{"id":"01KG8AKZXX5RT0HQ2QC4Y78QWH","cid":"bafkreicoiv4w5cl4ch5u3fhgdzbnofwkzcs2cgaetha3uuqshaax4bpzky","type":"chunk","properties":{"end_line":4356,"extracted_at":"2026-01-30T20:48:18.535Z","extracted_by":"structure-extraction-lambda","label":"Chunk 1","source_file":"01KG89J1HYC04JWXEK48P07WPK","start_line":4284,"text":"CHAPTER XXXVIII.\r\nThe Sea On Fire\r\n\r\n\r\nThe night following our abandonment of the Parki, was made memorable by\r\na remarkable spectacle.\r\n\r\nSlumbering in the bottom of the boat, Jarl and I were suddenly awakened\r\nby Samoa. Starting, we beheld the ocean of a pallid white color,\r\ncorruscating all over with tiny golden sparkles. But the pervading hue\r\nof the water cast a cadaverous gleam upon the boat, so that we looked\r\nto each other like ghosts. For many rods astern our wake was revealed\r\nin a line of rushing illuminated foam; while here and there beneath the\r\nsurface, the tracks of sharks were denoted by vivid, greenish trails,\r\ncrossing and recrossing each other in every direction. Farther away,\r\nand distributed in clusters, floated on the sea, like constellations in\r\nthe heavens, innumerable Medusae, a species of small, round, refulgent\r\nfish, only to be met with in the South Seas and the Indian Ocean.\r\n\r\nSuddenly, as we gazed, there shot high into the air a bushy jet of\r\nflashes, accompanied by the unmistakable deep breathing sound of a\r\nsperm whale. Soon, the sea all round us spouted in fountains of fire;\r\nand vast forms, emitting a glare from their flanks, and ever and anon\r\nraising their heads above water, and shaking off the sparkles, showed\r\nwhere an immense shoal of Cachalots had risen from below to sport in\r\nthese phosphorescent billows.\r\n\r\nThe vapor jetted forth was far more radiant than any portion of the\r\nsea; ascribable perhaps to the originally luminous fluid contracting\r\nstill more brilliancy from its passage through the spouting canal of\r\nthe whales.\r\n\r\nWe were in great fear, lest without any vicious intention the\r\nLeviathans might destroy us, by coming into close contact with our\r\nboat. We would have shunned them; but they were all round and round us.\r\nNevertheless we were safe; for as we parted the pallid brine, the\r\npeculiar irradiation which shot from about our keel seemed to deter\r\nthem. Apparently discovering us of a sudden, many of them plunged\r\nheadlong down into the water, tossing their fiery tails high into the\r\nair, and leaving the sea still more sparkling from the violent surging\r\nof their descent.\r\n\r\nTheir general course seemed the same as our own; to the westward. To\r\nremove from them, we at last out oars, and pulled toward the north. So\r\ndoing, we were steadily pursued by a solitary whale, that must have\r\ntaken our Chamois for a kindred fish. Spite of all our efforts, he drew\r\nnearer and nearer; at length rubbing his fiery flank against the\r\nChamois’ gunwale, here and there leaving long strips of the glossy\r\ntransparent substance which thin as gossamer invests the body of the\r\nCachalot.\r\n\r\nIn terror at a sight so new, Samoa shrank. But Jarl and I, more used to\r\nthe intimate companionship of the whales, pushed the boat away from it\r\nwith our oars: a thing often done in the fishery.\r\n\r\nThe close vicinity of the whale revived in the so long astute Skyeman\r\nall the enthusiasm of his daring vocation. However quiet by nature, a\r\nthorough-bred whaleman betrays no little excitement in sight of his\r\ngame. And it required some persuasion to prevent Jarl from darting his\r\nharpoon: insanity under present circumstances; and of course without\r\nobject. But “Oh! for a dart,” cried my Viking. And “Where’s now our old\r\nship?” he added reminiscently.\r\n\r\nBut to my great joy the monster at last departed; rejoining the shoal,\r\nwhose lofty spoutings of flame were still visible upon the distant line\r\nof the horizon; showing there, like the fitful starts of the Aurora\r\nBorealis.\r\n\r\nThe sea retained its luminosity for about three hours; at the\r\nexpiration of half that period beginning to fade; and excepting\r\noccasional faint illuminations consequent upon the rapid darting of\r\nfish under water, the phenomenon at last wholly disappeared.\r\n\r","title":"Chunk 1"},"relationships":[{"peer":"01KG8AJS9JYQQ9TV14A1NCR256","peer_type":"chapter","predicate":"in"},{"peer":"01KG89J1HYC04JWXEK48P07WPK","peer_type":"file","predicate":"extractedFrom"},{"peer":"01KG89HMDZKNY753EZE1CJ8HZW","peer_type":"collection","predicate":"collection"},{"peer":"01KG8AKZXXE2J18MNSBZN2F3Z0","peer_type":"chunk","predicate":"next"}],"ver":2,"created_at":"2026-01-30T20:48:22.461Z","ts":"2026-01-30T20:48:29.132Z","edited_by":{"method":"manual","user_id":"01KFF0H3YRP9ZSM033AM0QJ47H"}}