Not P but Moby-Dick (34)

[Ian Livingston]

I agree with Michael on both counts.


On Sat, Oct 28, 2023 at 11:10 PM Michael Bailey <
michael.lee.bailey at gmail.com> wrote:

> 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?
> > --
> > Pynchon-L: https://waste.org/mailman/listinfo/pynchon-l
> >
> --
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>