In a word, you would have
two backs, so to speak; but, at the same time, also, two fronts
(side fronts): for what is it that makes the front of a man--
what, indeed, but his eyes?
Moreover, while in most other animals that I can now think of,
the eyes are so planted as imperceptibly to blend their
visual power, so as to produce one picture and not two
to the brain; the peculiar position of the whale's eyes,
effectually divided as they are by many cubic feet of solid head,
which towers between them like a great mountain separating
two lakes in valleys; this, of course, must wholly separate
the impressions which each independent organ imparts.
The whale, therefore, must see one distinct picture on this side,
and another distinct picture on that side; while all
between must be profound darkness and nothingness to him.
Man may, in effect, be said to look out on the world
from a sentry-box with two joined sashes for his window.
But with the whale, these two sashes are separately inserted,
making two distinct windows, but sadly impairing the view.
This peculiarity of the whale's eyes is a thing always to be
borne in mind in the fishery; and to be remembered by the reader
in some subsequent scenes.
Pages:
518
519
520
521
522
523
524
525
526
527
528
529
530
531
532
533
534
535
536
537
538
539
540
541
542