English
Alreadyweareboldlylauncheduponthedeep;butsoonweshallbelostinitsunshoredharborlessimmensities.
Erethatcometopass;erethePequod’sweedyhullrollssidebysidewiththebarnacledhullsoftheleviathan;attheoutsetitisbutwelltoattendtoamatteralmostindispensabletoathoroughappreciativeunderstandingofthemorespecialleviathanicrevelationsandallusionsofallsortswhicharetofollow.
Itissomesystematizedexhibitionofthewhaleinhisbroadgenera,thatIwouldnowfainputbeforeyou.Yetisitnoeasytask.
Theclassificationoftheconstituentsofachaos,nothinglessishereessayed.
Listentowhatthebestandlatestauthoritieshavelaiddown.
“NobranchofZoologyissomuchinvolvedasthatwhichisentitledCetology,”saysCaptainScoresby,A.D.1820.
“Itisnotmyintention,wereitinmypower,toenterintotheinquiryastothetruemethodofdividingthecetaceaintogroupsandfamilies….
Utterconfusionexistsamongthehistoriansofthisanimal”(spermwhale),saysSurgeonBeale,A.D.1839.
“Unfitnesstopursueourresearchintheunfathomablewaters.”
“Impenetrableveilcoveringourknowledgeofthecetacea.”“Afieldstrewnwiththorns.”
“Alltheseincompleteindicationsbutservetotortureusnaturalists.”
Thusspeakofthewhale,thegreatCuvier,andJohnHunter,andLesson,thoselightsofzoologyandanatomy.
Nevertheless,thoughofrealknowledgetherebelittle,yetofbooksthereareaplenty;andsoinsomesmalldegree,withcetology,orthescienceofwhales.
Manyarethemen,smallandgreat,oldandnew,landsmenandseamen,whohaveatlargeorinlittle,writtenofthewhale.
Runoverafew:-TheAuthorsoftheBible;Aristotle;Pliny;Aldrovandi;SirThomasBrowne;Gesner;Ray;Linnaeus;Rondeletius;Willoughby;Green;Artedi;Sibbald;Brisson;Marten;Lacepede;Bonneterre;Desmarest;BaronCuvier;FrederickCuvier;JohnHunter;Owen;Scoresby;Beale;Bennett;J.RossBrowne;theAuthorofMiriamCoffin;Olmstead;andtheRev.T.Cheever.
Buttowhatultimategeneralizingpurposeallthesehavewritten,theabovecitedextractswillshow.
OfthenamesinthislistofwhaleauthorsonlythosefollowingOweneversawlivingwhales;andbutoneofthemwasarealprofessionalharpooneerandwhaleman.ImeanCaptainScoresby.
OntheseparatesubjectoftheGreenlandorright-whale,heisthebestexistingauthority.
ButScoresbyknewnothingandsaysnothingofthegreatspermwhale,comparedwithwhichtheGreenlandwhaleisalmostunworthymentioning.
Andherebeitsaid,thattheGreenlandwhaleisanusurperuponthethroneoftheseas.
Heisnotevenbyanymeansthelargestofthewhales.
Yet,owingtothelongpriorityofhisclaims,andtheprofoundignorancewhichtillsomeseventyyearsback,investedthethenfabulousorutterlyunknownsperm-whale,andwhichignorancetothispresentdaystillreignsinallbutsomefewscientificretreatsandwhale-ports;thisusurpationhasbeeneverywaycomplete.
Referencetonearlyalltheleviathanicallusionsinthegreatpoetsofpastdays,willsatisfyyouthattheGreenlandwhale,withoutonerival,wastothemthemonarchoftheseas.
Butthetimehasatlastcomeforanewproclamation.ThisisCharingCross;hearye!
goodpeopleall,-theGreenlandwhaleisdeposed,-thegreatspermwhalenowreigneth!
Thereareonlytwobooksinbeingwhichatallpretendtoputthelivingspermwhalebeforeyou,andatthesametime,intheremotestdegreesucceedintheattempt.
ThosebooksareBeale’sandBennett’s;bothintheirtimesurgeonstotheEnglishSouth-Seawhale-ships,andbothexactandreliablemen.
