One old Sag-Harbor whalemanâs chief reason for questioning the Hebrew story was this:â âHe had one of those quaint old-fashioned Bibles, embellished with curious, unscientific plates; one of which represented Jonahâs whale with two spouts in his headâ âa peculiarity only true with respect to a species of the Leviathan (the Right Whale, and the varieties of that order), concerning which the fishermen have this saying, âA penny roll would choke himâ; his swallow is so very small. But, to this, Bishop Jebbâs anticipative answer is ready. It is not necessary, hints the Bishop, that we consider Jonah as tombed in the whaleâs belly, but as temporarily lodged in some part of his mouth. And this seems reasonable enough in the good Bishop. For truly, the Right Whaleâs mouth would accommodate a couple of whist-tables, and comfortably seat all the players. Possibly, too, Jonah might have ensconced himself in a hollow tooth; but, on second thoughts, the Right Whale is toothless.
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