The Jungfrau (or Virgin) is a German ship commanded by Captain Derick De Deer. Ishmael says that the Germans once had a great reputation for whaling, one which has been greatly diminished in the last century. The Captain has come in his boat asking for a small amount of whale oil to light his ship’s lanterns; a rather pathetic request, coming from a whaler.

Once the German captain is supplied and returned to his ship, a whole pod of whales suddenly surface; one of them is large, old, and slow. The Jungfrau is well ahead of the Pequod as both ships’ boats give chase and compete for the easiest and most valuable target. Captain De Deer suddenly becomes derisive, shaking his oil cask at the Pequod’s crew, which he throws at Stubb’s boat. At a critical juncture, the Captain’s boat capsizes, and all three of the Pequod’s ships strike at the whale. With all three harpooneer’s weapons in him, the old bull sounds deeply, nearly to the end of their ropes. All is still, and the Pequod’s crew waits.

Finally, the whale surfaces, bleeding profusely. Flask stabs him through his blind eye and the whale capsizes his boat in its death throes.