CHAPTER 32 Cetology

Alreadyweareboldlylauncheduponthedeep;butsoonweshallbelostinitsunshored,harbourlessimmensities.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;Linn?us;Rondeletius;Willoughby;Green;Artedi;Sibbald;Brisson;Marten;Lacépède;Bonneterre;Desmarest;BaronCuvier;FrederickCuvier;JohnHunter;Owen;Scoresby;Beale;Bennett;J.RossBrowne;theAuthorofMiriamCoffin;Olmstead;andtheRev.T.Cheever.Buttowhatultimategeneralizingpurposeallthesehavewritten,theabovecitedextractswillshow.

Ofthenamesinthislistofwhaleauthors,onlythosefollowingOweneversawlivingwhales;andbutoneofthemwasarealprofessionalharpooneerandwhaleman.ImeanCaptainScoresby.OntheseparatesubjectoftheGreenlandorright-whale,heisthebestexistingauthority.ButScoresbyknewnothingandsaysnothingofthegreatspermwhale,comparedwithwhichtheGreenlandwhaleisalmostunworthymentioning.Andherebeitsaid,thattheGreenlandwhaleisanusurperuponthethroneoftheseas.Heisnotevenbyanymeansthelargestofthewhales.Yet,owingtothelongpriorityofhisclaims,andtheprofoundignorancewhich,tillsomeseventyyearsback,investedthethenfabulousorutterlyunknownsperm-whale,andwhichignorancetothispresentdaystillreignsinallbutsomefewscientificretreatsandwhale-ports;thisusurpationhasbeeneverywaycomplete.Referencetonearlyalltheleviathanicallusionsinthegreatpoetsofpastdays,willsatisfyyouthattheGreenlandwhale,withoutonerival,wastothemthemonarchoftheseas.Butthetimehasatlastcomeforanewproclamation.ThisisCharingCross;hearye!goodpeopleall,—theGreenlandwhaleisdeposed,—thegreatspermwhalenowreigneth!

Thereareonlytwobooksinbeingwhichatallpretendtoputthelivingspermwhalebeforeyou,andatthesametime,intheremotestdegreesucceedintheattempt.ThosebooksareBeale'sandBennett's;bothintheirtimesurgeonstoEnglishSouth-Seawhaleships,andbothexactandreliablemen.Theoriginalmattertouchingthespermwhaletobefoundintheirvolumesisnecessarilysmall;butsofarasitgoes,itisofexcellentquality,thoughmostlyconfinedtoscientificdescription.Asyet,however,thespermwhale,scientificorpoetic,livesnotcompleteinanyliterature.Faraboveallotherhuntedwhales,hisisanunwrittenlife.

Nowthevariousspeciesofwhalesneedsomesortofpopularcomprehensiveclassification,ifonlyaneasyoutlineoneforthepresent,hereaftertobefilledinallitsdepartmentsbysubsequentlaborers.Asnobettermanadvancestotakethismatterinhand,Ihereuponoffermyownpoorendeavors.Ipromisenothingcomplete;becauseanyhumanthingsupposedtobecomplete,mustforthatveryreasoninfalliblybefaulty.Ishallnotpretendtoaminuteanatomicaldescriptionofthevariousspecies,or—inthisplaceatleast—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,Linn?usdeclares,"Iherebyseparatethewhalesfromthefish."Butofmyownknowledge,Iknowthatdowntotheyear1850,sharksandshad,alewivesandherring,againstLinn?us'sexpressedict,werestillfounddividingthepossessionofthesameseaswiththeLeviathan.

ThegroundsuponwhichLinn?uswouldfainhavebanishedthewhalesfromthewaters,hestatesasfollows:"Onaccountoftheirwarmbilocularheart,theirlungs,theirmovableeyelids,theirhollowears,penemintrantemfeminammammislactantem,"andfinally,"exlegenatur?juremeritoque."IsubmittedallthistomyfriendsSimeonMaceyandCharleyCoffin,ofNantucket,bothmessmatesofmineinacertainvoyage,andtheyunitedintheopinionthatthereasonssetforthwerealtogetherinsufficient.Charleyprofanelyhintedtheywerehumbug.

