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Handinhand,shipandbreezeblewon;butthebreezecamefasterthantheship,andsoonthePequodbegantorock.
Byandby,throughtheglassthestranger’sboatsandmannedmast-headsprovedherawhale-ship.
Butasshewassofartowindward,andshootingby,apparentlymakingapassagetosomeotherground,thePequodcouldnothopetoreachher.
Sothesignalwassettoseewhatresponsewouldbemade.
Herebeitsaid,thatlikethevesselsofmilitarymarines,theshipsoftheAmericanWhaleFleethaveeachaprivatesignal;allwhichsignalsbeingcollectedinabookwiththenamesoftherespectivevesselsattached,everycaptainisprovidedwithit.
Thereby,thewhalecommandersareenabledtorecogniseeachotherupontheocean,evenatconsiderabledistance,andwithnosmallfacility.
ThePequod’ssignalwasatlastrespondedtobythestranger’ssettingherown;whichprovedtheshiptobetheJeroboamofNantucket.
Squaringheryards,sheboredown,rangedabeamunderthePequod’slee,andloweredaboat;itsoondrewnigh;but,astheside-ladderwasbeingriggedbyStarbuck’sordertoaccommodatethevisitingcaptain,thestrangerinquestionwavedhishandfromhisboat’ssternintokenofthatproceedingbeingentirelyunnecessary.
ItturnedoutthattheJeroboamhadamalignantepidemiconboard,andthatMayhew,hercaptain,wasfearfulofinfectingthePequod’scompany.
For,thoughhimselfandtheboat’screwremaineduntainted,andthoughhisshipwashalfarifle-shotoff,andanincorruptibleseaandairrollingandflowingbetween;yetconscientiouslyadheringtothetimidquarantineoftheland,heperemptorilyrefusedtocomeintodirectcontactwiththePequod.
Butthisdidbynomeanspreventallcommunications.
Preservinganintervalofsomefewyardsbetweenitselfandtheship,theJeroboam’sboatbytheoccasionaluseofitsoarscontrivedtokeepparalleltothePequod,assheheavilyforgedthroughthesea(forbythistimeitblewveryfresh),withhermain-topsailaback;though,indeed,attimesbythesuddenonsetofalargerollingwave,theboatwouldbepushedsomewayahead;butwouldbesoonskilfullybroughttoherproperbearingsagain.
Subjecttothis,andotherthelikeinterruptionsnowandthen,aconversationwassustainedbetweenthetwoparties;butatintervalsnotwithoutstillanotherinterruptionofaverydifferentsort.
PullinganoarintheJeroboam’sboat,wasamanofasingularappearance,eveninthatwildwhalinglifewhereindividualnotabilitiesmakeupalltotalities.
Hewasasmall,short,youngishman,sprinkledalloverhisfacewithfreckles,andwearingredundantyellowhair.
Along-skirted,cabalistically-cutcoatofafadedwalnuttingeenvelopedhim;theoverlappingsleevesofwhichwererolleduponhiswrists.
Adeep,settled,fanaticdeliriumwasinhiseyes.
Sosoonasthisfigurehadbeenfirstdescried,Stubbhadexclaimed-“That’she!that’she!
-thelong-toggedscaramouchtheTown-Ho’scompanytoldusof!”
StubbherealludedtoastrangestorytoldoftheJeroboam,andacertainmanamonghercrew,sometimepreviouswhenthePequodspoketheTown-Ho.
Accordingtothisaccountandwhatwassubsequentlylearned,itseemedthatthescaramouchinquestionhadgainedawonderfulascendencyoveralmosteverybodyintheJeroboam.Hisstorywasthis:
HehadbeenoriginallynurturedamongthecrazysocietyofNeskyeunaShakers,wherehehadbeenagreatprophet;intheircracked,secretmeetingshavingseveraltimesdescendedfromheavenbythewayofatrapdoor,announcingthespeedyopeningoftheseventhvial,whichhecarriedinhisvest-pocket;but,which,insteadofcontaininggunpowder,wassupposedtobechargedwithlaudanum.
Astrange,apostolicwhimhavingseizedhim,hehadleftNeskyeunaforNantucket,where,withthatcunningpeculiartocraziness,heassumedasteady,commonsenseexterior,andofferedhimselfasagreen-handcandidatefortheJeroboam’swhalingvoyage.
Theyengagedhim;butstraightwayupontheship’sgettingoutofsightofland,hisinsanitybrokeoutinafreshet.
HeannouncedhimselfasthearchangelGabriel,andcommandedthecaptaintojumpoverboard.
Hepublishedhismanifesto,wherebyhesethimselfforthasthedelivereroftheislesoftheseaandvicar-generalofallOceanica.
Theunflinchingearnestnesswithwhichhedeclaredthesethings;-thedark,daringplayofhissleepless,excitedimagination,andallthepreternaturalterrorsofrealdelirium,unitedtoinvestthisGabrielinthemindsofthemajorityoftheignorantcrew,withanatmosphereofsacredness.Moreover,theywereafraidofhim.
Assuchaman,however,wasnotofmuchpracticaluseintheship,especiallyasherefusedtoworkexceptwhenhepleased,theincredulouscaptainwouldfainhavebeenridofhim;butapprisedthatthatindividual’sintentionwastolandhiminthefirstconvenientport,thearchangelforthwithopenedallhissealsandvials-devotingtheshipandallhandstounconditionalperdition,incasethisintentionwascarriedout.
