THE WHITE WHALE 127 
BOOK II. (Octavo), Chapter V. (Thresher ). — This gentleman 
is famous for his tail, which he uses for a ferule in thrashing his foes, 
lie mounts the Folio whale’s hack, and as he swims, he works his 
passage by flogging him ; as some schoolmasters get along in the world 
by a similar process. Still less is known of the Thrasher than of the 
Killer. Both are outlaws, even in the lawless seas. 
Thus ends BOOK II. (Octavo), and begins BOOK III. 
(Duodecimo) . 
DUODECIMOES. — These include the smaller whales. I. The 
Huzza Porpoise. II. The Algerine Porpoise. III. The Mealy- 
mouthed Porpoise. 
To those who have not chanced specially to study the subject, it may 
possibly seem strange, that fishes not commonly exceeding four or five 
feet should be marshalled among WHALES — a word, which, in the 
popular sense, always conveys an idea of hugeness. But the creatures 
set down above as Duodecimoes are infallibly whales, by the terms 
of my definition of what a whale is — i. e., a spouting fish, with a hori- 
zontal tail. 
BOOK III. (Duodecimo), Chapter I. (Huzza Porpoise ). — This is 
the common porpoise found almost all over the globe. The name is 
of my own bestowal ; for there are more than one sort of porpoises, and 
something must be done to distinguish them. I call him thus, because 
he always swims in hilarious shoals, which upon the broad sea keep 
tossing themselves to heaven like caps in a Fourth of July crowd. 
Their appearance is generally hailed with delight by the mariner. 
Full of fine spirits, they invariably come from the breezy billows to 
windward. They are the lads that always live before the wind. They 
are accounted a lucky omen. If you yourself can withstand three 
cheers at beholding these vivacious fish, then heaven help ye ; the spirit 
of godly gamesomeness is not in ye. A well-fed, plump Huzza Por- 
poise will yield you one good gallon of good oil. But the fine and 
delicate fluid extracted from his jaws is exceedingly valuable. It is in 
request among jewellers and watchmakers. Sailors put it on their 
hones. Porpoise meat is good eating, you know. It may never have 
occurred to you that a porpoise spouts. Indeed, his spout is so small 
that it is not very readily discernible. But the next time you have a 
