WithgreedyearsIlearnedthehistoryofthatmurderousmonsteragainstwhomIandalltheothershadtakenouroathsofviolenceandrevenge.
Forsometimepast,thoughatintervalsonly,theunaccompanied,secludedWhiteWhalehadhauntedthoseuncivilizedseasmostlyfrequentedbytheSpermWhalefishermen.
Butnotallofthemknewofhisexistence;afewofthem,comparatively,hadknowinglyseenhim;whilethenumberwhoasyethadactuallyandknowinglygivenbattletohim,wassmallindeed.
For,owingtothelargenumberofwhale-cruisers;thedisorderlywaytheyweresprinkledovertheentirewaterycircumference,manyofthemadventurouslypushingtheirquestalongsolitarylatitudes,soasseldomorneverforawholetwelvemonthormoreonastretch,toencounterasinglenews-tellingsailofanysort;theinordinatelengthofeachseparatevoyage;theirregularityofthetimesofsailingfromhome;allthese,withothercircumstances,directandindirect,longobstructedthespreadthroughthewholeworld-widewhaling-fleetofthespecialindividualizingtidingsconcerningMobyDick.
Itwashardlytobedoubted,thatseveralvesselsreportedtohaveencountered,atsuchorsuchatime,oronsuchorsuchameridian,aSpermWhaleofuncommonmagnitudeandmalignity,whichwhale,afterdoinggreatmischieftohisassailants,hascompletelyescapedthem;tosomemindsitwasnotanunfairpresumption,Isay,thatthewhaleinquestionmusthavebeennootherthanMobyDick.
YetasoflatetheSpermWhalefisheryhadbeenmarkedbyvariousandnotunfrequentinstancesofgreatferocity,cunning,andmaliceinthemonsterattacked;thereforeitwas,thatthosewhobyaccidentignorantlygavebattletoMobyDick;suchhunters,perhaps,forthemostpart,werecontenttoascribethepeculiarterrorhebred,more,asitwere,totheperilsoftheSpermWhalefisheryatlarge,thantotheindividualcause.
Andasforthosewho,previouslyhearingoftheWhiteWhale,bychancecaughtsightofhim;inthebeginningofthethingtheyhadeveryoneofthem,almost,asboldlyandfearlesslyloweredforhim,asforanyotherwhaleofthatspecies.
Butatlength,suchcalamitiesdidensueintheseassaults-notrestrictedtosprainedwristsandankles,brokenlimbs,ordevouringamputations-butfataltothelastdegreeoffatality;thoserepeateddisastrousrepulses,allaccumulatingandpilingtheirterrorsuponMobyDick;thosethingshadgonefartoshakethefortitudeofmanybravehunters,towhomthestoryoftheWhiteWhalehadeventuallycome.
Nordidwildrumorsofallsortsfailtoexaggerate,andstillthemorehorrifythetruehistoriesofthesedeadlyencounters.
Fornotonlydofabulousrumorsnaturallygrowoutoftheverybodyofallsurprisingterribleevents,-asthesmittentreegivesbirthtoitsfungi;but,inmaritimelife,farmorethaninthatofterrafirma,wildrumorsabound,whereverthereisanyadequaterealityforthemtoclingto.
Andastheseasurpassesthelandinthismatter,sothewhalefisherysurpasseseveryothersortofmaritimelife,inthewonderfulnessandfearfulnessoftherumorswhichsometimescirculatethere.
Fornotonlyarewhalemenasabodyunexemptfromthatignoranceandsuperstitiousnesshereditarytoallsailors;butofallsailors,theyarebyalloddsthemostdirectlybroughtintocontactwithwhateverisappallinglyastonishinginthesea;facetofacetheynotonlyeyeitsgreatestmarvels,but,handtojaw,givebattletothem.
Alone,insuchremotestwaters,thatthoughyousailedathousandmiles,andpassedathousandshores,youwouldnotcometoanychiselledhearth-stone,oraughthospitablebeneaththatpartofthesun;insuchlatitudesandlongitudes,pursuingtoosuchacallingashedoes,thewhalemaniswrappedbyinfluencesalltendingtomakehisfancypregnantwithmanyamightybirth.
