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South-eastwardfromtheCape,offthedistantCrozetts,agoodcruisinggroundforRightWhalemen,asailloomedahead,theGoney(Albatross)byname.
Assheslowlydrewnigh,frommyloftyperchatthefore-mast-head,Ihadagoodviewofthatsightsoremarkabletoatyrointhefaroceanfisheries-awhaleratsea,andlongabsentfromhome.
Asifthewaveshadbeenfullers,thiscraftwasbleachedliketheskeletonofastrandedwalrus.
Alldownhersides,thisspectralappearancewastracedwithlongchannelsofreddenedrust,whileallhersparsandherriggingwerelikethethickbranchesoftreesfurredoverwithhoar-frost.Onlyherlowersailswereset.
Awildsightitwastoseeherlong-beardedlook-outsatthosethreemast-heads.
Theyseemedcladintheskinsofbeasts,sotornandbepatchedtheraimentthathadsurvivednearlyfouryearsofcruising.
Standinginironhoopsnailedtothemast,theyswayedandswungoverafathomlesssea;andthough,whentheshipslowlyglidedcloseunderourstern,wesixmenintheaircamesonightoeachotherthatwemightalmosthaveleapedfromthemast-headsofoneshiptothoseoftheother;yet,thoseforlorn-lookingfishermen,mildlyeyeingusastheypassed,saidnotonewordtoourownlook-outs,whilethequarter-deckhailwasbeingheardfrombelow.
“Shipahoy!HaveyeseentheWhiteWhale?”
Butasthestrangecaptain,leaningoverthepallidbulwarks,wasintheactofputtinghistrumpettohismouth,itsomehowfellfromhishandintothesea;andthewindnowrisingamain,heinvainstrovetomakehimselfheardwithoutit.
Meantimehisshipwasstillincreasingthedistancebetweenus.
WhileinvarioussilentwaystheseamenofthePequodwereevincingtheirobservanceofthisominousincidentatthefirstmerementionoftheWhiteWhale’snametoanothership,Ahabforamomentpaused;italmostseemedasthoughhewouldhaveloweredaboattoboardthestranger,hadnotthethreateningwindforbade.
Buttakingadvantageofhiswindwardposition,heagainseizedhistrumpet,andknowingbyheraspectthatthestrangervesselwasaNantucketerandshortlyboundhome,heloudlyhailed-“Ahoythere!
ThisisthePequod,boundroundtheworld!
TellthemtoaddressallfutureletterstothePacificocean!
andthistimethreeyears,ifIamnotathome,tellthemtoaddressthemto-”
Atthatmomentthetwowakeswerefairlycrossed,andinstantly,then,inaccordancewiththeirsingularways,shoalsofsmallharmlessfish,thatforsomedaysbeforehadbeenplacidlyswimmingbyourside,dartedawaywithwhatseemedshudderingfins,andrangedthemselvesforeandaftwiththestranger’sflanks.
ThoughinthecourseofhiscontinualvoyagingsAhabmustoftenbeforehavenoticedasimilarsight,yet,toanymonomaniacman,theveriesttriflescapriciouslycarrymeanings.
“Swimawayfromme,doye?”murmuredAhab,gazingoverintothewater.
Thereseemedbutlittleinthewords,butthetoneconveyedmoreofdeephelplesssadnessthantheinsaneoldmanhadeverbeforeevinced.
Butturningtothesteersman,whothusfarhadbeenholdingtheshipinthewindtodiminishherheadway,hecriedoutinhisoldlionvoice,-“Uphelm!Keepheroffroundtheworld!”
Roundtheworld!Thereismuchinthatsoundtoinspireproudfeelings;butwheretodoesallthatcircumnavigationconduct?
Onlythroughnumberlessperilstotheverypointwhencewestarted,wherethosethatweleftbehindsecure,wereallthetimebeforeus.
Werethisworldanendlessplain,andbysailingeastwardwecouldforeverreachnewdistances,anddiscoversightsmoresweetandstrangethananyCycladesorIslandsofKingSolomon,thentherewerepromiseinthevoyage.
Butinpursuitofthosefarmysterieswedreamof,orintormentedchaseofthedemonphantomthat,sometimeorother,swimsbeforeallhumanhearts;whilechasingsuchoverthisroundglobe,theyeitherleadusoninbarrenmazesormidwayleaveuswhelmed.
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