United States or Hong Kong ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
By this time they had passed through the village and, after walking about half a mile down a country road, they emerged on a green, park-like meadow, at the further side of which stood a neat cottage. Portions of a whale's huge bones dotted either side of the path as ornaments, and in front of the cottage stood a flagpole from which fluttered the Stars and Stripes.
What death-knell rings in it, that old Ahab shakes as if he were the belfry. The harpoon, too! toss over the litter there, d'ye see it? the forged iron, men, the white whale's no, no, no, blistered fool! this hand did dart it! 'tis in the fish! Aloft there!
Also Jorath saith, that against the whale fighteth a fish of serpent's kind, and is venomous as a crocodile. And then other fish come to the whale's tail, and if the whale be overcome the other fish die.
However, before returning to the dockyard, Cyrus Harding conceived the idea of fabricating certain machines, which greatly excited the curiosity of his companions. He took a dozen of the whale's bones, cut them into six equal parts, and sharpened their ends. "This machine is not my own invention, and it is frequently employed by the Aleutian hunters in Russian America.
Reckoning ten barrels to the ton, you have ten tons for the net weight of only three quarters of the stuff of the whale's skin. In life, the visible surface of the Sperm Whale is not the least among the many marvels he presents.
"Didn't I tell you so?" said Flask; "yes, you'll soon see this right whale's head hoisted up opposite that parmacetti's." In good time, Flask's saying proved true. As before, the Pequod steeply leaned over towards the sperm whale's head, now, by the counterpoise of both heads, she regained her even keel; though sorely strained, you may well believe.
For it was set apart and sanctified to one awe-striking end; and however wanton in their sailor ways, one and all, the mariners revered it as the white whale's talisman. Sometimes they talked it over in the weary watch by night, wondering whose it was to be at last, and whether he would ever live to spend it.
They had fastened to him, and the scene became more exciting. "Bad strike," said the captain, shaking his head and stamping his feet. "That whale's going to die hard." The harpoon, in short, had fallen weak, had failed to touch a vital part, and had made one of those wounds which excite a whale to attack his pursuers. The word "astern" was given as soon as the harpoon was thrown.
So a tugged, and a lugged, and t' whale didn't mistake it for ticklin', but she cocks up her tail, and throws out showers o' water as were ice or iver it touched me; but a pulls on at t' shank, an' a were only afeard as she wouldn't keep at t' top wi' it sticking in her; but at last t' harpoon broke, an' just i' time, for a reckon she was near as tired o' me as a were on her, and down she went; an' a had hard work to make for t' boats as was near enough to catch me; for what wi' t' whale's being but slippery an' t' watter being cold, an' me hampered wi' t' line an' t' piece o' harpoon, it's a chance, missus, as thou had stopped an oud maid.
When all was ready, the captain and the two mates, with Tom Lokins, got upon the whale's body, with long-handled sharp spades or digging-knives. With these they fell to work cutting off the blubber. I was stationed at one of the hoisting ropes, and while we were waiting for the signal to "hoist away," I peeped over the side, and for the first time had a good look at the great fish.
Word Of The Day