Крижаний сфінкс
Chapter XI. From the Sandwich Islands to the Polar Circle
“Youmighttellitbyitsthick,shortspout.See,thatoneontheportside,likeacolumnofsmoke,that’sthespoutofaright-whale!Andallthisispassingbeforeourverynoses—-adeadloss!Why,it’slikeemptyingmoney-bagsintotheseanottofillone’sbarrelswhenonecan.Anicesortofcaptain,indeed,toletallthismerchandisebelost,anddosuchwrongtohiscrew!”
“Hearne,”saidanimperiousvoice,“gouptothemaintop.Youwillbemoreatyoureasetheretoreckonthewhales.”
“But,sir—”
“Noreply,orI’llkeepyouupthereuntilto-morrow.Come—beoffatonce.”
Andashewouldhavegottheworstofanattemptatresistance,thesealing-masterobeyedinsilence.
Theseasonmusthavebeenabnormallyadvanced,foralthoughwecontinuedtoseeavastnumberoftestaceans,wedidnotcatchsightofasinglewhaling-shipinallthisfishing-ground.
Ihastentostatethat,althoughwewerenottobetemptedbywhales,nootherfishingwasforbiddenonboardtheHalbrane,andourdailybilloffareprofitedbytheboatswain’strawlinglines,totheextremesatisfactionofstomachswearyofsaltmeat.Ourlinesbroughtusgoby,salmon,cod,mackerel,conger,mullet,andparrot-fish.
Thebirdswhichwesaw,andwhichcamefromeverypointofthehorizon,werethoseIhavealreadymentioned,petrels,divers,halcyons,andpigeonsincountlessflocks.Ialsosaw—butbeyondaim—agiantpetrel;itsdimensionsweretrulyastonishing.Thiswasoneofthosecalled“quebrantahnesos”bytheSpaniards
