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, sharp-edged 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.