登陆注册
36835100000090

第90章

The Affidavit

So far as what there may be of a narrative in this book; and,indeed, as indirectly touching one or two very interesting and curiousparticulars in the habits of sperm whales, the foregoing chapter, inits earlier part, is as important a one as will be found in thisvolume; but the leading matter of it requires to be still furtherand more familiarly enlarged upon, in order to be adequatelyunderstood, and moreover to take away any incredulity which a profoundignorance of the entire subject may induce in some minds, as to thenatural verity of the main points of this affair.

I care not to perform this part of my task methodically; but shallbe content to produce the desired impression by separate citationsof items, practically or reliably known to me as a whaleman; andfrom these citations, I take it- the conclusion aimed at willnaturally follow of itself.

First: I have personally known three instances where a whale,after receiving a harpoon, has effected a complete escape; and,after an interval (in one instance of three years), has been againstruck by the same hand, and slain; when the two irons, both marked bythe same private cypher, have been taken from the body. In theinstance where three years intervened between the flinging of thetwo harpoons; and I think it may have been something more than that;1

ship on a voyage to Africa, went ashore there, joined a discoveryparty, and penetrated far into the interior, where he travelled fora period of nearly two years, often endangered by serpents, savages,tigers, poisonous miasmas, with all the other common perils incidentto wandering in the heart of unknown regions. Meanwhile, the whalehe had struck must also have been on its travels; no doubt it hadthrice circumnavigated the globe, brushing with its flanks all thecoasts of Africa; but to no purpose. This man and this whale againcame together, and the one vanquished the other. I say I, myself, haveknown three instances similar to this; that is in two of them I sawthe whales struck; and, upon the second attack, saw the two irons withthe respective marks cut in them, afterwards taken from the dead fish.

In the three-year instance, it so fell out that I was in the boat bothtimes, first and last, and the last time distinctly recognized apeculiar sort of huge mole under the whale's eye, which I had observedthere three years previous. I say three years, but I am pretty sure itwas more than that. Here are three instances, then, which I personallyknow the truth of; but I have heard of many other instances frompersons whose veracity in the matter there is no good ground toimpeach.

Secondly: It is well known in the Sperm Whale Fishery, howeverignorant the world ashore may be of it, that there have been severalmemorable historical instances where a particular whale in the oceanhas been at distant times and places popularly cognisable. Why sucha whale became thus marked was not altogether and originally owingto his bodily peculiarities as distinguished from other whales; forhowever peculiar in that respect any chance whale may be, they soonput an end to his peculiarities by killing him, and boiling him downinto a peculiarly valuable oil. No: the reason was this: that from thefatal experiences of the fishery there hung a terrible prestige ofperilousness about such a whale as there did about RinaldoRinaldini, insomuch that most fishermen were content to recognisehim by merely touching their tarpaulins when he would be discoveredlounging by them on the sea, without seeking to cultivate a moreintimate acquaintance. Like some poor devils ashore that happen toknown an irascible great man, they make distant unobtrusivesalutations to him in the street, lest if they pursued theacquaintance further, they might receive a summary thump for theirpresumption.

But not only did each of these famous whales enjoy greatindividual celebrity- nay, you may call it an oceanwide renown; notonly was he famous in life and now is immortal in forecastle storiesafter death, but he was admitted into all the rights, privileges,and distinctions of a name; had as much a name indeed as Cambyses orCaesar. Was it not so, O Timor Tom! thou famed leviathan, scarred likea iceberg, who so long did'st lurk in the Oriental straits of thatname, whose spout was oft seen from the palmy beach of Ombay? Was itnot so, O New Zealand Jack! thou terror of all cruisers that crossedtheir wakes in the vicinity of the Tattoo Land? Was it not so, OMorquan! King of Japan, whose lofty jet they say at times assumedthe semblance of a snow-white cross against the sky? Was it not so,O Don Miguel! thou Chilian whale, marked like an old tortoise withmystic hieroglyphics upon the back! In plain prose, here are fourwhales as well known to the students of Cetacean History as Mariusor Sylla to the classic scholar.

But this is not all. New Zealand Tom and Don Miguel, after atvarious times creating great havoc among the boats of differentvessels, were finally gone in quest of, systematically hunted out,chased and killed by valiant whaling captains, who heaved up theiranchors with that express object as much in view, as in setting outthrough the Narragansett Woods, Captain Butler of old had it in hismind to capture that notorious murderous savage Annawon, theheadmost warrior of the Indian King Philip.

