Harem Wanderings
The harem and its lord move perpetually in leisurely search of variety, traveling from Northern seas to the Equator for the feeding season, then onward to Oriental waters in anticipation of cooler temperatures.
Defense of Domestic Bliss
When a suspicious young Leviathan approaches the ladies, the Bashaw attacks with prodigious fury. These rival admirers sometimes engage in deadly battles, fighting with their long lower jaws and leaving deep scars, furrowed heads, broken teeth, and scolloped fins.
The Aging Schoolmaster
As the ardour of youth declines and reflection lends solemn pauses, the Ottoman enters an impotent, repentant stage. He forswears and disbands the harem, becoming an exemplary, sulky old whale traveling alone among the seas.
Technical Term Schoolmaster
The harem of whales is called a school, and the lord of that school is technically known as the schoolmaster.
Etymology of Schoolmaster
While the title schoolmaster might seem derived from the harem itself, some have suggested the fisherman who first used this term may have been informed about Vidocq’s days as a country-schoolmaster.
Solitary Old Whales
Almost universally, a lone whale proves to be ancient. Like Daniel Boone, he will have no companion but Nature herself, whom he takes to wife in the wilderness of waters.
Young Male Schools
Schools of young vigorous males, or forty-barrel-bulls, present a strong contrast to harem schools. These young males are the most pugnacious of all Leviathans, proverbially the most dangerous to encounter.
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