"DIIiTY WOllK FOR CLEAN MONEY,'" 47 



following a well-defined crease in the blubber. At the 

 same time the other officers passed a heavy chain sling 

 around the long, narrow lower jaw, hooking one of the 

 big cutting tackles into it, the " fall " of which was 

 then taken to the windlass and hove tight, turning the 

 whale on her back. A deep cut was then made on 

 both sides of the rising jaw, the windlass was kept 

 going, and gradually the whole of the throat was raised 

 high enough for a hole to be cut through its mass, into 

 which the strap of the second cutting tackle was inserted 

 and secured by passing a huge toggle of oak through 

 its eye. The second tackle was then hove taut, and 

 the jaw, with a large piece of blubber attached, was cut 

 off from the body with a boarding-knife, a tool not 

 unlike a cutlass blade set into a three-foot-long wooden 

 handle. 



Upon being severed the whole piece swung easily 

 inboard and was lowered on deck. The fast tackle was 

 now hove upon while the third mate on the stage cut 

 down diagonally into the blubber on the body, which 

 the purchase ripped off in a broad strip or " blanket " 

 about five feet wide and a foot thick. Meanwhile the 

 other two officers carved away vigorously at the head, 

 varying their labours by cutting a hole right through 

 the snout. This when completed received a heavy 

 chain for the purpose of securing the head. When the 

 blubber had been about half stripped off the body, a 

 halt was called in order that the work of cutting off 

 the head might be finished, for it was a task of incredible 

 difficulty. It was accomplished at last, and the mass 

 floated astern by a stout rope, after which the windlass 

 pawls clattered merrily, the "blankets" rose in quick 

 succession, and were cut off and lowered into the square 



