Крижаний сфінкс
Chapter XI. From the Sandwich Islands to the Polar Circle
“Doyoumakeoutitswrinkledbelly,andalsoitslongdorsalfin?They’renoteasytotake,thosehumpbacks,fortheygodownintogreatdepthsanddevourlongreachesofyourlines.Truly,wedeservethatheshouldgiveusaswitchofhistailonourside,sincewedon’tsendaharpoonintohis.”
“Lookout!Lookout!”shoutedtheboatswain.Thiswasnottowarnusthatwewereindangerofreceivingtheformidablestrokeofthehumpback’stailwhichthesealing-masterhadwishedus.No,anenormousblowerhadcomealongsidetheschooner,andalmostontheinstantaspoutofill-smellingwaterwasejectedfromitsblow-holewithanoiselikeadistantroarofartillery.Thewholeforedecktothemainhatchwasinundated.
“That’swelldone!”growledHearne,shrugginghisshoulders,whilehiscompanionsshookthemselvesandcursedthehumpback.
Besidesthesetwokindsofcetaceawehadobservedseveralright-whales,andthesearethemostusuallymetwithinthesouthernseas.Theyhavenofins,andtheirblubberisverythick.Thetakingofthesefatmonstersofthedeepisnotattendedwithmuchdanger.Theright-whalesarevigorouslypursuedinthesouthernseas,wherethelittleshellfishcalled“whales’food”abound.Thewhalessubsistentirelyuponthesesmallcrustaceans.
Presently,oneoftheseright-whales,measuringsixtyfeetinlength—thatistosay,theanimalwastheequivalentofahundredbarrelsofoil—wasseenfloatingwithinthreecables’lengthsoftheschooner.
“Yes!that’saright-whale,”exclaimedHearne.
