HARPOONEERSANDSAILORS(Foresailrisesanddiscoversthewatchstanding,lounging,leaning,andlyinginvariousattitudes,allsinginginchorus.) Farewellandadieutoyou,Spanishladies!Farewellandadieutoyou,ladiesofSpain!Ourcaptain’scommanded.- 1STNANTUCKETSAILOROh,boys,don’tbesentimental.it’sbadforthedigestion!Takeatonic,followme! (Sings,andallfollow)Ourcaptainstooduponthedeck,Aspy-glassinhishand,AviewingofthosegallantwhalesThatblewateverystrand. Oh,yourtubsinyourboats,myboys,Andbyyourbracesstand,Andwe’llhaveoneofthosefinewhales,Hand,boys,overhand!So,becheery,mylads!mayyourheartsneverfail! Whiletheboldharpooneerisstrikingthewhale! MATE’SVOICEFROMTHEQUARTER-DECKEightbellsthere,forward! 2NDNANTUCKETSAILORAvastthechorus!Eightbellsthere!d’yehear,bell-boy?Strikethebelleight,thouPip!thoublackling!andletmecallthewatch. I’vethesortofmouthforthat-thehogsheadmouth. So,so,(thrustshisheaddownthescuttle,)Star-bo-l-e-e-n-s,a-h-o-y!Eightbellstherebelow!Tumbleup! DUTCHSAILORGrandsnoozingto-night,maty;fatnightforthat. ImarkthisinouroldMogul’swine;it’squiteasdeadeningtosomeasfillipingtoothers. Wesing;theysleep-aye,liedownthere,likeground-tierbutts.At‘emagain! There,takethiscopper-pump,andhail‘emthroughit. Tell‘emtoavastdreamingoftheirlassies. Tell‘emit’stheresurrection;theymustkisstheirlast,andcometojudgment. That’stheway-that’sit;thythroatain’tspoiledwitheatingAmsterdambutter. FRENCHSAILORHist,boys!let’shaveajigortwobeforeweridetoanchorinBlanketBay.Whatsayye?Therecomestheotherwatch.Standbyalllegs!Pip!littlePip!hurrahwithyourtambourine! PIP(Sulkyandsleepy)Don’tknowwhereitis. FRENCHSAILORBeatthybelly,then,andwagthyears. Jigit,men,Isay;merry’stheword;hurrah!Damnme,won’tyoudance? Form,now,Indian-file,andgallopintothedouble-shuffle?Throwyourselves!Legs!legs! ICELANDSAILORIdon’tlikeyourfloor,maty;it’stoospringytomytaste.I’musedtoice-floors.I’msorrytothrowcoldwateronthesubject;butexcuseme. MALTESESAILORMetoo;where’syourgirls?Whobutafoolwouldtakehislefthandbyhisright,andsaytohimself,howd’yedo?Partners!Imusthavepartners! SICILIANSAILORAye;girlsandagreen!-thenI’llhopwithye;yea,turngrasshopper! LONG-ISLANDSAILORWell,well,yesulkies,there’splentymoreofus.Hoecornwhenyoumay,sayI.Alllegsgotoharvestsoon.Ah!herecomesthemusic;nowforit! AZORESAILOR(Ascending,andpitchingthetambourineupthescuttle.) Hereyouare,Pip;andthere’sthewindlass-bits;upyoumount!Now,boys! (Thehalfofthemdancetothetambourine;somegobelow;somesleeporlieamongthecoilsofrigging.Oathsa-plenty.) AZORESAILOR(Dancing)Goit,Pip!Bangit,bell-boy!Rigit,digit,stigit,quigit,bell-boy!Makefire-flies;breakthejinglers! PIPJinglers,yousay?-theregoesanother,droppedoff;Ipounditso. CHINASAILORRattlethyteeth,then,andpoundaway;makeapagodaofthyself. FRENCHSAILORMerry-mad!Holdupthyhoop,Pip,tillIjumpthroughit!Splitjibs!tearyourself! TASHTEGO(Quietlysmoking)That’sawhiteman;hecallsthatfun:humph!Isavemysweat. OLDMANXSAILORIwonderwhetherthosejollyladsbethinkthemofwhattheyaredancingover. I’lldanceoveryourgrave,Iwill-that’sthebitterestthreatofyournight-women,thatbeathead-windsroundcorners.OChrist! tothinkofthegreennaviesandthegreen-skulledcrews! Well,well;belikethewholeworld’saball,asyouscholarshaveit;andso‘tisrighttomakeoneballroomofit. Danceon,lads,you’reyoung;Iwasonce. 3DNANTUCKETSAILORSpelloh!-whew!thisisworsethanpullingafterwhalesinacalm-giveawhiff,Tash.