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Chapter 12. Sperm Whales and Baleen Whales

           Wewereseatedontheplatform,withaquietsea.ThemonthofOctoberinthoselatitudesgaveussomelovelyautumnaldays.ItwastheCanadianhecouldnotbemistakenwhosignalledawhaleontheeasternhorizon.Lookingattentively,onemightseeitsblackbackriseandfallwiththewavesfivemilesfromtheNautilus.

           "Ah!"exclaimedNedLand,"ifIwasonboardawhaler,nowsuchameetingwouldgivemepleasure.Itisoneoflargesize.Seewithwhatstrengthitsblow-holesthrowupcolumnsofairansteam!Confoundit,whyamIboundtothesesteelplates?"

           "What,Ned,"saidI,"youhavenotforgottenyouroldideasoffishing?"

           "Canawhale-fishereverforgethisoldtrade,sir?Canheevertireoftheemotionscausedbysuchachase?"

           "Youhaveneverfishedintheseseas,Ned?"

           "Never,sir;inthenorthernonly,andasmuchinBehringasinDavisStraits."

           "Thenthesouthernwhaleisstillunknowntoyou.ItistheGreenlandwhaleyouhavehunteduptothistime,andthatwouldnotriskpassingthroughthewarmwatersoftheequator.Whalesarelocalised,accordingtotheirkinds,incertainseaswhichtheyneverleave.AndifoneofthesecreatureswentfromBehringtoDavisStraits,itmustbesimplybecausethereisapassagefromoneseatotheother,eitherontheAmericanortheAsiaticside."

           "Inthatcase,asIhaveneverfishedintheseseas,Idonotknowthekindofwhalefrequentingthem!"

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