Sofaraswhattheremaybeofanarrativeinthisbook;and,indeed,asindirectlytouchingoneortwoveryinterestingandcuriousparticularsinthehabitsofspermwhales,theforegoingchapter,initsearlierpart,isasimportantaoneaswillbefoundinthisvolume;buttheleadingmatterofitrequirestobestillfurtherandmorefamiliarlyenlargedupon,inordertobeadequatelyunderstood,andmoreovertotakeawayanyincredulitywhichaprofoundignoranceoftheentiresubjectmayinduceinsomeminds,astothenaturalverityofthemainpointsofthisaffair.
Icarenottoperformthispartofmytaskmethodically;butshallbecontenttoproducethedesiredimpressionbyseparatecitationsofitems,practicallyorreliablyknowntomeasawhaleman;andfromthesecitations,Itakeit-theconclusionaimedatwillnaturallyfollowofitself.
First:Ihavepersonallyknownthreeinstanceswhereawhale,afterreceivingaharpoon,haseffectedacompleteescape;and,afteraninterval(inoneinstanceofthreeyears),hasbeenagainstruckbythesamehand,andslain;whenthetwoirons,bothmarkedbythesameprivatecypher,havebeentakenfromthebody.
Intheinstancewherethreeyearsintervenedbetweentheflingingofthetwoharpoons;andIthinkitmayhavebeensomethingmorethanthat;themanwhodartedthemhappening,intheinterval,togoinatradingshiponavoyagetoAfrica,wentashorethere,joinedadiscoveryparty,andpenetratedfarintotheinterior,wherehetravelledforaperiodofnearlytwoyears,oftenendangeredbyserpents,savages,tigers,poisonousmiasmas,withalltheothercommonperilsincidenttowanderingintheheartofunknownregions.
Meanwhile,thewhalehehadstruckmustalsohavebeenonitstravels;nodoubtithadthricecircumnavigatedtheglobe,brushingwithitsflanksallthecoastsofAfrica;buttonopurpose.
IsayI,myself,haveknownthreeinstancessimilartothis;thatisintwoofthemIsawthewhalesstruck;and,uponthesecondattack,sawthetwoironswiththerespectivemarkscutinthem,afterwardstakenfromthedeadfish.
Inthethree-yearinstance,itsofelloutthatIwasintheboatbothtimes,firstandlast,andthelasttimedistinctlyrecognizedapeculiarsortofhugemoleunderthewhale’seye,whichIhadobservedtherethreeyearsprevious.
Herearethreeinstances,then,whichIpersonallyknowthetruthof;butIhaveheardofmanyotherinstancesfrompersonswhoseveracityinthematterthereisnogoodgroundtoimpeach.
Secondly:ItiswellknownintheSpermWhaleFishery,howeverignoranttheworldashoremaybeofit,thattherehavebeenseveralmemorablehistoricalinstanceswhereaparticularwhaleintheoceanhasbeenatdistanttimesandplacespopularlycognisable.
Whysuchawhalebecamethusmarkedwasnotaltogetherandoriginallyowingtohisbodilypeculiaritiesasdistinguishedfromotherwhales;forhoweverpeculiarinthatrespectanychancewhalemaybe,theysoonputanendtohispeculiaritiesbykillinghim,andboilinghimdownintoapeculiarlyvaluableoil.
No:thereasonwasthis:thatfromthefatalexperiencesofthefisherytherehungaterribleprestigeofperilousnessaboutsuchawhaleastheredidaboutRinaldoRinaldini,insomuchthatmostfishermenwerecontenttorecognisehimbymerelytouchingtheirtarpaulinswhenhewouldbediscoveredloungingbythemonthesea,withoutseekingtocultivateamoreintimateacquaintance.
Likesomepoordevilsashorethathappentoknownanirasciblegreatman,theymakedistantunobtrusivesalutationstohiminthestreet,lestiftheypursuedtheacquaintancefurther,theymightreceiveasummarythumpfortheirpresumption.
Butnotonlydideachofthesefamouswhalesenjoygreatindividualcelebrity-nay,youmaycallitanoceanwiderenown;notonlywashefamousinlifeandnowisimmortalinforecastlestoriesafterdeath,buthewasadmittedintoalltherights,privileges,anddistinctionsofaname;hadasmuchanameindeedasCambysesorCaesar.Wasitnotso,OTimorTom!
thoufamedleviathan,scarredlikeaiceberg,whosolongdid’stlurkintheOrientalstraitsofthatname,whosespoutwasoftseenfromthepalmybeachofOmbay?Wasitnotso,ONewZealandJack!