Theoriginalmattertouchingthespermwhaletobefoundintheirvolumesisnecessarilysmall;butsofarasitgoes,itisofexcellentquality,thoughmostlyconfinedtoscientificdescription.
Asyet,however,thespermwhale,scientificorpoetic,livesnotcompleteinanyliterature.
Faraboveallotherhuntedwhales,hisisanunwrittenlife.
Nowthevariousspeciesofwhalesneedsomesortofpopularcomprehensiveclassification,ifonlyaneasyoutlineoneforthepresent,hereaftertobefilledinall-outwarditsdepartmentsbysubsequentlaborers.
Asnobettermanadvancestotakethismatterinhand,Ihereuponoffermyownpoorendeavors.
Ipromisenothingcomplete;becauseanyhumanthingsupposedtobecompletemustforthatveryreasoninfalliblybefaulty.
Ishallnotpretendtoaminuteanatomicaldescriptionofthevariousspecies,or-inthisspaceatleast-tomuchofanydescription.
Myobjecthereissimplytoprojectthedraughtofasystematizationofcetology.Iamthearchitect,notthebuilder.
Butitisaponderoustask;noordinaryletter-sorterinthePost-Officeisequaltoit.
Togropedownintothebottomoftheseaafterthem;tohaveone’shandsamongtheunspeakablefoundations,ribs,andverypelvisoftheworld;thisisafearfulthing.
WhatamIthatIshouldessaytohookthenoseofthisleviathan!
TheawfultauntingsinJobmightwellappalme.
“Willhe(theleviathan)makeacovenantwiththee?Beholdthehopeofhimisvain!
ButIhaveswamthroughlibrariesandsailedthroughoceans;Ihavehadtodowithwhaleswiththesevisiblehands;Iaminearnest;andIwilltry.Therearesomepreliminariestosettle.
First:Theuncertain,unsettledconditionofthisscienceofCetologyisintheveryvestibuleattestedbythefact,thatinsomequartersitstillremainsamootpointwhetherawhalebeafish.
InhisSystemofNature,A.D.1776,Linnaeusdeclares,“Iherebyseparatethewhalesfromthefish.”
Butofmyownknowledge,Iknowthatdowntotheyear1850,sharksandshad,alewivesandherring,againstLinnaeus’sexpressedict,werestillfounddividingthepossessionofthesameseaswiththeLeviathan.
ThegroundsuponwhichLinnaeuswouldfainhavebanishedthewhalesfromthewaters,hestatesasfollows:“Onaccountoftheirwarmbilocularheart,theirlungs,theirmoveableeyelids,theirhollowears,penemintrantemfeminammammislactantem,”andfinally,“exlegenaturaejuremeritoque.”
IsubmittedallthistomyfriendsSimeonMaceyandCharleyCoffin,ofNantucket,bothmessmatesofmineinacertainvoyage,andtheyunitedintheopinionthatthereasonssetforthwerealtogetherinsufficient.
Charleyprofanelyhintedtheywerehumbug.
Beitknownthat,waivingallargument,Itakethegoodoldfashionedgroundthatthewhaleisafish,andcalluponholyJonahtobackme.
Thisfundamentalthingsettled,thenextpointis,inwhatinternalrespectdoesthewhaledifferfromotherfish.
Above,Linnaeushasgivenyouthoseitems.
Butinbrieftheyarethese:lungsandwarmblood;whereas,allotherfisharelunglessandcoldblooded.
Next:howshallwedefinethewhale,byhisobviousexternals,soasconspicuouslytolabelhimforalltimetocome.
Tobeshort,then,awhaleisaspoutingfishwithahorizontaltail.Thereyouhavehim.
Howevercontracted,thatdefinitionistheresultofexpandedmeditation.
Awalrusspoutsmuchlikeawhale,butthewalrusisnotafish,becauseheisamphibious.
Butthelasttermofthedefinitionisstillmorecogent,ascoupledwiththefirst.
Almostanyonemusthavenoticedthatallthefishfamiliartolandsmenhavenotaflat,butavertical,orup-and-downtail.
Whereas,amongspoutingfishthetail,thoughitmaybesimilarlyshaped,invariablyassumesahorizontalposition.