(Theyceasedancing,andgatherinclusters.Meantimetheskydarkens-thewindrises.) LASCARSAILORByBrahma!boys,it’llbedousesailsoon.Thesky-born,high-tideGangesturnedtowind!Thoushowestthyblackbrow,Seeva! MALTESESAILOR(Recliningandshakinghiscap)It’sthewaves-thesnow’scapsturntojigitnow.They’llshaketheirtasselssoon. Nowwouldallthewaveswerewomen,thenI’dgodrown,andchasseewiththemevermore! There’snaughtsosweetonearth-heavenmaynotmatchit! -asthoseswiftglancesofwarm,wildbosomsinthedance,whentheover-arboringarmshidesuchripe,burstinggrapes. SICILIANSAILOR(Reclining)Tellmenotofit! Harkye,lad-fleetinterlacingsofthelimbs-litheswayings-coyings-flutterings!lip!heart!hip!allgraze:unceasingtouchandgo! nottaste,observeye,elsecomesatiety.Eh,Pagan?(Nudging.) TAHITANSAILOR(Recliningonamat)Hail,holynakednessofourdancinggirls!-theHeeva-Heeva!Ah!lowveiled,highpalmedTahiti! Istillrestmeonthymat,butthesoftsoilhasslid!Isawtheewoveninthewood,mymat! greenthefirstdayIbroughtyethence;nowwornandwiltedquite.Ahme!-notthounorIcanbearthechange! Howthen,ifsobetransplantedtoyonsky? HearItheroaringstreamsfromPirohitee’speakofspears,whentheyleapdownthecragsanddrownthevillages?-Theblast,theblast!Up,spine,andmeetit!(Leapstohisfeet.) PORTUGUESESAILORHowthesearollsswashing‘gainsttheside!Standbyforreefing,hearties!thewindsarejustcrossingswords,pell-mellthey’llgolungingpresently. DANISHSAILORCrack,crack,oldship!solongasthoucrackest,thouholdest!Welldone!Thematethereholdsyetoitstiffly. He’snomoreafraidthantheislefortatCattegat,puttheretofighttheBalticwithstorm-lashedguns,onwhichthesea-saltcakes! 4THNANTUCKETSAILORHehashisorders,mindyethat.IheardoldAhabtellhimhemustalwayskillasquall,somethingastheyburstawaterspoutwithapistol-fireyourshiprightintoit! ENGLISHSAILORBlood!butthatoldman’sagrandoldcove!Wearetheladstohunthimuphiswhale! OLDMANXSAILORHowthethreepinesshake! Pinesarethehardestsortoftreetolivewhenshiftedtoanyothersoil,andherethere’snonebutthecrew’scursedclay.Steady,helmsman!steady. Thisisthesortofweatherwhenbraveheartssnapashore,andkeeledhullssplitatsea. Ourcaptainhashisbirthmark;lookyonder,boys,there’sanotherintheskylurid-like,yesee,allelsepitchblack. DAGGOOWhatofthat?Who’safraidofblack’safraidofme!I’mquarriedoutofit! SPANISHSAILOR(Aside.)Hewantstobully,ah!-theoldgrudgemakesmetouchy(Advancing.)Aye,harpooneer,thyraceistheundeniabledarksideofmankind-devilishdarkatthat.Nooffence. ST.JAGO’SSAILORThatSpaniard’smadordrunk.Butthatcan’tbe,orelseinhisonecaseouroldMogul’sfire-watersaresomewhatlonginworking. 5THNANTUCKETSAILORWhat’sthatIsaw-lightning?Yes. SPANISHSAILORNo;Daggooshowinghisteeth. DAGGOO(Springing)Swallowthine,mannikin!Whiteskin,whiteliver! SPANISHSAILOR(Meetinghim)Knifetheeheartily!bigframe,smallspirit! TASHTEGO(Withawhiff)Arowa’low,andarowaloft-Godsandmen-bothbrawlers!Humph! BELFASTSAILORArow!arraharow!TheVirginbeblessed,arow!Plungeinwithye! ENGLISHSAILORFairplay!SnatchtheSpaniard’sknife!Aring,aring! OLDMANXSAILORReadyformed.There!theringedhorizon.InthatringCainstruckAbel.Sweetwork,rightwork!No?Whythen,God,mad’stthouthering? MATE’SVOICEFROMTHEQUARTER-DECKHandsbythehalyards!intop-gallantsails!Standbytoreeftopsails! ALLThesquall!thesquall!jump,myjollies!(Theyscatter.) PIP(Shrinkingunderthewindlass)Jollies?Lordhelpsuchjollies!Crish,crash!theregoesthejib-stay!Blang-whang!God! Ducklower,Pip,herecomestheroyalyard! It’sworsethanbeinginthewhirledwoods,thelastdayoftheyear!Who’dgoclimbingafterchestnutsnow? Buttheretheygo,allcursing,andhereIdon’t. Fineprospectsto‘em;they’reontheroadtoheaven.Holdonhard!Jimmini,whatasquall! Butthosechapsthereareworseyet-theyareyourwhitesqualls,they.Whitesqualls?whitewhale,shirr!shirr! HerehaveIheardalltheirchatjustnow,andthewhitewhale-shirr!shirr!-butspokenofonce! andonlythisevening-itmakesmeinglealloverlikemytambourine-thatanacondaofanoldmanswore‘emintohunthim!Oh! thoubigwhiteGodalofttheresomewhereinyondarkness,havemercyonthissmallblackboydownhere;preservehimfromallmenthathavenobowelstofeelfear! 
