Besides, it was a lucrative diversion.

Now, sometimes upon striking the monster, it would start off in a dastardly fright, leaving certain fragments in its wake.

These fragments the hunters picked up, giving over the chase for a while.

For in those days, as now, a quarter-quintal of ambergris was more valuable than a whole ton of spermaceti." "Nor, my lord," said Babbalanja, "would it have been wise to kill the fish that dropped such treasures: no more than to murder the noddy that laid the golden eggs." "Beshrew me! a noddy it must have been," gurgled Mohi through his pipe-stem, "to lay golden eggs for others to hatch." "Come, no more of that now," cried Media.

"Mohi, how long think you, may one of these pipe-bowls last ?" "My lord, like one's cranium, it will endure till broken.