Thematesregularlyrelievedeachotheratthewatches,andforaughtthatcouldbeseentothecontrary,theyseemedtobetheonlycommandersoftheship;onlytheysometimesissuedfromthecabinwithorderssosuddenandperemptory,thatafterallitwasplaintheybutcommandedvicariously.
Yet,theirsupremelordanddictatorwasthere,thoughhithertounseenbyanyeyesnotpermittedtopenetrateintothenowsacredretreatofthecabin.
EverytimeIascendedtothedeckfrommywatchesbelow,Iinstantlygazedafttomarkifanystrangefacewasvisible;formyfirstvaguedisquietudetouchingtheunknowncaptain,nowintheseclusionoftheseabecamealmostaperturbation.
ThiswasstrangelyheightenedattimesbytheraggedElijah’sdiabolicalincoherencesuninvitedlyrecurringtome,withasubtleenergyIcouldnothavebeforeconceivedof.
ButpoorlycouldIwithstandthem,muchasinothermoodsIwasalmostreadytosmileatthesolemnwhimsicalitiesofthatoutlandishprophetofthewharves.
Butwhateveritwasofapprehensivenessoruneasiness-tocallitso-whichIfelt,yetwheneverIcametolookaboutmeintheship,itseemedagainstallwarrantytocherishsuchemotions.
Forthoughtheharpooneers,withthegreatbodyofthecrew,wereafarmorebarbaric,heathenish,andmotleysetthananyofthetamemerchant-shipcompanieswhichmypreviousexperienceshadmademeacquaintedwith,stillIascribedthis-andrightlyascribedit-tothefierceuniquenessoftheverynatureofthatwildScandinavianvocationinwhichIhadsoabandonedlyembarked.
Butitwasespeciallytheaspectofthethreechiefofficersoftheship,themates,whichwasmostforciblycalculatedtoallaythesecolorlessmisgivings,andinduceconfidenceandcheerfulnessineverypresentmentofthevoyage.
Threebetter,morelikelysea-officersandmen,eachinhisowndifferentway,couldnotreadilybefound,andtheywereeveryoneofthemAmericans;aNantucketer,aVineyarder,aCapeman.
Now,itbeingChristmaswhentheshipshotfromoutherharbor,foraspacewehadbitingPolarweather,thoughallthetimerunningawayfromittothesouthward;andbyeverydegreeandminuteoflatitudewhichwesailed,graduallyleavingthatmercilesswinter,andallitsintolerableweatherbehindus.
Itwasoneofthoselesslowering,butstillgreyandgloomyenoughmorningsofthetransition,whenwithafairwindtheshipwasrushingthroughthewaterwithavindictivesortofleapingandmelancholyrapidity,thatasImountedtothedeckatthecalloftheforenoonwatch,sosoonasIlevelledmyglancetowardsthetaffrail,forebodingshiversranoverme.
Helookedlikeamancutawayfromthestake,whenthefirehasoverrunninglywastedallthelimbswithoutconsumingthem,ortakingawayoneparticlefromtheircompactedagedrobustness.
Hiswholehigh,broadform,seemedmadeofsolidbronze,andshapedinanunalterablemould,likeCellini’scastPerseus.
Threadingitswayoutfromamonghisgreyhairs,andcontinuingrightdownonesideofhistawnyscorchedfaceandneck,tillitdisappearedinhisclothing,yousawaslenderrod-likemark,lividlywhitish.
Itresembledthatperpendicularseamsometimesmadeinthestraight,loftytrunkofagreattree,whentheupperlightningtearinglydartsdownit,andwithoutwrenchingasingletwig,peelsandgroovesoutthebarkfromtoptobottomererunningoffintothesoil,leavingthetreestillgreenlyalive,butbranded.
ButonceTashtego’ssenior,anoldGay-HeadIndianamongthecrew,superstitiouslyassertedthatnottillhewasfullfortyyearsolddidAhabbecomethatwaybranded,andthenitcameuponhim,notinthefuryofanymortalfray,butinanelementalstrifeatsea.
Yet,thiswildhintseemedinferentiallynegatived,bywhatagreyManxmaninsinuated,anoldsepulchralman,who,havingneverbeforesailedoutofNantucket,hadnevererethislaideyeuponwildAhab.
Nevertheless,theoldsea-traditions,theimmemorialcredulities,popularlyinvestedthisoldManxmanwithpreternaturalpowersofdiscernment.
SothatnowhitesailorseriouslycontradictedhimwhenhesaidthatifeverCaptainAhabshouldbetranquillylaidout-whichmighthardlycometopass,sohemuttered-then,whoevershoulddothatlastofficeforthedead,wouldfindabirth-markonhimfromcrowntosole.
SopowerfullydidthewholegrimaspectofAhabaffectme,andthelividbrandwhichstreakedit,thatforthefirstfewmomentsIhardlynotedthatnotalittleofthisoverbearinggrimnesswasowingtothebarbaricwhiteleguponwhichhepartlystood.
Ithadpreviouslycometomethatthisivoryleghadatseabeenfashionedfromthepolishedboneofthespermwhale’sjaw.
“Aye,hewasdismastedoffJapan,”saidtheoldGay-HeadIndianonce;“butlikehisdismastedcraft,heshippedanothermastwithoutcominghomeforit.Hehasaquiverof‘em.”
UponeachsideofthePequod’squarterdeck,andprettyclosetothemizzenshrouds,therewasanaugerhole,boredabouthalfaninchorso,intotheplank.
Hisbonelegsteadiedinthathole;onearmelevated,andholdingbyashroud;CaptainAhabstooderect,lookingstraightoutbeyondtheship’sever-pitchingprow.
Therewasaninfinityoffirmestfortitude,adeterminate,unsurrenderablewilfulness,inthefixedandfearless,forwarddedicationofthatglance.
Notawordhespoke;nordidhisofficerssayaughttohim;thoughbyalltheirminutestgesturesandexpressions,theyplainlyshowedtheuneasy,ifnotpainful,consciousnessofbeingunderatroubledmaster-eye.
Andnotonlythat,butmoodystrickenAhabstoodbeforethemwithacrucifixioninhisface;inallthenamelessregaloverbearingdignityofsomemightywoe.
Butafterthatmorning,hewaseverydayvisibletothecrew;eitherstandinginhispivot-hole,orseateduponanivorystoolhehad;orheavilywalkingthedeck.
Astheskygrewlessgloomy;indeed,begantogrowalittlegenial,hebecamestilllessandlessarecluse;asif,whentheshiphadsailedfromhome,nothingbutthedeadwintrybleaknessoftheseahadthenkepthimsosecluded.
And,byandby,itcametopass,thathewasalmostcontinuallyintheair;but,asyet,forallthathesaid,orperceptiblydid,ontheatlastsunnydeck,heseemedasunnecessarythereasanothermast.
ButthePequodwasonlymakingapassagenow;notregularlycruising;nearlyallwhalingpreparativesneedingsupervisionthemateswerefullycompetentto,sothattherewaslittleornothing,outofhimself,toemployorexciteAhab,now;andthuschaseaway,forthatoneinterval,thecloudsthatlayeruponlayerwerepileduponhisbrow,aseverallcloudschoosetheloftiestpeakstopilethemselvesupon.
Nevertheless,erelong,thewarm,warblingpersuasivenessofthepleasant,holidayweatherwecameto,seemedgraduallytocharmhimfromhismood.
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