Моби Дик

The Blanket

           Insomeinstances,tothequick,observanteye,thoselinearmarks,asinaveritableengraving,butaffordthegroundforfarotherdelineations.Thesearehieroglyphical;thatis,ifyoucallthosemysteriouscyphersonthewallsofpyramidshieroglyphics,thenthatistheproperwordtouseinthepresentconnexion.BymyretentivememoryofthehieroglyphicsupononeSpermWhaleinparticular,IwasmuchstruckwithaplaterepresentingtheoldIndiancharacterschiselledonthefamoushieroglyphicpalisadesonthebanksoftheUpperMississippi.Likethosemysticrocks,too,themystic-markedwhaleremainsundecipherable.ThisallusiontotheIndianrocksremindsmeofanotherthing.BesidesalltheotherphenomenawhichtheexterioroftheSpermWhalepresents,henotseldomdisplaystheback,andmoreespeciallyhisflanks,effacedingreatpartoftheregularlinearappearance,byreasonofnumerousrudescratches,altogetherofanirregular,randomaspect.IshouldsaythatthoseNewEnglandrocksontheseacoast,whichAgassizimaginestobearthemarksofviolentscrapingcontactwithvastfloatingicebergsIshouldsay,thatthoserocksmustnotalittleresembletheSpermWhaleinthisparticular.Italsoseemstomethatsuchscratchesinthewhaleareprobablymadebyhostilecontactwithotherwhales;forIhavemostremarkedtheminthelarge,full-grownbullsofthespecies.

           Awordortwomoreconcerningthismatteroftheskinorblubberofthewhale.Ithasalreadybeensaid,thatitisstriptfromhiminlongpieces,calledblanket-pieces.

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