Nowonder,then,thatevergatheringvolumefromthemeretransitoverthewildestwateryspaces,theoutblownrumorsoftheWhiteWhaledidintheendincorporatewiththemselvesallmannerofmorbidhints,andhalf-formedfoetalsuggestionsofsupernaturalagencies,whicheventuallyinvestedMobyDickwithnewterrorsunborrowedfromanythingthatvisiblyappears.
Sothatinmanycasessuchapanicdidhefinallystrike,thatfewwhobythoserumors,atleast,hadheardoftheWhiteWhale,fewofthosehunterswerewillingtoencountertheperilsofhisjaw.
NorevenatthepresentdayhastheoriginalprestigeoftheSpermWhale,asfearfullydistinguishedfromallotherspeciesoftheleviathan,diedoutofthemindsofthewhalemenasabody.
Therearethosethisdayamongthem,who,thoughintelligentandcourageousenoughinofferingbattletotheGreenlandorRightwhale,wouldperhaps-eitherfromprofessionalinexperience,orincompetency,ortimidity,declineacontestwiththeSpermWhale;atanyrate,thereareplentyofwhalemen,especiallyamongthosewhalingnationsnotsailingundertheAmericanflag,whohaveneverhostilelyencounteredtheSpermWhale,butwhosesoleknowledgeoftheleviathanisrestrictedtotheignoblemonsterprimitivelypursuedintheNorth;seatedontheirhatches,thesemenwillhearkenwithachildishfiresideinterestandawe,tothewild,strangetalesofSouthernwhaling.
NoristhepreeminenttremendousnessofthegreatSpermWhaleanywheremorefeelinglycomprehended,thanonboardofthoseprowswhichstemhim.
Andasifthenowtestedrealityofhismighthadinformerlegendarytimesthrownitsshadowbeforeit;wefindsomebooknaturalists-OlassenandPovelson-declaringtheSpermWhalenotonlytobeaconsternationtoeveryothercreatureinthesea,butalsotobesoincrediblyferociousascontinuallytobeathirstforhumanblood.
ForinhisNaturalHistory,theBaronhimselfaffirmsthatatsightoftheSpermWhale,allfish(sharksincluded)are“struckwiththemostlivelyterrors,”and“oftenintheprecipitancyoftheirflightdashthemselvesagainsttherockswithsuchviolenceastocauseinstantaneousdeath.”
Andhoweverthegeneralexperiencesinthefisherymayamendsuchreportsasthese;yetintheirfullterribleness,eventothebloodthirstyitemofPovelson,thesuperstitiousbeliefinthemis,insomevicissitudesoftheirvocation,revivedinthemindsofthehunters.
Sothatoverawedbytherumorsandportentsconcerninghim,notafewofthefishermenrecalled,inreferencetoMobyDick,theearlierdaysoftheSpermWhalefishery,whenitwasoftentimeshardtoinducelongpractisedRightwhalementoembarkintheperilsofthisnewanddaringwarfare;suchmenprotestingthatalthoughotherleviathansmightbehopefullypursued,yettochaseandpointlancesatsuchanapparitionastheSpermWhalewasnotformortalman.
Nevertheless,sometherewere,whoeveninthefaceofthesethingswerereadytogivechasetoMobyDick;andastillgreaternumberwho,chancingonlytohearofhimdistantlyandvaguely,withoutthespecificdetailsofanycertaincalamity,andwithoutsuperstitiousaccompanimentsweresufficientlyhardynottofleefromthebattleifoffered.
Oneofthewildsuggestionsreferredto,asatlastcomingtobelinkedwiththeWhiteWhaleinthemindsofthesuperstitiouslyinclined,wastheunearthlyconceitthatMobyDickwasubiquitous;thathehadactuallybeenencounteredinoppositelatitudesatoneandthesameinstantoftime.
Nor,credulousassuchmindsmusthavebeen,wasthisconceitaltogetherwithoutsomefaintshowofsuperstitiousprobability.
