About noon
The wind had moderated and become more in our favour , although the vast billows rolled on like moving mountains of water . Now the ship forced her way to the summit of one , the next instant to glide down rapidly into the vale below , performing the same course again and again . At length even the billows subsided , and we began to look forward to having fine weather . About noon one day the look-out from the masthead shouted -- `` There she spouts ! There she spouts ! '' A school of whales was in sight . `` Lower two boats , '' cried the captain .