CHAPTER62TheDart

awordconcerninganincidentinthelastchapter.

accordingtotheinvariableusageofthefishery,thewhale-boatpushesofffromtheship,withtheheadsmanorwhale-killerastemporarysteersman,andtheharpooneerorwhale-fastenerpullingtheforemostoar,theoneknownastheharpooneer-oar.nowitneedsastrong,nervousarmtostrikethefirstironintothefish;foroften,inwhatiscalledalongdart,theheavyimplementhastobeflungtothedistanceoftwentyorthirtyfeet.buthoweverprolongedandexhaustingthechase,theharpooneerisexpectedtopullhisoarmeanwhiletotheuttermost;indeed,heisexpectedtosetanexampleofsuperhumanactivitytotherest,notonlybyincrediblerowing,butbyrepeatedloudandintrepidexclamations;andwhatitistokeepshoutingatthetopofone'scompass,whilealltheothermusclesarestrainedandhalfstarted—whatthatisnoneknowbutthosewhohavetriedit.forone,icannotbawlveryheartilyandworkveryrecklesslyatoneandthesametime.inthisstraining,bawlingstate,then,withhisbacktothefish,allatoncetheexhaustedharpooneerhearstheexcitingcry—"standup,andgiveittohim!"henowhastodropandsecurehisoar,turnroundonhiscentrehalfway,seizehisharpoonfromthecrotch,andwithwhatlittlestrengthmayremain,heessaystopitchitsomehowintothewhale.nowonder,takingthewholefleetofwhalemeninabody,thatoutoffiftyfairchancesforadart,notfiveareessful;nowonderthatsomanyhaplessharpooneersaremadlycursedanddisrated;nowonderthatsomeofthemactuallybursttheirblood-vesselsintheboat;nowonderthatsomespermwhalemenareabsentfouryearswithfourbarrels;nowonderthattomanyshipowners,whalingisbutalosingconcern;foritistheharpooneerthatmakesthevoyage,andifyoutakethebreathoutofhisbodyhowcanyouexpecttofindittherewhenmostwanted!

again,ifthedartbeessful,thenatthesecondcriticalinstant,thatis,whenthewhalestartstorun,theboatheaderandharpooneerlikewisestarttorunningforeandaft,totheimminentjeopardyofthemselvesandeveryoneelse.itisthentheychangeplaces;andtheheadsman,thechiefofficerofthelittlecraft,takeshisproperstationinthebowsoftheboat.

now,icarenotwhomaintainsthecontrary,butallthisisbothfoolishandunnecessary.theheadsmanshouldstayinthebowsfromfirsttolast;heshouldbothdarttheharpoonandthelance,andnorowingwhatevershouldbeexpectedofhim,exceptundercircumstancesobvioustoanyfisherman.iknowthatthiswouldsometimesinvolveaslightlossofspeedinthechase;butlongexperienceinvariouswhalemenofmorethanonenationhasconvincedmethatinthevastmajorityoffailuresinthefishery,ithasnotbyanymeansbeensomuchthespeedofthewhaleasthebeforedescribedexhaustionoftheharpooneerthathascausedthem.

toinsurethegreatestefficiencyinthedart,theharpooneersofthisworldmuststarttotheirfeetfromoutofidleness,andnotfromoutoftoil.