Mighty slick were the vessel progressing, jactata per æquora ventis;
But the brow of the skipper was cloudy cum sollicitudine mentis;
For whales had been skase in them pearts; and the clipper, so long as he’d known her,
Ne’er had gather’d less ile in her cruise, to gladden the heart of her owner.
“Darn the whales!” cried the skipper at length, “with a telescope forte videbo
Aut pisces, aut terras.” While speaking, just two or three points on the lee bow,
He saw coming towards them, as fast as though to a combat ’twould tempt ’em,
A monstrum, horrendum, informe (cui lumen was shortly ademptum).
On the taffrail up jumps in a hurry dux fortis, and seizing a trumpet,
With a blast that would waken the dead, mare turbat et aëra rumpit—