Bytheabovedefinitionofwhatawhaleis,IdobynomeansexcludefromtheleviathanicbrotherhoodanyseacreaturehithertoidentifiedwiththewhalebythebestinformedNantucketers;nor,ontheotherhand,linkwithitanyfishhithertoauthoritativelyregardedasalien.
*Hence,allthesmaller,spoutingandhorizontaltailedfishmustbeincludedinthisground-planofcetology.
Now,then,comethegranddivisionsoftheentirewhalehost.
Iamawarethatdowntothepresenttime,thefishstyledLamatinsandDugongs(Pig-fishandSow-fishoftheCoffinsofNantucket)areincludedbymanynaturalistsamongthewhales.
Butasthesepig-fishareanoisy,contemptibleset,mostlylurkinginthemouthsofrivers,andfeedingonwethay,andespeciallyastheydonotspout,Idenytheircredentialsaswhales;andhavepresentedthemwiththeirpassportstoquittheKingdomofCetology.
First:AccordingtomagnitudeIdividethewhalesintothreeprimaryBOOKS(subdivisibleintoCHAPTERS),andtheseshallcomprehendthemall,bothsmallandlarge.
I.THEFOLIOWHALE;II.theOCTAVOWHALE;III.theDUODECIMOWHALE.
AsthetypeoftheFOLIOIpresenttheSpermWhale;oftheOCTAVO,theGrampus;oftheDUODECIMO,thePorpoise.FOLIOS.
AmongtheseIhereincludethefollowingchapters:-I.TheSpermWhale;II.theRightWhale;III.theFinBackWhale;IV.
theHumpbackedWhale;V.theRazorBackWhale;VI.theSulphurBottomWhale.
BOOKI.(Folio),CHAPTERI.(SpermWhale).
-Thiswhale,amongtheEnglishofoldvaguelyknownastheTrumpawhaleandthePhyseterwhale,andtheAnvilHeadedwhale,isthepresentCachalotoftheFrench,andthePottsfichoftheGermans,andtheMacrocephalusoftheLongWords.
Heis,withoutdoubt,thelargestinhabitantoftheglobe;themostformidableofallwhalestoencounter;themostmajesticinaspect;andlastly,byfarthemostvaluableincommerce;hebeingtheonlycreaturefromwhichthatvaluablesubstance,spermaceti,isobtained.
Allhispeculiaritieswill,inmanyotherplaces,beenlargedupon.
ItischieflywithhisnamethatInowhavetodo.
Philologicallyconsidered,itisabsurd.
Somecenturiesago,whenthespermwhalewasalmostwhollyunknowninhisownproperindividuality,andwhenhisoilwasonlyaccidentallyobtainedfromthestrandedfish;inthosedaysspermaceti,itwouldseem,waspopularlysupposedtobederivedfromacreatureidenticalwiththeonethenknowninEnglandastheGreenlandorRightWhale.
Itwastheideaalso,thatthissamespermacetiwasthatquickeninghumoroftheGreenlandWhalewhichthefirstsyllableofthewordliterallyexpresses.
Inthosetimes,also,spermacetiwasexceedinglyscarce,notbeingusedforlight,butonlyasanointmentandmedicament.
Itwasonlytobehadfromthedruggistsasyounowadaysbuyanounceofrhubarb.
When,asIopine,inthecourseoftime,thetruenatureofspermacetibecameknown,itsoriginalnamewasstillretainedbythedealers;nodoubttoenhanceitsvaluebyanotionsostrangelysignificantofitsscarcity.
Andsotheappellationmustatlasthavecometobebestoweduponthewhalefromwhichthisspermacetiwasreallyderived.
BOOKI.(Folio),CHAPTERII.(RightWhale).
-Inonerespectthisisthemostvenerableoftheleviathans,beingtheonefirstregularlyhuntedbyman.
Ityieldsthearticlecommonlyknownaswhaleboneorbaleen;andtheoilspeciallyknownas“whaleoil,”aninferiorarticleincommerce.
Amongthefishermen,heisindiscriminatelydesignatedbyallthefollowingtitles:TheWhale;theGreenlandWhale;theBlackWhale;theGreatWhale;theTrueWhale;theRightWhale.
