Thus at the North have I chased Leviathan round and round the Pole
with the revolutions of the bright points that first defined him to me.
And beneath the effulgent Antarctic skies I have boarded
the Argo-Navis, and joined the chase against the starry Cetus
far beyond the utmost stretch of Hydrus and the Flying Fish.
With a frigate's anchors for my bridle-bitts and fasces of harpoons
for spurs, would I could mount that whale and leap the topmost skies,
to see whether the fabled heavens with all their countless tents really
lie encamped beyond my mortal sight!
CHAPTER 58
Brit
Steering north-eastward from the Crozetts, we fell in with vast meadows
of brit, the minute, yellow substance, upon which the Right Whale
largely feeds. For leagues and leagues it undulated round us,
so that we seemed to be sailing through boundless fields of ripe
and golden wheat.
On the second day, numbers of Right Whales were seen, who, secure from
the attack of a Sperm-Whaler like the Pequod, with open jaws sluggishly
swam through the brit, which, adhering to the fringing fibres of that
wondrous Venetian blind in their mouths, was in that manner separated
from the water that escaped at the lips.
Pages:
430
431
432
433
434
435
436
437
438
439
440
441
442
443
444
445
446
447
448
449
450
451
452
453
454