Beitknownthat,waivingallargument,Itakethegoodoldfashionedgroundthatthewhaleisafish,andcalluponholyJonahtobackme.Thisfundamentalthingsettled,thenextpointis,inwhatinternalrespectdoesthewhaledifferfromotherfish.Above,Linn?ushasgivenyouthoseitems.Butinbrief,theyarethese: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.[1]Hence,allthesmaller,spouting,andhorizontaltailedfishmustbeincludedinthisground-planofCetology.Now,then,comethegranddivisionsoftheentirewhalehost.

First:AccordingtomagnitudeIdividethewhalesintothreeprimaryBOOKS(subdivisibleintoCHAPTERS),andtheseshallcomprehendthemall,bothsmallandlarge.

I.THEFOLIOWHALE;II.theOCTAVOWHALE;III.theDUODECIMOWHALE.

AsthetypeoftheFOLIOIpresenttheSpermWhale;oftheOCTAVO,theGrampus;oftheDUODECIMO,thePorpoise.

FOLIOS.AmongtheseIhereincludethefollowingchapters:—I.TheSpermWhale;II.theRightWhale;III.theFin-BackWhale;IV.theHump-backedWhale;V.theRazorBackWhale;VI.theSulphurBottomWhale.

BOOKI.(Folio),CHAPTERI.(SpermWhale).—Thiswhale,amongtheEnglishofoldvaguelyknownastheTrumpawhale,andthePhyseterwhale,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.Thereisadealofobscurityconcerningtheidentityofthespeciesthusmultitudinouslybaptised.Whatthenisthewhale,whichIincludeinthesecondspeciesofmyFolios?ItistheGreatMysticetusoftheEnglishnaturalists;theGreenlandWhaleoftheEnglishwhalemen;theBaleineOrdinaireoftheFrenchwhalemen;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,andLongJohn,hasbeenseenalmostineveryseaandiscommonlythewhalewhosedistantjetissooftendescriedbypassengerscrossingtheAtlantic,intheNewYorkpacket-tracks.Inthelengthheattains,andinhisbaleen,theFin-backresemblestherightwhale,butisofalessportlygirth,andalightercolour,approachingtoolive.Hisgreatlipspresentacablelikeaspect,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.OfthesesocalledWhalebonewhales,therewouldseemtobeseveralvarieties,mostofwhich,however,arelittleknown.Broadnosedwhalesandbeakedwhales;pike-headedwhales;bunchedwhales;under-jawedwhalesandrostratedwhales,arethefishermen'snamesforafewsorts.

Inconnectionwiththisappellativeof"Whalebonewhales,"itisofgreatimportancetomention,thathoweversuchanomenclaturemaybeconvenientinfacilitatingallusionstosomekindofwhales,yetitisinvaintoattemptaclearclassificationoftheLeviathan,foundeduponeitherhisbaleen,orhump,orfin,orteeth;notwithstandingthatthosemarkedpartsorfeaturesveryobviouslyseembetteradaptedtoaffordthebasisforaregularsystemofCetologythananyotherdetachedbodilydistinctions,whichthewhale,inhiskinds,presents.Howthen?Thebaleen,hump,back-fin,andteeth;thesearethingswhosepeculiaritiesareindiscriminatelydispersedamongallsortsofwhales,withoutanyregardtowhatmaybethenatureoftheirstructureinotherandmoreessentialparticulars.Thus,thespermwhaleandthehumpbackedwhale,eachhasahump;buttherethesimilitudeceases.Then,thissamehumpbackedwhaleandtheGreenlandwhale,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.(RazorBack).—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.[2]—Theseembracethewhalesofmiddlingmagnitude,amongwhichpresentmaybenumbered:—I.,theGrampus;II.,theBlackFish;III.,theNarwhale;IV.,theThrasher;V.,theKiller.

