Моби Дик

Pitchpoling

           Whatthenremained?

           Ofallthewondrousdevicesanddexterities,thesleightsofhandandcountlesssubtleties,towhichtheveteranwhalemanissooftenforced,noneexceedthatfinemanoeuvrewiththelancecalledpitchpoling.Smallsword,orbroadsword,inallitsexercisesboastsnothinglikeit.Itisonlyindispensablewithaninveteraterunningwhale;itsgrandfactandfeatureisthewonderfuldistancetowhichthelonglanceisaccuratelydartedfromaviolentlyrocking,jerkingboat,underextremeheadway.Steelandwoodincluded,theentirespearissometenortwelvefeetinlength;thestaffismuchslighterthanthatoftheharpoon,andalsoofalightermaterialpine.Itisfurnishedwithasmallropecalledawarp,ofconsiderablelength,bywhichitcanbehauledbacktothehandafterdarting.

           Butbeforegoingfurther,itisimportanttomentionhere,thatthoughtheharpoonmaybepitchpoledinthesamewaywiththelance,yetitisseldomdone;andwhendone,isstilllessfrequentlysuccessful,onaccountofthegreaterweightandinferiorlengthoftheharpoonascomparedwiththelance,whichineffectbecomeseriousdrawbacks.Asageneralthing,therefore,youmustfirstgettoawhale,beforeanypitchpolingcomesintoplay.

           LooknowatStubb;amanwhofromhishumorous,deliberatecoolnessandequanimityinthedirestemergencies,wasspeciallyqualifiedtoexcelinpitchpoling.Lookathim;hestandsuprightinthetossedbowoftheflyingboat;wraptinfleecyfoam,thetowingwhaleisfortyfeetahead

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