that his bones might be picked

[zzjing]

The following excerpt is from Melville’s Moby-Dick (published 1851/public domain), Chapter 34:

And when he would hear Tashtego singing out for him to produce himself, that his bones might be picked, the simple-witted Steward all but shattered the crockery hanging round him in the pantry, by his sudden fits of the palsy.​

What does "his bones might be picked" mean? I'm familiar with "a bone to pick", but not in this form.

 

[Loob]

The literal meaning of "pick the bones" is to eat every scrap of meat from a carcase. Tashtego is saying to the steward "Come out here so we can pick your bones". Perhaps he's joking to frighten the steward? Either way, the steward is frightened.

 

[cidertree]

It means to pick the flesh from his bones - to eat him.

Added: A couple of sentences later, we have this:
"Alas! Dough-Boy! hard fares the white waiter who waits upon cannibals."

x-posted.

 

[zzjing]

The literal meaning of "pick the bones" is to eat every scrap of meat from a carcase. Tashtego is saying to the steward "Come out here so we can pick your bones". Perhaps he's joking to frighten the steward? Either way, the steward is frightened.

That makes sense. A good/terrible joke indeed.