THE WHITE WHALE 267 
length, which is perpendicularly inserted into the starboard gunwale 
near the how, for the purpose of furnishing a rest for the wooden 
extremity of the harpoon, whose other naked, barbed end slopingly 
projects from the prow. Thereby the weapon is instantly at hand 
to its hurler, who snatches it up as readily from its rest as a back- 
woodsman swings his rifle from the wall. It is customary to have two 
harpoons reposing in the crotch, respectively called the first and 
second irons. 
But these two harpoons, each by its own cord, are both connected 
with the line; the object being this: to dart them both, if possible, one 
instantly after the other into the same whale ; so that if, in the coming 
drag, one should draw out, the other may still retain a hold. It 
is a doubling of the chances. But it very often happens that owing to 
the instantaneous, violent, convulsive running of the whale upon receiv- 
ing the first iron, it becomes impossible for the harpooneer, however 
lightning-like in his movements, to pitch the second iron into him. 
Nevertheless, as the second iron is already connected with the line, 
and the line is running, hence that weapon must, at all events, he antici- 
patingly tossed out of the boat, somehow and somewhere; else the 
most terrible jeopardy would involve all hands. Tumbled into the 
water, it accordingly is in such cases; the spare coils of box-line 
(mentioned in a preceding chapter) making this feat, in most instances, 
prudently practicable. But this critical act is not always unattended 
with the saddest and most fatal casualties. 
Furthermore: you must know that when the second iron is thrown 
overboard, it henceforth becomes a dangling, sharp-edged terror, skit- 
tishly curveting about both boa/t and whale, entangling the lines, 
or cutting them, and making a prodigious sensation in all directions. 
Nor, in general, is it possible to secure it again until the whale is fairly 
captured and a corpse. 
Consider, now, how it must be in the case of four boats all en- 
gaging one unusually strong, active, and knowing whale ; when owing 
to these qualities in him, as well as to the thousand concurring accidents 
of such an audacious enterprise, eight or ten loose second irons may be 
simultaneously dangling about him. For, of course, each boat is 
supplied with several harpoons to bend on to the line should the first one 