BOOKII.(Octavo),CHAPTERI.(Grampus).—Thoughthisfish,whoseloudsonorousbreathing,orratherblowing,hasfurnishedaproverbtolandsmen,issowellknownadenizenofthedeep,yetishenotpopularlyclassedamongwhales.Butpossessingallthegranddistinctivefeaturesoftheleviathan,mostnaturalistshaverecognisedhimforone.Heisofmoderateoctavosize,varyingfromfifteentotwentyfivefeetinlength,andofcorrespondingdimensionsroundthewaist.Heswimsinherds;heisneverregularlyhunted,thoughhisoilisconsiderableinquantity,andprettygoodforlight.Bysomefishermenhisapproachisregardedaspremonitoryoftheadvanceofthegreatspermwhale.

BOOKII.(Octavo),CHAPTERII.(BlackFish).—Igivethepopularfishermen'snamesforallthesefish,forgenerallytheyarethebest.Whereanynamehappenstobevagueorinexpressive,Ishallsayso,andsuggestanother.Idosonow,touchingtheBlackFish,so-called,becauseblacknessistheruleamongalmostallwhales.So,callhimtheHyenaWhale,ifyouplease.Hisvoracityiswellknown,andfromthecircumstancethattheinneranglesofhislipsarecurvedupwards,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,thathoweverthisonesidedhornmayreallybeusedbytheNarwhale—howeverthatmaybe—itwouldcertainlybeveryconvenienttohimforafolderinreadingpamphlets.TheNarwhaleIhaveheardcalledtheTuskedwhale,theHornedwhale,andtheUnicornwhale.HeiscertainlyacuriousexampleoftheUnicornismtobefoundinalmosteverykingdomofanimatednature.FromcertaincloisteredoldauthorsIhavegatheredthatthissamesea-unicorn'shornwasinancientdaysregardedasthegreatantidoteagainstpoison,andassuch,preparationsofitbroughtimmenseprices.Itwasalsodistilledtoavolatilesaltsforfaintingladies,thesamewaythatthehornsofthemaledeeraremanufacturedintohartshorn.Originallyitwasinitselfaccountedanobjectofgreatcuriosity.BlackLettertellsmethatSirMartinFrobisheronhisreturnfromthatvoyage,whenQueenBessdidgallantlywaveherjewelledhandtohimfromawindowofGreenwichPalace,ashisboldshipsaileddowntheThames;"whenSirMartinreturnedfromthatvoyage,"saithBlackLetter,"onbendedkneeshepresentedtoherhighnessaprodigiouslonghornoftheNarwhale,whichforalongperiodafterhunginthecastleatWindsor."AnIrishauthoraversthattheEarlofLeicester,onbendedknees,didlikewisepresenttoherhighnessanotherhorn,pertainingtoalandbeastoftheunicornnature.

TheNarwhalehasaverypicturesque,leopard-likelook,beingofamilk-whitegroundcolour,dottedwithroundandoblongspotsofblack.Hisoilisverysuperior,clearandfine;butthereislittleofit,andheisseldomhunted.Heismostlyfoundinthecircumpolarseas.

BOOKII.(Octavo),CHAPTERIV.(Killer).—OfthiswhalelittleispreciselyknowntotheNantucketer,andnothingatalltotheprofessednaturalist.FromwhatIhaveseenofhimatadistance,Ishouldsaythathewasaboutthebignessofagrampus.Heisverysavage—asortofFeegeefish.HesometimestakesthegreatFoliowhalesbythelip,andhangstherelikealeech,tillthemightybruteisworriedtodeath.TheKillerisneverhunted.Ineverheardwhatsortofoilhehas.Exceptionmightbetakentothenamebestoweduponthiswhale,onthegroundofitsindistinctness.Forweareallkillers,onlandandonsea;BonapartesandSharksincluded.

