Do you not see a mass which seems to move?” “Certainly,” said I, after close attention; “I see something like a long black body on the top of the water.” And certainly before long the black object was not more than a mile from us. It looked like a great sandbank deposited in the open sea. It was a gigantic dugong! Ned Land looked eagerly. His eyes shone with covetousness at the sight of the animal. His hand seemed ready to harpoon it. One would have thought he was awaiting the moment to throw himself into the sea and attack it in its element. At this instant Captain Nemo appeared on the platform. He saw the dugong, understood the Canadian’s attitude, and, addressing him, said: “If you held a harpoon just now, Master Land, would it not burn your hand?” “Just so, sir.” “And you would not be sorry to go back, for one day, to your trade of a fisherman and to add this cetacean to the list of those you have already killed?” “I should not, sir.” “Well, you can try.” “Thank you, sir,” said Ned Land, his eyes flaming. “Only,” continued the Captain, “I advise you for your own sake not to miss the creature.” “Is the dugong dangerous to attack?” I asked, in spite of the Canadian’s shrug of the shoulders. “Yes,” replied the Captain; “sometimes the animal turns upon its assailants and overturns their boat.