Whereupon Stubb quickly pulled to the floating body, and hailing
the Pequod to give notice of his intentions, at once proceeded to reap
the fruit of his unrighteous cunning. Seizing his sharp boat-spade,
he commenced an excavation in the body, a little behind the side fin.
You would almost have thought he was digging a cellar there in the sea;
and when at length his spade struck against the gaunt ribs, it was
like turning up old Roman tiles and pottery buried in fat English loam.
His boat's crew were all in high excitement, eagerly helping their chief,
and looking as anxious as gold-hunters.
And all the time numberless fowls were diving, and ducking,
and screaming, and yelling, and fighting around them.
Stubb was beginning to look disappointed, especially as the horrible
nosegay increased, when suddenly from out the very heart of
this plague, there stole a faint stream of perfume, which flowed
through the tide of bad smells without being absorbed by it,
as one river will flow into and then along with another,
without at all blending with it for a time.
"I have it, I have it," cried Stubb, with delight, striking something
in the subterranean regions, "a purse! a purse!"
Dropping his spade, he thrust both hands in, and drew out
handfuls of something that looked like ripe Windsor soap,
or rich mottled old cheese; very unctuous and savory withal.
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