Chapter 83 78．An Elegant Journey to Tustego

Now is the time to oil the sockets of the whale's brains. Just like farmers harvesting wheat on land, whalers regard the moment of oil production as the moment of greatest harvest. At this moment they were full of excitement and excitement, and the danger of the pursuit had long since disappeared. Like a civet cat, Tustego climbed along the jib of the outstretched mainmast to the top of the hanging whale head. Tustego took a small light pulley, and fastened it to the jib, and passed a rope through the middle of the pulley, and threw it back on board, to be drawn by his companion. As soon as he let go, he landed skillfully and accurately on the top of the big whale's head.

Tustego stood on top of the Sperm Whale, absolutely delighted. He was condescending and shouted happily to his companions. It looks like it is on the top of the church tower, telling people to go to pray. Someone below handed him a whale shovel. Tustego got to work. Like a treasure hunter, Tustego found a good location and opened the lid of the "Heidelberg barrel" with a whale shovel. A bucket of water, tied to the rope that passed over the pulley, was brought to Tustego. Tustego took a long stick from below, and held the stick against the bucket, so that the bucket could be inserted into the "Heidelberg vat", down to the oil level in the vat.

It looked like it was drawing water from a well with a reel. When the oil filled the bucket, Tustego gave an order, and the full bucket was hoisted out. When it was hoisted back to the ship, the oil was poured into a large wooden barrel. Just like that, the buckets were hung one after another, and the eighteen or nineteen large buckets were already filled without knowing it. At this time, the oil in the Heidelberg vat was about to run out, and Tustego pounded the bucket hard with the stick. Just then, an accident happened. I don’t know if Tustego was not careful and missed the cable above his head, or the top of the big whale was too slippery and he didn’t stop. In short, Tustego uttered a cry and fell into the Heidelberg vat .

Everyone clearly heard the "plop" sound of Tustego falling into the oil. "It's broken, he fell!" The big man screamed first, and in a panic, he first thought of a solution. "Quick, hang me up there." The big man stepped into the bucket with one foot and grabbed the cable. The crowd quickly raised the big man to the top of the whale head, which was where Tustego was standing just now. Before the big man could stand still, another disaster happened. The small crane that the big man was using just hit the big crane for some reason, and in a shock, one of the hooks holding the whale's head fell off.

At this moment, the whale head began to shake. In addition, Tustego, who fell into the vat and drowned in the oil, struggled desperately, making it possible for the whale head to fall into the sea under the boat at any time. "Come down, the whale head is about to fall!" Everyone shouted. The big man doesn't care about these things, saving people is the most important thing. He held on to the big hanging wheel above his head, and he slid the bucket into the well like Tustego had done just now. "Perhaps Tustego can catch the barrel, and he will be saved." thought the big man.

Finally, the only remaining hook could no longer bear the weight of the whale's head. Just hearing a loud "boom", the huge whale head collapsed like a hill and fell into the sea. The whale head makes huge waves on the sea. The hull of the Pequod felt relieved. The hull shook violently. The big man was swinging in the air while holding onto the big hanging wheel. Poor Tustego sank with the Heidelberg vat into the rolling sea of ​​waves and foam. Just when everyone was stunned with fright, they only heard a shout: "Get out of the way!" Everyone look back. In the water mist, Queequeg was naked, with a sword in his hand, and he was running towards the side of the ship as if flying.

When he got to the side of the boat, he jumped out of the boat. The crowd flocked to the side, watching Queequeg below. Queequeg swam in the sea toward the whale's head. Queequeg swam up to the place where the whale's head sank, and disappeared. Everyone looked anxiously at the water. Time passed by second by second. "Haha, there it is!" The big man who was still hanging high shouted. People followed the guidance of the big man to look. Among the turbulent waves in the distance, an arm stretched out. "There are two people!" The big man was calling again.

After a while, Queequeg was seen swimming back to the Pequod, paddling with one arm and dragging Tustego with the other. The crowd hurriedly dragged the two onto the deck. Tustego doesn't wake up all at once. The crowd gathered around Queequeg and asked him how he saved Tustego. You have not forgotten that Queequeg jumped down with his sword in his hand. So, as soon as Queequeg was in the water, he swam up to the head of the whale, and followed him closely. He estimated the position of Tustego, and cut a big hole in that position with his sword. When this was done, Queequeg dropped his sword, and began to reach in from the hole for Tustego.

For the first time, he touched Tustego's leg. "Found it!" He was overjoyed, but then he stuffed his leg back. Queequeg knew in his heart that if he pulled his legs first, he would not be able to get out, and the more he pulled, the more trouble he would have. The second time, Queequeg found Tustego's head. He smoothed the person out first, and then he pushed harder, and the person came out. When Queequeg came back with Tustego in his arms, the big head of the sperm whale had drifted far away. In this way the brave and wise Queequeg saved Tustego's life, as if he had been delivered by Caesarean section from the womb of death.

Compared with gynecological delivery, this kind of delivery is much more exciting. Think about it, there's swimming, diving, fencing, and boxing, so pretty! The oil in the "Vat of Heidelberg" is fragrant and intoxicating, but for Tustego, if he really dies in it, although the end of life is sweet, it will come to an end forever. Unlucky and lucky Tustego.