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And thus, though surrounded by circle upon circle of consternations and affrights, did these inscrutable creatures at the centre freely and fearlessly indulge in all peaceful concernments; yea, serenely revelled in dalliance and delight. But even so, amid the tornadoed Atlantic of my being, do I myself still for ever centrally disport in mute calm; and while ponderous planets of unwaning woe revolve round me, deep down and deep inland there I still bathe me in eternal mildness of joy.
這樣，這些置身在中央的不可思議的動物，盡管四下是一層一層的驚惶恐懼，卻還優游自在、無所畏懼地沉迷于太平生活里；不錯，它們寧靜地耽溺于縱情恣樂中。不過，我也是這樣，我自己雖然處在旋風似的大西洋中間，內心里卻始終異常鎮定地感到趣味盎然；盡管災難重重的星宿盡繞著我轉，使我愁困不堪，走投無路，我還是沉浸在無窮歡樂的柔情中。
Meanwhile, as we thus lay entranced, the occasional sudden frantic spectacles in the distance evinced the activity of the other boats, still engaged in drugging the whales on the frontier of the host; or possibly carrying on the war within the first circle, where abundance of room and some convenient retreats were afforded them. But the sight of the enraged drugged whales now and then blindly darting to and fro across the circles, was nothing to what at last met our eyes. It is sometimes the custom when fast to a whale more than commonly powerful and alert, to seek to hamstring him, as it were, by sundering or maiming his gigantic tail-tendon. It is done by darting a short-handled cutting-spade, to which is attached a rope for hauling it back again.
這時，我們就這樣神情恍惚地留在那里，但從遠處不時驀然出現的狂亂情況看來，說明其它幾只小艇還在繼續活動，還在對邊緣的鯨群使用"得拉格"，也可能是在第一圈里作戰，因為那里地方大，有可以方便進退周旋的余地。但是，那些被"得拉格"扣住了的憤怒的鯨，不時地在圈圈里瞎沖瞎撞的情景，我們可再也看不到了。通常在拴住了一條力氣非常大，非常機靈的鯨時，好象為了要設法把它弄傷，總要把它那巨大的鯨尾給割裂了或者使它甩不動。這就得使用一支短柄的砍魚鏟，鏟上拴有一根可以再把它拉回來的繩子。