同类推荐
热门推荐
  • 我家有只九尾喵仙

    我家有只九尾喵仙

    传说,猫能修至八尾,那第九条尾巴则是一个满足一个人的愿望,实现一个愿望则失去一条尾巴,如此循环……可她不一样,虽说是天道的宠儿,但是此等气运,可真是一言难尽……
  • 我也可以是女神

    我也可以是女神

    李雨不会撒娇卖萌……不会穿衣打扮……常年不敢以真面目示人……还是从大山里走出来的粗鲁女生……但这样的女人,也可以是女神!颜?她是大明星,是歌后影后。钱?他自己就是霸道女总裁!……某记者:李雨,请问你以后会嫁入豪门吗?李雨:我自己就是豪门!
  • 穿越之妹妹太爱财

    穿越之妹妹太爱财

    她,欧阳贝贝,自认为自己是一个人见人爱,花见花开的青春活力美女,可是,该死的!她只不过是与朋友旅游时,看见了一个湖泊,并且捡到了一条项链而已。可是,却穿越到了一个她从来都没有听说过的朝代,姻缘巧合,认了将军一家为亲人,自此在哥哥的宠爱下过着“无法无天”的生活:收敛无数钱财,当然还有她的美男哥哥!
  • 买块儿土地做村长

    买块儿土地做村长

    我叫刘星,我的职业是福源村的村长,我伟大的理想是将福源村打造成世界第一的村庄,引领全世界人民走向幸福安康!什么?你不相信?认为我在大放厥词,瞎吹牛逼?那好,你可以来我们村看看,我的村委会大院,已经快成了联合国,来自各国的政界首脑,各行各业的大拿、精英都聚集在此,为的就是等我这个村长有空,跟他们唠一唠世界今后的发展趋势!
  • 天行

    天行

    号称“北辰骑神”的天才玩家以自创的“牧马冲锋流”战术击败了国服第一弓手北冥雪,被誉为天纵战榜第一骑士的他,却受到小人排挤,最终离开了效力已久的银狐俱乐部。是沉沦,还是再次崛起?恰逢其时,月恒集团第四款游戏“天行”正式上线,虚拟世界再起风云!
  • The Master of Mrs. Chilvers

    The Master of Mrs. Chilvers

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 祸心王妃

    祸心王妃

    “叶止音,是不是你的心里可以装下所有人,却唯独装不下本王!”一朝落水,异世醒来,却嫁给了自己的仇人,那个与自己现代男朋友有着相同容貌的宁睿王,眼神里永远透着骇人的冰冷;温雅的清平王,与她的男朋友有着相同的名字,跟她身子的主人亦是有着纠缠不清的过往;异世寻夫,斩获情敌无数,屡遭暗算,幽暗的柴房,绝望的等他相救;清高孤冷的王,在她面前终于变成了一只“纸老虎”,吓吓她,可还行?朝堂风云诡谲,各方势力蠢蠢欲动,杀机暗藏,不知不觉中她竟早已经成为搅动朝局的一颗棋子;穿越?难道只是巧合?还是前世的注定?
  • 武林之烽烟四起

    武林之烽烟四起

    ???九州纷争,天罚降世,封印的巫祈山再现人世,武林将面临一场巨大浩劫。?????昔日武林的第一神话,九州唯一的共主,究竟因何缘故消失无踪。??????三大奇碑之一的主人北留真人,一会绝代剑圣独孤唯一,谁才是剑界不朽的传说。???????神秘的如意楼主跟黑暗大森林的主宰,百年后再度交手,两人究竟有何深仇大恨。??????夜空下,流星划空,血光映苍穹,末日灾,天下恸……??????武林侠义之士尘欢从中斡旋,与各派势力斗智、斗勇,看他如何化解这场武林危机,
  • 浅时已寒

    浅时已寒

    三年的艰苦牢狱生活让苏浅对爱彻底失去信任,她所爱之人宫寒亲手送她进监狱;亲眼目睹的杀害与三年的苦痛让宫寒如何抉择?
  • 总裁的绯闻妻

    总裁的绯闻妻

    不小心和帅帅的总裁睡到了一起。第二天,全市各种各样的八卦杂志,都印满了他们的不雅相片。从此之后,她的生活产生了翻天覆地的变化。一场绯闻,让她成了家喻户晓的名人。而他从来不会把哪个女人放在心上,就算得到她最宝贵的第一次也不行。那么这次会发生什么呢……