They do not suspend between them, at the point of coming contact, any merely hard substance, like iron or wood. 在两人就要相碰的时分，他们可不用什么铁器或者木头那种硬东西，来从中拦住他们。

No, they hold there a large, round wad of tow and cork, enveloped in the thickest and toughest of ox-hide. 不，他们是用一个外面包着最厚最粗的生牛皮，里面塞着绳索的又圆又大的东西。

That bravely and uninjured takes the jam which would have snapped all their oaken handspikes and iron crow-bars. 那件无畏而不会伤人的东西往那中间一塞，那股力量准会教一切橡木梃和铁撬都给折断。

By itself this sufficiently illustrates the obvious fact I drive at. 光是这个譬喻，就足以说明我所要说的明显的事实了。

But supplementary to this, it has hypothetically occurred to me, 不过，这里得补充一点（这也是我偶然想到的臆测），

that as ordinary fish possess what is called a swimming bladder in them, capable, at will, of distension or contraction; 那就是，普通鱼类的身上都有一种能够自由胀缩的、叫做鳔的东西；

and as the Sperm Whale, as far as I know, has no such provision in him; 然而，就我所知，抹香鲸身上可没有这种设备；

considering, too, the otherwise inexplicable manner in which he now depresses his head altogether beneath the surface, 而且，就它那以另一种费解的姿势，一会儿把头完全沉到水里，

and anon swims with it high elevated out of the water; considering the unobstructed elasticity of its envelope; 再一会儿又用那姿势从水里把头高高抬起而游去的情况说来，就它那层包着的东西具有伸缩自如的能耐说来，

considering the unique interior of his head; it has hypothetically occurred to me, I say, 就它那只珍奇无双的头颅的内部结构说来；我说，我偶然所想到的臆测就是，

that those mystical lung-celled honeycombs there may possibly have some hitherto unknown and unsuspected connexion with the outer air, 它那些奥妙的肺细胞似的蜂窝可能还有一种直到如今还未被发现、而又无疑是跟外面空气有联系的东西，

so as to be susceptible to atmospheric distension and contraction. 这才使得它能胀缩自如，吸收空气。