English
CommanderFarragutwasagoodseaman,worthyofthefrigatehecommanded.Hisshipandhewereone.Hewasitsverysoul.
Onthecetaceanquestionnodoubtsaroseinhismind,andhedidn'tallowtheanimal'sexistencetobedisputedaboardhisvessel.
HebelievedinitascertainpiouswomenbelieveintheleviathanfromtheBookofJob—outoffaith,notreason.
Themonsterexisted,andhehadvowedtoridtheseasofit.
ThemanwasasortofKnightofRhodes,alatter–daySirDieudonnéofGozo,onhiswaytofightanencounterwiththedragondevastatingtheisland.
EitherCommanderFarragutwouldslaythenarwhale,orthenarwhalewouldslayCommanderFarragut.Nomiddleoftheroadforthesetwo.
Theship'sofficerssharedtheviewsoftheirleader.
Theycouldbeheardchatting,discussing,arguing,calculatingthedifferentchancesofanencounter,andobservingthevastexpanseoftheocean.
Voluntarywatchesfromthecrosstreesofthetopgallantsailwereself–imposedbymorethanonewhowouldhavecursedsuchtoilunderanyothercircumstances.
Asoftenasthesunsweptoveritsdailyarc,themastswerepopulatedwithsailorswhosefeetitchedandcouldn'tholdstillontheplankingofthedeckbelow!
AndtheAbrahamLincoln'sstemposthadn'tevencutthesuspectedwatersofthePacific.
Asforthecrew,theyonlywantedtoencountertheunicorn,harpoonit,haulitonboard,andcarveitup.
Theysurveyedtheseawithscrupulouscare.
Besides,CommanderFarraguthadmentionedthatacertainsumof$2,000.00waswaitingforthemanwhofirstsightedtheanimal,behecabinboyorsailor,mateorofficer.
I'llletthereaderdecidewhethereyesgotproperexerciseaboardtheAbrahamLincoln.
Asforme,Ididn'tlagbehindtheothersandIyieldedtonoonemyshareinthesedailyobservations.
OurfrigatewouldhavehadfivescoregoodreasonsforrenamingitselftheArgus,afterthatmythologicalbeastwith100eyes!
ThelonerebelamonguswasConseil,whoseemedutterlyuninterestedinthequestionexcitingusandwasoutofstepwiththegeneralenthusiasmonboard.
AsIsaid,CommanderFarraguthadcarefullyequippedhisshipwithallthegearneededtofishforagiganticcetacean.
Nowhalingvesselcouldhavebeenbetterarmed.
Wehadeveryknownmechanism,fromthehand–hurledharpoon,totheblunderbussfiringbarbedarrows,totheduckgunwithexplodingbullets.
Ontheforecastlewasmountedthelatestmodelbreech–loadingcannon,veryheavyofbarrelandnarrowofbore,aweaponthatwouldfigureintheUniversalExhibitionof1867.
MadeinAmerica,thisvaluableinstrumentcouldfireafour–kilogramconicalprojectileanaveragedistanceofsixteenkilometerswithouttheleastbother.
SotheAbrahamLincolnwasn'tlackinginmeansofdestruction.Butithadbetterstill.IthadNedLand,theKingofHarpooners.
Giftedwithuncommonmanualability,NedLandwasaCanadianwhohadnoequalinhisdangeroustrade.
Dexterity,coolness,bravery,andcunningwerevirtueshepossessedtoahighdegree,andittookatrulycraftybaleenwhaleoranexceptionallyastutespermwhaletoeludethethrustsofhisharpoon.
NedLandwasaboutfortyyearsold.Amanofgreatheight—oversixEnglishfeet—hewaspowerfullybuilt,seriousinmanner,notverysociable,sometimesheadstrong,andquiteill–temperedwhencrossed.
Hislookscaughttheattention,andaboveallthestrengthofhisgaze,whichgaveauniqueemphasistohisfacialappearance.
CommanderFarragut,tomythinking,hadmadeawisemoveinhiringonthisman.
Withhiseyeandhisthrowingarm,hewasworththewholecrewallbyhimself.
Icandonobetterthantocomparehimwithapowerfultelescopethatcoulddoubleasacannonalwaysreadytofire.
TosayCanadianistosayFrench,andasunsociableasNedLandwas,Imustadmithetookadefinitelikingtome.
Nodoubtitwasmynationalitythatattractedhim.
Itwasanopportunityforhimtospeak,andformetohear,thatoldRabelaisiandialectstillusedinsomeCanadianprovinces.
Theharpooner'sfamilyoriginatedinQuebec,andtheywerealreadyalineofboldfishermenbackinthedayswhenthistownstillbelongedtoFrance.
LittlebylittleNeddevelopedatasteforchatting,andIlovedhearingthetalesofhisadventuresinthepolarseas.
Hedescribedhisfishingtripsandhisbattleswithgreatnaturallyricism.
Histalestookontheformofanepicpoem,andIfeltIwashearingsomeCanadianHomerrecitinghisIliadoftheHighArcticregions.