ThereisadealofobscurityconcerningtheIdentityofthespeciesthusmultitudinouslybaptized.
Whatthenisthewhale,whichIincludeinthesecondspeciesofmyFolios?
ItistheGreatMysticetusoftheEnglishnaturalists;theGreenlandWhaleoftheEnglishwhaleman;theBalieneOrdinaireoftheFrenchwhalemen;theGrowlandsWalfishoftheSwedes.
ItisthewhalewhichformorethantwocenturiespasthasbeenhuntedbytheDutchandEnglishintheArcticseas;itisthewhalewhichtheAmericanfishermenhavelongpursuedintheIndianocean,ontheBrazilBanks,ontheNor’WestCoast,andvariousotherpartsoftheworld,designatedbythemRightWhaleCruisingGrounds.
SomepretendtoseeadifferencebetweentheGreenlandwhaleoftheEnglishandtherightwhaleoftheAmericans.
Buttheypreciselyagreeinalltheirgrandfeatures;norhasthereyetbeenpresentedasingledeterminatefactuponwhichtogroundaradicaldistinction.
Itisbyendlesssubdivisionsbaseduponthemostinconclusivedifferences,thatsomedepartmentsofnaturalhistorybecomesorepellinglyintricate.
Therightwhalewillbeelsewheretreatedofatsomelength,withreferencetoelucidatingthespermwhale.
BOOKI.(Folio),CHAPTERIII.(Fin-Back).
-UnderthisheadIreckonamonsterwhich,bythevariousnamesofFin-Back,Tall-Spout,andLong-John,hasbeenseenalmostineveryseaandiscommonlythewhalewhosedistantjetissooftendescriedbypassengerscrossingtheAtlantic,intheNewYorkpacket-tracks.
Inthelengthheattains,andinhisbaleen,theFin-backresemblestherightwhale,butisofalessportlygirth,andalightercolor,approachingtoolive.
Hisgreatlipspresentacable-likeaspect,formedbytheintertwisting,slantingfoldsoflargewrinkles.
Hisgranddistinguishingfeature,thefin,fromwhichhederiveshisname,isoftenaconspicuousobject.
Thisfinissomethreeorfourfeetlong,growingverticallyfromthehinderpartoftheback,ofanangularshape,andwithaverysharppointedend.
Evenifnottheslightestotherpartofthecreaturebevisible,thisisolatedfinwill,attimes,beseenplainlyprojectingfromthesurface.
Whentheseaismoderatelycalm,andslightlymarkedwithsphericalripples,andthisgnomon-likefinstandsupandcastsshadowsuponthewrinkledsurface,itmaywellbesupposedthatthewaterycirclesurroundingitsomewhatresemblesadial,withitsstyleandwavyhour-linesgravedonit.
OnthatAhaz-dialtheshadowoftengoesback.TheFin-Backisnotgregarious.
Heseemsawhale-hater,assomemenareman-haters.
Veryshy;alwaysgoingsolitary;unexpectedlyrisingtothesurfaceintheremotestandmostsullenwaters;hisstraightandsingleloftyjetrisinglikeatallmisanthropicspearuponabarrenplain;giftedwithsuchwondrouspowerandvelocityinswimming,astodefyallpresentpursuitfromman;thisleviathanseemsthebanishedandunconquerableCainofhisrace,bearingforhismarkthatstyleuponhisback.
Fromhavingthebaleeninhismouth,theFin-Backissometimesincludedwiththerightwhale,amongatheoreticspeciesdenominatedWhalebonewhales,thatis,whaleswithbaleen.
Oftheseso-calledWhalebonewhales,therewouldseemtobeseveralvarieties,mostofwhich,however,arelittleknown.
Broad-nosedwhalesandbeakedwhales;pike-headedwhales;bunchedwhales;under-jawedwhalesandrostratedwhales,arethefisherman’snamesforafewsorts.
