up the head was undertaken by the
rested men. At seven bells (7.30) it was "turn to" all hands again. The
"junk" was hooked on to both cutting tackles, and the windlass manned by
everybody who could get hold. Slowly the enormous mass rose, canting the
ship heavily as it came, while every stick and rope aloft complained of
the great strain upon them. When at last it was safely shipped, and
the tackles cast off, the size of this small portion of a full-grown
cachalot's body could be realized, not before.

It was hauled from the gangway by tackles, and securely lashed to the
rail running round beneath the top of the bulwarks for that purpose--the
"lash-rail"--where the top of it towered up as high as the third ratline
of the main-rigging. Then there was another spell, while the "case" was
separated from the skull. This was too large to get on board, so it was
lifted half-way out of water by the tackles, one hooked on each side;
then they were made fast, and a spar rigged across them at a good
height above the top of the case. A small block was lashed to this spar,
through which a line was rove. A long, narrow bucket was attached to
one end of this rope; the other end on deck was attended by two men. One
unfortunate beggar was perched aloft on the above-mentioned spar, where
his position, like the main-yard of Marryatt's verbose carpenter was
"precarious and not at all permanent." He was provided with a pole, with
which he pushed the bucket down through a hole cut in the upper end
of the "case," whence it was drawn out by the chaps on deck full of
spermaceti. It was a weary, unsatisfactory process, wasting a great
deal of the substance being baled out; but no other way was apparently
possible. The grease blew about, drenching most of us engaged in an
altogether unpleasant fashion, while, to mend matters, the old barky
began to roll and tumble about in an aimless, drunken sort of way, the
result of a new cross swell rolling up from the south-westward. As the
stuff was gained, it was poured into large tanks in the blubber-room,
the quantity being too great to be held by the try-pots at once.
Twenty-five barrels of this clear, wax-like substance were baled from
that case; and when at last it was lowered a little, and cut away from
its supports, it was impossible to help thinking that much was still
remaining within which we, with such rude means, were unable to save.
Then came the task of cutting up the junk. Layer after layer