ACTUAL WARFARE. OUR FIRST WE ALE. 43 



The skipper cursed us all (except the mate, whose sole 

 fault the accident undoubtedly was) with a fluency and 

 vigour that was, to put it mildly, discouraging. More- 

 over, we were informed that he " wouldn't have no 

 adjective skulking ; " we must " turn to " and do some- 

 thing after wasting the ship's time and property in such 

 a blank manner. There was a limit, however, to our 

 obedience, so although we could not move at all for 

 awhile, his threats were not proceeded with farther 

 than theory. 



A couple of slings were passed around the boat, by 

 means of which she was carefully hoisted on board, a 

 mere dilapidated bundle of sticks and raffle of gear. 

 She was at once removed aft out of the way, the busi- 

 ness of cutting in the whale claiming precedence over 

 everything else just then. The preliminary proceedings 

 consisted of rigging the " cutting stage." This was 

 composed of two stout planks a foot wide and ten feet 

 long, the inner ends of which were suspended by strong 

 ropes over the ship's side about four feet from the water, 

 while the outer extremities were upheld by tackles from 

 the main rigging, and a small crane abreast the try- 

 works. 



These planks were about thirty feet apart, their two 

 outer ends being connected by a massive plank which 

 was securely bolted to them. A handrail about as high 

 as a man's waist, supported by light iron stanchions, 

 ran the full length of this plank on the side nearest 

 the ship, the whole fabric forming an admirable stand- 

 ing-place from whence the officers might, standing in 

 comparative comfort, cut and carve at the great mass 

 below to their hearts' content. 



So far the prize bad been simply held alongside by 



