Englishman James Headley signs on as second mate on the whaling ship Falcon in 1836. En route from Australia to the northern whaling grounds, the ship is hit hard and damaged by a typhoon, but it manages to limp into the Pohnpei Harbor. While the Falcon is undergoing repairs, Headley falls in love with an island princess. When the ship gets underway again, just as it is about to clear the harbor, it runs aground on a hidden reef. The captain and four...