Abridging Moby Dick

Abridged Text, followed by Abridger Notes, followed by multimedia, followed by Original Text with deletions .   Chapter 79 The Prairie   To scan the lines of his face, or feel the bumps on the head of this Leviathan; this is a thing which no Physiognomist or Phrenologist has as yet undertaken. Though I am but ill qualified for a pioneer, in the application of these two semi-sciences to the whale, I will do my endeavor. I try all things; I achieve what I can.   Perhaps the most imposing physiognomical view to be had of the Sperm Whale, is that of the full front of his head. This aspect is sublime. Human or animal, the mystical brow is as that great golden seal affixed by the German emperors to their decrees. It signifies—“God: done this day by my hand.” But in most creatures, nay in man himself, very often the brow is but a mere strip of alpine land lying along the snow line. Few are the rise so high, and descend so low, that the eyes themsel...

Abridged Text, followed by Abridger Notes, followed by multimedia, followed by Original Text with deletions .   Chapter 78 Cistern and Buckets Nimble as a cat, Tashtego mounts aloft; and runs straight out upon the overhanging main-yard-arm, to where it exactly projects over the hoisted Tun. He has carried with him a light tackle called a whip, consisting of only two parts, travelling through a single-sheaved block. Securing this block, so that it hangs down from the yard-arm, he swings one end of the rope, till it is caught and firmly held by a hand on deck. Then, hand-over-hand, down the other part, the Indian drops through the air, till dexterously he lands on the summit of the head. There, a short-handled sharp spade being sent up to him, he diligently searches for the proper place to begin breaking into the Tun. In this business he proceeds very heedfully, like a treasure-hunter in some old house, sounding the walls to find where the gold is masoned in....

Abridged Text, followed by Abridger Notes, followed by multimedia, followed by Original Text with deletions .   Chapter 77 The Great Heidelburgh Tun Regarding the Sperm Whale’s head as a solid oblong, you may, on an inclined plane, sideways divide it into two quoins, whereof the lower is the bony structure, forming the cranium and jaws, and the upper an unctuous mass wholly free from bones. At the middle of the forehead horizontally subdivide this upper quoin, and then you have two almost equal parts, divided by an internal wall of a thick tendinous substance.   The lower subdivided part, called the junk, is one immense honeycomb of oil, formed by the crossing and re-crossing, into ten thousand infiltrated cells, of tough elastic white fibres throughout its whole extent. The upper part, known as the Case, may be regarded as the great Heidelburgh Tun of the Sperm Whale. As that of Heidelburgh was always replenished with the most excellent of the win...

Abridged Text, followed by Abridger Notes, followed by multimedia, followed by Original Text with deletions .   Chapter 76 The Battering Ram Ere quitting, for the nonce, the Sperm Whale’s head, I would have you estimate of whatever battering-ram power may be lodged there. You must either satisfactorily settle this matter with yourself, or for ever remain an infidel as to one of the most appalling, but not the less true events, perhaps anywhere to be found in all recorded history.   You observe that in the ordinary swimming position of the Sperm Whale, the front of his head presents an almost wholly vertical plane to the water; you observe that the mouth is entirely under the head. Moreover you observe that the whale has no external nose; and that what nose he has—his spout hole—is on the top of his head; you observe that his eyes and ears are at the sides of his head, nearly one third of his entire length from the front. Wherefore, the front of the...

Abridged Text, followed by Abridger Notes, followed by multimedia, followed by Original Text with deletions .   Chapter 75 The Right Whale’s Head Crossing the deck, let us now have a good long look at the Right Whale’s head.   As in general shape the noble Sperm Whale’s head may be compared to a Roman war-chariot (especially in front, where it is so broadly rounded); so, at a broad view, the Right Whale’s head bears a rather inelegant resemblance to a gigantic galliot-toed shoe.   But as you come nearer to this great head it begins to assume different aspects, according to your point of view. If you stand on its summit and look at these two f-shaped spout-holes, you would take the whole head for an enormous bass-viol, and these spiracles, the apertures in its sounding-board. Then, again, if you fix your eye upon the top of the mass—this green, barnacled thing, which the Greenlanders call the “crown,” you will take great interest in think...