First: Being horizontal in its position, the Leviathan's tail acts
in a different manner from the tails of all other sea creatures.
It never wriggles. In man or fish, wriggling is a sign of inferiority.
To the whale his tail is the sole means of propulsion.
Scroll-wise coiled forwards beneath the body, and then rapidly
sprung backwards, it is this which gives that singular darting,
leaping motion to the monster when furiously swimming.
His side-fins only serve to steer by.
Second: It is a little significant, that while one sperm whale only
fights another sperm whale with his head and jaw, nevertheless, in his
conflicts with man, he chiefly and contemptuously uses his tail.
In striking at a boat, he swiftly curves away his flukes from it,
and the blow is only inflicted by the recoil. If it be made
in the unobstructed air, especially if it descend to its mark,
the stroke is then simply irresistible. No ribs of man or boat
can withstand it. Your only salvation lies in eluding it;
but if it comes sideways through the opposing water, then partly
owing to the light buoyancy of the whale-boat, and the elasticity
of its materials, a cracked rib or a dashed plank or two, a sort
of stitch in the side, is generally the most serious result.
Pages:
592
593
594
595
596
597
598
599
600
601
602
603
604
605
606
607
608
609
610
611
612
613
614
615
616