170 THE AMERICAN WHALEMAN 



The cutting tackle is attached to a powerful strap, or pendant, pass- 

 ing round the mast in the main-top by two large blocks. There are, 

 in fact, two tackles, the falls of which pass round the windlass. To 

 each of these tackles is attached a large blubber hook, which, upon 

 being made fast to the blubber, are hauled up by the windlass, one 

 only being in operation at a time, so that when the first strip of 

 blubber, or "blanket-piece," reaches the stationary block on the pend- 

 ant, the other can be made fast by a strap and bolt of wood to a 

 hole cut below the point at which that blanket piece is to be cut off. 

 . . . The blanket pieces are stripped off in a spiral direction, running 

 down toward the flukes; the whole turning, at every heave of the 

 windlass, till the whole covering of blubber is stripped off to the 

 flukes, which are hoisted on board, and those parts containing oil cut 

 off, and the remainder thrown overboard. The head having, in the 

 first place, been cut off and secured to the stern, is now hauled up, 

 with the nose down, if too large to be taken on board, and hoisted 

 as far out of the water as may be found convenient, and the oil or 

 liquid spermaceti bailed out with a vessel attached to a long pole, and 

 thus taken in and saved. As there is no little risk attending this 

 mode of getting the spermaceti, and a great deal of waste, the head 

 is always taken on board, when not too large or heavy. 



The "case," which is the name given by whalers to the head, some- 

 times contains from ten to fifteen barrels of oil and spermaceti. A 

 single "blanket piece" not infrequently weighs a ton or upward. In 

 hauling it up by the tackles, it careens the vessel over frequently to 

 an angle of fifteen or twenty degrees, owing to its great weight, com- 

 bined with that of the whale, the upper surface of which it raises sev- 

 eral feet out of the water. When the blanket piece has reached the 

 stationary block in the top, it is cut off by a boat-steerer, who stands 

 by with a boarding-knife, having first, however, been secured below 

 by the other blubber hook, which is hauled taut to prevent it from break- 

 ing away by too sudden a ierk. The upper piece then swings in, and, 

 when it ceases its pendulating motion, is dropped down into the hold 

 or blubber-room, where it is cut up into blocks of a foot and a half 

 or two feet in length, and eight or ten inches in width. These blocks 

 are called "horse-pieces." . . . The carcass of the whale, when 

 stripped of its blubber, is cast loose, and soon sinks from the want 

 of its buoyant covering. -"^^ 



During these cutting-in operations the work of the entire 

 crew was carried on at a pace and under conditions which would 

 have become intolerable if continued over longer periods. 

 The task in hand was pressed forward unremittingly, allowing 

 only the barest minimum of time for food and sleep. Often- 



12 Browne, J. R., "Etchings of a Whaling Cruise," pp. 127-130. 



