Final Reflections
The narrative advises not to blame Stubb too harshly, as the thing is common in that fishery. In the sequel of the narrative, the reader will learn what like abandonment befell the narrator himself.
第九十四章 A Squeeze of the Hand.
This chapter continues the detailed narrative of the sperm whale processing operation aboard the Pequod. Following Stubb’s successful hunt, the whale is brought alongside and various cutting and hoisting operations commence, including the emptying of the Heidelburgh Tun. The chapter focuses on the intimate sensory experience of working with sperm oil and the strange camaraderie it engenders among the crew.
Whale Brought Alongside
After Stubb’s whale is purchased at some cost, it is duly secured at the Pequod’s side. All the cutting and hoisting operations previously described are carried out systematically, including the baling of the great Heidelburgh Tun or Case. Larger tubs are dragged into position to receive the sperm as it is drawn off.
Sperm Processing
The collected sperm has cooled and crystallized into solid lumps floating in liquid. When the crew sits before large vats of this solidified sperm, they must squeeze the lumps back into fluid form. This work is described as sweet and unctuous, and the narrator reflects on how sperm was historically valued as a cosmetic and softener. After working with the sperm for only a few minutes, the narrator’s fingers begin to feel like eels, serpentining and spiraling.
Squeezing Sperm
The repetitive act of squeezing sperm becomes almost meditative for the narrator. Sitting cross-legged on deck under a tranquil blue sky, with the ship gliding serenely, the narrator experiences a sensory paradise—the smell of the sperm is literally like spring violets. The narrator describes feeling divinely free from ill-will and malice while bathing in this aromatic substance. The work becomes so consuming that a strange insanity develops, leading the narrator to squeeze co-laborers’ hands mistaking them for gentle globules. This abounding, friendly feeling prompts thoughts of universal kindness and squeezing hands all round.
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