CHAPTER67CuttingIn

itwasasaturdaynight,andsuchasabbathasfollowed!exofficioprofessorsofsabbathbreakingareallwhalemen.theivorypequodwasturnedintowhatseemedashamble;everysailorabutcher.youwouldhavethoughtwewereofferinguptenthousandredoxentotheseagods.

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;everyboltinherstartslikethenail-headsofanoldhouseinfrostyweather;shetrembles,quivers,andnodsherfrightedmast-headstothesky.moreandmoresheleansovertothewhale,whileeverygaspingheaveofthewindlassisansweredbyahelpingheavefromthebillows;tillatlast,aswift,startlingsnapisheard;withagreatswashtheshiprollsupwardsandbackwardsfromthewhale,andthetriumphanttacklerisesintosightingafteritthedisengagedsemicircularendofthefirststripofblubber.nowastheblubberenvelopesthewhalepreciselyastherinddoesanorange,soisitstrippedofffromthebodypreciselyasanorangeissometimesstrippedbyspiralizingit.forthestrainconstantlykeptupbythewindlasscontinuallykeepsthewhalerollingoverandoverinthewater,andastheblubberinonestripuniformlypeelsoffalongthelinecalledthe"scarf,"simultaneouslycutbythespadesofstarbuckandstubb,themates;andjustasfastasitisthuspeeledoff,andindeedbythatveryactitself,itisallthetimebeinghoistedhigherandhigheralofttillitsupperendgrazesthemain-top;themenatthewindlassthenceaseheaving,andforamomentortwotheprodigiousblood-drippingmassswaystoandfroasifletdownfromthesky,andeveryonepresentmusttakegoodheedtododgeitwhenitswings,elseitmayboxhisearsandpitchhimheadlongoverboard.

oneoftheattendingharpooneersnowadvanceswithalong,keenweaponcalledaboarding-sword,andwatchinghischancehedexterouslyslicesoutaconsiderableholeinthelowerpartoftheswayingmass.intothishole,theendofthesecondalternatinggreattackleisthenhookedsoastoretainaholdupontheblubber,inordertoprepareforwhatfollows.whereupon,thisaccomplishedswordsman,warningallhandstostandoff,oncemoremakesascientificdashatthemass,andwithafewsidelong,desperate,lungingslicings,seversitcompletelyintwain;sothatwhiletheshortlowerpartisstillfast,thelongupperstrip,calledablanket-piece,swingsclear,andisallreadyforlowering.theheaversforwardnowresumetheirsong,andwhiletheonetackleispeelingandhoistingasecondstripfromthewhale,theotherisslowlyslackenedaway,anddowngoesthefirststripthroughthemainhatchwayrightbeneath,intoanunfurnishedparlorcalledtheblubber-room.intothistwilightapartmentsundrynimblehandskeepcoilingawaythelongblanket-pieceasifitwereagreatlivemassofplaitedserpents.andthustheworkproceeds;thetwotackleshoistingandloweringsimultaneously;bothwhaleandwindlassheaving,theheaverssinging,theblubber-roomgentlemencoiling,thematesscarfing,theshipstraining,andallhandsswearingoccasionally,bywayofassuagingthegeneralfriction.