CHAPTER84Pitchpoling

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,tashtegoatlasteededinplantingoneiron;butthestrickenwhale,withoutatallsounding,stillcontinuedhishorizontalflight,withaddedfleetness.suchunintermittedstrainingsupontheplantedironmustsoonerorlaterinevitablyextractit.itbecameimperativetolancetheflyingwhale,orbecontenttolosehim.buttohaultheboatuptohisflankwasimpossible,heswamsofastandfurious.whatthenremained?

ofallthewondrousdevicesanddexterities,thesleightsofhandandcountlesssubtleties,towhichtheveteranwhalemanissooftenforced,noneexceedthatfineman?uvrewiththelancecalledpitchpoling.smallsword,orbroadsword,inallitsexercisesboastsnothinglikeit.itisonlyindispensablewithaninveteraterunningwhale;itsgrandfactandfeatureisthewonderfuldistancetowhichthelonglanceisaccuratelydartedfromaviolentlyrocking,jerkingboat,underextremeheadway.steelandwoodincluded,theentirespearissometenortwelvefeetinlength;thestaffismuchslighterthanthatoftheharpoon,andalsoofalightermaterial—pine.itisfurnishedwithasmallropecalledawarp,ofconsiderablelength,bywhichitcanbehauledbacktothehandafterdarting.

butbeforegoingfurther,itisimportanttomentionhere,thatthoughtheharpoonmaybepitchpoledinthesamewaywiththelance,yetitisseldomdone;andwhendone,isstilllessfrequentlyessful,onaccountofthegreaterweightandinferiorlengthoftheharpoonascomparedwiththelance,whichineffectbecomeseriousdrawbacks.asageneralthing,therefore,youmustfirstgetfasttoawhale,beforeanypitchpolingcomesintoplay.

looknowatstubb;amanwhofromhishumorous,deliberatecoolnessandequanimityinthedirestemergencies,wasspeciallyqualifiedtoexcelinpitchpoling.lookathim;hestandsuprightinthetossedbowoftheflyingboat;wraptinfleecyfoam,thetowingwhaleisfortyfeetahead.handlingthelonglancelightly,glancingtwiceorthricealongitslengthtoseeifitbeexactlystraight,stubbwhistlinglygathersupthecoilofthewarpinonehand,soastosecureitsfreeendinhisgrasp,leavingtherestunobstructed.thenholdingthelancefullbeforehiswaistband'smiddle,helevelsitatthewhale;when,coveringhimwithit,hesteadilydepressesthebuttendinhishand,therebyelevatingthepointtilltheweaponstandsfairlybalanceduponhispalm,fifteenfeetintheair.hemindsyousomewhatofaler,balancingalongstaffonhischin.nextmomentwitharapid,namelessimpulse,inasuperbloftyarchthebrightsteelspansthefoamingdistance,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.