CHAPTER45TheAffidavi

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.thismanandthiswhaleagaincametogether,andtheonevanquishedtheother.isayi,myself,haveknownthreeinstancessimilartothis;thatisintwoofthemisawthewhalesstruck;and,uponthesecondattack,sawthetwoironswiththerespectivemarkscutinthem,afterwardstakenfromthedeadfish.inthethree-yearinstance,itsofelloutthatiwasintheboatbothtimes,firstandlast,andthelasttimedistinctlyrecognisedapeculiarsortofhugemoleunderthewhale'seye,whichihadobservedtherethreeyearsprevious.isaythreeyears,butiamprettysureitwasmorethanthat.herearethreeinstances,then,whichipersonallyknowthetruthof;butihaveheardofmanyotherinstancesfrompersonswhoseveracityinthematterthereisnogoodgroundtoimpeach.

secondly:itiswellknowninthespermwhalefishery,howeverignoranttheworldashoremaybeofit,thattherehavebeenseveralmemorablehistoricalinstanceswhereaparticularwhaleintheoceanhasbeenatdistanttimesandplacespopularlycognisable.whysuchawhalebecamethusmarkedwasnotaltogetherandoriginallyowingtohisbodilypeculiaritiesasdistinguishedfromotherwhales;forhoweverpeculiarinthatrespectanychancewhalemaybe,theysoonputanendtohispeculiaritiesbykillinghim,andboilinghimdownintoapeculiarlyvaluableoil.no:thereasonwasthis:thatfromthefatalexperiencesofthefisherytherehungaterribleprestigeofperilousnessaboutsuchawhaleastheredidaboutrinaldorinaldini,insomuchthatmostfishermenwerecontenttorecognisehimbymerelytouchingtheirtarpaulinswhenhewouldbediscoveredloungingbythemonthesea,withoutseekingtocultivateamoreintimateacquaintance.likesomepoordevilsashorethathappentoknowanirasciblegreatman,theymakedistantunobtrusivesalutationstohiminthestreet,lestiftheypursuedtheacquaintancefurther,theymightreceiveasummarythumpfortheirpresumption.

butnotonlydideachofthesefamouswhalesenjoygreatindividualcelebrity—nay,youmaycallitanocean-widerenown;notonlywashefamousinlifeandnowisimmortalinforecastlestoriesafterdeath,buthewasadmittedintoalltherights,privileges,anddistinctionsofaname;hadasmuchanameindeedascambysesorc?sar.wasitnotso,otimortom!thoufamedleviathan,scarredlikeaniceberg,whosolongdid'stlurkintheorientalstraitsofthatname,whosespoutwasoftseenfromthepalmybeachofombay?wasitnotso,onewzealandjack!thouterrorofallcruisersthatcrossedtheirwakesinthevicinityofthetattooland?wasitnotso,omorquan!kingofjapan,whoseloftyjettheysayattimesassumedthesemblanceofasnow-whitecrossagainstthesky?wasitnotso,odonmiguel!thouchilianwhale,markedlikeanoldtortoisewithmystichieroglyphicsupontheback!inplainprose,herearefourwhalesaswellknowntothestudentsofcetaceanhistoryasmariusorsyllatotheclassicscholar.

butthisisnotall.newzealandtomanddonmiguel,afteratvarioustimescreatinggreathavocamongtheboatsofdifferentvessels,werefinallygoneinquestof,systematicallyhuntedout,chasedandkilledbyvaliantwhalingcaptains,whoheaveduptheiranchorswiththatexpressobjectasmuchinview,asinsettingoutthroughthenarragansettwoods,captainbutlerofoldhaditinhismindtocapturethatnotoriousmurderoussavageannawon,theheadmostwarrioroftheindiankingphilip.

idonotknowwhereicanfindabetterplacethanjusthere,tomakementionofoneortwootherthings,whichtomeseemimportant,asinprintedformestablishinginallrespectsthereasonablenessofthewholestoryofthewhitewhale,moreespeciallythecatastrophe.forthisisoneofthosedishearteninginstanceswheretruthrequiresfullasmuchbolsteringaserror.soignorantaremostlandsmenofsomeoftheplainestandmostpalpablewondersoftheworld,thatwithoutsomehintstouchingtheplainfacts,historicalandotherwise,ofthefishery,theymightscoutatmobydickasamonstrousfable,orstillworseandmoredetestable,ahideousandintolerableallegory.

