But soon recognizing the state of affairs, she sat down in a chair, threw a shawl over her head, and waited for the awful bump.
"Fortunately whales are soft," she said to her, self over and over again.
No one now thought of buoys.

Every eye on deck was fixed upon the exposed back of the whale, and everybody speedily agreed that it was coming nearer to them.

It did come nearer and nearer, and at one time it raised its head as if it were endeavoring to look over the water at the strange object which had come into those seas.

Then suddenly it tossed its tail high into the air and sank out of sight.
"It's a right-whale!" cried Captain Hubbell.

"There's whales in this sea! Let's get through this buoy business and go cruisin' after 'em." There was a great deal of excited talk about the appearance of the whale, but this was not allowed to interfere with the business in hand.
A chain, not very heavy but of enormous strength, and of sufficient length to reach the bottom and give plenty of play, was attached to an anchor of a peculiar kind.