{"id":"01KFNR89MYMMCDMAMDQWHA5PNF","cid":"bafkreidutv6ygllcuzf53c2b55jsim5ysf2mrelhd4svax2c4fb63yh45y","type":"chunk","properties":{"end_line":14191,"extracted_at":"2026-01-23T15:41:04.751Z","extracted_by":"structure-extraction-lambda","label":"Chunk 17","source_file":"01KFNR0Z394A878Y5AQ63MQEM2","start_line":14141,"text":"bones heavy and rheumatic; then you might with some reason assert that\r\nthis sinking is caused by an uncommon specific gravity in the fish so\r\nsinking, consequent upon this absence of buoyant matter in him. But it\r\nis not so. For young whales, in the highest health, and swelling with\r\nnoble aspirations, prematurely cut off in the warm flush and May of\r\nlife, with all their panting lard about them; even these brawny,\r\nbuoyant heroes do sometimes sink.\r\n\r\nBe it said, however, that the Sperm Whale is far less liable to this\r\naccident than any other species. Where one of that sort go down, twenty\r\nRight Whales do. This difference in the species is no doubt imputable\r\nin no small degree to the greater quantity of bone in the Right Whale;\r\nhis Venetian blinds alone sometimes weighing more than a ton; from this\r\nincumbrance the Sperm Whale is wholly free. But there are instances\r\nwhere, after the lapse of many hours or several days, the sunken whale\r\nagain rises, more buoyant than in life. But the reason of this is\r\nobvious. Gases are generated in him; he swells to a prodigious\r\nmagnitude; becomes a sort of animal balloon. A line-of-battle ship\r\ncould hardly keep him under then. In the Shore Whaling, on soundings,\r\namong the Bays of New Zealand, when a Right Whale gives token of\r\nsinking, they fasten buoys to him, with plenty of rope; so that when\r\nthe body has gone down, they know where to look for it when it shall\r\nhave ascended again.\r\n\r\nIt was not long after the sinking of the body that a cry was heard from\r\nthe Pequod’s mast-heads, announcing that the Jungfrau was again\r\nlowering her boats; though the only spout in sight was that of a\r\nFin-Back, belonging to the species of uncapturable whales, because of\r\nits incredible power of swimming. Nevertheless, the Fin-Back’s spout is\r\nso similar to the Sperm Whale’s, that by unskilful fishermen it is\r\noften mistaken for it. And consequently Derick and all his host were\r\nnow in valiant chase of this unnearable brute. The Virgin crowding all\r\nsail, made after her four young keels, and thus they all disappeared\r\nfar to leeward, still in bold, hopeful chase.\r\n\r\nOh! many are the Fin-Backs, and many are the Dericks, my friend.\r\n\r\n\r\nCHAPTER 82. The Honor and Glory of Whaling.\r\n\r\nThere are some enterprises in which a careful disorderliness is the\r\ntrue method.\r\n\r\nThe more I dive into this matter of whaling, and push my researches up\r\nto the very spring-head of it so much the more am I impressed with its\r\ngreat honorableness and antiquity; and especially when I find so many\r\ngreat demi-gods and heroes, prophets of all sorts, who one way or other\r\nhave shed distinction upon it, I am transported with the reflection\r\nthat I myself belong, though but subordinately, to so emblazoned a\r\nfraternity.\r\n\r","title":"Chunk 17"},"relationships":[{"peer":"01KFNR84AAHSNQ4BFJ0ASPHB53","peer_label":"76","peer_type":"chapter","predicate":"in"},{"peer":"01KFNR84AAHSNQ4BFJ0ASPHB53","peer_label":"76","peer_type":"chapter","predicate":"partOf"},{"peer":"01KFNR81RMVAX2BBMMBW51V97D","peer_label":"Moby Dick; Or, The Whale","peer_type":"novel","predicate":"partOf"},{"peer":"01KFNR0H0Q791Y1SMZWEQ09FGV","peer_label":"Moby Dick","peer_type":"collection","predicate":"collection"},{"peer":"01KFNR89NGGW0KPRXSHMGJW8GA","peer_label":"Chunk 18","peer_type":"chunk","predicate":"next"},{"peer":"01KFNR89PKKJHJA4XKMK3EGETP","peer_label":"Chunk 16","peer_type":"chunk","predicate":"prev"}],"ver":2,"created_at":"2026-01-23T15:41:05.221Z","ts":"2026-01-23T15:41:17.948Z","edited_by":{"method":"manual","user_id":"01KFF0H3YRP9ZSM033AM0QJ47H"}}