I'mwritingofthisboldcompanionasIcurrentlyknowhim.
Becausewe'vebecomeoldfriends,unitedinthatpermanentcomradeshipbornandcementedduringonlythemostfrightfulcrises!Ah,mygallantNed!
Iaskonlytolive100yearsmore,thelongertorememberyou!
Andnow,whatwereNedLand'sviewsonthisquestionofamarinemonster?
Imustadmitthatheflatlydidn'tbelieveintheunicorn,andaloneonboard,hedidn'tsharethegeneralconviction.
Heavoidedevendealingwiththesubject,forwhichonedayIfeltcompelledtotakehimtotask.
DuringthemagnificenteveningofJune25—inotherwords,threeweeksafterourdeparture—thefrigatelayabreastofCaboBlanco,thirtymilestoleewardofthecoastofPatagonia.
WehadcrossedtheTropicofCapricorn,andtheStraitofMagellanopenedlessthan700milestothesouth.
Beforeeightdayswereout,theAbrahamLincolnwouldplowthewavesofthePacific.
Seatedontheafterdeck,NedLandandIchattedaboutonethingandanother,staringatthatmysteriousseawhosedepthstothisdayarebeyondthereachofhumaneyes.
Quitenaturally,Iledourconversationaroundtothegiantunicorn,andIweighedourexpedition'svariouschancesforsuccessorfailure.
Then,seeingthatNedjustletmetalkwithoutsayingmuchhimself,Ipressedhimmoreclosely.
"Ned,"Iaskedhim,"howcanyoustilldoubttherealityofthiscetaceanwe'reafter?Doyouhaveanyparticularreasonsforbeingsoskeptical?"
Theharpoonerstaredatmeawhilebeforereplying,slappedhisbroadforeheadinoneofhisstandardgestures,closedhiseyesasiftocollecthimself,andfinallysaid:
"Justmaybe,ProfessorAronnax."
"ButNed,you'reaprofessionalwhaler,amanfamiliarwithallthegreatmarinemammals—yourmindshouldeasilyacceptthishypothesisofanenormouscetacean,andyououghttobethelastonetodoubtitunderthesecircumstances!"
"That'sjustwhereyou'remistaken,professor,"Nedreplied.
"Thecommonmanmaystillbelieveinfabulouscometscrossingouterspace,orinprehistoricmonsterslivingattheearth'score,butastronomersandgeologistsdon'tswallowsuchfairytales.It'sthesamewithwhalers.
I'vechasedplentyofcetaceans,I'veharpoonedagoodnumber,I'vekilledseveral.
Butnomatterhowpowerfulandwellarmedtheywere,neithertheirtailsortheirtuskscouldpuncturethesheet–ironplatesofasteamer."
"Evenso,Ned,peoplementionvesselsthatnarwhaletuskshaveruncleanthrough."
"Woodenshipsmaybe,"theCanadianreplied."ButI'veneverseenthelike.SotillIhaveprooftothecontrary,I'lldenythatbaleenwhales,spermwhales,orunicornscandoanysuchthing."
"Listentome,Ned—"
"No,no,professor.I'llgoalongwithanythingyouwantexceptthat.Somegiganticdevilfishmaybe...?"
"Evenlesslikely,Ned.Thedevilfishismerelyamollusk,andeventhisnamehintsatitssemiliquidflesh,becauseit'sLatinmeaning,'softone.'
Thedevilfishdoesn'tbelongtothevertebratebranch,andevenifitwere500feetlong,itwouldstillbeutterlyharmlesstoshipsliketheScotiaortheAbrahamLincoln.
Consequently,thefeatsofkrakensorothermonstersofthatilkmustberelegatedtotherealmoffiction."
"So,Mr.Naturalist,"NedLandcontinuedinabanteringtone,"you'lljustkeeponbelievingintheexistenceofsomeenormouscetacean...?"
"Yes,Ned,Irepeatitwithaconvictionbackedbyfactuallogic.
Ibelieveintheexistenceofamammalwithapowerfulconstitution,belongingtothevertebratebranchlikebaleenwhales,spermwhales,ordolphins,andarmedwithatuskmadeofhornthathastremendouspenetratingpower."
"Humph!"theharpoonerputin,shakinghisheadwiththeattitudeofamanwhodoesn'twanttobeconvinced.
"Notewell,myfineCanadian,"Iwenton,"ifsuchananimalexists,ifitlivesdeepintheocean,ifitfrequentstheliquidstratalocatedmilesbeneaththesurfaceofthewater,itneedstohaveaconstitutionsosolid,itdefiesallcomparison."
"Andwhythispowerfulconstitution?"Nedasked.
"Becauseittakesincalculablestrengthjusttoliveinthosedeepstrataandwithstandtheirpressure."
"Ohreally?"Nedsaid,tippingmeawink.
"Ohreally,andIcanproveittoyouwithafewsimplefigures."
"Bosh!"Nedreplied."Youcanmakefiguresdoanythingyouwant!"
"Inbusiness,Ned,butnotinmathematics.Listentome.
