突然，像昨晚那样，尼德·兰叫起来了。

　　There's the thing in question, astern to port! the harpooner shouted.

　　我们找的那个东西，在船左舷后面！”鱼叉手喊着。

　　Every eye looked toward the point indicated.

　　大家的眼光都转向他手指的地方。

　　There, a mile and a half from the frigate, a long blackish body emerged a meter above the waves. Quivering violently, its tail was creating a considerable eddy.

　　在那边，距战舰一海里半左右，一个长长的黑色躯体浮出水上一未来。它的尾巴，激动着水，搅成很大的一个漩涡。

　　Never had caudal equipment thrashed the sea with such power. An immense wake of glowing whiteness marked the animal's track, sweeping in a long curve.

　　任何东西的尾巴都不能这样有力地击打海水。这个动物走过，尾后留下一行巨大、雪白耀眼的水纹，并且描成一条长长的曲线。

　　Our frigate drew nearer to the cetacean. I examined it with a completely open mind.

　　我们的战舰埃近了这个鲸鱼类动物。

　　Those reports from the Shannon and the Helvetia had slightly exaggerated its dimensions, and I put its length at only 250 feet.

　　我随便地观察了一下。山农号和海尔维地亚号两船的报告对它的体积有些夸张，我估计一下，它不过二百五十英尺长。

　　Its girth was more difficult to judge, but all in all, the animal seemed to be wonderfully proportioned in all three dimensions.

　　至于宽，我很难估量;总之，这个动物在我看来：长宽高三方面的比例都十分匀称。