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QueequegwasanativeofRokovoko,anislandfarawaytotheWestandSouth.Itisnotdownonanymap;trueplacesneverare.
Whenanew-hatchedsavagerunningwildabouthisnativewoodlandsinagrassclout,followedbythenibblinggoats,asifhewereagreensapling;eventhen,inQueequeg’sambitioussoul,lurkedastrongdesiretoseesomethingmoreofChristendomthanaspecimenwhalerortwo.
HisfatherwasaHighChief,aKing;hisuncleaHighPriest;andonthematernalsideheboastedauntswhowerethewivesofunconquerablewarriors.
Therewasexcellentbloodinhisveins-royalstuff;thoughsadlyvitiated,Ifear,bythecannibalpropensityhenourishedinhisuntutoredyouth.
ASagHarborshipvisitedhisfather’sbay,andQueequegsoughtapassagetoChristianlands.
Buttheship,havingherfullcomplementofseamen,spurnedhissuit;andnotalltheKinghisfather’sinfluencecouldprevail.ButQueequegvowedavow.
Aloneinhiscanoe,hepaddledofftoadistantstrait,whichheknewtheshipmustpassthroughwhenshequittedtheisland.
Ononesidewasacoralreef;ontheotheralowtongueofland,coveredwithmangrovethicketsthatgrewoutintothewater.
Hidinghiscanoe,stillafloat,amongthesethickets,withitsprowseaward,hesatdowninthestern,paddlelowinhand;andwhentheshipwasglidingby,likeaflashhedartedout;gainedherside;withonebackwarddashofhisfootcapsizedandsankhiscanoe;climbedupthechains;andthrowinghimselfatfulllengthuponthedeck,grappledaring-boltthere,andsworenottoletitgo,thoughhackedinpieces.
Invainthecaptainthreatenedtothrowhimoverboard;suspendedacutlassoverhisnakedwrists;QueequegwasthesonofaKing,andQueequegbudgednot.
Struckbyhisdesperatedauntlessness,andhiswilddesiretovisitChristendom,thecaptainatlastrelented,andtoldhimhemightmakehimselfathome.
Butthisfineyoungsavage-thisseaPrinceofWales,neversawtheCaptain’scabin.
Theyputhimdownamongthesailors,andmadeawhalemanofhim.
ButlikeCzarPetercontenttotoilintheshipyardsofforeigncities,Queequegdisdainednoseemingignominy,iftherebyhemighthappilygainthepowerofenlighteninghisuntutoredcountrymen.
Foratbottom-sohetoldme-hewasactuatedbyaprofounddesiretolearnamongtheChristians,theartswherebytomakehispeoplestillhappierthantheywere;andmorethanthat,stillbetterthantheywere.But,alas!
thepracticesofwhalemensoonconvincedhimthatevenChristianscouldbebothmiserableandwicked;infinitelymoreso,thanallhisfather’sheathens.
ArrivedatlastinoldSagHarbor;andseeingwhatthesailorsdidthere;andthengoingontoNantucket,andseeinghowtheyspenttheirwagesinthatplacealso,poorQueequeggaveitupforlost.
Thoughthe,it’sawickedworldinallmeridians;I’lldieapagan.
Andthusanoldidolatoratheart,heyetlivedamongtheseChristians,woretheirclothes,andtriedtotalktheirgibberish.Hencethequeerwaysabouthim,thoughnowsometimefromhome.
ByhintsIaskedhimwhetherhedidnotproposegoingback,andhavingacoronation;sincehemightnowconsiderhisfatherdeadandgone,hebeingveryoldandfeebleatthelastaccounts.
Heansweredno,notyet;andaddedthathewasfearfulChristianity,orratherChristians,hadunfittedhimforascendingthepureandundefiledthroneofthirtypaganKingsbeforehim.
Butbyandby,hesaid,hewouldreturn,-assoonashefelthimselfbaptizedagain.
Forthenonce,however,heproposedtosailabout,andsowhiswildoatsinallfouroceans.
Theyhadmadeaharpooneerofhim,andthatbarbedironwasinlieuofasceptrenow.
Iaskedhimwhatmightbehisimmediatepurpose,touchinghisfuturemovements.
Heanswered,togotoseaagain,inhisoldvocation.
Uponthis,Itoldhimthatwhalingwasmyowndesign,andinformedhimofmyintentiontosailoutofNantucket,asbeingthemostpromisingportforanadventurouswhalemantoembarkfrom.
Heatonceresolvedtoaccompanymetothatisland,shipaboardthesamevessel,getintothesamewatch,thesameboat,thesamemesswithme,inshorttosharemyeveryhap;withbothmyhandsinhis,boldlydipintothePotluckofbothworlds.
ToallthisIjoyouslyassented;forbesidestheaffectionInowfeltforQueequeg,hewasanexperiencedharpooneer,andassuch,couldnotfailtobeofgreatusefulnesstoone,who,likeme,waswhollyignorantofthemysteriesofwhaling,thoughwellacquaintedwiththesea,asknowntomerchantseamen.
Hisstorybeingendedwithhispipe’slastdyingpuff,Queequegembracedme,pressedhisforeheadagainstmine,andblowingoutthelight,werolledoverfromeachother,thiswayandthat,andverysoonweresleeping.
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