CHAPTER SIX

The Speedy Hunt

At hearing Ned's announcement, the crew hurried towards him—the captain, sailors, and even the engineers came running over. I was astonished to see that Ned was able to see the mysterious sea animal in the darkness of night, but he was correct. The sea was lit up all around the animal; it had produced a powerful bright light surrounding itself. After some time, the animal raced away before turning around and coming near the ship before stopping, then disappearing under the waves. The sea monster then returned on the other side of the ship. At any point, it could have crashed into the Abraham Lincoln, causing a terrible accident, but it did not. I was then shocked to see the ship then fled, rather than attack the monster. The captain, usually quite calm, now was looking terrified.

"Professor Aronnax," he said, "I do not know what animal this is, and I will not risk having my ship damaged in such darkness. We must wait for daylight; our situation will be different then. It is evident, however, that the animal is certainly a gigantic narwhal; an electric one. It must be the most terrible animal ever created, with an incredible amount of strength."

The crew was on watch the rest of the night, all refusing to sleep. The narwhal stayed with the ship during the night, as well, remaining at the same speed as the ship. At midnight, however, the animal disappeared under the water. A few hours later, we spotted the mysterious animal again, but the captain decided it was still too dark to attack. Some time later, however, the narwhal disappeared under the waves. By seven o'clock in the morning, we were all quite disappointed to see a thick layer of fog covering the sea. We were, therefore, unable to see the animal. Suddenly, however, at around eight o'clock in the morning, Ned Land's voice was again heard.

"There it is again!" he cried.

The entire ship then turned to see the electric narwhal less than a mile away from the ship. The Abraham Lincoln then began to follow the narwhal. I examined it carefully. The earlier reports about the narwhal had greatly overestimated its size. I estimated its length at only two hundred and fifty feet, and rose to a height of one hundred twenty feet above the water.

The captain then ordered the ship to move as fast as possible toward its enemy. For nearly an hour, the ship moved at top speed, without moving any closer to the mysterious animal. The ship was going nearly nineteen miles an hour, but the terrible monster was swimming at nineteen miles an hour, as well. The ship was then able to increase its speed slightly, after going another hour without getting closer to the narwhal. The Abraham Lincoln was now going nearly twenty miles an hour, but the strange animal increased its speed to twenty miles an hour, as well, which only upset the impatient crew onboard the ship.

"We shall catch it! We shall catch it!" cried Ned Land, watching carefully, waiting for the opportunity to throw his spear at the mysterious enemy. But just when he was going to throw his spear, the narwhal escaped under the water, then began to circle the ship, which greatly disturbed the crew.

The captain then decided to attack in another manner. He ordered the crew to begin shooting at the narwhal.

"I will give five dollars to anyone who hits that horrible beast!" cried the captain, looking quite anxious. One old man aimed his weapon at the narwhal, shot, and hit the animal, but did not harm it. For the next few hours, the ship continued to follow, but did not get any closer. The Abraham Lincoln followed that beast nearly three hundred miles that unlucky day, the 6th of November. Soon enough, however, night came and we were no longer following the narwhal.

Now I thought we would never see the narwhal again, but I was mistaken. Just before eleven o'clock at night, we spotted the electric light of the mysterious animal, still just three miles away. The narwhal was not moving; perhaps tired after speeding through the water all day long; it appeared to be sleeping. The captain decided he must now attack. The Abraham Lincoln quietly went towards the narwhal. No one onboard spoke; all was silent. We were now less than one hundred feet from the electric sea animal. At this moment, I saw Ned Land holding his spear in one hand, ready for his attack. He threw his spear at the animal with great force; as it struck, a sound of metal hitting metal was heard. Then, a terrible shock followed, and I was thrown into the sea.

(end of section)