Inconnexionwiththisappellativeof“Whalebonewhales,”itisofgreatimportancetomention,thathoweversuchanomenclaturemaybeconvenientinfacilitatingallusionstosomekindofwhales,yetitisinvaintoattemptaclearclassificationoftheLeviathan,foundeduponeitherhisbaleen,orhump,orfin,orteeth;notwithstandingthatthosemarkedpartsorfeaturesveryobviouslyseembetteradaptedtoaffordthebasisforaregularsystemofCetologythananyotherdetachedbodilydistinctions,whichthewhale,inhiskinds,presents.
Howthen?
Thebaleen,hump,back-fin,andteeth;thesearethingswhosepeculiaritiesareindiscriminatelydispersedamongallsortsofwhales,withoutanyrecordtowhatmaybethenatureoftheirstructureinotherandmoreessentialparticulars.
Thus,thespermwhaleandthehumpbackedwhale,eachhasahump;buttherethesimilitudeceases.
ThenthissamehumpbackedwhaleandtheGreenlandwhale,eachofthesehasbaleen;butthereagainthesimilitudeceases.
Anditisjustthesamewiththeotherpartsabovementioned.
Invarioussortsofwhales,theyformsuchirregularcombinations;or,inthecaseofanyoneofthemdetached,suchanirregularisolation;asutterlytodefyallgeneralmethodizationformeduponsuchabasis.
Onthisrockeveryoneofthewhale-naturalistshassplit.
Butitmaypossiblybeconceivedthat,intheinternalpartsofthewhale,inhisanatomy-there,atleast,weshallbeabletohittherightclassification.
Nay;whatthing,forexample,isthereintheGreenlandwhale’sanatomymorestrikingthanhisbaleen?
YetwehaveseenthatbyhisbaleenitisimpossiblecorrectlytoclassifytheGreenlandwhale.
Andifyoudescendintothebowelsofthevariousleviathans,whythereyouwillnotfinddistinctionsafiftiethpartasavailabletothesystematizerasthoseexternalonesalreadyenumerated.Whatthenremains?
nothingbuttotakeholdofthewhalesbodily,intheirentireliberalvolume,andboldlysortthemthatway.
AndthisistheBibliographicalsystemhereadopted;anditistheonlyonethatcanpossiblysucceed,foritaloneispracticable.Toproceed.
BOOKI.(Folio)CHAPTERIV.(HumpBack).
-ThiswhaleisoftenseenonthenorthernAmericancoast.
Hehasbeenfrequentlycapturedthere,andtowedintoharbor.
Hehasagreatpackonhimlikeapeddler;oryoumightcallhimtheElephantandCastlewhale.
Atanyrate,thepopularnameforhimdoesnotsufficientlydistinguishhim,sincethespermwhalealsohasahumpthoughasmallerone.Hisoilisnotveryvaluable.Hehasbaleen.
Heisthemostgamesomeandlight-heartedofallthewhales,makingmoregayfoamandwhitewatergenerallythananyotherofthem.
BOOKI.(Folio),CHAPTERV.(RazarBack).
-Ofthiswhalelittleisknownbuthisname.
IhaveseenhimatadistanceoffCapeHorn.
Ofaretiringnature,heeludesbothhuntersandphilosophers.
Thoughnocoward,hehasneveryetshownanypartofhimbuthisback,whichrisesinalongsharpridge.Lethimgo.
Iknowlittlemoreofhim,nordoesanybodyelse.
BOOKI.(Folio),CHAPTERVI.(SulphurBottom).
-Anotherretiringgentleman,withabrimstonebelly,doubtlessgotbyscrapingalongtheTartariantilesinsomeofhisprofounderdivings.
Heisseldomseen;atleastIhaveneverseenhimexceptintheremotersouthernseas,andthenalwaysattoogreatadistancetostudyhiscountenance.
Heisneverchased;hewouldrunawaywithrope-walksofline.Prodigiesaretoldofhim.Adieu,SulphurBottom!
Icansaynothingmorethatistrueofye,norcantheoldestNantucketer.
ThusendsBOOKI.(Folio),andnowbeginsBOOKII.(Octavo).
OCTAVOES.Theseembracethewhalesofmiddlingmagnitude,amongwhichpresentmaybenumbered:-I.,theGrampus;II.,theBlackFish;III.,theNarwhale;IV.,theThrasher;V.,theKiller.
*WhythisbookofwhalesisnotdenominatedtheQuartoisveryplain.