first:thoughmostmenhavesomevagueflittingideasofthegeneralperilsofthegrandfishery,yettheyhavenothinglikeafixed,vividconceptionofthoseperils,andthefrequencywithwhichtheyrecur.onereasonperhapsis,thatnotoneinfiftyoftheactualdisastersanddeathsbycasualtiesinthefishery,everfindsapublicrecordathome,howevertransientandimmediatelyforgottenthatrecord.doyousupposethatthatpoorfellowthere,whothismomentperhapscaughtbythewhale-lineoffthecoastofnewguinea,isbeingcarrieddowntothebottomoftheseabythesoundingleviathan—doyousupposethatthatpoorfellow'snamewillappearinthenewspaperobituaryyouwillreadto-morrowatyourbreakfast?no:becausethemailsareveryirregularbetweenhereandnewguinea.infact,didyoueverhearwhatmightbecalledregularnewsdirectorindirectfromnewguinea?yetitellyouthatupononeparticularvoyagewhichimadetothepacific,amongmanyotherswespokethirtydifferentships,everyoneofwhichhadhadadeathbyawhale,someofthemmorethanone,andthreethathadeachlostaboat'screw.forgod'ssake,beeconomicalwithyourlampsandcandles!notagallonyouburn,butatleastonedropofman'sbloodwasspilledforit.

secondly:peopleashorehaveindeedsomeindefiniteideathatawhaleisanenormouscreatureofenormouspower;butihaveeverfoundthatwhennarratingtothemsomespecificexampleofthistwo-foldenormousness,theyhavesignificantlycomplimentedmeuponmyfacetiousness;when,ideclareuponmysoul,ihadnomoreideaofbeingfacetiousthanmoses,whenhewrotethehistoryoftheplaguesofegypt.

butfortunatelythespecialpointihereseekcanbeestablishedupontestimonyentirelyindependentofmyown.thatpointisthis:thespermwhaleisinsomecasessufficientlypowerful,knowing,andjudiciouslymalicious,aswithdirectaforethoughttostavein,utterlydestroy,andsinkalargeship;andwhatismore,thespermwhalehasdoneit.

first:intheyear1820theshipessex,captainpollard,ofnantucket,wascruisinginthepacificocean.onedayshesawspouts,loweredherboats,andgavechasetoashoalofspermwhales.erelong,severalofthewhaleswerewounded;when,suddenly,averylargewhaleescapingfromtheboats,issuedfromtheshoal,andboredirectlydownupontheship.dashinghisforeheadagainstherhull,hesostoveherin,thatinlessthan"tenminutes"shesettleddownandfellover.notasurvivingplankofherhasbeenseensince.aftertheseverestexposure,partofthecrewreachedthelandintheirboats.beingreturnedhomeatlast,captainpollardoncemoresailedforthepacificincommandofanothership,butthegodsshipwreckedhimagainuponunknownrocksandbreakers;forthesecondtimehisshipwasutterlylost,andforthwithforswearingthesea,hehasnevertempteditsince.atthisdaycaptainpollardisaresidentofnantucket.ihaveseenowenchace,whowaschiefmateoftheessexatthetimeofthetragedy;ihavereadhisplainandfaithfulnarrative;ihaveconversedwithhisson;andallthiswithinafewmilesofthesceneofthecatastrophe.[1]

herearehisreflectionssometimeafterquittingtheship,duringablacknightinanopenboat,whenalmostdespairingofreachinganyhospitableshore."thedarkoceanandswellingwaterswerenothing;thefearsofbeingswallowedupbysomedreadfultempest,ordasheduponhiddenrocks,withalltheotherordinarysubjectsoffearfulcontemplation,seemedscarcelyentitledtoamoment'sthought;thedismallookingwreck,andthehorridaspectandrevengeofthewhale,whollyengrossedmyreflections,untildayagainmadeitsappearance."

