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1I FORM MY RESOLUTION Three seconds before the arrival of J. B. Hobson's letter, I no more thought of pursuing the
2unicorn than of attempting the passage of the North Sea. Three seconds after reading the letter of the honourable
3Secretary of Marine, I felt that my true vocation, the sole end of my life, was to chase this disturbing monster, and
4purge it from the world. But I had just returned from a fatiguing journey, weary and longing for repose. I aspired to
5nothing more than again seeing my country, my friends, my little lodging by the Jardin des Plantes, my dear and precious
6collections. But nothing could keep me back! I forgot all--fatigue, friends and collections--and accepted without
7hesitation the offer of the American Government. "Besides," thought I, "all roads lead back to Europe (for my particular
8benefit), and I will not hurry me towards the coast of France. This worthy animal may allow itself to be caught in the
9seas of Europe (for my particular benefit), and I will not bring back less than half a yard of his ivory halberd to the
10Museum of Natural History." But in the meanwhile I must seek this narwhal in the North Pacific Ocean, which, to return
11to France, was taking the road to the antipodes. "Conseil," I called in an impatient voice. Conseil was my servant, a
12true, devoted Flemish boy, who had accompanied me in all my travels. I liked him, and he returned the liking well. He
13was phlegmatic by nature, regular from principle, zealous from habit, evincing little disturbance at the different
14surprises of life, very quick with his hands, and apt at any service required of him; and, despite his name, never
15giving advice--even when asked for it. Conseil had followed me for the last ten years wherever science led. Never once
16did he complain of the length or fatigue of a journey, never make an objection to pack his portmanteau for whatever
17country it might be, or however far away, whether China or Congo. Besides all this, he had good health, which defied all
18sickness, and solid muscles, but no nerves; good morals are understood. This boy was thirty years old, and his age to
19that of his master as fifteen to twenty. May I be excused for saying that I was forty years old? But Conseil had one
20fault: he was ceremonious to a degree, and would never speak to me but in the third person, which was sometimes
21provoking. "Conseil," said I again, beginning with feverish hands to make preparations for my departure. Certainly I was
22sure of this devoted boy. As a rule, I never asked him if it were convenient for him or not to follow me in my travels;
23but this time the expedition in question might be prolonged, and the enterprise might be hazardous in pursuit of an
24animal capable of sinking a frigate as easily as a nutshell. Here there was matter for reflection even to the most
25impassive man in the world. What would Conseil say? "Conseil," I called a third time. Conseil appeared. "Did you call,
26sir?" said he, entering. "Yes, my boy; make preparations for me and yourself too. We leave in two hours." "As you
27please, sir," replied Conseil, quietly. "Not an instant to lose;--lock in my trunk all travelling utensils, coats,
28shirts, and stockings--without counting, as many as you can, and make haste." "And your collections, sir?" observed
29Conseil. "We will think of them by and by." "What! the archiotherium, the hyracotherium, the oreodons, the cheropotamus,
30and the other skins?" "They will keep them at the hotel." "And your live Babiroussa, sir?" "They will feed it during our
31absence; besides, I will give orders to forward our menagerie to France." "We are not returning to Paris, then?" said
32Conseil. "Oh! certainly," I answered, evasively, "by making a curve." "Will the curve please you, sir?" "Oh! it will be
33nothing; not quite so direct a road, that is all. We take our passage in the Abraham Lincoln." "As you think proper,
34sir," coolly replied Conseil. "You see, my friend, it has to do with the monster--the famous narwhal. We are going to
35purge it from the seas. The author of a work in quarto in two volumes, on the 'Mysteries of the Great Submarine Grounds'
36cannot forbear embarking with Commander Farragut. A glorious mission, but a dangerous one! We cannot tell where we may
37go; these animals can be very capricious. But we will go whether or no; we have got a captain who is pretty wide-awake."
38I opened a credit account for Babiroussa, and, Conseil following, I jumped into a cab. Our luggage was transported to
39the deck of the frigate immediately. I hastened on board and asked for Commander Farragut. One of the sailors conducted
40me to the poop, where I found myself in the presence of a good-looking officer, who held out his hand to me. "Monsieur
41Pierre Aronnax?" said he. "Himself," replied I; "Commander Farragut?" "You are welcome, Professor; your cabin is ready
42for you." I bowed, and desired to be conducted to the cabin destined for me. The Abraham Lincoln had been well chosen
43and equipped for her new destination. She was a frigate of great speed, fitted with high-pressure engines which admitted
44a pressure of seven atmospheres. Under this the Abraham Lincoln attained the mean speed of nearly eighteen knots and a
45third an hour--a considerable speed, but, nevertheless, insufficient to grapple with this gigantic cetacean. The
46interior arrangements of the frigate corresponded to its nautical qualities. I was well satisfied with my cabin, which
47was in the after part, opening upon the gunroom. "We shall be well off here," said I to Conseil. "As well, by your
48honour's leave, as a hermit-crab in the shell of a whelk," said Conseil. I left Conseil to stow our trunks conveniently
49away, and remounted the poop in order to survey the preparations for departure. At that moment Commander Farragut was
50ordering the last moorings to be cast loose which held the Abraham Lincoln to the pier of Brooklyn. So in a quarter of
51an hour, perhaps less, the frigate would have sailed without me. I should have missed this extraordinary, supernatural,
52and incredible expedition, the recital of which may well meet with some scepticism. But Commander Farragut would not
53lose a day nor an hour in scouring the seas in which the animal had been sighted. He sent for the engineer. "Is the
54steam full on?" asked he. "Yes, sir," replied the engineer. "Go ahead," cried Commander Farragut. The quay of Brooklyn,
55and all that part of New York bordering on the East River, was crowded with spectators. Three cheers burst successively
56from five hundred thousand throats; thousands of handkerchiefs were waved above the heads of the compact mass, saluting
57the Abraham Lincoln, until she reached the waters of the Hudson, at the point of that elongated peninsula which forms
58the town of New York. Then the frigate, following the coast of New Jersey along the right bank of the beautiful river,
59covered with villas, passed between the forts, which saluted her with their heaviest guns. The Abraham Lincoln answered
60by hoisting the American colours three times, whose thirty-nine stars shone resplendent from the mizzen-peak; then
61modifying its speed to take the narrow channel marked by buoys placed in the inner bay formed by Sandy Hook Point, it
62coasted the long sandy beach, where some thousands of spectators gave it one final cheer. The escort of boats and
63tenders still followed the frigate, and did not leave her until they came abreast of the lightship, whose two lights
64marked the entrance of New York Channel. Six bells struck, the pilot got into his boat, and rejoined the little schooner
65which was waiting under our lee, the fires were made up, the screw beat the waves more rapidly, the frigate skirted the
66low yellow coast of Long Island; and at eight bells, after having lost sight in the north-west of the lights of Fire
67Island, she ran at full steam on to the dark waters of the Atlantic.
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