BOOK II. (Octavo), CHAPTER I. (Grampus).

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description

# BOOK II. (Octavo), CHAPTER I. (Grampus). ## Overview This is "BOOK II. (Octavo), CHAPTER I. (Grampus).", a chapter extracted from the novel [Moby-Dick; or, The Whale](arke:01KG8AJ9GN1K052QJEZVGKXJ0T). It spans lines 5877 to 5888 of the source text. ## Context This chapter is part of [Moby-Dick; or, The Whale](arke:01KG8AJ9GN1K052QJEZVGKXJ0T), a novel within the [Melville Complete Works](arke:01KG89HMDZKNY753EZE1CJ8HZW) collection. It was extracted from the plain text file [moby_dick.txt](arke:01KG89J198KE6FY8WPVJQQRCZ6). It follows [BOOK I. (Folio), CHAPTER VI. (Sulphur Bottom).](arke:01KG8AK7FT0BY021A698KWMK18) and precedes [BOOK II. (Octavo), CHAPTER II. (Black Fish).](arke:01KG8AK7FTHSEYVWFPSA6WSD6R). The preceding chapter concludes "BOOK I. (Folio)" and introduces "BOOK II. (Octavo)," which this chapter begins. ## Contents The chapter focuses on the Grampus, describing it as a well-known denizen of the deep, though not popularly classified as a whale. It notes that naturalists recognize it as a leviathan due to its distinctive features. The text details its moderate "octavo size" (15-25 feet in length), its habit of swimming in herds, and its considerable oil, despite not being regularly hunted. It also mentions that some fishermen consider its approach a sign of the great sperm whale's advance.

description_generated_at

2026-01-30T20:50:56.073Z

description_model

gemini-2.5-flash-lite

description_title

BOOK II. (Octavo), CHAPTER I. (Grampus).

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5888

extracted_at

2026-01-30T20:47:54.527Z

extracted_by

structure-extraction-lambda

source_file

01KG89J198KE6FY8WPVJQQRCZ6

start_line

5877

text

BOOK II. (_Octavo_), CHAPTER I. (_Grampus_).—Though this fish, whose loud sonorous breathing, or rather blowing, has furnished a proverb to landsmen, is so well known a denizen of the deep, yet is he not popularly classed among whales. But possessing all the grand distinctive features of the leviathan, most naturalists have recognised him for one. He is of moderate octavo size, varying from fifteen to twenty-five feet in length, and of corresponding dimensions round the waist. He swims in herds; he is never regularly hunted, though his oil is considerable in quantity, and pretty good for light. By some fishermen his approach is regarded as premonitory of the advance of the great sperm whale.

title

BOOK II. (Octavo), CHAPTER I. (Grampus).