Moby Dick; Or, The Whale

Theory of Whale Dyspepsia

Theory of Whale Dyspepsia** A striking irony emerges: refined ladies and gentlemen regale themselves with an essence found in the inglorious bowels of a sick whale. Ambergris is supposed either to be the cause or the effect of dyspepsia in the whale. The humorously proposed cure involves administering three or four boat loads of Brandreth’s pills, followed by fleeing out of harm’s way—much as laborers escape during rock blasting.

Squid Bones in Ambergris

Squid Bones in Ambergris** Within the ambergris examined, certain hard, round, bony plates were discovered. Initially, Stubb speculated they might be sailors’ trouser buttons, but it was later determined these were simply pieces of small squid bones, preserved and embalmed within the ambergris.

Reflection on Incorruption

Reflection on Incorruption** The narrator reflects on the profound paradox that incorruption should be found in the heart of decay—this most fragrant ambergris emerging from such decomposition. This prompts meditation on St. Paul’s saying in Corinthians regarding corruption and incorruption: “we are sown in dishonor, but raised in glory.” The narrator also recalls Paracelsus’s teachings about what constitutes the finest musk, as well as the curious fact that among all malodorous substances, Cologne water in its rudimental manufacturing stages is the worst.

Defense of the Whaling Trade

Defense of the Whaling Trade** Though the narrator wishes to conclude with the spiritual appeal, anxiety drives an attempt to repel a charge frequently leveled against whalemen—accusations that might appear substantiated by earlier mentions. While the slatternly, untidy reputation has been disproved elsewhere in this volume, another matter requires rebuttal: the suggestion that all whales always smell bad.

Origin of the Odor Stigma

Origin of the Odor Stigma** The narrator traces this odious stigma to the first arrival of Greenland whaling ships in London more than two centuries ago. Those whalemen did not—and still do not—try out their oil at sea as Southern ships always have. Instead, they cut fresh blubber into small bits, thrust it through bung holes of large casks, and carry it home unprocessed. The short Arctic season and sudden violent storms preclude other methods. Upon breaking into the hold and unloading one of these “whale cemeteries” in the Greenland dock, a savor emerges similar to excavating an old city graveyard for a Lying-in Hospital’s foundations.

Schmerenburgh Explained

Schmerenburgh Explained** The unfair charge against whalers may also derive from the former Dutch village on Greenland’s coast called Schmerenburgh or Smeerenberg, documented by the learned Fogo Von Slack in his great work on Smells. The name itself reveals the settlement’s purpose—“smeer” meaning fat and “berg” meaning to put up—founded specifically to allow the Dutch whale fleet’s blubber to be tried out on-site rather than transported to Holland. This collection of furnaces, fat-kettles, and oil sheds, when operating at full capacity, certainly produced no pleasant savor.

South Sea Whaling Practices

South Sea Whaling Practices** This context stands in stark contrast to South Sea Sperm Whalers. During a four-year voyage, such a vessel might spend only fifty days boiling out oil after completely filling its hold with oil. Properly casked, the oil is nearly scentless. The narrator emphasizes that living or dead, if decently treated, whales as a species are by no means creatures of ill odor. Whalemen cannot be identified by smell any more than people of the Middle Ages could detect a Jew by the nose.

The Fragrant Sperm Whale

The Fragrant Sperm Whale** The narrator argues that whales generally enjoy excellent health, take abundant exercise, and remain always outdoors—though seldom in actual open air. The motion of a Sperm Whale’s flukes above water dispenses a perfume comparable to a musk-scented lady rustling her dress in a warm parlor. The narrator concludes with a question: to what may one liken the Sperm Whale for fragrance, considering its magnitude? The answer: the famous elephant with jewelled tusks, redolent with myrrh, which was led from an Indian town to honor Alexander the Great.