Let'sacceptthatthepressureofoneatmosphereisrepresentedbythepressureofacolumnofwaterthirty–twofeethigh.
Inreality,suchacolumnofwaterwouldn'tbequitesohighbecauseherewe'redealingwithsaltwater,whichisdenserthanfreshwater.
Wellthen,whenyoudiveunderthewaves,Ned,foreverythirty–twofeetofwateraboveyou,yourbodyistoleratingthepressureofonemoreatmosphere,inotherwords,onemorekilogrampereachsquarecentimeteronyourbody'ssurface.
Soitfollowsthatat320feetdown,thispressureisequaltotenatmospheres,to100atmospheresat3,200feet,andto1,000atmospheresat32,000feet,thatis,atabouttwoandahalfverticalleaguesdown.
Whichistantamounttosayingthatifyoucouldreachsuchadepthintheocean,eachsquarecentimeteronyourbody'ssurfacewouldbeexperiencing1,000kilogramsofpressure.
Now,mygallantNed,doyouknowhowmanysquarecentimetersyouhaveonyourbodilysurface?"
"Ihaven'tthefoggiestnotion,ProfessorAronnax."
"About17,000."
"Asmanyasthat?"
"Yes,andsincetheatmosphere'spressureactuallyweighsslightlymorethanonekilogrampersquarecentimeter,your17,000squarecentimetersaretolerating17,568kilogramsatthisverymoment."
"Withoutmynoticingit?"
"Withoutyournoticingit.Andifyouaren'tcrushedbysomuchpressure,it'sbecausetheairpenetratestheinteriorofyourbodywithequalpressure.
Whentheinsideandoutsidepressuresareinperfectbalance,theyneutralizeeachotherandallowyoutotoleratethemwithoutdiscomfort.Butinthewaterit'sanotherstory."
"Yes,Isee,"Nedreplied,growingmoreinterested."Becausethewatersurroundsmebutdoesn'tpenetrateme."
"Precisely,Ned.Soatthirty–twofeetbeneaththesurfaceofthesea,you'llundergoapressureof17,568kilograms;at320feet,ortentimesgreaterpressure,it's175,680kilograms;at3,200feet,or100timesgreaterpressure,it's1,756,800kilograms;finally,at32,000feet,or1,000timesgreaterpressure,it's17,568,000kilograms;inotherwords,you'dbesquashedasflatasifyou'djustbeenyankedfrombetweentheplatesofahydraulicpress!"
"Fireandbrimstone!"Nedputin.
"Allrightthen,myfineharpooner,ifvertebratesseveralhundredmeterslongandproportionateinbulkliveatsuchdepths,theirsurfaceareasmakeupmillionsofsquarecentimeters,andthepressuretheyundergomustbeassessedinbillionsofkilograms.
Calculate,then,howmuchresistanceofbonestructureandstrengthofconstitutionthey'dneedinordertowithstandsuchpressures!"
"They'dneedtobemanufactured,"NedLandreplied,"fromsheet–ironplateseightinchesthick,likeironcladfrigates."
"Right,Ned,andthenpicturethedamagesuchamasscouldinflictifitwerelaunchedwiththespeedofanexpresstrainagainstaship'shull."
"Yes...indeed...maybe,"theCanadianreplied,staggeredbythesefiguresbutstillnotwillingtogivein.
"Well,haveIconvincedyou?"
"You'veconvincedmeofonething,Mr.Naturalist.Thatdeepinthesea,suchanimalswouldneedtobejustasstrongasyousay—iftheyexist."
"Butiftheydon'texist,mystubbornharpooner,howdoyouexplaintheaccidentthathappenedtotheScotia?"
"It'smaybe...,"Nedsaid,hesitating.
"Goon!"
"Because...itjustcouldn'tbetrue!"theCanadianreplied,unconsciouslyechoingafamouscatchphraseofthescientistArago.
Butthisreplyprovednothing,otherthanhowbullheadedtheharpoonercouldbe.ThatdayIpressedhimnofurther.TheScotia'saccidentwasundeniable.
Itsholewasrealenoughthatithadtobepluggedup,andIdon'tthinkahole'sexistencecanbemoreemphaticallyproven.
Nowthen,thisholedidn'tmakeitself,andsinceithadn'tresultedfromunderwaterrocksorunderwatermachines,itmusthavebeencausedbytheperforatingtoolofsomeanimal.
Now,forallthereasonsputforwardtothispoint,IbelievedthatthisanimalwasamemberofthebranchVertebrata,classMammalia,groupPisciforma,andfinally,orderCetacea.
Asforthefamilyinwhichitwouldbeplaced(baleenwhale,spermwhale,ordolphin),thegenustowhichitbelonged,andthespeciesinwhichitwouldfinditsproperhome,thesequestionshadtobeleftforlater.
Toanswerthemcalledfordissectingthisunknownmonster;todissectitcalledforcatchingit;tocatchitcalledforharpooningit—whichwasNedLand'sbusiness;toharpoonitcalledforsightingit—whichwasthecrew'sbusiness;andtosightitcalledforencounteringit—whichwasachancybusiness.
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