63. CHAPTER LXIII.
THE CROTCH.
Out of the trunk, the branches grow; out of them, the
twigs. So, in productive subjects, grow the chapters.
The crotch alluded to on a previous page deserves independent
mention. It is a notched stick of a peculiar form, some
two feet in length, which is perpendicularly inserted into the
starboard gunwale near the bow, 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 backwoodsman 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 receiving 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, be anticipatingly
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 thenceforth becomes a dangling, sharpedged
terror, skittishly curvetting about both boat 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
engaging 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 be ineffectually darted without
recovery. All these particulars are faithfully narrated here,
as they will not fail to elucidate several most important, however
intricate passages, in scenes hereafter to be painted.
