Моби Дик

Cetology

           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,thathoweverthisone-sidedhornmayreallybeusedbytheNarwhalehoweverthatmaybeitwouldcertainlybeveryconvenienttohimforafolderinreadingpamphlets.TheNarwhaleIhaveheardcalledtheTuskedwhale,theHornedwhale,andtheUnicornwhale.HeiscertainlyacuriousexampleoftheUnicornismtobefoundinalmosteverykingdomofanimatednature.FromcertaincloisteredoldauthorsIhavegatheredthatthissamesea-unicorn’shornwasinancientdaysregardedasthegreatantidoteagainstpoison,andassuch,preparationsofitbroughtimmenseprices.Itwasalsodistilledtoavolatilesaltsforfaintingladiesthesamewaythatthehornsofthemaledeeraremanufacturedintohartshorn.Originallyitwasinitselfaccountedanobjectofgreatcuriosity.BlackLettertellsmethatSirMartinFrobisheronhisreturnfromthatvoyage,whenQueenBessdidgallantlywaveherjewelledhandtohimfromawindowofGreenwichPalace,ashisboldshipsaileddowntheThames;"whenSirMartinreturnedfromthatvoyage,"saithBlackLetter,"onbendedkneeshepresentedtoherhighnessaprodigiouslonghornoftheNarwhale,whichforalongperiodafterhunginthecastleatWindsor."

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