inanotherplace—p.45,—hespeaksof"themysteriousandmortalattackoftheanimal."

secondly:theshipunion,alsoofnantucket,wasintheyear1807totallylostofftheazoresbyasimilaronset,buttheauthenticparticularsofthiscatastropheihaveneverchancedtoencounter,thoughfromthewhalehuntersihavenowandthenheardcasualallusionstoit.

thirdly:someeighteenortwentyyearsagocommodorej——,thencommandinganamericansloop-of-warofthefirstclass,happenedtobediningwithapartyofwhalingcaptains,onboardanantucketshipintheharborofoahu,sandwichislands.conversationturninguponwhales,thecommodorewaspleasedtobescepticaltouchingtheamazingstrengthascribedtothembytheprofessionalgentlemenpresent.heperemptorilydeniedforexample,thatanywhalecouldsosmitehisstoutsloop-of-warastocausehertoleaksomuchasathimbleful.verygood;butthereismorecoming.someweeksafter,thecommodoresetsailinthisimpregnablecraftforvalparaiso.buthewasstoppedonthewaybyaportlyspermwhale,thatedafewmoments'confidentialbusinesswithhim.thatbusinessconsistedinfetchingthecommodore'scraftsuchathwack,thatwithallhispumpsgoinghemadestraightforthenearestporttoheavedownandrepair.iamnotsuperstitious,buticonsiderthecommodore'sinterviewwiththatwhaleasprovidential.wasnotsauloftarsusconvertedfromunbeliefbyasimilarfright?itellyou,thespermwhalewillstandnononsense.

iwillnowreferyoutolangsdorff'svoyagesforalittlecircumstanceinpoint,peculiarlyinterestingtothewriterhereof.langsdorff,youmustknowbytheway,wasattachedtotherussianadmiralkrusenstern'sfamousdiscoveryexpeditioninthebeginningofthepresentcentury.captainlangsdorffthusbeginshisseventeenthchapter:

"bythethirteenthofmayourshipwasreadytosail,andthenextdaywewereoutintheopensea,onourwaytoochotsh.theweatherwasveryclearandfine,butsointolerablycoldthatwewereobligedtokeeponourfurclothing.forsomedayswehadverylittlewind;itwasnottillthenineteenththatabriskgalefromthenorthwestsprangup.anuncommonlargewhale,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.ihavethehonorofbeinganephewofhis.ihaveparticularlyquestionedhimconcerningthispassageinlangsdorff.hesubstantiateseveryword.theship,however,wasbynomeansalargeone:arussiancraftbuiltonthesiberiancoast,andpurchasedbymyuncleafterbarteringawaythevesselinwhichhesailedfromhome.

inthatupanddownmanlybookofold-fashionedadventure,sofull,too,ofhonestwonders—thevoyageoflionelwafer,oneofancientdampier'soldchums—ifoundalittlemattersetdownsolikethatjustquotedfromlangsdorff,thaticannotforbearinsertingithereforacorroborativeexample,ifsuchbeneeded.

lionel,itseems,wasonhiswayto"johnferdinando,"ashecallsthemodernjuanfernandes."inourwaythither,"hesays,"aboutfouro'clockinthemorning,whenwewereaboutonehundredandfiftyleaguesfromthemainofamerica,ourshipfeltaterribleshock,whichputourmeninsuchconsternationthattheycouldhardlytellwheretheywereorwhattothink;buteveryonebegantopreparefordeath.and,indeed,theshockwassosuddenandviolent,thatwetookitforgrantedtheshiphadstruckagainstarock;butwhentheamazementwasalittleover,wecastthelead,andsounded,butfoundnoground.

