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Tomakethemruneasilyandswiftly,theaxlesofcarriagesareanointed;andformuchthesamepurpose,somewhalersperformananalogousoperationupontheirboat;theygreasethebottom.
Norisittobedoubtedthatassuchaprocedurecandonoharm,itmaypossiblybeofnocontemptibleadvantage;consideringthatoilandwaterarehostile;thatoilisaslidingthing,andthattheobjectinviewistomaketheboatslidebravely.
Queequegbelievedstronglyinanointinghisboat,andonemorningnotlongaftertheGermanshipJungfraudisappeared,tookmorethancustomarypainsinthatoccupation;crawlingunderitsbottom,whereithungovertheside,andrubbingintheunctuousnessasthoughdiligentlyseekingtoinsureacropofhairfromthecraft’sbaldkeel.
Heseemedtobeworkinginobediencetosomeparticularpresentiment.
Nordiditremainunwarrantedbytheevent.
Towardsnoonwhaleswereraised;butsosoonastheshipsaileddowntothem,theyturnedandfledwithswiftprecipitancy;adisorderedflight,asofCleopatra’sbargesfromActium.
Nevertheless,theboatspursued,andStubb’swasforemost.
Bygreatexertion,Tashtegoatlastsucceededinplantingoneiron;butthestrickenwhale,withoutatallsounding,stillcontinuedhishorizontalflight,withaddedfleetness.
Suchunintermittedstrainingsupontheplantedironmustsoonerorlaterinevitablyextractit.
Itbecameimperativetolancetheflyingwhale,orbecontenttolosehim.
Buttohaultheboatuptohisflankwasimpossible,heswamsofastandfurious.Whatthenremained?
Ofallthewondrousdevicesanddexterities,thesleightsofhandandcountlesssubtleties,towhichtheveteranwhalemanissooftenforced,noneexceedthatfinemanoeuvrewiththelancecalledpitchpoling.
Smallsword,orbroadsword,inallitsexercisesboastsnothinglikeit.
Itisonlyindispensablewithaninveteraterunningwhale;itsgrandfactandfeatureisthewonderfuldistancetowhichthelonglanceisaccuratelydartedfromaviolentlyrocking,jerkingboat,underextremeheadway.
Steelandwoodincluded,theentirespearissometenortwelvefeetinlength;thestaffismuchslighterthanthatoftheharpoon,andalsoofalightermaterial-pine.
Itisfurnishedwithasmallropecalledawarp,ofconsiderablelength,bywhichitcanbehauledbacktothehandafterdarting.
Butbeforegoingfurther,itisimportanttomentionhere,thatthoughtheharpoonmaybepitchpoledinthesamewaywiththelance,yetitisseldomdone;andwhendone,isstilllessfrequentlysuccessful,onaccountofthegreaterweightandinferiorlengthoftheharpoonascomparedwiththelance,whichineffectbecomeseriousdrawbacks.
Asageneralthing,therefore,youmustfirstgettoawhale,beforeanypitchpolingcomesintoplay.
LooknowatStubb;amanwhofromhishumorous,deliberatecoolnessandequanimityinthedirestemergencies,wasspeciallyqualifiedtoexcelinpitchpoling.
Lookathim;hestandsuprightinthetossedbowoftheflyingboat;wraptinfleecyfoam,thetowingwhaleisfortyfeetahead.
Handlingthelonglancelightly,glancingtwiceorthricealongitslengthtoseeifitbeexactlystraight,Stubbwhistlinglygathersupthecoilofthewrapinonehand,soastosecureitsfreeendinhisgrasp,leavingtherestunobstructed.
Thenholdingthelancefullbeforehiswaistband’smiddle,helevelsitatthewhale;when,coveringhimwithit,hesteadilydepressesthebutt-endinhishand,therebyelevatingthepointtilltheweaponstandsfairlybalanceduponhispalm,fifteenfeetintheair.
Hemindsyousomewhatofajuggler,balancingalongstaffonhischin.
Nextmomentwitharapid,namelessimpulse,inasuperbarchthebrightsteelspansthefoamingdistance,andquiversinthelifespotofthewhale.
Insteadofsparklingwater,henowspoutsredblood.
“Thatdrovethespigotoutofhim!”criedStubb.
”’TisJuly’simmortalFourth;allfountainsmustrunwinetoday!
Wouldnow,itwereoldOrleanswhiskey,oroldOhio,orunspeakableoldMonongahela!
Then,Tashtego,lad,I’dhaveyeholdacanakintothejet,andwe’ddrinkroundit!
Yea,verily,heartsalive,we’dbrewchoicepunchinthespreadofhisspout-holethere,andfromthatlivepunch-bowlquaffthelivingstuff.”
Againandagaintosuchgamesometalk,thedexterousdartisrepeated,thespearreturningtoitsmasterlikeagreyhoundheldinskilfulleash.
Theagonizedwhalegoesintohisflurry;thetow-lineisslackened,andthepitchpolerdroppingastern,foldshishands,andmutelywatchesthemonsterdie.
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