162 THE WHALEMAN'S ADVENTURES. 



sending up a smoke black as night in huge vol- 

 umes, for they were trying out an eighty-barreler 

 not long taken. 



The deck was lined with casks, and the main 

 hatches off; men were engaged in the blubber- 

 room cutting up the blanket pieces into horse 

 pieces, ready for mincing ; others piking the 

 pieces from one tub to another, ready for the 

 mincers; some tending the fires, some filling 

 up casks with hot oil from the cooler ; every 

 man busy, and each at his place, but the decks 

 confusedly strown with barrels, and tubs, and 

 whaling gear, like a street with goods in it after 

 a fire. 



All at once, says an old whaler, in a yarn of 

 random recollections of his youth, all at once, 

 a voice clear as the lark, and to the ear of the 

 whaleman far sweeter, rang through the ship, 

 " There she blows ! " Again and again it is 

 repeated, at regular intervals. Now the captain 

 hails the mast head : " Where away is that 

 whale, and what do you call her ?" 



" Sperm whale, sir, three points on the 

 weather bow, not over two miles off" 



