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Alreadyhasitbeenrelatedhowthegreatleviathanisafaroffdescribedfromthemast-head;howheischasedoverthewaterymoors,andslaughteredinthevalleysofthedeep;howheisthentowedalongsideandbeheaded;andhow(ontheprinciplewhichentitledtheheadsmanofoldtothegarmentsinwhichthebeheadedwaskilled)hisgreatpaddedsurtoutbecomesthepropertyofhisexecutioner;how,induetime,heiscondemnedtothepots,and,likeShadrach,Meshach,andAbednego,hisspermaceti,oil,andbonepassunscathedthroughthefire;-butnowitremainstoconcludethelastchapterofthispartofthedescriptionbyrehearsing-singing,ifImay-theromanticproceedingofdecantingoffhisoilintothecasksandstrikingthemdownintothehold,whereonceagainleviathanreturnstohisnativeprofundities,slidingalongbeneaththesurface:isbefore;but,alas!
nevermoretoriseandblow.
Whilestillwarm,theoil,likehotpunch,isreceivedintothesix-barrelcasks;andwhile,perhaps,theshipispitchingandrollingthiswayandthatinthemidnightsea,theenormouscasksareslewedroundandheadedover,endforend,andsometimesperilouslyscootacrosstheslipperydeck,likesomanylandslides,tillatlastman-handledandstayedintheircourse;andallroundthehoops,rap,rap,goasmanyhammersascanplayuponthem,fornow,exofficio,everysailorisacooper.
Atlength,whenthelastpintiscasked,andalliscool,thenthegreathatchwaysareunsealed,thebowelsoftheshiparethrownopen,anddowngothecaskstotheirfinalrestinthesea.
Thisdone,thehatchesarereplaced,andhermeticallyclosed,likeaclosetwalledup.
Inthespermfishery,thisisperhapsoneofthemostremarkableincidentsinallthebusinessofwhaling.
Onedaytheplanksstreamwithfreshetsofbloodandoil;onthesacredquarter-deckenormousmassesofthewhale’sheadareprofanelypiled;greatrustycaskslieabout,asinabreweryyard;thesmokefromthetry-workshasbesootedallthebulwarks;themarinersgoaboutsuffusedwithunctuousness;theentireshipseemsgreatleviathanhimself;whileonallhandsthedinisdeafening.
Butadayortwoafter,youlookaboutyou,andprickyourearsinthisself-sameship!
andwereitnotforthetell-taleboatsandtry-works,youwouldallbutswearyoutrodsomesilentmerchantvessel,withamostscrupulouslyneatcommander.
Theunmanufacturedspermoilpossessesasingularlycleansingvirtue.
Thisisthereasonwhythedecksneverlooksowhiteasjustafterwhattheycallanaffairofoil.
Besides,fromtheashesoftheburnedscrapsofthewhale,apotentlyeisreadilymade;andwheneveranyadhesivenessfromthebackofthewhaleremainsclingingtotheside,thatlyequicklyexterminatesit.
Handsgodiligentlyalongthebulwarks,andwithbucketsofwaterandragsrestorethemtotheirfulltidiness.
Thesootisbrushedfromthelowerrigging.
Allthenumerousimplementswhichhavebeeninusearelikewisefaithfullycleansedandputaway.
Thegreathatchisscrubbedandplaceduponthetry-works,completelyhidingthepots;everycaskisoutofsight;alltacklesarecoiledinunseennooks;andwhenbythecombinedand,simultaneousindustryofalmosttheentireship’scompany,thewholeofthisconscientiousdutyisatlastconcluded,thenthecrewthemselvesproceedtotheirownablutions;shiftthemselvesfromtoptotoe;andfinallyissuetotheimmaculatedeck,freshandallaglowasbridegroomsnew-leapedfromoutthedaintiestHolland.
Now,withelatedstep,theypacetheplanksintwosandthrees,andhumorouslydiscourseofparlors,sofas,carpets,andfinecambrics;proposetomatthedeck;thinkofhavinghangingtothetop;objectnottotakingteabymoonlightonthepiazzaoftheforecastle.
Tohinttosuchmuskedmarinersofoil,andbone,andblubber,werelittleshortofaudacity.
Theyknownotthethingyoudistantlyalludeto.Away,andbringusnapkins!
Butmark:aloftthere,atthethreemastheads,standthreemenintentonspyingoutmorewhales,which,ifcaught,infalliblywillagainsoiltheoldoakenfurniture,anddropatleastonesmallgrease-spotsomewhere.
Yes;andmanyisthetime,when,aftertheseverestuninterruptedlabors,whichknownonight;continuingstraightthroughforninety-sixhours;whenfromtheboat,wheretheyhaveswelledtheirwristswithalldayrowingontheLine,-theyonlysteptothedecktocarryvastchains,andheavetheheavywindlass,andcutandslash,yea,andintheirverysweatingstobesmokedandburnedanewbythecombinedfiresoftheequatorialsunandtheequatorialtry-works;when,ontheheelofallthis,theyhavefinallybestirredthemselvestocleansetheship,andmakeaspotlessdairyroomofit;manyisthetimethepoorfellows,justbuttoningthenecksoftheircleanfrocks,arestartledbythecryof“Theresheblows!”
andawaytheyflytofightanotherwhale,andgothroughthewholewearythingagain.Oh!myfriends,butthisisman-killing!Yetthisislife.
Forhardlyhavewemortalsbylongtoilingsextractedfromthisworld’svastbulkitssmallbutvaluablesperm;andthen,withwearypatience,cleansedourselvesfromitsdefilements,andlearnedtolivehereincleantabernaclesofthesoul;hardlyisthisdone,when-Theresheblows!
-theghostisspoutedup,andawaywesailtofightsomeotherworld,andgothroughyounglife’soldroutineagain.
Oh!themetempsychosis!Oh!
Pythagoras,thatinbrightGreece,twothousandyearsago,diddie,sogood,sowise,somild;IsailedwiththeealongthePeruviancoastlastvoyage-and,foolishasIam,taughtthee,agreensimpleboy,howtosplicearope.
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