t _clean_--and the crew plumb disgusted.
Could you blame 'em?"

This conversation went on between our watches while the three sperm
whales were being butchered. There was a peculiarity about these
cachelots that I failed to mention. We butchered them in a different
manner than we did the Greenland, or right, whale. The cachelot has no
baleen but it furnishes spermaceti. A large, nearly triangular cavity in
the right side of the head, called the "case" (sometimes spermaceti is
called "case oil") is lined with a beautiful, silver-like membrane, and
covered by a thick layer of muscular fibres. This cavity contains a
secretion of an oily fluid which, after the death of the animal,
congeals into a granulated yellowish-hued substance. Our whale, the
first of the school killed by the second mate's boat--had in its case a
tun, or ten barrels, of spermaceti!

While the trying-out operations were under way we lost, of course, that
school of sperms; but we drifted some miles into the south, and as soon
as Captain Rogers could get canvas on her, we made a splendid run for
two days west of south and so caught up either with that same school, or
with another herd of cachelots.

I had thus far seen some of the sport, a good deal of the hard work,
and some of the uncertainties of the whaleman's life; now I came upon a
streak of peril the remembrance of which is not likely to be sponged
from my mind as long as I possess any memory at all.

It was at daybreak the lookout hailed the deck with "Ah-h blows! And
spouts! All about us, sir!"

It was true. We had run into the midst of the school of whales. Captain
Rogers being called by Mr. Robbins, took a look around the sea-line,
cast a shrewd look at the heavens, went and squinted at the glass, and
then ordered the canvas reefed down and all hands to breakfast. The
prospect, of both weather and whales, was for a good kill.

The healthy rivalry between the boats was now manifest. Captain Rogers
ordered all six out, leaving but two men aboard the bark. They could
just manage to steer her under the riding sail. Our boat was off as soon
as any and we pulled steadily for the whale we had chosen as our prize.
We had brought in the biggest one before and we hoped to do as well on
this occasion.

But we couldn't pick the biggest this time, for as we shot through the
rippling waves, aiming for a huge bull that rolled on the surface, up
popped a young female, with a calf, right in our course.