70 THE WHALEMAN'S ADVENTURES. 



very thin and delicate skin, which when first 

 detached from the body, whence it is easily 

 stripped, very nearly resembles a glossy black 

 silk ; and when the whale basks in the sunbeams 

 on the surface of the water, its smooth outer 

 covering glistens as if it were from the looms of 

 France or Italy, so much is it like the shining 

 silk. 



As soon as the business of the voyage is 

 fairly commenced by taking the first whale, the 

 appearance of the ship and her crew wofully 

 chaoges for the worse. The decks, which have 

 hitherto been kept scrupulously clean, are now 

 covered with oil, and it is only by keeping 

 a thick coat of sand scattered over them, that 

 the crew are enabled to get about without slip- 

 ping. The smoke from the try-works blackens 

 every face, so that the watch on deck resembles 

 a party of colliers. Each rope, too, exposed to 

 its influence, is coated with lamp-black, and the 

 clothing of the men saturated with oil. Even 

 the sails, which on the passage were of a snowy 

 whiteness, receive their share of defilement; 

 for, as they are handed every night, the men, 



