第 47 节
作者:嘟嘟      更新:2021-02-20 05:57      字数:9322
  But he might run against the yacht。
  He   might:     and   so   might   a   hundred   things   happen   which   never   do。
  But   I   never   heard   of   one   of   these   whales   running   against   a   vessel;   so   I
  suppose he has sense enough to know that the yacht is no concern of his;
  and to keep out of its way。
  But why does he make that tremendous noise only once; and then go
  under water again?
  You must remember that he is not a fish。               A fish takes the water in
  through his mouth continually; and it runs over his gills; and out behind
  through his gill…covers。        So the gills suck…up the air out of the water; and
  send it into the fish's blood; just as they do in the newt…larva。
  Yes; I know。
  But the whale breathes with lungs like you and me; and when he goes
  under water he has to hold his breath; as you and I have。
  What a long time he can hold it。
  Yes。    He   is   a   wonderful   diver。   Some   whales;   they   say;   will   keep
  under   for   an   hour。  But   while   he   is   under;   mind;   the   air  in   his   lungs   is
  getting foul; and full of carbonic acid; just as it would in your lungs; if you
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  MADAM HOW AND LADY WHY
  held your breath。      So he is forced to come up at last:         and then out of his
  blowers; which are on the top of his head; he blasts out all the foul breath;
  and with it the water  which has got into his   mouth; in a cloud of spray。
  Then he sucks in fresh air; as much as he wants; and dives again; as you
  saw him do just now。
  And what does he do under water?
  Lookand   you   will   see。    Look   at   those   birds。  We   will   sail   up   to
  them; for Mr。 Whale will probably rise among them soon。
  Oh; what a screaming and what a fighting!            How many sorts there are!
  What     are  those   beautiful    little  ones;  like  great  white    swallows;    with
  crested heads and forked tails; who hover; and then dip down and pick up
  something?
  Ternssea…swallows。        And there are gulls in hundreds; you see; large
  and small; gray…backed and black…backed; and over them all two or three
  great gannets swooping round and round。
  Oh! one has fallen into the sea!
  Yes;   with   a   splash   just   like   a   cannon   ball。 And   here   he   comes   up
  again; with a fish in his beak。         If he had fallen on your head; with that
  beak of his; he would have split it open。            I have heard of men catching
  gannets by tying a fish on a board; and letting it float; and when the gannet
  strikes at it he drives his bill into the board; and cannot get it out。
  But is not that cruel?
  I think so。    Gannets are of no use; for eating; or anything else。
  What a noise!      It is quite deafening。      And what are those black birds
  about; who croak like crows; or parrots?
  Look at them。       Some have broad bills; with a white stripe on it; and
  cry something like the moor…hens at home。             Those are razor… bills。
  And what are those who say 〃marrock;〃 something like a parrot?
  The ones with thin bills? they are guillemots; 〃murres〃 as we call them
  in Devon:      but in some places they call them 〃marrocks;〃 from what they
  say。
  And each has a little baby bird swimming behind it。                Oh! there: the
  mother has cocked up her tail and dived; and the little one is swimming
  about looking for her!       How it cries!      It is afraid of the yacht。
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  MADAM HOW AND LADY WHY
  And there she comes up again; and cries 〃marrock〃 to call it。
  Look at it swimming up to her; and cuddling to her; quite happy。
  Quite happy。      And do you not think that any one who took a gun and
  shot either that mother or that child would be both cowardly and cruel?
  But they might eat them。
  These sea…birds are not good to eat。          They taste too strong of fish…oil。
  They are of no use at all; except that the gulls' and terns' feathers are put
  into girls' hats。
  Well they might find plenty of other things to put in their hats。
  So   I   think。  Yes:    it   would   be   very   cruel;   very   cruel   indeed;   to   do
  what some do; shoot at these poor things; and leave them floating about
  wounded till they die。        But I suppose; if one gave them one's mind about
  such doings; and threatened to put the new Sea Fowl Act in force against
  them; and fine them; and show them up in the newspapers; they would say
  they meant no harm; and had never thought about its being cruel。
  Then they ought to think。
  They ought; and so ought you。           Half the cruelty in the world; like half
  the misery; comes simply from people's not thinking; and boys are often
  very cruel from mere thoughtlessness。             So when you are tempted to rob
  birds' nests; or to set the dogs on a moorhen; or pelt wrens in the hedge;
  think; and sayHow should I like that to be done to me?
  I know:     but what are all the birds doing?
  Look   at   the   water;   how   it   sparkles。 It   is   alive   with   tiny   fish;   〃fry;〃
  〃brett〃 as we call them in the West; which the mackerel are driving up to
  the top。
  Poor  little things!     How   hard on them!         The  big   fish   at   them  from
  below; and the birds at them from above。            And what is that? Thousands of
  fish leaping out of the water; scrambling over each other's backs。                What a
  curious soft rushing roaring noise they make!
  Aha!     The    eaters   are  going    to  be   eaten   in  turn。   Those     are  the
  mackerel      themselves;      and   I  suspect    they   see   Mr。    Whale;     and   are
  scrambling out of the way as fast as they can; lest he should swallow them
  down; a dozen at a time。         Look out sharp for him now。
  I hope he will not come very near。
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  MADAM HOW AND LADY WHY
  No。    The fish are going from us and past us。            If he comes up; he will
  come up astern of us; so look back。           There he is!
  That?     I thought it was a boat。
  Yes。    He does look very like a boat upside down。                But that is only
  his head and shoulders。        He will blow next。
  〃Hoch!〃
  Oh!     What   a   jet   of   spray;   like   the   Geysers! And   the   sun   made   a
  rainbow on the top of it。       He is quite still now。
  Yes; he is taking a long breath or two。          You need not hold my hand so
  tight。   His head is from us; and when he goes down he will go right away。
  Oh; he is turning head over heels!          There is his back fin again。 And
  Ah! was that not a slap!         How the water boiled and foamed; and what a
  tail he had!    And how the mackerel flew out of the water!
  Yes。    You are a lucky boy to have seen that。            I have not seen one of
  those gentlemen show his 〃flukes;〃 as they call them; since I was a boy on
  the Cornish coast。
  Where is he gone?
  Hunting   mackerel;   away   out   at   sea。    But   did   you   notice   something
  odd about his tail; as you call itthough it is really none?
  It   looked   as   if it   was   set   on   flat;  and   not upright;  like a   fish's。 But
  why is it not a tail?
  Just because it is set on flat; not upright:          and learned men will   tell
  you that those two flukes are the 〃rudiments〃that is; either the beginning;
  or more likely the last remainsof two hind feet。             But that belongs to the
  second   volume   of   Madam   How's   Book   of   Kind;   and   you   have   not   yet
  learned any of the first volume; you know; except about a few butterflies。
  Look here!       Here are more whales coming。            Don't be frightened。        They
  are only little ones; mackerel…hunting; like the big one。
  What pretty smooth things; turning head over heels; and saying; 〃Hush;
  Hush!〃
  They   don't   really   turn   clean   over;   and   that   〃Hush〃   is   their   way   of
  breathing。
  Are they the young ones of that great monster?
  No;   they   are   porpoises。    That   big   one   is;   I   believe;   a   bottle…   nose。
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  MADAM HOW AND LADY WHY
  But   if   you   want   to   know   about   the   kinds   of   whales;   you   must   ask   Dr。
  Flower at the   Royal College of Surgeons; and   not me:                and he will tell
  you wonderful things about them。How some of them have mouths full of
  strong te