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Updated: May 17, 2025
At length, the specksioneer, or chief harpooner, having spent sufficient time in indulgence and equipment, with an air of importance and self-confidence, proceeded on deck, and naturally turned to look on the whale. To his astonishment it was not to be seen.
The harpoon line, an inch thick, lay carefully coiled up, and ran out through a brass eye in the bow. Every man knew from long experience what he had to do at any particular minute, and therefore there was silence on board, all working without orders. When all is ready one of the boats rows towards the whale, and the harpooner throws his sharp weapon with all his strength into the whale's flank.
Success in taking the whale was a thing that made itself felt in every fibre of the prosperity of the town; and it was just as natural that the single-minded population of that part of Suffolk should regard the bold and skilful harpooner, or lancer, with favour, as it is for the belle at a watering-place to bestow her smiles on one of the young heroes of Contreras or Churubusco.
"But they are eatable," replied the harpooner. "I do not agree with you, friend Ned, for I see only parrots there." "Friend Conseil," said Ned, gravely, "the parrot is like pheasant to those who have nothing else." "And," I added, "this bird, suitably prepared, is worth knife and fork."
"Do try another egg, Mr Rokens; the others, I am sure, are fresh. I cannot imagine how a bad one came to be amongst them." "Ah, try another, my lad," echoed the captain. "Pass 'em up this way, Mr Millons." "By no manner o' means; I'll eat this 'un!" replied the harpooner, commencing to eat the bad egg with apparent relish. "I like 'em this way better than nothin', anyhow.
In a rough, careless way they spoke of the specksioneer, with admiration enough for his powers as a sailor and harpooner; and from that they passed on to jesting mention of his power amongst women, and one or two girls' names were spoken of in connection with him. Hepburn silently added Annie Coulson and Sylvia Robson to this list, and his cheeks turned paler as he did so.
The harpooner who leaped overboard, escaped certain death by the act, the tail having struck the very spot on which he stood. The effects of the blow were astonishing. The keel was broken, the gunwales, and every plank, excepting two, were cut through, and it was evident that the boat would have been completely divided, had not the tail struck directly upon a coil of lines.
A harpooner belonging to the Henrietta of Whitby, when engaged in lancing a whale, into which he had previously struck a harpoon, incautiously cast a little line under his feet that he had just hauled into the boat, after it had been drawn out by the fish.
I knew it as well as the German language well enough to read it fluently, but not to speak it correctly. But, anyhow, we must make ourselves understood. "Go on in your turn," I said to the harpooner; "speak your best Anglo-Saxon, and try to do better than I." Ned did not beg off, and recommenced our story.
The next day the whole crew were busily employed in getting the whale boats ready and the gear fitted. There were seven boats in all three slung to the davits on each side, and one over the stern, with a harpooner to each.
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