Inthefirstplace,theenormouscuttingtackles,amongotherponderousthingscomprisingaclusterofblocksgenerallypaintedgreen,andwhichnosinglemancanpossiblylift-thisvastbunchofgrapeswasswayeduptothemain-topandfirmlylashedtothelowermast-head,thestrongestpointanywhereaboveaship’sdeck.
Theendofthehawser-likeropewindingthroughtheseintricacies,wasthenconductedtothewindlass,andthehugelowerblockofthetackleswasswungoverthewhale;tothisblockthegreatblubberhook,weighingsomeonehundredpounds,wasattached.
Andnowsuspendedinstagesovertheside,StarbuckandStubb,themates,armedwiththeirlongspades,begancuttingaholeinthebodyfortheinsertionofthehookjustabovethenearestofthetwoside-fins.
Thisdone,abroad,semicircularlineiscutroundthehole,thehookisinserted,andthemainbodyofthecrewstrikingupawildchorus,nowcommenceheavinginonedensecrowdatthewindlass.
Wheninstantly,theentireshipcareensoveronherside;everyboltinherstartslikethenailheadsofanoldhouseinfrostyweather;shetrembles,quivers,andnodsherfrightedmast-headstothesky.
Moreandmoresheleansovertothewhale,whileeverygaspingheaveofthewindlassisansweredbyahelpingheavefromthebillows;tillatlast,aswift,startlingsnapisheard;withagreatswashtheshiprollsupwardsandbackwardsfromthewhale,andthetriumphanttacklerisesintosightdraggingafteritthedisengagedsemicircularendofthefirststripofblubber.
Nowastheblubberenvelopesthewhalepreciselyastherinddoesanorange,soisitstrippedofffromthebodypreciselyasanorangeissometimesstrippedbyspiralizingit.
Forthestrainconstantlykeptupbythewindlasscontinuallykeepsthewhalerollingoverandoverinthewater,andastheblubberinonestripuniformlypeelsoffalongthelinecalledthe“scarf,”simultaneouslycutbythespadesofStarbuckandStubb,themates;andjustasfastasitisthuspeeledoff,andindeedbythatveryactitself,itisallthetimebeinghoistedhigherandhigheralofttillitsupperendgrazesthemain-top;themenatthewindlassthenceaseheaving,foramomentortwotheprodigiousblood-drippingmassswaystoandfroasifletdownfromthesky,andeveryonepresentmusttakegoodheedtododgeitwhenitswings,elseitmayboxhisearsandpitchhimheadlongoverboard.
Oneoftheattendingharpooneersnowadvanceswithalong,keenweaponcalledaboarding-sword,andwatchinghischancehedexterouslyslicesoutaconsiderableholeinthelowerpartoftheswayingmass.
Intothishole,theendofthesecondalternatinggreattackleisthenhookedsoastoretainaholdupontheblubber,inordertoprepareforwhatfollows.
Whereupon,thisaccomplishedswordsman,warningallhandstostandoff,oncemoremakesascientificdashatthemass,andwithafewsidelong,desperate,lunging,slicings,seversitcompletelyintwain;sothatwhiletheshortlowerpartisstillfast,thelongupperstrip,calledablanket-piece,swingsclear,andisallreadyforlowering.
Theheaversforwardnowresumetheirsong,andwhiletheonetackleispeelingandhoistingasecondstripfromthewhale,theotherisslowlyslackenedaway,anddowngoesthefirststripthroughthemainhatchwayrightbeneath,intoanunfurnishedparlorcalledtheblubber-room.
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