Not P but Moby-Dick (34)

[Michael Bailey]

I think the rowers are normally facing away from the whale as they approach
since that’s how rowing is done - you face away from the prow & provide
motive force while either a coxswain tells you how to steer or maybe some
dude in the back who is facing forward has a rudder or tiller…

No idea what “can’t you twist that smaller” means but he’s probably
responding to the elaborate phraseology in the question

If the rowers - still facing the back of the boat - with the boat turned
the other way so the back of the boat is going towards the whale - were
then facing the whale while “backing water” (rowing backwards) then they
could exchange stares (or squints) with the whale & Mr Flask believes the
whale would at least equal them in the staring contest



On Sun, Oct 29, 2023 at 1:53 AM Mike Jing <gravitys.rainbow.cn at gmail.com>
wrote:

> From Chapter 49:
>
> “Mr. Flask,” said I, turning to little King-Post, who was standing close
> by; “you are experienced in these things, and I am not. Will you tell me
> whether it is an unalterable law in this fishery, Mr. Flask, for an oarsman
> to break his own back pulling himself back-foremost into death’s jaws?”
>
> “Can’t you twist that smaller?” said Flask. “Yes, that’s the law. I should
> like to see a boat’s crew backing water up to a whale face foremost. Ha,
> ha! the whale would give them squint for squint, mind that!”
>
> What's the meaning of "Can’t you twist that smaller?”  And what does "give
> them squint for squint" mean here?
> --
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>