142 A YEAR WITH A WHALER 



whale, and is always celebrated by dealing out 

 a drink all around. 



Great hunks of meat were cut out from the 

 carcass. These were hung over the bow. The 

 meat was served in the form of steaks and sau- 

 sages in both forecastle and cabin. And let me 

 give my testimony right here that whale steak 

 is mighty good eating. It tastes something like 

 tender beef, though it is coarser grained and of 

 ranker flavor. We preferred to eat it as steaks, 

 though made into meat balls with gravy it was 

 extremely toothsome. I do not know how whale 

 would taste if served on the home table, but at 

 sea, after months of salt horse and " sow belly," 

 it was delicious. The hunks became coated with 

 ice over the bow and kept well. They lasted us 

 for several weeks. 



When the carcass was cut adrift it went float- 

 ing astern. Flocks of gulls and sea birds that 

 had been constantly hovering about the ship in 

 hundreds waiting for the feast swooped down 

 upon it. The body washed slowly out of sight, 

 still swarmed over by the gulls. 



The head rested in the waist near the poop. 



