About two p.m.
One of the mate 's crew was sick , and to replace him he took Abner out of my boat . Away they went ; and shortly after breakfast-time I lowered , received the captain on board , and we started for the capital . Upon our arrival there we interviewed the chief , a stout , pleasant-looking man of about fifty , who was evidently held in great respect by the natives , and had a chat with the white Wesleyan missionary in charge of the station . About two p.m. , after the captain 's business was over , we were returning under sail , when we suddenly caught sight of two of our boats heading in towards one of the islands . We helped her with the paddles to get up to them , seeing as we neared them the two long fins of a whale close ahead of one of them . As we gazed breathlessly at the exciting scene , we saw the boat rush in between the two flippers , the harpooner at the same time darting an iron straight down . There was a whirl in the waters , and quick as thought the vast flukes of the whale rose in the air , recurving with a sidelong sweep as of some gigantic scythe .