Ihave even been told that those of Hullamoch and Umgallick,of the Aleutian Islands,are sometimes a hundred and fifty feet long.""That seems to me exaggeration.These creatures are generally much smaller than the Greenland whale."{this paragraph has been edited}
"Ah!"exclaimed the Canadian,whose eyes had never left the ocean,"they are coming nearer;they are in the same water as the Nautilus."Then,returning to the conversation,he said:
"You spoke of the cachalot as a small creature.
Ihave heard of gigantic ones.They are intelligent cetacea.
It is said of some that they cover themselves with seaweed and fucus,and then are taken for islands.People encamp upon them,and settle there;lights a fire--""And build houses,"said Conseil.
"Yes,joker,"said Ned Land."And one fine day the creature plunges,carrying with it all the inhabitants to the bottom of the sea.""Something like the travels of Sinbad the Sailor,"Ireplied,laughing.
"Ah!"suddenly exclaimed Ned Land,"it is not one whale;there are ten--there are twenty--it is a whole troop!
And Inot able to do anything!hands and feet tied!""But,friend Ned,"said Conseil,"why do you not ask Captain Nemo's permission to chase them?"Conseil had not finished his sentence when Ned Land had lowered himself through the panel to seek the Captain.
Afew minutes afterwards the two appeared together on the platform.
Captain Nemo watched the troop of cetacea playing on the waters about a mile from the Nautilus.
"They are southern whales,"said he;"there goes the fortune of a whole fleet of whalers.""Well,sir,"asked the Canadian,"can Inot chase them,if only to remind me of my old trade of harpooner?""And to what purpose?"replied Captain Nemo;"only to destroy!
We have nothing to do with the whale-oil on board.""But,sir,"continued the Canadian,"in the Red Sea you allowed us to follow the dugong.""Then it was to procure fresh meat for my crew.Here it would be killing for killing's sake.Iknow that is a privilege reserved for man,but Ido not approve of such murderous pastime.
In destroying the southern whale (like the Greenland whale,an inoffensive creature),your traders do a culpable action,Master Land.They have already depopulated the whole of Baffin's Bay,and are annihilating a class of useful animals.
Leave the unfortunate cetacea alone.They have plenty of natural enemies--cachalots,swordfish,and sawfish--without you troubling them."
The Captain was right.The barbarous and inconsiderate greed of these fishermen will one day cause the disappearance of the last whale in the ocean.Ned Land whistled "Yankee-doodle"between his teeth,thrust his hands into his pockets,and turned his back upon us.
But Captain Nemo watched the troop of cetacea,and,addressing me,said:
"Iwas right in saying that whales had natural enemies enough,without counting man.These will have plenty to do before long.
Do you see,M.Aronnax,about eight miles to leeward,those blackish moving points?""Yes,Captain,"Ireplied.
"Those are cachalots--terrible animals,which Ihave met in troops of two or three hundred.As to those,they are cruel,mischievous creatures;they would be right in exterminating them."The Canadian turned quickly at the last words.
"Well,Captain,"said he,"it is still time,in the interest of the whales.""It is useless to expose one's self,Professor.The Nautilus will disperse them.It is armed with a steel spur as good as Master Land's harpoon,Iimagine."The Canadian did not put himself out enough to shrug his shoulders.
Attack cetacea with blows of a spur!Who had ever heard of such a thing?
"Wait,M.Aronnax,"said Captain Nemo."We will show you something you have never yet seen.We have no pity for these ferocious creatures.
They are nothing but mouth and teeth."
Mouth and teeth!No one could better describe the macrocephalous cachalot,which is sometimes more than seventy-five feet long.
Its enormous head occupies one-third of its entire body.
Better armed than the whale,whose upper jaw is furnished only with whalebone,it is supplied with twenty-five large tusks,about eight inches long,cylindrical and conical at the top,each weighing two pounds.It is in the upper part of this enormous head,in great cavities divided by cartilages,that is to be found from six to eight hundred pounds of that precious oil called spermaceti.The cachalot is a disagreeable creature,more tadpole than fish,according to Fredol's description.
It is badly formed,the whole of its left side being (if we may say it),a "failure,"and being only able to see with its right eye.But the formidable troop was nearing us.
They had seen the whales and were preparing to attack them.