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.
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