The Mystic Modes of the White Whale

It is a thing well known to both american and english whale ships, that some whales have been captured far north in the pacific. In whose bodies have been found the barbs of harpoons darted in the greenland seas. Some whalemen go still further in their superstitions, declaring mobideck not only ubiquitous, but immortal. But even stripped of these supernatural surmisings, there was enough in the earthly make and incontestable character of the monster to strike the imagination with unwonted power. For it was not so much his uncommon bulk that so much distinguished him from other sperm whales.