SPERMACETI. 137 



the identical one he had lost five years before, 

 having on it the ship's name, and his own pri- 

 vate mark. 



But to come back to our great subject of dis- 

 section now in hand : The case was raised par- 

 tially out of the water, so as to keep the waves 

 from washing into it, and an incision was then 

 made through the membrane of one of the ven- 

 tricles of the head, into which they let down 

 great buckets, as into a well, dipping them full 

 of pure sperm, and pouring it, as whipped up, 

 into hogsheads. It has a slight rose tint, and 

 looks like ice cream, or white butter half churned. 

 There was about sixteen barrels of these brains(?) 

 alone, and ninety, or ninety-five barrels of oil 

 in all. The sea became all white on the cutting 

 in side of the ship, with the spermaceti and 

 blubber that escaped. Thousands of albatrosses, 

 gulls, and haglets more than got their fill, so 

 tluit they flew heavily, and with difficulty, and 

 probably might have to spend three or four 

 d.i ys, if not weeks, in digestion, like the sloth. 

 Sperm whalers are provided with large scoops, 

 by which, in good weather, they save a great 



