English
CallmeIshmael.Someyearsago-nevermindhowlongprecisely-havinglittleornomoneyinmypurse,andnothingparticulartointerestmeonshore,IthoughtIwouldsailaboutalittleandseethewaterypartoftheworld.
ItisawayIhaveofdrivingoffthespleenandregulatingthecirculation.
WheneverIfindmyselfgrowinggrimaboutthemouth;wheneveritisadamp,drizzlyNovemberinmysoul;wheneverIfindmyselfinvoluntarilypausingbeforecoffinwarehouses,andbringinguptherearofeveryfuneralImeet;andespeciallywhenevermyhyposgetsuchanupperhandofme,thatitrequiresastrongmoralprincipletopreventmefromdeliberatelysteppingintothestreet,andmethodicallyknockingpeople’shatsoff-then,IaccountithightimetogettoseaassoonasIcan.
Thisismysubstituteforpistolandball.
WithaphilosophicalflourishCatothrowshimselfuponhissword;Iquietlytaketotheship.Thereisnothingsurprisinginthis.
Iftheybutknewit,almostallmenintheirdegree,sometimeorother,cherishverynearlythesamefeelingstowardstheoceanwithme.
TherenowisyourinsularcityoftheManhattoes,beltedroundbywharvesasIndianislesbycoralreefs-commercesurroundsitwithhersurf.
Rightandleft,thestreetstakeyouwaterward.
Itsextremedowntownisthebattery,wherethatnoblemoleiswashedbywaves,andcooledbybreezes,whichafewhourspreviouswereoutofsightofland.
Lookatthecrowdsofwater-gazersthere.
CircumambulatethecityofadreamySabbathafternoon.
GofromCorlearsHooktoCoentiesSlip,andfromthence,byWhitehall,northward.Whatdoyousee?
-Postedlikesilentsentinelsallaroundthetown,standthousandsuponthousandsofmortalmenfixedinoceanreveries.
Someleaningagainstthespiles;someseateduponthepier-heads;somelookingoverthebulwarksofshipsfromChina;somehighaloftintherigging,asifstrivingtogetastillbetterseawardpeep.
Butthesearealllandsmen;ofweekdayspentupinlathandplaster-tiedtocounters,nailedtobenches,clinchedtodesks.Howthenisthis?Arethegreenfieldsgone?Whatdotheyhere?
Butlook!herecomemorecrowds,pacingstraightforthewater,andseeminglyboundforadive.Strange!
Nothingwillcontentthembuttheextremestlimitoftheland;loiteringundertheshadyleeofyonderwarehouseswillnotsuffice.No.
TheymustgetjustasnighthewaterastheypossiblycanwithoutfallingAndtheretheystand-milesofthem-leagues.
Inlandersall,theycomefromlanesandalleys,streetsavenues-north,east,south,andwest.Yetheretheyallunite.
Tellme,doesthemagneticvirtueoftheneedlesofthecompassesofallthoseshipsattractthemthither?
Oncemore.Sayyouareinthecountry;insomehighlandoflakes.
Takealmostanypathyouplease,andtentooneitcarriesyoudowninadale,andleavesyoutherebyapoolinthestream.Thereismagicinit.
Letthemostabsent-mindedofmenbeplungedinhisdeepestreveries-standthatmanonhislegs,sethisfeeta-going,andhewillinfalliblyleadyoutowater,ifwatertherebeinallthatregion.
ShouldyoueverbeathirstinthegreatAmericandesert,trythisexperiment,ifyourcaravanhappentobesuppliedwithametaphysicalprofessor.
Yes,aseveryoneknows,meditationandwaterareweddedforever.
Buthereisanartist.Hedesirestopaintyouthedreamiest,shadiest,quietest,mostenchantingbitofromanticlandscapeinallthevalleyoftheSaco.Whatisthechiefelementheemploys?
Therestandhistrees,eachwithahollowtrunk,asifahermitandacrucifixwerewithin;andheresleepshismeadow,andtheresleephiscattle;andupfromyondercottagegoesasleepysmoke.
Deepintodistantwoodlandswindsamazyway,reachingtooverlappingspursofmountainsbathedintheirhill-sideblue.
Butthoughthepictureliesthustranced,andthoughthispine-treeshakesdownitssighslikeleavesuponthisshepherd’shead,yetallwerevain,unlesstheshepherd’seyewerefixeduponthemagicstreambeforehim.