Because,whilethewhalesofthisorder,thoughsmallerthanthoseoftheformerorder,neverthelessretainaproportionatelikenesstotheminfigure,yetthebookbinder’sQuartovolumeinitsdimensionedformdoesnotpreservetheshapeoftheFoliovolume,buttheOctavovolumedoes.
BOOKII.(Octavo),CHAPTERI.(Grampus).
-Thoughthisfish,whoseloudsonorousbreathing,orratherblowing,hasfurnishedaproverbtolandsmen,issowellknownadenizenofthedeep,yetishenotpopularlyclassedamongwhales.
Butpossessingallthegranddistinctivefeaturesoftheleviathan,mostnaturalistshaverecognisedhimforone.
Heisofmoderateoctavesize,varyingfromfifteentotwenty-fivefeetinlength,andofcorrespondingdimensionsroundthewaist.
Heswimsinherds;heisneverregularlyhunted,thoughhisoilisconsiderableinquantity,andprettygoodforlight.
Bysomefishermenhisapproachisregardedaspremonitoryoftheadvanceofthegreatspermwhale.
BOOKII.(Octavo),CHAPTERII.(BlackFish).
-Igivethepopularfishermen’snamesforallthesefish,forgenerallytheyarethebest.
Whereanynamehappenstobevagueorinexpressive,Ishallsayso,andsuggestanother.
IdosonowtouchingtheBlackFish,socalledbecauseblacknessistheruleamongalmostallwhales.
So,callhimtheHyenaWhale,ifyouplease.
Hisvoracityiswellknownandfromthecircumstancethattheinneranglesofhislipsarecurvedupwards,hecarriesaneverlastingMephistopheleangrinonhisface.
Thiswhaleaveragessomesixteenoreighteenfeetinlength.Heisfoundinalmostalllatitudes.
Hehasapeculiarwayofshowinghisdorsalhookedfininswimming,whichlookssomethinglikeaRomannose.
Whennotmoreprofitablyemployed,thespermwhalehunterssometimescapturetheHyenawhale,tokeepupthesupplyofcheapoilfordomesticemployment-assomefrugalhousekeepers,intheabsenceofcompany,andquitealonebythemselves,burnunsavorytallowinsteadofodorouswax.
Thoughtheirblubberisverythin,someofthesewhaleswillyieldyouupwardsofthirtygallonsofoil.
BOOKII.(Octavo),CHAPTERIII.(Narwhale),thatis,Nostrilwhale.
-Anotherinstanceofacuriouslynamedwhale,sonamedIsupposefromhispeculiarhornbeingoriginallymistakenforapeakednose.
Thecreatureissomesixteenfeetinlength,whileitshornaveragesfivefeet,thoughsomeexceedten,andevenattaintofifteenfeet.
Strictlyspeaking,thishornisbutalengthenedtusk,growingoutfromthejawinalinealittledepressedfromthehorizontal.
Butitisonlyfoundonthesinisterside,whichhasanilleffect,givingitsownersomethinganalogoustotheaspectofaclumsyleft-handedman.
Whatprecisepurposethisivoryhornorlanceanswers,itwouldbehardtosay.
Itdoesnotseemtobeusedlikethebladeofthesword-fishandbill-fish;thoughsomesailorstellmethattheNarwhaleemploysitforarakeinturningoverthebottomoftheseaforfood.
CharleyCoffinsaiditwasusedforanice-piercer;fortheNarwhale,risingtothesurfaceofthePolarSea,andfindingitsheetedwithice,thrustshishornup,andsobreaksthrough.
Butyoucannotproveeitherofthesesurmisestobecorrect.
Myownopinionis,thathoweverthisone-sidedhornmayreallybeusedbytheNarwhale-howeverthatmaybe-itwouldcertainlybeveryconvenienttohimforafolderinreadingpamphlets.
TheNarwhaleIhaveheardcalledtheTuskedwhale,theHornedwhale,andtheUnicornwhale.
HeiscertainlyacuriousexampleoftheUnicornismtobefoundinalmosteverykingdomofanimatednature.
FromcertaincloisteredoldauthorsIhavegatheredthatthissamesea-unicorn’shornwasinancientdaysregardedasthegreatantidoteagainstpoison,andassuch,preparationsofitbroughtimmenseprices.
