Whale Hunting 241 



out from that frenzied twilight into the clear air of 

 the day. 



And now abating in his flurry, the whale once 

 more rolled out into view ; surging from side to 

 side ; spasmodically dilating and contracting his 

 spout-hole, with sharp, cracking, agonized respira- 

 tions. At last, gush after gush of clotted red gore, 

 as if it had been the purple lees of red wine, shot 

 into the frighted air ; and falling back again, ran 

 down his motionless flanks into the sea. 



His heart had burst ! 



" He's dead, Mr. Stubb," said Daggoo. 



" Yes ; both pipes smoked out ! " and with- 

 drawing his own from his mouth, Stubb scattered 

 the dead ashes over the water ; and, for a moment, 

 stood thoughtfully eyeing the vast corpse he had 

 made. 



Herman Melville. 



