THE WHITE WHALE 
395 
masses of the whale’s head are profanely piled; great rusty casks lie 
about, as in a brewery yard; the smoke from the try-works has be- 
sooted all the bulwarks ; the mariners go about suffused with unctuous- 
ness; the entire ship seems a great leviathan himself; while on all 
hands the din is deafening. 
But a day or two after, you look about you, and prick your ears 
in this self-same ship ; and were it not for the tell-tale boats and try- 
works, you would all hut swear you trod some silent merchant vessel, 
with a most scrupulously neat commander. The unmanufactured 
sperm oil possesses a singular cleansing virtue. This is the reason why 
the decks never look so white as just after what they call an affair of 
oil. Besides, from the ashes of the burned scraps of the whale, a potent 
lye is readily made ; and whenever any adhesiveness from the hack of 
the whale remains clinging to the side, that lye quickly exterminates 
it. Hands go diligently along the bulwarks, and with buckets of 
water and rags restore them to their full tidiness. The soot is brushed 
from the lower rigging. All the numerous implements which have 
been in use are likewise faithfully cleansed and put away. The great 
hatch is scrubbed and placed upon the try-works, completely hiding the 
pots ; every cask is out of sight ; all tackles are coiled in unseen nooks ; 
and when by the combined and simultaneous industry of almost the 
entire ship’s company, the whole of this conscientious duty is at last 
concluded, then the crew themselves proceed to their own ablutions; 
shift themselves from top to toe; and finally issue to the immaculate 
deck, fresh and all aglow. 
How, with elated step, they pace the planks in twos and threes, 
and humorously discourse of parlours, sofas, carpets, and fine cam- 
brics; propose to mat the deck; think of having hangings to the top; 
object not to making tea by moonlight on the piazza of the forecastle. 
To hint to such musked mariners of oil, and bone, and blubber, were 
little short of audacity. They know not the thing you distantly 
allude to. Away, and bring us napkins ! 
But mark: aloft there, at the three mastheads, stand three men in- 
tent on spying out more whales, which, if caught, infallibly will again 
soil the old oaken furniture, and drop at least one small grease spot 
somewhere. Yes; and many is the time, when, after the severest unin- 
