CHAPTER32Cetology

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,intheremotestdegreeeedintheattempt.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.itwasonlytobehadfromtheistsasyounowadaysbuyanounceofrhubarb.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;anditistheonlyonethatcanpossiblyeed,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,andestanother.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,heworkshispassagebyinghim;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;thewhale;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.