The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1873-12-18
Jonah's s W hale.

BY the side OF the visible creat.cn there
is q vast unknown realm, part of which
the mighty ocean conceals from our view.
Although the great sea-serpent may be
myth, yet within the grasp of the sea there
must be numberless creatures which hu-
man Imagination does not dream OF.
From tims to time some fanciful mariner
turns up with report about the great sea-
serpent, or SONS other scaly or tentaculous
moLster. To the report is invariably an
nexed an elaborate description-such a
description SO would bring within the
range of possibilities the famous "pieuyre"
which Victor Hugo introduced to the read
srs of his Toilers of the Sea. Poets of his
school, and mariners, are more than ogdi-
nary mortals in the way of getting an oc-
casional glimpse at things NOT Dir, mpt of
in our philosophy. Now and then, howev-
or, some unthought-of object happens to
drift in our shallow stream of current
events. Such is the case with the sea-
monster of Biblical fame, within whose
hospitable intestines Jonah dwelt for three
days An incident brings 1t to our notice
which recently occurred in Belgium, and
which created no little excitement in that
peaceable little Kingdom.
AT a meeting of the scientific section of
the Academy of Bru1elles, Mr.. E. Van
Beneden, Professor at the University Of
Liegs, read paper upon some geological
researches just made by him in Brazil. A
note in his report explain his difficulty
in procuring dolphin, on account of
supersttious reverence which Brazilian
fishermen have for that animal. "An an
cient belief" he says, "ascribes to the
dolphin tie habit of bringing to the shore
human corpses, which they discover by
dnt of their Instincts The fable of Jonah
repreduces this popular belief. Pliny re-
lates similar stories. The book of A slianus
Contains one about dolphin which carried
a dead child to the shore.
This story has been the subject of a
marble group, ascribed to the RapI ael,
and which represents a child, mortally
wounded, lying upon the dolphin's back,
and conveyed oy the devoted fish across
the waves. The same superstitious beieI
exists among Brazilian fishermen. They
profess for the dolphin true vensratiou,
and consider It as a sacred animal"
Two pious membe.s Of the academy,
Professors at the Catholic University of
Louvain, found fault with the term fable
applied to Jorahs adventure. They ad-
dressed to the Chairman I. lively letter, in
which they denounce that expression as
highly OFF ensiye to their religious feelings,
and its author as having incurred the cen
sure OF the academy. The Secretary If
this learned body, Il venerable man Of ex-
periencc and moderation, wisely thought
tie matter should be dropped, ard dis.
pcnsed with making any reference to it at
the subsequent meeting. But SUCH was not
the opinion Of the two orthodox gentlemen.
They insisted on having their protesta-
on made knoyE. a hot discussicn would
have ensiled, in spite Of the panic efforts of
the venerable Secretary, had not Judi
clous motion to pass the order of the day
been interposed, The question was, how
ever, taken UP IN other quarters. The
last VIC have beard of it is that The mem
bers OF the Academy Of 1ruxellS have sent
n their fcsignatIon, and that their virtu-
on Indl snatiCn eliminated 10 rather acr.-
N onious correspondence with a Belgian
paper and II French scientific review. The
editor OF the latter, having i-dulged in
some unce1emonious comments or their
= nSst hra -aY,a ta,rp
proceedings if he refused to insert their
earnest explanations. lie cOurteousIy
complied with sheir request, but at the
same time, declared that no threats, not
even the summons of the sheriff, could ever
induce him to venture into the belly of any
y hale whatever
Now, it is to be regretted that intelligent
men, meeting for the purpose Of advancing
knowledge, should have waved worth over
such controversy as this. What has
either religion or science to gain by it
Science has to deal with facts. The facts
brought to light lay sometimes be per-
picking in regard to some particular notion
CIR tradition precious to those that hold it.
What is to be done under such circumstan-
ces? The most sensible process appears
to Us to he practice of mutual forbearance
and a kindly adjustment of the difficulty
If, at the moment, it cannot be adjusted,
it can always be disc.setly set aside. The
regulations Of scientific bodies should, at
the same time, make provisions for the
perfect indie ypendcncc OF their members. 1t
is the teisht OF folly, in such societies, to
rake up 6res, the blaze of which can only
reveal lanentabe lack Of sense, fact, for
bearanee, and charity in PLACES where such
qualities are, more than anywhere else,
supposed Ia exist. Modern life has ulJre
difficult prob to solve than the reality
of Jonah's whale.