CUTTING-IN. 123 



of the vessel. The first thing to be done is to sep- 

 arate the head from the body. To this purpose, 

 a place being fixed upon where it is supposed the 

 back bone can be separated, a deep incision is 

 made with a spade. A strip of the adjoining 

 blubber, about six feet wide, is now cut loose on 

 both sides, and an in,cision being also made longi- 

 tudinally in this strip, a boat-steerer goes down in 

 a "bowline," to hook on the first "blanket-piece." 



This done and this is about the most difficult 

 and dangerous duty in cutting-in a whale the 

 crew heave away at the windlass, and the officers 

 cut away on each side as necessary. The whale 

 is thus rolled completely around, the thick blub- 

 ber peeling off easily from the flesh beneath. 

 The deep incision next to the head is continued, 

 the spade being thrust down till it strikes the ver- 

 tebra ; and thus by the time the carcass has made 

 one entire revolution, the head hangs merely by 

 the joints which connect it with the backbone. 



A stout oak post is now placed with one end 

 resting against a plate prepared on the ship's 

 side, and the other inserted in a hole cut in the 

 head. The cutting and hoisting recommences, 

 and as the whale's body is slowly turned, the head, 

 which is kept stationary by the post, is gradually 

 wrenched off. Previously to this, however, a 

 head-chain has been passed through a hole made 

 for the purpose, and by this the severed mass now 

 hangs. When the head is loose, the body is hauled 

 forward clear of the gangway. The lower jaw 