Itwasalsodistilledtoavolatilesaltsforfaintingladiesthesamewaythatthehornsofthemaledeeraremanufacturedintohartshorn.
Originallyitwasinitselfaccountedanobjectofgreatcuriosity.
BlackLettertellsmethatSirMartinFrobisheronhisreturnfromthatvoyage,whenQueenBessdidgallantlywaveherjewelledhandtohimfromawindowofGreenwichPalace,ashisboldshipsaileddowntheThames;“whenSirMartinreturnedfromthatvoyage,”saithBlackLetter,“onbendedkneeshepresentedtoherhighnessaprodigiouslonghornoftheNarwhale,whichforalongperiodafterhunginthecastleatWindsor.”
AnIrishauthoraversthattheEarlofLeicester,onbendedknees,didlikewisepresenttoherhighnessanotherhorn,pertainingtoalandbeastoftheunicornnature.
TheNarwhalehasaverypicturesque,leopard-likelook,beingofamilk-whitegroundcolor,dottedwithroundandoblongspotsofblack.
Hisoilisverysuperior,clearandfine;butthereislittleofit,andheisseldomhunted.
Heismostlyfoundinthecircumpolarseas.
BOOKII.(Octavo),CHAPTERIV.(Killer).
-OfthiswhalelittleispreciselyknowntotheNantucketer,andnothingatalltotheprofessednaturalists.
FromwhatIhaveseenofhimatadistance,Ishouldsaythathewasaboutthebignessofagrampus.
Heisverysavage-asortofFeegeefish.
HesometimestakesthegreatFoliowhalesbythelip,andhangstherelikealeech,tillthemightybruteisworriedtodeath.TheKillerisneverhunted.Ineverheardwhatsortofoilhehas.
Exceptionmightbetakentothenamebestoweduponthiswhale,onthegroundofitsindistinctness.
Forweareallkillers,onlandandonsea;BonapartesandSharksincluded.
BOOKII.(Octavo),CHAPTERV.(Thrasher).
-Thisgentlemanisfamousforhistailwhichheusesforaferuleinthrashinghisfoes.
HemountstheFoliowhale’sback,andasheswims,heworkshispassagebyflogginghim;assomeschoolmastersgetalongintheworldbyasimilarprocess.
StilllessisknownoftheThrasherthanoftheKiller.
Bothareoutlaws,eveninthelawlessseas.
ThusendsBOOKII.(Octavo),andbeginsBOOKIII,(Duodecimo.)
DUODECIMOES.-Theseincludethesmallerwhales.I.TheHuzzaPorpoise.II.TheAlgerinePorpoise.III.TheMealy-mouthedPorpoise.
Tothosewhohavenotchancedspeciallytostudythesubject,itmaypossiblyseemstrange,thatfishesnotcommonlyexceedingfourorfivefeetshouldbemarshalledamongWHALES-aword,which,inthepopularsense,alwaysconveysanideaofhugeness.
ButthecreaturessetdownaboveasDuodecimoesareinfalliblywhales,bythetermsofmydefinitionofwhatawhaleis-i.e.aspoutingfish,withahorizontaltail.
BOOKIII.(Duodecimo),CHAPTER1.(HuzzaPorpoise).
-Thisisthecommonporpoisefoundallovertheglobe.
Thenameisofmyownbestowal;fortherearemorethanonesortofporpoises,andsomethingmustbedonetodistinguishthem.
Icallhimthus,becausehealwaysswimsinhilariousshoals,whichuponthebroadseakeeptossingthemselvestoheavenlikecapsinaFourth-of-Julycrowd.
Theirappearanceisgenerallyhailedwithdelightbythemariner.
Fulloffinespirits,theyinvariablycomefromthebreezybillowstowindward.
Theyaretheladsthatalwayslivebeforethewind.Theyareaccountedaluckyomen.
Ifyouyourselfcanwithstandthreecheersatbeholdingthesevivaciousfish,thenheavenhelpye;thespiritofgodlygamesomenessisnotinye.
Awell-fed,plumpHuzzaPorpoisewillyieldyouonegoodgallonofgoodoil.
