278 The Story of the New England Whalers 



hoisted, each by itself, on deck. The "case," 

 as the huge tank in the head was called, was 

 then hoisted in if possible; if too heavy for that, 

 the case was hoisted, neck end up, as high out 

 of water as possible, after which a hole was 

 opened into the tank, or case, and the oil was 

 bailed out with a bucket. 



In cutting up the heads of the bone whale, 

 it was customary to cut off the lips, which were 

 full of oil, and then take pains to get on deck the 

 upper jaw with the bone attached. 



When the more valuable parts of the whale 

 were on the ship, the lean carcass was allowed 

 to go adrift, food for the sharks that always 

 swarmed around a whale ship that was "cutting 

 in." The fact is that the sharks sometimes 

 got so much of the blubber that the crew were 

 kept busy to save any quantity worth while, 

 and this was especially true when three or more 

 whales were brought alongside at once, as some- 

 times happened. It is said that the sharks never 

 attacked the men who, in the course of the work, 

 were obliged to get down on the whale's body. 

 Nevertheless, the officers on the cutting stage 



