Judging from our slight previous experience,
there was some heavy labour before us, for this whale was nearly
four times as large as the one caught off the Cape Verds. And it
was so. Verily those officers toiled like Titans to get that
tremendous head off even the skipper taking a hand. In spite of
their efforts, it was dark before the heavy job was done. As we
were in no danger of bad weather, the head was dropped astern by
a hawser until morning, when it would be safer to dissect it.
All that night we worked incessantly, ready to drop with fatigue,
but not daring to suggest, the possibility of such a thing.
Several of the officers and harpooners were allowed a few hours
off, as their special duty of dealing with the head at daylight
would be so arduous as to need all their energies. When day
dawned we were allowed a short rest, while the work of cutting 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.
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