y was) with a fluency and vigour that was, to put
it mildly, discouraging. Moreover, we were informed that he "wouldn't
have no adjective skulking;" we must "turn to" and do something after
wasting the ship's time and property in such a blanked manner. There was
a limit, however, to our obedience, so although we could not move at all
for awhile, his threats were not proceeded with farther than theory.

A couple of slings were passed around the boat, by means of which she
was carefully hoisted on board, a mere dilapidated bundle of sticks and
raffle of gear. She was at once removed aft out of the way, the business
of cutting in the whale claiming precedence over everything else just
then. The preliminary proceedings consisted of rigging the "cutting
stage." This was composed of two stout planks a foot wide and ten feet
long, the inner ends of which were suspended by strong ropes over the
ship's side about four feet from the water, while the outer extremities
were upheld by tackles from the main rigging, and a small crane abreast
the try-works.

These planks were about thirty feet apart, their two outer ends being
connected by a massive plank which was securely bolted to them. A
handrail about as high as a man's waist, supported by light iron
stanchions, ran the full length of this plank on the side nearest the
ship, the whole fabric forming an admirable standing-place from whence
the officers might, standing in comparative comfort, cut and carve at
the great mass below to their hearts' content.

So far the prize had been simply held alongside by the whale-line, which
at death had been "rove" through a hole cut in the solid gristle of the
tail; but now it became necessary to secure the carcase to the ship in
some more permanent fashion. Therefore, a massive chain like a small
ship's cable was brought forward, and in a very ingenious way, by means
of a tiny buoy and a hand-lead, passed round the body, one end brought
through a ring in the other, and hauled upon until it fitted tight round
the "small" or part of the whale next the broad spread of the tail. The
free end of the fluke-chain was then passed in through a mooring-pipe
forward, firmly secured to a massive bitt at the heel of the bowsprit
(the fluke-chain-bitt), and all was ready.

But the subsequent proceedings were sufficiently complicated to demand a
fresh chapter.

CHAPTER VI. "DIRTY WORK FOR CLEAN MONEY"

If in the preceding chapter too much stre