollers in half a gale of wind at night merely in order to have a chat with some fresh fellows, exchange a few ideas that to strangers might have the merit of novelty.
So at eight bells, 8 p.m., as her lights were seen stationary abeam about a mile away, a boat was lowered from the Eliza Adams into which the captain and C. B. with the boat’s crew descended, and pulled away into the darkness until the dim black hull of the vessel they are bound to suddenly loomed huge and threatening from the darkness.
“Ship ahoy!” roared the skipper. “Here’s Captain Taber of the Eliza Adams come a gamming.”
“Welcome, Captain Taber, I knew it was you as soon as I heard ye hail. This is the Matilda Sayer of Dartmouth, Captain Rotch.”