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Chapter 4. Ned Land

           Seatedonthepoop,NedLandandIwerechattingofonethingandanotheraswelookedatthismysterioussea,whosegreatdepthshaduptothistimebeeninaccessibletotheeyeofman.Inaturallyleduptheconversationtothegiantunicorn,andexaminedthevariouschancesofsuccessorfailureoftheexpedition.But,seeingthatNedLandletmespeakwithoutsayingtoomuchhimself,Ipressedhimmoreclosely.

           "Well,Ned,"saidI,"isitpossiblethatyouarenotconvincedoftheexistenceofthiscetaceanthatwearefollowing?Haveyouanyparticularreasonforbeingsoincredulous?"

           Theharpoonerlookedatmefixedlyforsomemomentsbeforeanswering,struckhisbroadforeheadwithhishand(ahabitofhis),asiftocollecthimself,andsaidatlast,"PerhapsIhave,Mr.Aronnax."

           "But,Ned,you,awhalerbyprofession,familiarisedwithallthegreatmarinemammaliayououghttobethelasttodoubtundersuchcircumstances!"

           "Thatisjustwhatdeceivesyou,Professor,"repliedNed."AsawhalerIhavefollowedmanyacetacean,harpoonedagreatnumber,andkilledseveral;but,howeverstrongorwell-armedtheymayhavebeen,neithertheirtailsnortheirweaponswouldhavebeenableeventoscratchtheironplatesofasteamer."

           "But,Ned,theytellofshipswhichtheteethofthenarwhalhavepiercedthroughandthrough."

           "Woodenshipsthatispossible,"repliedtheCanadian,"butIhaveneverseenitdone;and,untilfurtherproof,Idenythatwhales,cetaceans,orsea-unicornscouldeverproducetheeffectyoudescribe."

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