It was the private property of three confederate white seamen of that ship, one of whom, it seems, communicated it to Tashtego with Romish injunctions of secresy, but the following night Tashtego rambled in his sleep, and revealed so much of it in that way, that when he was wakened he could not well withhold the rest.
Crepitus. A crackling or crunching sound heard when the ends of a fractured piece of bone rub against each other. Mentioned in: Gangrene, Nasal Trauma.
The name of this noise is Crepitus. Crepitus is a medical term to describe the grinding, crackling or popping sounds and sensations experienced in the joints. It is possible that the noise is coming from scar tissue which is normal wear and tear on the joints. This sound happens when two rough surfaces in the human body come into contact.