80 TEE CRUISE OF TEE "CACEALOT:* 



The Turks are said to use it for a truly Turkish purpose, 

 which need not be explained here, while the Moors are 

 credited with a taste for it in their cookery. About 

 both these latter statements there is considerable doubt ; 

 I only give them for what they are worth, without 

 committing myself to any definite belief in them. 



The ship now neared us fast, and as soon as she 

 rounded-to, we left the whale and pulled towards her, 

 paying out line as we went. Arriving alongside, the 

 line was handed on board, and in a short time the 

 prize was hauled to the gangway. We met with a very 

 different reception this time. The skipper's grim face 

 actually looked almost pleasant as he contemplated the 

 colossal proportions of the latest addition to our stock. 

 He was indeed a fine catch, being at least seventy feet 

 long, and in splendid condition. As soon as he was 

 secured alongside in the orthodox fashion, all hands 

 were sent to dinner, with an intimation to look sharp 

 over it. Judging from our slight previous experience, 

 there was some heavy labour before us, for this whale 

 was nearly four times as large as the one caught 

 off the Cape Verds. And it was so. Verily those 

 officers toiled like Titans to get that tremendous head 

 off, even the skipper taking a hand. In spite of their 

 efforts, it was dark before the heavy job was done. As 

 we were in no danger of bad weather, the head waa 

 dropped astern by a hawser until morning, when it would 

 be safer to dissect it. All that night we worked inces- 

 santly, ready to drop with fatigue, but not daring to suggest 

 the possibility of such a thing. Several of the officers 

 and harpooners were allowed a few hours off, as their 

 special duty of dealing with the head at daylight would 

 be so arduous as to need all their energies. When day 



