"whales has feelin's." 169 



and belched barrelsfull of gore all over us, so that 

 when I opened my eyes every man was painted 

 red — completely covered with fresh, hot blood, 

 so that we all jumped into the water for a hasty 

 bath. Was this sunken leviathan making ready 

 to serve us thus today ? I also remembered how 

 a gigantic spouter had tossed me on his flukes 

 — boat, boat's crew, craft and all — whist! — 

 twenty feet into the air, till it seemed that we'd 

 never come down ; and how I found myself at 

 last launched adrift, clinging to a piece of the 

 steering-oar, which had snapped off at the stern- 

 post of the shattered boat. Had not this whale 

 flukes also ? How would he use them ? Should 

 / be his victim ? or the mate ? or the third mate ? 

 There is something delicious in this exciting 

 uncertainty. It makes your blood tingle. It 

 makes your nerves thrill. It makes you feel 

 yourself ready to face the whole world of perils 

 and proudly conquer them all. You stand in the 

 stern-sheets, leaning on the steering-oar, and as 

 you look into the faces of those five stalwart men 

 on the thwarts before you, you tell yourself they 

 are fine heroes, every man Jack of them. Yes, 

 heroes ! Soldiers face no greater perils. Soldiers 

 win no worthier laurels. Back of every trophy of 

 military valor, you must needs see human blood- 