KingofJapan,whoseloftyjettheysayattimesassumedthesemblanceofasnow-whitecrossagainstthesky?Wasitnotso,ODonMiguel!
Inplainprose,herearefourwhalesaswellknowntothestudentsofCetaceanHistoryasMariusorSyllatotheclassicscholar.
Butthisisnotall.NewZealandTomandDonMiguel,afteratvarioustimescreatinggreathavocamongtheboatsofdifferentvessels,werefinallygoneinquestof,systematicallyhuntedout,chasedandkilledbyvaliantwhalingcaptains,whoheaveduptheiranchorswiththatexpressobjectasmuchinview,asinsettingoutthroughtheNarragansettWoods,CaptainButlerofoldhaditinhismindtocapturethatnotoriousmurderoussavageAnnawon,theheadmostwarrioroftheIndianKingPhilip.
IdonotknowwhereIcanfindabetterplacethanjusthere,tomakementionofoneortwootherthings,whichtomeseemimportant,asinprintedformestablishinginallrespectsthereasonablenessofthewholestoryoftheWhiteWhale,moreespeciallythecatastrophe.
Soignorantaremostlandsmenofsomeoftheplainestandmostpalpablewondersoftheworld,thatwithoutsomehintstouchingtheplainfacts,historicalandotherwise,ofthefishery,theymightscoutatMobyDickasamonstrousfable,orstillworseandmoredetestable,ahideousandintolerableallegory.
First:Thoughmostmenhavesomevagueflittingideasofthegeneralperilsofthegrandfishery,yettheyhavenothinglikeafixed,vividconceptionofthoseperils,andthefrequencywithwhichtheyrecur.
Onereasonperhapsis,thatnotoneinfiftyoftheactualdisastersanddeathsbycasualtiesinthefishery,everfindsapublicrecordathome,howevertransientandimmediatelyforgottenthatrecord.
Doyousupposethatthatpoorfellowthere,whothismomentperhapscaughtbythewhale-lineoffthecoastofNewGuinea,isbeingcarrieddowntothebottomoftheseabythesoundingleviathan-doyousupposethatthatpoorfellow’snamewillappearinthenewspaperobituaryyouwillreadto-morrowatyourbreakfast?
YetIwilltellyouthatupononeparticularvoyagewhichImadetothePacific,amongmanyotherswespokethirtydifferentships,everyoneofwhichhadhadadeathbyawhale,someofthemmorethanone,andthreethathadeachlostaboat’screw.
Secondly:Peopleashorehaveindeedsomeindefiniteideathatawhaleisanenormouscreatureofenormouspower;butIhaveeverfoundthatwhennarratingtothemsomespecificexampleofthistwo-foldenormousness,theyhavesignificantlycomplimentedmeuponmyfacetiousness;when,Ideclareuponmysoul,IhadnomoreideaofbeingfacetiousthanMoses,whenhewrotethehistoryoftheplaguesofEgypt.
Thatpointisthis:TheSpermWhaleisinsomecasessufficientlypowerful,knowing,andjudiciouslymalicious,aswithdirectaforethoughttostavein,utterlydestroy,andsinkalargeship;andwhatismore,theSpermWhalehasdoneit.
Erelong,severalofthewhaleswerewounded;when,suddenly,averylargewhaleescapingfromtheboats,issuedfromtheshoal,andboredirectlydownupontheship.
Dashinghisforeheadagainstherhull,hesostoveherin,thatinlessthan“tenminutes”shesettleddownandfellover.
Beingreturnedhomeatlast,CaptainPollardoncemoresailedforthePacificincommandofanothership,butthegodsshipwreckedhimagainuponunknownrocksandbreakers;forthesecondtimehisshipwasutterlylost,andforthwithforswearingthesea,hehasneverattempteditsince.
IhaveseenOwenChace,whowaschiefmateoftheEssexatthetimeofthetragedy;Ihavereadhisplainandfaithfulnarrative;Ihaveconversedwithhisson;andallthiswithinafewmilesofthesceneofthecatastrophe.
