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 but swear you trod some silent
merchant vessel, with a most scrupulously neat commander.
The unmanufactured sperm oil possesses a singularly 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 back 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
as bridegrooms new-leaped from out the daintiest Holland.
Pages:
675
676
677
678
679
680
681
682
683
684
685
686
687
688
689
690
691
692
693
694
695
696
697
698
699