Chapter 12
Sperm Whales and Baleen WhalesDURING THE NIGHT of March 13–14, the Nautilus resumed its
southward heading. Once it was abreast of Cape Horn, I thought it
would strike west of the cape, make for Pacific seas, and complete
its tour of the world. It did nothing of the sort and kept moving
toward the southernmost regions. So where was it bound? The pole?
That was insanity. I was beginning to think that the captain's
recklessness more than justified Ned Land's worst fears.
For a good while the Canadian had said nothing more to me about
his escape plans. He had become less sociable, almost sullen. I
could see how heavily this protracted imprisonment was weighing on
him. I could feel the anger building in him. Whenever he
encountered the captain, his eyes would flicker with
