All at once from the dark line of the horizon whither it retired to gain its momentum, the monster rushed suddenly towards the Abraham Lincoln with alarming rapidity, stopped suddenly about twenty feet from the hull, and died out--not diving under the water, for its brilliancy did not abate--but suddenly, and as if the source of this brilliant emanation was exhausted.

Then it reappeared on the other side of the vessel, as if it had turned and slid under the hull.

Any moment a collision might have occurred which would have been fatal to us.
However, I was astonished at the manoeuvres of the frigate.

She fled and did not attack.
On the captain's face, generally so impassive, was an expression of unaccountable astonishment.
"Mr.Aronnax," he said, "I do not know with what formidable being I have to deal, and I will not imprudently risk my frigate in the midst of this darkness.

Besides, how attack this unknown thing, how defend one's self from it?
Wait for daylight, and the scene will change." "You have no further doubt, captain, of the nature of the animal ?" "No, sir; it is evidently a gigantic narwhal, and an electric one." "Perhaps," added I, "one can only approach it with a torpedo." "Undoubtedly," replied the captain, "if it possesses such dreadful power, it is the most terrible animal that ever was created.