ThefollowingareextractsfromChace’snarrative:“Everyfactseemedtowarrantmeinconcludingthatitwasanythingbutchancewhichdirectedhisoperations;hemadetwoseveralattacksupontheship,atashortintervalbetweenthem,bothofwhich,accordingtotheirdirection,werecalculatedtodousthemostinjury,bybeingmadeahead,andtherebycombiningthespeedofthetwoobjectsfortheshock;toeffectwhich,theexactmanoeuvreswhichhemadewerenecessary.
Hecamedirectlyfromtheshoalwhichwehadjustbeforeentered,andinwhichwehadstruckthreeofhiscompanions,asiffiredwithrevengefortheirsufferings.”
Again:“Atallevents,thewholecircumstancestakentogether,allhappeningbeforemyowneyes,andproducing,atthetime,impressionsinmymindofdecided,calculatingmischief,onthepartofthewhale(manyofwhichimpressionsIcannotnowrecall),inducemetobesatisfiedthatIamcorrectinmyopinion.”
Herearehisreflectionssometimeafterquittingtheship,duringablacknightanopenboat,whenalmostdespairingofreachinganyhospitableshore.
“Thedarkoceanandswellingwaterswerenothing;thefearsofbeingswallowedupbysomedreadfultempest,ordasheduponhiddenrocks,withalltheotherordinarysubjectsoffearfulcontemplation,seemedscarcelyentitledtoamoment’sthought;thedismallookingwreck,andthehorridaspectandrevengeofthewhale,whollyengrossedmyreflections,untildayagainmadeitsappearance.”
Secondly:TheshipUnion,alsoofNantucket,wasintheyear1807totallylostofftheAzoresbyasimilaronset,buttheauthenticparticularsofthiscatastropheIhaveneverchancedtoencounter,thoughfromthewhalehuntersIhavenowandthenheardcasualallusionstoit.
Thirdly:SomeeighteenortwentyyearsagoCommodoreJ—thencommandinganAmericansloop-of-warofthefirstclass,happenedtobediningwithapartyofwhalingcaptains,onboardaNantucketshipintheharborofOahu,SandwichIslands.
Conversationturninguponwhales,theCommodorewaspleasedtobescepticaltouchingtheamazingstrengthascribedtothembytheprofessionalgentlemenpresent.
Heperemptorilydeniedforexample,thatanywhalecouldsosmitehisstoutsloop-of-warastocausehertoleaksomuchasathimbleful.Verygood;butthereismorecoming.
ThatbusinessconsistedinfetchingtheCommodore’scraftsuchathwack,thatwithallhispumpsgoinghemadestraightforthenearestporttoheavedownandrepair.
IwillnowreferyoutoLangsdorff’sVoyagesforalittlecircumstanceinpoint,peculiarlyinterestingtothewriterhereof.
Langsdorff,youmustknowbytheway,wasattachedtotheRussianAdmiralKrusenstern’sfamousDiscoveryExpeditioninthebeginningofthepresentcentury.
Anuncommonlylargewhale,thebodyofwhichwaslargerthantheshipitself,layalmostatthesurfaceofthewater,butwasnotperceivedbyanyoneonboardtillthemomentwhentheship,whichwasinfullsail,wasalmostuponhim,sothatitwasimpossibletopreventitsstrikingagainsthim.
Wewerethusplacedinthemostimminentdanger,asthisgiganticcreature,settingupitsback,raisedtheshipthreefeetatleastoutofthewater.
Themastsreeled,andthesailsfellaltogether,whilewewhowerebelowallspranginstantlyuponthedeck,concludingthatwehadstruckuponsomerock;insteadofthiswesawthemonstersailingoffwiththeutmostgravityandsolemnity.
CaptainD’Wolfappliedimmediatelytothepumpstoexaminewhetherornotthevesselhadreceivedanydamagefromtheshock,butwefoundthatveryhappilyithadescapedentirelyuninjured.”
Now,theCaptainD’Wolfherealludedtoascommandingtheshipinquestion,isaNewEnglander,who,afteralonglifeofunusualadventuresasasea-captain,thisdayresidesinthevillageofDorchesternearBoston.
Theship,however,wasbynomeansalargeone:aRussiancraftbuiltontheSiberiancoast,andpurchasedbymyuncleafterbarteringawaythevesselinwhichhesailedfromhome.
Inthatupanddownmanlybookofold-fashionedadventure,sofull,too,ofhonestwonders-thevoyageofLionelWafer,oneofancientDampier’soldchums-IfoundalittlemattersetdownsolikethatjustquotedfromLangsdorff,thatIcannotforbearinsertingithereforacorroborativeexample,ifsuchbeneeded.
