Nevertheless, in the proper
place we shall see that no knowing fisherman will ever turn
up his nose at such a whale as this, however much he may shun
blasted whales in general.
The Pequod had now swept so nigh to the stranger, that Stubb
vowed he recognized his cutting spade-pole entangled in the lines
that were knotted round the tail of one of these whales.
"There's a pretty fellow, now," he banteringly laughed,
standing in the ship's bows, "there's a jackal for ye!
I well know that these Crappoes of Frenchmen are but poor devils
in the fishery; sometimes lowering their boats for breakers,
mistaking them for Sperm Whale spouts; yes, and sometimes sailing
from their port with their hold full of boxes of tallow candles,
and cases of snuffers, foreseeing that all the oil they will get won't
be enough to dip the Captain's wick into; aye, we all know these things;
but look ye, here's a Crappo that is content with our leavings,
the drugged whale there, I mean; aye, and is content too with
scraping the dry bones of that other precious fish he has there.
Poor devil! I say, pass round a hat, some one, and let's
make him a present of a little oil for dear charity's sake.
For what oil he'll get from that drugged whale there,
wouldn't be fit to burn in a jail; no, not in a condemned cell.
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