GovisitthePrairiesinJune,whenforscoresonscoresofmilesyouwadeknee-deepamongTiger-lilies-whatistheonecharmwanting?
-Water-thereisnotadropofwaterthere!
WereNiagarabutacataractofsand,wouldyoutravelyourthousandmilestoseeit?
WhydidthepoorpoetofTennessee,uponsuddenlyreceivingtwohandfulsofsilver,deliberatewhethertobuyhimacoat,whichhesadlyneeded,orinvesthismoneyinapedestriantriptoRockawayBeach?
Whyisalmosteveryrobusthealthyboywitharobusthealthysoulinhim,atsometimeorothercrazytogotosea?
Whyuponyourfirstvoyageasapassenger,didyouyourselffeelsuchamysticalvibration,whenfirsttoldthatyouandyourshipwerenowoutofsightofland?
WhydidtheoldPersiansholdtheseaholy?
WhydidtheGreeksgiveitaseparatedeity,andownbrotherofJove?Surelyallthisisnotwithoutmeaning.
AndstilldeeperthemeaningofthatstoryofNarcissus,whobecausehecouldnotgraspthetormenting,mildimagehesawinthefountain,plungedintoitandwasdrowned.
Butthatsameimage,weourselvesseeinallriversandoceans.
Itistheimageoftheungraspablephantomoflife;andthisisthekeytoitall.
Now,whenIsaythatIaminthehabitofgoingtoseawheneverIbegintogrowhazyabouttheeyes,andbegintobeoverconsciousofmylungs,IdonotmeantohaveitinferredthatIevergotoseaasapassenger.
Fortogoasapassengeryoumustneedshaveapurse,andapurseisbutaragunlessyouhavesomethinginit.
Besides,passengersgetsea-sick-growquarrelsome-don’tsleepofnights-donotenjoythemselvesmuch,asageneralthing;-no,Inevergoasapassenger;nor,thoughIamsomethingofasalt,doIevergotoseaasaCommodore,oraCaptain,oraCook.
Iabandonthegloryanddistinctionofsuchofficestothosewholikethem.
Formypart,Iabominateallhonorablerespectabletoils,trials,andtribulationsofeverykindwhatsoever.
ItisquiteasmuchasIcandototakecareofmyself,withouttakingcareofships,barques,brigs,schooners,andwhatnot.
Andasforgoingascook,-thoughIconfessthereisconsiderablegloryinthat,acookbeingasortofofficeronship-board-yet,somehow,Ineverfanciedbroilingfowls;-thoughoncebroiled,judiciouslybuttered,andjudgmaticallysaltedandpeppered,thereisnoonewhowillspeakmorerespectfully,nottosayreverentially,ofabroiledfowlthanIwill.
ItisoutoftheidolatrousdotingsoftheoldEgyptiansuponbroiledibisandroastedriverhorse,thatyouseethemummiesofthosecreaturesintheirhugebakehousesthepyramids.
No,whenIgotosea,Igoasasimplesailor,rightbeforethemast,plumbdownintothefore-castle,alofttheretotheroyalmast-head.
True,theyratherordermeaboutsome,andmakemejumpfromspartospar,likeagrasshopperinaMaymeadow.
Andatfirst,thissortofthingisunpleasantenough.
Ittouchesone’ssenseofhonor,particularlyifyoucomeofanoldestablishedfamilyintheland,theVanRensselaers,orRandolphs,orHardicanutes.
Andmorethanall,ifjustprevioustoputtingyourhandintothetar-pot,youhavebeenlordingitasacountryschoolmaster,makingthetallestboysstandinaweofyou.
Thetransitionisakeenone,Iassureyou,fromaschoolmastertoasailor,andrequiresastrongdecoctionofSenecaandtheStoicstoenableyoutogrinandbearit.Buteventhiswearsoffintime.
Whatofit,ifsomeoldhunksofasea-captainordersmetogetabroomandsweepdownthedecks?
Whatdoesthatindignityamountto,weighed,Imean,inthescalesoftheNewTestament?
DoyouthinkthearchangelGabrielthinksanythingthelessofme,becauseIpromptlyandrespectfullyobeythatoldhunksinthatparticularinstance?Whoain’taslave?Tellmethat.