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thesuddennessoftheshockmadethegunsleapintheircarriages,andseveralofthemenwereshakenoutoftheirhammocks.captaindavis,wholaywithhisheadonagun,wasthrownoutofhiscabin!"lionelthengoesontoimputetheshocktoanearthquake,andseemstosubstantiatetheimputationbystatingthatagreatearthquake,somewhereaboutthattime,didactuallydogreatmischiefalongthespanishland.butishouldnotmuchwonderif,inthedarknessofthatearlyhourofthemorning,theshockwasafterallcausedbyanunseenwhaleverticallybumpingthehullfrombeneath.

imightproceedwithseveralmoreexamples,onewayoranotherknowntome,ofthegreatpowerandmaliceattimesofthespermwhale.inmorethanoneinstance,hehasbeenknown,notonlytochasetheassailingboatsbacktotheirships,buttopursuetheshipitself,andlongwithstandallthelanceshurledathimfromitsdecks.theenglishshippusiehallcantellastoryonthathead;and,asforhisstrength,letmesay,thattherehavebeenexampleswherethelinesattachedtoarunningspermwhalehave,inacalm,beentransferredtotheship,andsecuredthere;thewhaletowinghergreathullthroughthewater,asahorsewalksoffwithacart.again,itisveryoftenobservedthat,ifthespermwhale,oncestruck,isallowedtimetorally,hethenacts,notsooftenwithblindrage,aswithwilful,deliberatedesignsofdestructiontohispursuers;norisitwithoutconveyingsomeeloquentindicationofhischaracter,thatuponbeingattackedhewillfrequentlyopenhismouth,andretainitinthatdreadexpansionforseveralconsecutiveminutes.butimustbecontentwithonlyonemoreandaconcludingillustration;aremarkableandmostsignificantone,bywhichyouwillnotfailtosee,thatnotonlyisthemostmarvellouseventinthisbookcorroboratedbyplainfactsofthepresentday,butthatthesemarvels(likeallmarvels)aremererepetitionsoftheages;sothatforthemillionthtimewesayamenwithsolomon—verilythereisnothingnewunderthesun.

inthesixthchristiancenturylivedprocopius,achristianmagistrateofconstantinople,inthedayswhenjustinianwasemperorandbelisariusgeneral.asmanyknow,hewrotethehistoryofhisowntimes,aworkeverywayofuncommonvalue.bythebestauthorities,hehasalwaysbeenconsideredamosttrustworthyanderatinghistorian,exceptinsomeoneortwoparticulars,notatallaffectingthematterpresentlytobementioned.

now,inthishistoryofhis,procopiusmentionsthat,duringthetermofhisprefectureatconstantinople,agreatsea-monsterwascapturedintheneighboringpropontis,orseaofmarmora,afterhavingdestroyedvesselsatintervalsinthosewatersforaperiodofmorethanfiftyyears.afactthussetdowninsubstantialhistorycannoteasilybegainsaid.noristhereanyreasonitshouldbe.ofwhatprecisespeciesthissea-monsterwas,isnotmentioned.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.butihaveeveryreasontobelievethatthefoodofthespermwhale—squidorcuttle-fish—lurksatthebottomofthatsea,becauselargecreatures,butbynomeansthelargestofthatsort,havebeenfoundatitssurface.if,then,youproperlyputthesestatementstogether,andreasonuponthemabit,youwillclearlyperceivethat,accordingtoallhumanreasoning,procopius'ssea-monster,thatforhalfacenturystovetheshipsofaromanemperor,mustinallprobabilityhavebeenaspermwhale.

[1]thefollowingareextractsfromchace'snarrative:'everyfactseemedtowarrantmeinconcludingthatitwasanythingbutchancewhichdirectedhisoperations;hemadetwoseveralattacksupontheship,atashortintervalbetweenthem,bothofwhich,accordingtotheirdirection,werecalculatedtodousthemostinjury,bybeingmadeahead,andtherebycombiningthespeedofthetwoobjectsfortheshock;toeffectwhich,theexactman?uvreswhichhemadewerenecessary.hisaspectwasmosthorrible,andsuchasindicatedresentmentandfury.hecamedirectlyfromtheshoalwhichwehadjustbeforeentered,andinwhichwehadstruckthreeofhiscompanions,asiffiredwithrevengefortheirsufferings.'again:'atallevents,thewholecircumstancestakentogether,allhappeningbeforemyowneyes,andproducing,atthetime,impressionsinmymindofdecided,calculatingmischief,onthepartofthewhale(manyofwhichimpressionsicannotnowrecall),inducemetobesatisfiedthatiamcorrectinmyopinion.