The ship now neared us fast, and as soon as she rounded-to, we left the whale and pulled towards her, paying out line as we went.Arriving alongside, the line was handed on board, and in a short time the prize was hauled to the gangway.We met with a very different reception this time.The skipper's grim face actually looked almost pleasant as he contemplated the colossal proportions of the latest addition to our stock.He was indeed a fine catch, being at least seventy feet long, and in splendid condition.As soon as he was secured alongside in the orthodox fashion, all hands were sent to dinner, with an intimation to look sharp over it.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.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.