Forasthesecretsofthecurrentsintheseashaveneveryetbeendivulged,eventothemosteruditeresearch;sothehiddenwaysoftheSpermWhalewhenbeneaththesurfaceremain,ingreatpart,unaccountabletohispursuers;andfromtimetotimehaveoriginatedthemostcuriousandcontradictoryspeculationsregardingthem,especiallyconcerningthemysticmodeswhereby,aftersoundingtoagreatdepth,hetransportshimselfwithsuchvastswiftnesstothemostwidelydistantpoints.
ItisathingwellknowntobothAmericanandEnglishwhale-ships,andaswellathingplaceduponauthoritativerecordyearsagobyScoresby,thatsomewhaleshavebeencapturedfarnorthinthePacific,inwhosebodieshavebeenfoundthebarbsofharpoonsdartedintheGreenlandseas.
Norisittobegainsaid,thatinsomeoftheseinstancesithasbeendeclaredthattheintervaloftimebetweenthetwoassaultscouldnothaveexceededverymanydays.
Hence,byinference,ithasbeenbelievedbysomewhalemen,thattheNor’WestPassage,solongaproblemtoman,wasneveraproblemtothewhale.
Sothathere,inthereallivingexperienceoflivingmen,theprodigiesrelatedinoldtimesoftheinlandStrellomountaininPortugal(nearwhosetoptherewassaidtobealakeinwhichthewrecksofshipsfloateduptothesurface);andthatstillmorewonderfulstoryoftheArethusafountainnearSyracuse(whosewaterswerebelievedtohavecomefromtheHolyLandbyanundergroundpassage);thesefabulousnarrationsarealmostfullyequalledbytherealitiesofthewhalemen.
Forcedintofamiliarity,then,withsuchprodigiesasthese;andknowingthatafterrepeated,intrepidassaults,theWhiteWhalehadescapedalive;itcannotbemuchmatterofsurprisethatsomewhalemenshouldgostillfurtherintheirsuperstitions;declaringMobyDicknotonlyubiquitous,butimmortal(forimmortalityisbutubiquityintime);thatthoughgrovesofspearsshouldbeplantedinhisflanks,hewouldstillswimawayunharmed;orifindeedheshouldeverbemadetospoutthickblood,suchasightwouldbebutaghastlydeception;foragaininunensanguinedbillowshundredsofleaguesaway,hisunsulliedjetwouldoncemorebeseen.
Butevenstrippedofthesesupernaturalsurmisings,therewasenoughintheearthlymakeandincontestablecharacterofthemonstertostriketheimaginationwithunwontedpower.
For,itwasnotsomuchhisuncommonbulkthatsomuchdistinguishedhimfromotherspermwhales,but,aswaselsewherethrownout-apeculiarsnow-whitewrinkledforehead,andahigh,pyramidicalwhitehump.
Thesewerehisprominentfeatures;thetokenswhereby,eveninthelimitless,unchartedseas,herevealedhisidentity,atalongdistance,tothosewhoknewhim.
Therestofhisbodywassostreaked,andspotted,andmarbledwiththesameshroudedhue,that,intheend,hehadgainedhisdistinctiveappellationoftheWhiteWhale;aname,indeed,literallyjustifiedbyhisvividaspect,whenseenglidingathighnoonthroughadarkbluesea,leavingamilky-waywakeofcreamyfoam,allspangledwithgoldengleamings.
Norwasithisunwontedmagnitude,norhisremarkablehue,noryethisdeformedlowerjaw,thatsomuchinvestedthewhalewithnaturalterror,asthatunexampled,intelligentmalignitywhich,accordingtospecificaccounts,hehadoverandoveragainevincedinhisassaults.
For,whenswimmingbeforehisexultingpursuers,witheveryapparentsymptomofalarm,hehadseveraltimesbeenknowntoturnroundsuddenly,and,bearingdownuponthem,eitherstavetheirboatstosplinters,ordrivethembackinconsternationtotheirship.
Butthoughsimilardisasters,howeverlittlebruitedashore,werebynomeansunusualinthefishery;yet,inmostinstances,suchseemedtheWhiteWhale’sinfernalaforethoughtofferocity,thateverydismemberingordeaththathecaused,wasnotwhollyregardedashavingbeeninflictedbyanunintelligentagent.