Butthefineanddelicatefluidextractedfromhisjawsisexceedinglyvaluable.
Itisinrequestamongjewellersandwatchmakers.Sailorsputinontheirhones.Porpoisemeatisgoodeating,youknow.
Itmayneverhaveoccurredtoyouthataporpoisespouts.
Indeed,hisspoutissosmallthatitisnotveryreadilydiscernible.
Butthenexttimeyouhaveachance,watchhim;andyouwillthenseethegreatSpermwhalehimselfinminiature.
BOOKIII.(Duodecimo),CHAPTERII.(AlgerinePorpoise).-Apirate.Verysavage.
Heisonlyfound,Ithink,inthePacific.
HeissomewhatlargerthantheHuzzaPorpoise,butmuchofthesamegeneralmake.
Provokehim,andhewillbuckletoashark.
Ihaveloweredforhimmanytimes,butneveryetsawhimcaptured.
BOOKIII.(Duodecimo),CHAPTERIII.(Mealy-mouthedPorpoise).
-ThelargestkindofPorpoise;andonlyfoundinthePacific,sofarasitisknown.
TheonlyEnglishname,bywhichhehashithertobeendesignated,isthatofthefisher-Right-WhalePorpoise,fromthecircumstancethatheischieflyfoundinthevicinityofthatFolio.
Inshape,hediffersinsomedegreefromtheHuzzaPorpoise,beingofalessrotundandjollygirth;indeed,heisofquiteaneatandgentleman-likefigure.
Hehasnofinsonhisback(mostotherporpoiseshave),hehasalovelytail,andsentimentalIndianeyesofahazelhue.Buthismealy-mouthspoilshim.
Thoughhisentirebackdowntohissidefinsisofadeepsable,yetaboundaryline,distinctasthemarkinaship’shull,calledthe“brightwaist,”thatlinestreakshimfromstemtostern,withtwoseparatecolors,blackaboveandwhitebelow.
Thewhitecomprisespartofhishead,andthewholeofhismouth,whichmakeshimlookasifhehadjustescapedfromafeloniousvisittoameal-bag.Amostmeanandmealyaspect!
Hisoilismuchlikethatofthecommonporpoise.
BeyondtheDUODECIMO,thissystemdoesnotproceed,inasmuchasthePorpoiseisthesmallestofthewhales.
Above,youhavealltheLeviathansofnote.
Buttherearearabbleofuncertain,fugitive,half-fabulouswhales,which,asanAmericanwhaleman,Iknowbyreputation,butnotpersonally.
Ishallenumeratethembytheirfore-castleappellations;forpossiblysuchalistmaybevaluabletofutureinvestigators,whomaycompletewhatIhaveherebutbegun.
Ifanyofthefollowingwhales,shallhereafterbecaughtandmarked,thenhecanreadilybeincorporatedintothisSystem,accordingtohisFolio,Octavo,orDuodecimomagnitude:-TheBottle-NoseWhale;theJunkWhale;thePudding-HeadedWhale;theCapeWhale;theLeadingWhale;theCannonWhale;theScraggWhale;theCopperedWhale;theElephantWhale;theIcebergWhale;theQuogWhale;theBlueWhale;&c.FromIcelandic,Dutch,andoldEnglishauthorities,theremightbequotedotherlistsofuncertainwhales,blessedwithallmannerofuncouthnames.
ButIomitthemasaltogetherobsolete;andcanhardlyhelpsuspectingthemformeresounds,fullofLeviathanism,butsignifyingnothing.
Finally:Itwasstatedattheoutset,thatthissystemwouldnotbehere,andatonce,perfected.
YoucannotbutplainlyseethatIhavekeptmyword.
ButInowleavemycetologicalSystemstandingthusunfinished,evenasthegreatCathedralofColognewasleft,withthecranesstillstandinguponthetopoftheuncompletedtower.
Forsmallerectionsmaybefinishedbytheirfirstarchitects;grandones,trueones,everleavethecopestonetoposterity.
Godkeepmefromevercompletinganything.
Thiswholebookisbutadraught-nay,butthedraughtofadraught.Oh,Time,Strength,Cash,andPatience!
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