Moby Dick; Or, The Whale

The Razor Back’s Sharp Ridged Back

The whale’s most notable physical feature—a long, sharp ridge running along its back—provides both its common name and its primary means of identification. This dorsal ridge rises prominently from the animal’s body and has been observed cutting through the water’s surface during the rare moments when the creature has shown itself. The sharpness of this ridge suggests it may serve a biological purpose, perhaps related to hydrodynamics, thermoregulation, or defense, though without closer observation, such speculation remains unfounded.

Limited Knowledge of the Razor Back Whale

This concluding section summarizes the fundamental paradox of the Razor Back whale: a creature documented yet almost entirely unknown. The narrator freely admits to knowing little more about the animal than its existence and basic physical description, and this ignorance is shared by all others who have encountered it. The chapter ends with a resigned acknowledgment—“Let him go”—recognizing that further pursuit of knowledge about this particular whale must await either a change in the animal’s secretive behavior or advances in marine observation technology.

第一部 (Folio), CHAPTER VI. (Sulphur Bottom).—Another retiring

This chapter describes the Sulphur Bottom whale, characterized by its distinctive brimstone-colored belly. The narrator acknowledges the limited knowledge about this mysterious creature, noting it is rarely seen except in remote southern waters, and even then at great distances. Unlike other whales, the Sulphur Bottom is never hunted because it would easily outrun any whaling line. The chapter concludes with the end of Book I (the Folio section) and transitions to Book II.