Part 1 · Chapter 3I Form My Resolution

I Form My Resolution. Three seconds before J.B. Hobson’s letter arrived, I wasn’t even thinking about hunting a unicorn - any more than I was about crossing the North Sea.

Three seconds after reading the letter from the honorable Secretary of Marine, though, I felt like my whole purpose, the reason I was alive, was to track down this crazy monster and get it out of the world.

But I’d just gotten back from a really exhausting trip, totally worn out and wanting to relax. All I wanted was to see my country, my friends, my cozy apartment near the Jardin des Plantes, and my amazing collections.

But there was no way I could back out!

I forgot everything - tiredness, friends, even my collections - and accepted the American Government’s offer without a second thought.

"Besides," I thought, "everything leads back to Europe (for my benefit), and I’m not rushing back to the coast of France."

This awesome animal might just let itself be caught in European waters (again, for my benefit), and I’m not coming back without at least half a yard of his ivory tusk for the Museum of Natural History.

But first, I had to find this narwhal in the North Pacific Ocean, which meant taking a long trip all the way to the other side of the world.

"Conseil," I called out, kind of impatient.

Conseil was my guy, my loyal servant - a true, devoted Flemish kid who’s been with me on all my adventures. I really liked him, and he felt the same way. He was super calm, always followed the rules, and always gave it his all.

Nothing really fazed him, and he was really handy, able to do anything I needed. And, despite his name, he never gave advice - even when I asked for it.

Conseil had been with me for the last ten years, following me wherever science led. He never complained about long or tiring trips, never hesitated to pack his bag for whatever country we were going to, whether it was China or the Congo.

Plus, he was healthy as an ox, strong, and totally fearless.

And, of course, he had good morals. This kid was thirty years old, and he was like fifteen to my twenty. Can I mention that I was forty?

But Conseil did have one quirk: he was way too formal and would only talk about me in the third person, which was sometimes annoying.

"Conseil," I said again, my hands already moving to pack for my departure.

I knew this kid was totally devoted.

Usually, I didn’t even ask if it was convenient for him to come along on my trips, but this expedition might be long, and hunting an animal that could sink a warship like it was a nutshell was pretty risky.

Even the most unflappable person would have something to think about. What would Conseil say?

"Conseil," I called a third time. Conseil showed up.

"Did you need something, sir?" he asked, walking in.

"Yeah, my boy. Start getting ready for both of us. We’re leaving in two hours."

"As you wish, sir," Conseil replied calmly.

"No time to waste. Lock all my travel stuff in my trunk - coats, shirts, socks - as many as you can grab, and hurry!"

"And your collections, sir?" Conseil pointed out.

"We’ll worry about those later."

"Seriously? The archiotherium, the hyracotherium, the oreodons, the cheropotamus, and all the other skins?"

"They’ll be safe at the hotel."

"And your live Babiroussa, sir?"

"They’re feeding it while we’re gone. I’m also ordering our menagerie to be shipped to France."

"So, we’re not returning to Paris?" Conseil asked.

"Oh! Definitely," I answered vaguely, "we’re taking a detour."

"Will the detour be to your liking, sir?"

"It’s nothing, really. Just not as direct a route. We’re taking passage on the Abraham Lincoln."

"As you see fit, sir," Conseil replied coolly.

"Look, my friend, it’s all about the monster - the famous narwhal. We’re gonna hunt it down and clear it from the seas.

The author of a huge book, split into two volumes, about the ‘Mysteries of the Deepest Ocean’ couldn’t resist joining Commander Farragut."

"It’s an awesome mission, but seriously dangerous! We don’t know where we’re headed; these creatures can be super unpredictable. But we’re going whether we’re ready or not; we’re lucky to have a captain who’s sharp."

I opened a credit account for Babiroussa, and Conseil followed as I hopped into a cab. Our luggage got moved to the deck of the frigate right away. I rushed on board and asked for Commander Farragut.

One of the sailors showed me the way to the back deck, where I found a good-looking officer who shook my hand.

"Monsieur Pierre Aronnax?" he asked.

"That’s me," I replied; "Commander Farragut?"

"Welcome aboard, Professor; your cabin’s ready for you."

I nodded and asked to be shown to my cabin.

The Abraham Lincoln had been picked and outfitted perfectly for this new mission. She was a super-fast frigate, fitted with high-pressure engines that could handle seven atmospheres of pressure.

With that, the Abraham Lincoln hit an average speed of nearly eighteen knots - a pretty good speed, but still not enough to catch this giant whale.

The inside of the frigate was just as impressive as its speed. I was really happy with my cabin, which was in the back, opening up to the gunroom.

"We’re gonna be comfy here," I said to Conseil.

"As comfy as a hermit crab in a whelk shell, sir," Conseil replied.

I left Conseil to get our trunks stowed away and headed back to the back deck to check out the preparations for leaving.

Just then, Commander Farragut was ordering the last ropes holding the Abraham Lincoln to the Brooklyn pier to be cut. So in like, fifteen minutes, maybe less, the frigate would have sailed without me.

I would’ve missed this crazy, unbelievable, and insane expedition, which people might not even believe!

But Commander Farragut wasn't gonna waste a single minute scouring the seas where the animal had been spotted. He called for the engineer.

"Is the steam full on?" he asked.

"Yes, sir," replied the engineer.

"Let’s go!" cried Commander Farragut.

The Brooklyn pier, and all of New York along the East River, was packed with people.

Three huge cheers erupted from five hundred thousand voices; thousands of people waved their handkerchiefs above the heads of the massive crowd, cheering for the Abraham Lincoln, until she reached the waters of the Hudson, at the tip of that long peninsula that makes up New York City.

Then the frigate, following the coast of New Jersey along the right bank of the beautiful river, covered with fancy houses, passed between the forts, which fired a salute with their biggest guns.

The Abraham Lincoln answered by raising the American flag three times, with its thirty-nine stars shining brightly from the top of the mast; then it adjusted its speed to take the narrow channel marked by buoys in the inner bay formed by Sandy Hook Point, it coasted the long sandy beach, where thousands of people gave it one last cheer.

The escort of boats and small ships still followed the frigate, and didn’t leave her until they came alongside the lightship, whose two lights marked the entrance to New York Channel.

Six bells rang, the pilot got into his boat, and rejoined the small schooner waiting nearby, the fires were stoked, the propeller beat the waves faster, the frigate skirted the low yellow coast of Long Island; and at eight bells, after losing sight in the northwest of the lights of Fire Island, she sped full steam onto the dark waters of the Atlantic.