20000 лье под водой

Chapter 12. Sperm Whales and Baleen Whales

           ThebattlebetweenthecachalotsandthewhaleshadalreadybegunwhentheNautilusarrived.Theydidnotatfirstshowanyfearatthesightofthisnewmonsterjoiningintheconflict.Buttheysoonhadtoguardagainstitsblows.Whatabattle!TheNautiluswasnothingbutaformidableharpoon,brandishedbythehandofitsCaptain.Ithurleditselfagainstthefleshymass,passingthroughfromoneparttotheother,leavingbehindittwoquiveringhalvesoftheanimal.Itcouldnotfeeltheformidableblowsfromtheirtailsuponitssides,northeshockwhichitproduceditself,muchmore.Onecachalotkilled,itranatthenext,tackedonthespotthatitmightnotmissitsprey,goingforwardsandbackwards,answeringtoitshelm,plungingwhenthecetaceandivedintothedeepwaters,comingupwithitwhenitreturnedtothesurface,strikingitfrontorsideways,cuttingortearinginalldirectionsandatanypace,piercingitwithitsterriblespur.Whatcarnage!Whatanoiseonthesurfaceofthewaves!Whatsharphissing,andwhatsnortingpeculiartotheseenragedanimals!Inthemidstofthesewaters,generallysopeaceful,theirtailsmadeperfectbillows.Foronehourthiswholesalemassacrecontinued,fromwhichthecachalotscouldnotescape.SeveraltimestenortwelveunitedtriedtocrushtheNautilusbytheirweight.Fromthewindowwecouldseetheirenormousmouths,studdedwithtusks,andtheirformidableeyes.NedLandcouldnotcontainhimself;hethreatenedandsworeatthem.Wecouldfeelthemclingingtoourvessellikedogsworryingawildboarinacopse.ButtheNautilus,workingitsscrew,carriedthemhereandthere,ortotheupperlevelsoftheocean,withoutcaringfortheirenormousweight,northepowerfulstrainonthevessel.Atlengththemassofcachalotsbrokeup,thewavesbecamequiet,andIfeltthatwewererisingtothesurface.Thepanelopened,andwehurriedontotheplatform.

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