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Look at the sailor , called the mincer , who now comes along , and assisted by two allies , heavily backs the grandissimus , as the mariners call it , and with bowed shoulders , staggers off with it as if he were a grenadier carrying a dead comrade from the field . Extending it upon the forecastle deck , he now proceeds cylindrically to remove its dark pelt , as an African hunter the pelt of a boa . This done he turns the pelt inside out , like a pantaloon leg ; gives it a good stretching , so as almost to double its diameter ; and at last hangs it , well spread , in the rigging , to dry . Ere long , it is taken down ; when removing some three feet of it , towards the pointed extremity , and then cutting two slits for arm - holes at the other end , he lengthwise slips himself bodily into it . The mincer now stands before you invested in the full canonicals of his calling . Immemorial to all his order , this investiture alone will adequately protect him , while employed in the peculiar functions of his office . That office consists in mincing the horse - pieces of blubber for the pots ; an operation which is conducted at a curious wooden horse , planted endwise against the bulwarks , and with a capacious tub beneath it , into which the minced pieces drop , fast as the sheets from a rapt orator’s desk . Arrayed in decent black ; occupying a conspicuous pulpit ; intent on bible leaves ; what a candidate for an archbishopric , what a lad for a Pope were this mincer ! * * Bible leaves ! Bible leaves ! This is the invariable cry from the mates to the mincer . It enjoins him to be careful , and cut his work into as thin slices as possible , inasmuch as by so doing the business of boiling out the oil is much accelerated , and its quantity considerably increased , besides perhaps improving it in quality . CHAPTER 96 . The Try - Works . Besides her hoisted boats , an American whaler is outwardly distinguished by her try - works . She presents the curious anomaly of the most solid masonry joining with oak and hemp in constituting the completed ship . It is as if from the open field a brick - kiln were transported to her planks . The try - works are planted between the foremast and mainmast , the most roomy part of the deck . The timbers beneath are of a peculiar strength , fitted to sustain the weight of an almost solid mass of brick and mortar , some ten feet by eight square , and five in height . The foundation does not penetrate the deck , but the masonry is firmly secured to the surface by ponderous knees of iron bracing it on all sides , and screwing it down to the timbers . On the flanks it is cased with wood , and at top completely covered by a large , sloping , battened hatchway . Removing this hatch we expose the great try - pots , two in number , and each of several barrels ’ capacity . When not in use , they are kept remarkably clean . Sometimes they are polished with soapstone and sand , till they shine within like silver punch - bowls . During the night - watches some cynical old sailors will crawl into them and coil themselves away there for a nap .
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