noon
This latter circumstance was imputed to the difficulty the different officers had in making their selections , cows , of the spermaceti breed , when they give suck , being commonly light , and yielding , comparatively , very small quantities of head-matter and oil . In selecting the bull , Roswell had shown his judgment , the male animal commonly returning to its conquerors twice the profit that is derived from the female . The whale to which Roswell was fast continued sculling away to windward for quite two hours , causing the men to entirely lose sight of the other boats , and bringing the topsails of the schooners themselves down to the water 's edge . Fortunately , it was not yet noon , and there were no immediate apprehensions from the darkness ; nor did the bull appear to be much alarmed , though the boat was towing so close in his rear . At first , or before the irons were thrown , the utmost care had been taken not to make a noise ; but the instant the crew were ` fast , ' whispers were changed into loud calls , and orders were passed in shouts , rather than in verbal commands . The wildest excitement prevailed among the men , strangely blended with a cool dexterity ; but it was very apparent that a high sporting fever was raging among them . Gardiner himself was much the coolest man in his own boat , as became his station and very responsible duties .