Esteban, a young Indian orphan of twelve, sets off on a great adventure. He follows his dream: he gets aboard a whaler, takes on the open sea, becomes a harpooner. Impressed by his tenacity and courage, the commander of the Leviathan takes him on as a ship’s boy and they set off for Cape Horn. He’ll discover life aboard a whaler, the crudeness – but solidarity – of the sailors, and the harshness of their world.