Well,then,howevertheoldsea-captainsmayordermeabout-howevertheymaythumpandpunchmeabout,Ihavethesatisfactionofknowingthatitisallright;thateverybodyelseisonewayorotherservedinmuchthesameway-eitherinaphysicalormetaphysicalpointofview,thatis;andsotheuniversalthumpispassedround,andallhandsshouldrubeachother’sshoulder-blades,andbecontent.
Again,Ialwaysgotoseaasasailor,becausetheymakeapointofpayingmeformytrouble,whereastheyneverpaypassengersasinglepennythatIeverheardof.
Onthecontrary,passengersthemselvesmustpay.
Andthereisallthedifferenceintheworldbetweenpayingandbeingpaid.
Theactofpayingisperhapsthemostuncomfortableinflictionthatthetwoorchardthievesentaileduponus.
Butbeingpaid,-whatwillcomparewithit?
Theurbaneactivitywithwhichamanreceivesmoneyisreallymarvellous,consideringthatwesoearnestlybelievemoneytobetherootofallearthlyills,andthatonnoaccountcanamoniedmanenterheaven.Ah!
howcheerfullyweconsignourselvestoperdition!
Finally,Ialwaysgotoseaasasailor,becauseofthewholesomeexerciseandpureairofthefore-castledeck.
Forasinthisworld,headwindsarefarmoreprevalentthanwindsfromastern(thatis,ifyouneverviolatethePythagoreanmaxim),soforthemostparttheCommodoreonthequarter-deckgetshisatmosphereatsecondhandfromthesailorsontheforecastle.
Hethinkshebreathesitfirst;butnotso.
Inmuchthesamewaydothecommonaltyleadtheirleadersinmanyotherthings,atthesametimethattheleaderslittlesuspectit.
Butwhereforeitwasthatafterhavingrepeatedlysmelttheseaasamerchantsailor,Ishouldnowtakeitintomyheadtogoonawhalingvoyage;thistheinvisiblepoliceofficeroftheFates,whohastheconstantsurveillanceofme,andsecretlydogsme,andinfluencesmeinsomeunaccountableway-hecanbetteranswerthananyoneelse.
And,doubtless,mygoingonthiswhalingvoyage,formedpartofthegrandprogrammeofProvidencethatwasdrawnupalongtimeago.
Itcameinasasortofbriefinterludeandsolobetweenmoreextensiveperformances.
Itakeitthatthispartofthebillmusthaverunsomethinglikethis:
“GrandContestedElectionforthePresidencyoftheUnitedStates.“WHALINGVOYAGEBYONEISHMAEL.”“BLOODYBATTLEINAFFGHANISTAN.”
ThoughIcannottellwhyitwasexactlythatthosestagemanagers,theFates,putmedownforthisshabbypartofawhalingvoyage,whenothersweresetdownformagnificentpartsinhightragedies,andshortandeasypartsingenteelcomedies,andjollypartsinfarces-thoughIcannottellwhythiswasexactly;yet,nowthatIrecallallthecircumstances,IthinkIcanseealittleintothespringsandmotiveswhichbeingcunninglypresentedtomeundervariousdisguises,inducedmetosetaboutperformingthepartIdid,besidescajolingmeintothedelusionthatitwasachoiceresultingfrommyownunbiasedfreewillanddiscriminatingjudgment.
Chiefamongthesemotiveswastheoverwhelmingideaofthegreatwhalehimself.
Suchaportentousandmysteriousmonsterrousedallmycuriosity.
Thenthewildanddistantseaswhereherolledhisislandbulk;theundeliverable,namelessperilsofthewhale;these,withalltheattendingmarvelsofathousandPatagoniansightsandsounds,helpedtoswaymetomywish.
Withothermen,perhaps,suchthingswouldnothavebeeninducements;butasforme,Iamtormentedwithaneverlastingitchforthingsremote.
Ilovetosailforbiddenseas,andlandonbarbarouscoasts.
Notignoringwhatisgood,Iamquicktoperceiveahorror,andcouldstillbesocialwithit-wouldtheyletme-sinceitisbutwelltobeonfriendlytermswithalltheinmatesoftheplaceonelodgesin.
Byreasonofthesethings,then,thewhalingvoyagewaswelcome;thegreatflood-gatesofthewonder-worldswungopen,andinthewildconceitsthatswayedmetomypurpose,twoandtwotherefloatedintomyinmostsoul,endlessprocessionsofthewhale,and,midmostofthemall,onegrandhoodedphantom,likeasnowhillintheair.
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