20000 льє під водою

Chapter 12. Sperm Whales and Baleen Whales

           "Thenitwastoprocurefreshmeatformycrew.Hereitwouldbekillingforkilling’ssake.Iknowthatisaprivilegereservedforman,butIdonotapproveofsuchmurderouspastime.Indestroyingthesouthernwhale(liketheGreenlandwhale,aninoffensivecreature),yourtradersdoaculpableaction,MasterLand.TheyhavealreadydepopulatedthewholeofBaffin’sBay,andareannihilatingaclassofusefulanimals.Leavetheunfortunatecetaceaalone.Theyhaveplentyofnaturalenemiescachalots,swordfish,andsawfishwithoutyoutroublingthem."

           TheCaptainwasright.Thebarbarousandinconsiderategreedofthesefishermenwillonedaycausethedisappearanceofthelastwhaleintheocean.NedLandwhistled"Yankee-doodle"betweenhisteeth,thrusthishandsintohispockets,andturnedhisbackuponus.ButCaptainNemowatchedthetroopofcetacea,and,addressingme,said:

           "Iwasrightinsayingthatwhaleshadnaturalenemiesenough,withoutcountingman.Thesewillhaveplentytodobeforelong.Doyousee,M.Aronnax,abouteightmilestoleeward,thoseblackishmovingpoints?"

           "Yes,Captain,"Ireplied.

           "Thosearecachalotsterribleanimals,whichIhavemetintroopsoftwoorthreehundred.Astothose,theyarecruel,mischievouscreatures;theywouldberightinexterminatingthem."

           TheCanadianturnedquicklyatthelastwords.

           "Well,Captain,"saidhe,"itisstilltime,intheinterestofthewhales."

           "Itisuselesstoexposeone’sself,Professor.TheNautiluswilldispersethem.ItisarmedwithasteelspurasgoodasMasterLand’sharpoon,Iimagine."

Налаштування
Фон сторінки
Розмір шрифту
Міжрядковий інтервал
Фразові дієслова
Показати / Приховати меню
Шрифт
Roboto Lora
Уведомления
Сторінка 288 з 384