还有一种原来是捕露脊鲸者所谓"碎肉"的专门名称,不过,它有时也偶尔被捕抹香鲸者使用了。这指的是从格陵兰鲸或者露脊鲸的背上剥下来的那种黑色的胶状物,那些专捕这种贱鲸的下等人物的船板上就尽是这些东西。
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.
滚子(原文nippers应为"钳子",但从文中意思看来,称为"滚子"比较妥当。)。这个名称,严格说来,并不是捕鲸业的原有的词儿。不过,由于捕鲸人使用了它,也就成为一种捕鲸词汇了。捕鲸人的所谓"滚子"就是从鲸尾的尖梢上割下来的一种坚硬的短腱块,它一般是一英寸厚,等而下的,大小约等于锹子的那块铁板。拿它斜斜地沿着油腻腻的甲板上滚去,它滚得象只橡皮滚子那样,真有说不出的圆滑灵巧,就象使用了不干不净的魔法那样。
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,要把所有这些奥妙的东西都弄清楚,最好还是请你立刻下到鲸脂间里去,跟那里边的人好好地长谈一番。这地方以前已经说过,等到毡子从鲸身上吊剥下来后,它就是一个藏毡子的仓库。不过,到了应该斩割大鲸的内脏时,这间房间,在一切生手看来,尤其是在夜里,可真是个恐怖的场所。一只昏暗的灯笼挂在一边,空出一块容工作人员站立的地方。他们一般地是两个人成双成对地在操作——一个拿着捕鲸枪和钩子,一个拿着只铲子。