Didactic, Reflective, Philosophical

The chapter discusses whaling laws regarding the ownership of whales, distinguishing between 'fast-fish' (bound to a ship and claimed) and 'loose-fish' (unclaimed and free for anyone to catch).

Chapter 89 delves into the metaphorical and actual regulations that govern the right to claim whales in the whaling industry, referring back to the mention of waif-poles in the previous chapters. A 'fast-fish' is bound to a vessel through any means and considered the property of that vessel, while a 'loose-fish' is one that is unclaimed and can be captured by any ship. The chapter narrates a legal case that occurred fifty years prior, involving a dispute over a whale claimed by two different parties. Through this narrative, the broader implications of possession and ownership that extend beyond the whaling industry to issues of global conquest, human rights, and personal beliefs are philosophically and critically explored.