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IfIhadbeenastonishedatfirstcatchingaglimpseofsooutlandishanindividualasQueequegcirculatingamongthepolitesocietyofacivilizedtown,thatastonishmentsoondepartedupontakingmyfirstdaylightstrollthroughthestreetsofNewBedford.
Inthoroughfaresnighthedocks,anyconsiderableseaportwillfrequentlyoffertoviewthequeerestlookingnondescriptsfromforeignparts.
EveninBroadwayandChestnutstreets,Mediterraneanmarinerswillsometimesjostletheaffrightedladies.
RegentStreetisnotunknowntoLascarsandMalays;andatBombay,intheApolloGreen,liveYankeeshaveoftenscaredthenatives.
ButNewBedfordbeatsallWaterStreetandWapping.
Intheselast-mentionedhauntsyouseeonlysailors;inNewBedford,actualcannibalsstandchattingatstreetcorners;savagesoutright;manyofwhomyetcarryontheirbonesunholyflesh.Itmakesastrangerstare.
But,besidestheFeegeeans,Tongatobooarrs,Erromanggoans,Pannangians,andBrighggians,and,besidesthewildspecimensofthewhaling-craftwhichunheededreelaboutthestreets,youwillseeothersightsstillmorecurious,certainlymorecomical.
ThereweeklyarriveinthistownscoresofgreenVermontersandNewHampshiremen,allathirstforgainandgloryinthefishery.
Theyaremostlyyoung,ofstalwartframes;fellowswhohavefelledforests,andnowseektodroptheaxeandsnatchthewhale-lance.
ManyareasgreenastheGreenMountainswhencetheycame.
Insomethingsyouwouldthinkthembutafewhoursold.Lookthere!thatchapstruttingroundthecorner.
Hewearsabeaverhatandswallow-tailedcoat,girdledwithasailor-beltandasheath-knife.
Herecomesanotherwithasou’-westerandabombazinecloak.
Notown-breddandywillcomparewithacountry-bredone-Imeanadownrightbumpkindandy-afellowthat,inthedog-days,willmowhistwoacresinbuckskinglovesforfearoftanninghishands.
Nowwhenacountrydandylikethistakesitintohisheadtomakeadistinguishedreputation,andjoinsthegreatwhale-fishery,youshouldseethecomicalthingshedoesuponreachingtheseaport.
Inbespeakinghissea-outfit,heordersbell-buttonstohiswaistcoats;strapstohiscanvastrowsers.Ah,poorHay-Seed!
howbitterlywillburstthosestrapsinthefirsthowlinggale,whenthouartdriven,straps,buttons,andall,downthethroatofthetempest.
Butthinknotthatthisfamoustownhasonlyharpooneers,cannibals,andbumpkinstoshowhervisitors.Notatall.StillNewBedfordisaqueerplace.
Haditnotbeenforuswhalemen,thattractoflandwouldthisdayperhapshavebeeninashowlingconditionasthecoastofLabrador.
Asitis,partsofherbackcountryareenoughtofrightenone,theylooksobony.
Thetownitselfisperhapsthedearestplacetolivein,inallNewEngland.
Itisalandofoil,trueenough:butnotlikeCanaan;aland,also,ofcornandwine.
Thestreetsdonotrunwithmilk;norinthespring-timedotheypavethemwithfresheggs.
Yet,inspiteofthis,nowhereinallAmericawillyoufindmorepatrician-likehouses;parksandgardensmoreopulent,thaninNewBedford.Whencecamethey?
howplanteduponthisoncescraggyscoriaofacountry?
Goandgazeupontheironemblematicalharpoonsroundyonderloftymansion,andyourquestionwillbeanswered.
Yes;allthesebravehousesandflowerygardenscamefromtheAtlantic,Pacific,andIndianoceans.
Oneandall,theywereharpoonedanddraggeduphitherfromthebottomofthesea.
CanHerrAlexanderperformafeatlikethat?
InNewBedford,fathers,theysay,givewhalesfordowerstotheirdaughters,andportionofftheirnieceswithafewporpoisesa-piece.
YoumustgotoNewBedfordtoseeabrilliantwedding;for,theysay,theyhavereservoirsofoilineveryhouse,andeverynightrecklesslyburntheirlengthsinspermaceticandles.
Insummertime,thetownissweettosee;fulloffinemaples-longavenuesofgreenandgold.
AndinAugust,highinair,thebeautifulandbountifulhorse-chestnuts,candelabra-wise,profferthepasser-bytheirtaperinguprightconesofcongregatedblossoms.
Soomnipotentisart;whichinmanyadistrictofNewBedfordhassuperinducedbrightterracesotflowersuponthebarrenrefuserocksthrownasideatcreation’sfinalday.
AndthewomenofNewBedford,theybloomliketheirownredroses.
Butrosesonlybloominsummer;whereasthefinecarnationoftheircheeksisperennialassunlightintheseventhheavens.
Elsewherematchthatbloomoftheirs,yecannot,saveinSalem,wheretheytellmetheyounggirlsbreathesuchmusk,theirsailorsweetheartssmellthemmilesoffshore,asthoughtheyweredrawingnightheodorousMoluccasinsteadofthePuritanicsands.
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