Judge,then,towhatpitchesofinflamed,distractedfurythemindsofhismoredesperatehunterswereimpelled,whenamidthechipsofchewedboats,andthesinkinglimbsoftorncomrades,theyswamoutofthewhitecurdsofthewhale’sdirefulwrathintotheserene,exasperatingsunlight,thatsmiledon,asifatabirthorabridal.
Histhreeboatsstovearoundhim,andoarsandmenbothwhirlingintheeddies;onecaptain,seizingtheline-knifefromhisbrokenprow,haddashedatthewhale,asanArkansasduellistathisfoe,blindlyseekingwithasixinchbladetoreachthefathom-deeplifeofthewhale.ThatcaptainwasAhab.
Andthenitwas,thatsuddenlysweepinghissickle-shapedlowerjawbeneathhim,MobyDickhadreapedawayAhab’sleg,asamowerabladeofgrassinthefield.
Smallreasonwastheretodoubt,then,thateversincethatalmostfatalencounter,Ahabhadcherishedawildvindictivenessagainstthewhale,allthemorefellforthatinhisfranticmorbidnessheatlastcametoidentifywithhim,notonlyallhisbodilywoes,butallhisintellectualandspiritualexasperations.
TheWhiteWhaleswambeforehimasthemonomaniacincarnationofallthosemaliciousagencieswhichsomedeepmenfeeleatinginthem,tilltheyareleftlivingonwithhalfaheartandhalfalung.
Thatintangiblemalignitywhichhasbeenfromthebeginning;towhosedominioneventhemodernChristiansascribeone-halfoftheworlds;whichtheancientOphitesoftheeastreverencedintheirstatuedevil;-Ahabdidnotfalldownandworshipitlikethem;butdeliriouslytransferringitsideatotheabhorredwhitewhale,hepittedhimself,allmutilated,againstit.
Allthatmostmaddensandtorments;allthatstirsuptheleesofthings;alltruthwithmaliceinit;allthatcracksthesinewsandcakesthebrain;allthesubtledemonismsoflifeandthought;allevil,tocrazyAhab,werevisiblypersonified,andmadepracticallyassailableinMobyDick.
Hepileduponthewhale’swhitehumpthesumofallthegeneralrageandhatefeltbyhiswholeracefromAdamdown;andthen,asifhischesthadbeenamortar,hebursthishotheart’sshelluponit.
Then,indartingatthemonster,knifeinhand,hehadbutgivenloosetoasudden,passionate,corporalanimosity;andwhenhereceivedthestrokethattorehim,heprobablybutfelttheagonizingbodilylaceration,butnothingmore.
Yet,whenbythiscollisionforcedtoturntowardshome,andforlongmonthsofdaysandweeks,Ahabandanguishlaystretchedtogetherinonehammock,roundinginmidwinterthatdreary,howlingPatagonianCape;thenitwas,thathistornbodyandgashedsoulbledintooneanother;andsointerfusing,madehimmad.
Thatitwasonlythen,onthehomewardvoyage,aftertheencounter,thatthefinalmonomaniaseizedhim,seemsallbutcertainfromthefactthat,atintervalsduringthepassage,hewasaravinglunatic;and,thoughunlimbedofaleg,yetsuchvitalstrengthyetlurkedinhisEgyptianchest,andwasmoreoverintensifiedbyhisdelirium,thathismateswereforcedtolacehimfast,eventhere,ashesailed,ravinginhishammock.
And,whenrunningintomoresufferablelatitudes,theship,withmildstun’sailsspread,floatedacrossthetranquiltropics,and,toallappearances,theoldman’sdeliriumseemedleftbehindhimwiththeCapeHornswells,andhecameforthfromhisdarkdenintotheblessedlightandair;eventhen,whenheborethatfirm,collectedfront,howeverpale,andissuedhiscalmordersonceagain;andhismatesthankedGodthedirefulmadnesswasnowgone;eventhen,Ahab,inhishiddenself,ravedon.
Ahab’sfulllunacysubsidednot,butdeepeninglycontracted;liketheunabatedHudson,whenthatnobleNorthmanflowsnarrowly,butunfathomablythroughtheHighlandgorge.
