As the
smoke cleared away, we saw one of the odd man-animals standing near
the head of the large beast with a trumpet in his hand, through
which (putting it to his mouth) he presently addressed us in loud,
harsh, and disagreeable accents, that, perhaps, we should have
mistaken for language, had they not come altogether through the nose.
"'Being thus evidently spoken to, I was at a loss how to reply, as I
could in no manner understand what was said; and in this difficulty
I turned to the porter, who was near swooning through affright, and
demanded of him his opinion as to what species of monster it was, what
it wanted, and what kind of creatures those were that so swarmed
upon its back. To this the porter replied, as well as he could for
trepidation, that he had once before heard of this sea-beast; that
it was a cruel demon, with bowels of sulphur and blood of fire,
created by evil genii as the means of inflicting misery upon
mankind; that the things upon its back were vermin, such as
sometimes infest cats and dogs, only a little larger and more
savage; and that these vermin had their uses, however evil- for,
through the torture they caused the beast by their nibbling and
stingings, it was goaded into that degree of wrath which was requisite
to make it roar and commit ill, and so fulfil the vengeful and
malicious designs of the wicked genii.
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