“Inourwaythither,”hesays,“aboutfouro’clockinthemorning,whenwewereaboutonehundredandfiftyleaguesfromtheMainofAmerica,ourshipfeltaterribleshock,whichputourmeninsuchconsternationthattheycouldhardlytellwheretheywereorwhattothink;buteveryonebegantopreparefordeath.
And,indeed,theshockwassosuddenandviolent,thatwetookitforgrantedtheshiphadstruckagainstarock;butwhentheamazementwasalittleover,wecastthelead,andsounded,butfoundnoground.
***Thesuddennessoftheshockmadethegunsleapintheircarriages,andseveralofthemenwereshakenoutoftheirhammocks.
Lionelthengoesontoimputetheshocktoanearthquake,andseemstosubstantiatetheimputationbystatingthatagreatearthquake,somewhereaboutthattime,didactuallydogreatmischiefalongtheSpanishland.
ButIshouldnotmuchwonderif,inthedarknessofthatearlyhourofthemorning,theshockwasafterallcausedbyanunseenwhaleverticallybumpingthehullfrombeneath.
Imightproceedwithseveralmoreexamples,onewayoranotherknowntome,ofthegreatpowerandmaliceattimesofthespermwhale.
Inmorethanoneinstance,hehasbeenknown,notonlytochasetheassailingboatsbacktotheirships,buttopursuetheshipitself,andlongwithstandallthelanceshurledathimfromitsdecks.
TheEnglishshipPusieHallcantellastoryonthathead;and,asforhisstrength,letmesay,thattherehavebeenexampleswherethelinesattachedtoarunningspermwhalehave,inacalm,beentransferredtotheship,andsecuredthere!
Again,itisveryoftenobservedthat,ifthespermwhale,oncestruck,isallowedtimetorally,hethenacts,notsooftenwithblindrage,aswithwilful,deliberatedesignsofdestructiontohispursuers;norisitwithoutconveyingsomeeloquentindicationofhischaracter,thatuponbeingattackedhewillfrequentlyopenhismouth,andretainitinthatdreadexpansionforseveralconsecutiveminutes.
ButImustbecontentwithonlyonemoreandaconcludingillustration;aremarkableandmostsignificantone,bywhichyouwillnotfailtosee,thatnotonlyisthemostmarvellouseventinthisbookcorroboratedbyplainfactsofthepresentday,butthatthesemarvels(likeallmarvels)aremererepetitionsoftheages;sothatforthemillionthtimewesayamenwithSolomon-Verilythereisnothingnewunderthesun.
InthesixthChristiancenturylivedProcopius,aChristianmagistrateofConstantinople,inthedayswhenJustinianwasEmperorandBelisariusgeneral.
Bythebestauthorities,hehasalwaysbeenconsideredamosttrustworthyandunexaggeratinghistorian,exceptinsomeoneortwoparticulars,notatallaffectingthematterpresentlytobementioned.
Now,inthishistoryofhis,Procopiusmentionsthat,duringthetermofhisprefectureatConstantinople,agreatsea-monsterwascapturedintheneighboringPropontis,orSeaofMarmora,afterhavingdestroyedvesselsatintervalsinthosewatersforaperiodofmorethanfiftyyears.
Butashedestroyedships,aswellasforotherreasons,hemusthavebeenawhale;andIamstronglyinclinedtothinkaspermwhale.AndIwilltellyouwhy.
ForalongtimeIfanciedthatthespermwhalehadbeenalwaysunknownintheMediterraneanandthedeepwatersconnectingwithit.
EvennowIamcertainthatthoseseasarenot,andperhapsnevercanbe,inthepresentconstitutionofthings,aplaceforhishabitualgregariousresort.
Butfurtherinvestigationshaverecentlyprovedtome,thatinmoderntimestherehavebeenisolatedinstancesofthepresenceofthespermwhaleintheMediterranean.
Iamtold,ongoodauthority,thatontheBarbarycoast,aCommodoreDavisoftheBritishnavyfoundtheskeletonofaspermwhale.
Now,asavesselofwarreadilypassesthroughtheDardanelles,henceaspermwhalecould,bythesameroute,passoutoftheMediterraneanintothePropontis.
InthePropontis,asfarasIcanlearn,noneofthatpeculiarsubstancecalledbritistobefound,thealimentoftherightwhale.
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