But,asinhisnarrow-flowingmonomania,notonejotofAhab’sbroadmadnesshadbeenleftbehind;sointhatbroadmadness,notonejotofhisgreatnaturalintellecthadperished.
Ifsuchafurioustropemaystand,hisspeciallunacystormedhisgeneralsanity,andcarriedit,andturnedallitsconcentredcannonuponitsownmadmark;sothatfarfromhavinglosthisstrength,Ahab,tothatoneend,didnowpossessathousandfoldmorepotencythaneverhehadsanelybroughttobearuponanyonereasonableobject.
WindingfardownfromwithintheveryheartofthisspikedHoteldeClunywhereweherestand-howevergrandandwonderful,nowquitit;-andtakeyourway,yenobler,saddersouls,tothosevastRomanhallsofThermes;wherefarbeneaththefantastictowersofman’supperearth,hisrootofgrandeur,hiswholeawfulessencesitsinbeardedstate;anantiqueburiedbeneathantiquities,andthronedontorsoes!
Sowithabrokenthrone,thegreatgodsmockthatcaptiveking;solikeaCaryatid,hepatientsits,upholdingonhisfrozenbrowthepiledentablaturesofages.
Yetwithoutpowertokill,orchange,orshunthefact;helikewiseknewthattomankindhedidlongdissemble;insomesort,didstill.
Nevertheless,sowelldidhesucceedinthatdissembling,thatwhenwithivoryleghesteppedashoreatlast,noNantucketerthoughthimotherwisethanbutnaturallygrieved,andthattothequick,withtheterriblecasualtywhichhadovertakenhim.
Andsotoo,alltheaddedmoodinesswhichalwaysafterwards,totheverydayofsailinginthePequodonthepresentvoyage,satbroodingonhisbrow.
Norisitsoveryunlikely,thatfarfromdistrustinghisfitnessforanotherwhalingvoyage,onaccountofsuchdarksymptoms,thecalculatingpeopleofthatprudentislewereinclinedtoharbortheconceit,thatforthoseveryreasonshewasallthebetterqualifiedandsetonedge,forapursuitsofullofrageandwildnessasthebloodyhuntofwhales.
Gnawedwithinandscorchedwithout,withtheinfixed,unrelentingfangsofsomeincurableidea;suchanone,couldhebefound,wouldseemtheverymantodarthisironandlifthislanceagainstthemostappallingofallbrutes.
Or,ifforanyreasonthoughttobecorporeallyincapacitatedforthat,yetsuchanonewouldseemsuperlativelycompetenttocheerandhowlonhisunderlingstotheattack.
Butbeallthisasitmay,certainitis,thatwiththemadsecretofhisunabatedrageboltedupandkeyedinhim,Ahabhadpurposelysaileduponthepresentvoyagewiththeoneonlyandall-engrossingobjectofhuntingtheWhiteWhale.
Hadanyoneofhisoldacquaintancesonshorebuthalfdreamedofwhatwaslurkinginhimthen,howsoonwouldtheiraghastandrighteoussoulshavewrenchedtheshipfromsuchafiendishman!
Here,then,wasthisgrey-headed,ungodlyoldman,chasingwithcursesJob’swhaleroundtheworld,attheheadofacrew,too,chieflymadeupofmongrelrenegades,andcastaways,andcannibals-morallyenfeebledalso,bytheincompetenceofmereunaidedvirtueorright-mindednessinStarbuck,theinvunerablejollityofindifferenceandrecklessnessinStubb,andthepervadingmediocrityinFlask.
Suchacrew,soofficered,seemedspeciallypickedandpackedbysomeinfernalfatalitytohelphimtohismonomaniacrevenge.
Howitwasthattheysoaboundinglyrespondedtotheoldman’sire-bywhatevilmagictheirsoulswerepossessed,thatattimeshishateseemedalmosttheirs;theWhiteWhaleasmuchtheirinsufferablefoeashis;howallthiscametobe-whattheWhiteWhalewastothem,orhowtotheirunconsciousunderstandings,also,insomedim,unsuspectedway,hemighthaveseemedtheglidinggreatdemonoftheseasoflife,-allthistoexplain,wouldbetodivedeeperthanIshmaelcango.
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