BOOKII.(Octavo),CHAPTERV.(Thrasher).—Thisgentlemanisfamousforhistail,whichheusesforaferuleinthrashinghisfoes.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).—Thisisthecommonporpoisefoundalmostallovertheglobe.Thenameisofmyownbestowal;fortherearemorethanonesortofporpoises,andsomethingmustbedonetodistinguishthem.Icallhimthus,becausehealwaysswimsinhilariousshoals,whichuponthebroadseakeeptossingthemselvestoheavenlikecapsinaFourth-of-Julycrowd.Theirappearanceisgenerallyhailedwithdelightbythemariner.Fulloffinespirits,theyinvariablycomefromthebreezybillowstowindward.Theyaretheladsthatalwayslivebeforethewind.Theyareaccountedaluckyomen.Ifyouyourselfcanwithstandthreecheersatbeholdingthesevivaciousfish,thenheavenhelpye;thespiritofgodlygamesomenessisnotinye.Awell-fed,plumpHuzzaPorpoisewillyieldyouonegoodgallonofgoodoil.Butthefineanddelicatefluiextractedfromhisjawsisexceedinglyvaluable.Itisinrequestamongjewellersandwatchmakers.Sailorsputitontheirhones.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.(MealymouthedPorpoise).—ThelargestkindofPorpoise;andonlyfoundinthePacific,sofarasitisknown.TheonlyEnglishname,bywhichhehashithertobeendesignated,isthatofthefishers—Right-WhalePorpoise,fromthecircumstancethatheischieflyfoundinthevicinityofthatFolio.Inshape,hediffersinsomedegreefromtheHuzzaPorpoise,beingofalessrotundandjollygirth;indeed,heisofquiteaneatandgentleman-likefigure.Hehasnofinsonhiback(mostotherporpoiseshave),hehasalovelytail,andsentimentalIndianeyesofahazelhue.Buthismealy-mouthspoilsall.Thoughhisentirebackdowntohissidefinsisofadeepsable,yetaboundaryline,distinctasthemarkinaship'shull,calledthe"brightwaist,"thatlinestreakshimfromstemtostern,withtwoseparatecolours,blackaboveandwhitebelow.Thewhitecomprisespartofhishead,andthewholeofhismouth,whichmakeshimlookasifhehadjustescapedfromafeloniousvisittoameal-bag.Amostmeanandmealyaspect!Hisoilismuchlikethatofthecommonporpoise.

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BeyondtheDUODECIMO,thissystemdoesnotproceed,inasmuchasthePorpoiseisthesmallestofthewhales.Above,youhavealltheLeviathansofnote.Buttherearearabbleofuncertain,fugitive,halffabulouswhales,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;etc.FromIcelandic,Dutch,andoldEnglishauthorities,theremightbequotedotherlistsofuncertainwhales,blessedwithallmannerofuncouthnames.ButIomitthemasaltogetherobsolete;andcanhardlyhelpsuspectingthemformeresounds,fullofLeviathanism,butsignifyingnothing.

Finally:Itwasstatedattheoutset,thatthissystemwouldnotbehere,andatonce,perfected.YoucannotbutplainlyseethatIhavekeptmyword.ButInowleavemycetologicalSystemstandingthusunfinished,evenasthegreatCathedralofColognewasleft,withthecranestillstandinguponthetopoftheuncompletedtower.Forsmallerectionsmaybefinishedbytheirfirstarchitects;grandones,trueoneseverleavethecopestonetoposterity.Godkeepmefromevercompletinganything.Thiswholebookisbutadraught—nay,butthedraughtofadraught.Oh,Time,Strength,Cash,andPatience!

[1]Iamawarethatdowntothepresenttime,thefishstyledLamatinsandDugongs(Pig-fishandSow-fishoftheCoffinsofNantucket)areincludedbymanynaturalistsamongthewhales.Butasthesepig-fishareanoisy,contemptibleset,mostlylurkinginthemouthsofrivers,andfeedingonwethay,andespeciallyastheydonotspout,Idenytheircredentialsaswhales;andhavepresentedthemwiththeirpassportstoquittheKingdomofCetology.

[2]WhythisbookofwhalesisnotdenominatedtheQuartoisveryplain.Because,whilethewhalesofthisorder,thoughsmallerthanthoseoftheformerorder,neverthelessretainaproportionatelikenesstotheminfigure,yetthebookbinder'sQuartovolumeinitsdimensionedformdoesnotpreservetheshapeoftheFoliovolume,buttheOctavovolumedoes.