還有一種原來是捕露脊鯨者所謂"碎肉"的專門名稱,不過,它有時也偶爾被捕抹香鯨者使用了。這指的是從格陵蘭鯨或者露脊鯨的背上剝下來的那種黑色的膠狀物,那些專捕這種賤鯨的下等人物的船板上就盡是這些東西。
Nippers. Strictly this word is not indigenous to the whale's vocabulary. But as applied by whalemen, it becomes so. A whaleman's nipper is a short firm strip of tendinous stuff cut from the tapering part of Leviathan's tail: it averages an inch in thickness, and for the rest, is about the size of the iron part of a hoe. Edgewise moved along the oily deck, it operates like a leathern squilgee; and by nameless blandishments, as of magic, allures along with it all impurities.
滾子(原文nippers應(yīng)為"鉗子",但從文中意思看來,稱為"滾子"比較妥當(dāng)。)。這個名稱,嚴(yán)格說來,并不是捕鯨業(yè)的原有的詞兒。不過,由于捕鯨人使用了它,也就成為一種捕鯨詞匯了。捕鯨人的所謂"滾子"就是從鯨尾的尖梢上割下來的一種堅硬的短腱塊,它一般是一英寸厚,等而下的,大小約等于鍬子的那塊鐵板。拿它斜斜地沿著油膩膩的甲板上滾去,它滾得象只橡皮滾子那樣,真有說不出的圓滑靈巧,就象使用了不干不凈的魔法那樣。
But to learn all about these recondite matters, your best way is at once to descend into the blubber-room, and have a long talk with its inmates. This place has previously been mentioned as the receptacle for the blanket-pieces, when stript and hoisted from the whale. When the proper time arrives for cutting up its contents, this apartment is a scene of terror to all tyros, especially by night. On one side, lit by a dull lantern, a space has been left clear for the workmen. They generally go in pairs,—a pike-and-gaffman and a spade-man.
但是,要把所有這些奧妙的東西都弄清楚,最好還是請你立刻下到鯨脂間里去,跟那里邊的人好好地長談一番。這地方以前已經(jīng)說過,等到氈子從鯨身上吊剝下來后,它就是一個藏氈子的倉庫。不過,到了應(yīng)該斬割大鯨的內(nèi)臟時,這間房間,在一切生手看來,尤其是在夜里,可真是個恐怖的場所。一只昏暗的燈籠掛在一邊,空出一塊容工作人員站立的地方。他們一般地是兩個人成雙成對地在操作——一個拿著捕鯨槍和鉤子,一個拿著只鏟子。