The Harpooner on a Whale

Stubb returned with a dark flask in one hand and a sort of tea caddy in the other. The first contained strong spirits and was handed to quek qeg. The second was aunt charity's gift, and that was freely given to the waves. It must be borne in mind that all this time we have a sperm whale's prodigious head hanging to the pequods side. But we must let it tinue hanging there a while, till we can get a chance to attend to it. For the present, other matters press and the best we can do now for the head is to pray heaven the tackles may hold.