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Chapter 6. At Full Steam

           Everyeyewasturnedtowardsthepointindicated.There,amileandahalffromthefrigate,alongblackishbodyemergedayardabovethewaves.Itstail,violentlyagitated,producedaconsiderableeddy.Neverdidatailbeattheseawithsuchviolence.Animmensetrack,ofdazzlingwhiteness,markedthepassageoftheanimal,anddescribedalongcurve.

           Thefrigateapproachedthecetacean.Iexamineditthoroughly.

           ThereportsoftheShannonandoftheHelvetiahadratherexaggerateditssize,andIestimateditslengthatonlytwohundredandfiftyfeet.Astoitsdimensions,Icouldonlyconjecturethemtobeadmirablyproportioned.WhileIwatchedthisphenomenon,twojetsofsteamandwaterwereejectedfromitsvents,androsetotheheightof120feet;thusIascertaineditswayofbreathing.Iconcludeddefinitelythatitbelongedtothevertebratebranch,classmammalia.

           Thecrewwaitedimpatientlyfortheirchief’sorders.Thelatter,afterhavingobservedtheanimalattentively,calledtheengineer.Theengineerrantohim.

           "Sir,"saidthecommander,"youhavesteamup?"

           "Yes,sir,"answeredtheengineer.

           "Well,makeupyourfiresandputonallsteam."

           Threehurrahsgreetedthisorder.Thetimeforthestrugglehadarrived.Somemomentsafter,thetwofunnelsofthefrigatevomitedtorrentsofblacksmoke,andthebridgequakedunderthetremblingoftheboilers.

           TheAbrahamLincoln,propelledbyherwonderfulscrew,wentstraightattheanimal.Thelatterallowedittocomewithinhalfacable’slength;then,asifdisdainingtodive,ittookalittleturn,andstoppedashortdistanceoff.

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