Sostronglydidheworkuponhisdisciplesamongthecrew,thatatlastinabodytheywenttothecaptainandtoldhimifGabrielwassentfromtheship,notamanofthemwouldremain.
Hewasthereforeforcedtorelinquishhisplan.
NorwouldtheypermitGabrieltobeanywaymaltreated,sayordowhathewould;sothatitcametopassthatGabrielhadthecompletefreedomoftheship.
Theconsequenceofallthiswas,thatthearchangelcaredlittleornothingforthecaptainandmates;andsincetheepidemichadbrokenout,hecarriedahigherhandthanever;declaringthattheplague,ashecalledit,wasathissolecommand;norshoulditbestayedbutaccordingtohisgoodpleasure.
Thesailors,mostlypoordevils,cringed,andsomeofthemfawnedbeforehim;inobediencetohisinstructions,sometimesrenderinghimpersonalhomage,astoagod.
Suchthingsmayseemincredible;but,howeverwondrous,theyaretrue.
Noristhehistoryoffanaticshalfsostrikinginrespecttothemeasurelessself-deceptionofthefanatichimself,ashismeasurelesspowerofdeceivingandbedevillingsomanyothers.ButitistimetoreturntothePequod.
“Ifearnotthyepidemic,man,”saidAhabfromthebulwarks,toCaptainMayhew,whostoodintheboat’sstern;“comeonboard.”
ButnowGabrielstartedtohisfeet.
“Think,thinkofthefevers,yellowandbilious!Bewareofthehorribleplague!”
“Gabriel!Gabriel!”criedCaptainMayhew;“thoumusteither-”Butthatinstantaheadlongwaveshottheboatfarahead,anditsseethingsdrownedallspeech.
“HastthouseentheWhiteWhale?”demandedAhab,whentheboatdriftedback.
“Think,thinkofthywhale-boat,stovenandsunk!Bewareofthehorribletail!”
“Itelltheeagain,Gabriel,that-”Butagaintheboattoreaheadasifdraggedbyfiends.
Nothingwassaidforsomemoments,whileasuccessionofriotouswavesrolledbywhichbyoneofthoseoccasionalcapricesoftheseasweretumbling,notheavingit.
Meantime,thehoistedspermwhale’sheadjoggedaboutveryviolently,andGabrielwasseeneyeingitwithrathermoreapprehensivenessthanhisarchangelnatureseemedtowarrant.
Whenthisinterludewasover,CaptainMayhewbeganadarkstoryconcerningMobyDick;not,however,withoutfrequentinterruptionsfromGabriel,wheneverhisnamewasmentioned,andthecrazyseathatseemedleaguedwithhim.
ItseemedthattheJeroboamhadnotlonglefthome,whenuponspeakingawhale-ship,herpeoplewerereliablyapprisedoftheexistenceofMobyDick,andthehavochehadmade.
Greedilysuckinginthisintelligence,GabrielsolemnlywarnedthecaptainagainstattackingtheWhiteWhale,incasethemonstershouldbeseen;inhisgibberinginsanity,pronouncingtheWhiteWhaletobenolessabeingthantheShakerGodincarnated;theShakersreceivingtheBible.
Butwhen,someyearortwoafterwards,MobyDickwasfairlysightedfromthemast-heads,Macey,thechiefmate,burnedwithardortoencounterhim;andthecaptainhimselfbeingnotunwillingtolethimhavetheopportunity,despiteallthearchangel’sdenunciationsandforewarnings,Maceysucceededinpersuadingfivementomanhisboat.
Withthemhepushedoff;and,aftermuchwearypulling,andmanyperilous,unsuccessfulonsets,heatlastsucceededingettingoneironfast.
Meantime,Gabriel,ascendingtothemain-royalmast-head,wastossingonearminfranticgestures,andhurlingforthpropheciesofspeedydoomtothesacrilegiousassailantsofhisdivinity.
Now,whileMacey,themate,wasstandingupinhisboat’sbow,andwithalltherecklessenergyofhistribewasventinghiswildexclamationsuponthewhale,andessayingtogetafairchanceforhispoisedlance,lo!
abroadwhiteshadowrosefromthesea;byitsquick,fanningmotion,temporarilytakingthebreathoutofthebodiesoftheoarsmen.
Nextinstant,thelucklessmate,sofulloffuriouslife,wassmittenbodilyintotheair,andmakingalongarcinhisdescent,fellintotheseaatthedistanceofaboutfiftyyards.
Notachipoftheboatwasharmed,norahairofanyoarsman’shead;butthemateforeversank.
Itiswelltoparenthesizehere,thatofthefatalaccidentsintheSperm-WhaleFishery,thiskindisperhapsalmostasfrequentasany.
Sometimes,nothingisinjuredbutthemanwhoisthusannihilated;oftenertheboat’sbowisknockedoff,orthethigh-board,onwhichtheheadsmanstands,istornfromitsplaceandaccompaniesthebody.
Butstrangestofallisthecircumstance,thatinmoreinstancesthanone,whenthebodyhasbeenrecovered,notasinglemarkofviolenceisdiscerniblethemanbeingstarkdead.
Thewholecalamity,withthefallingformofMacey,wasplainlydescriedfromtheship.Raisingapiercingshriek-“Thevial!thevial!”
Gabrielcalledofftheterror-strickencrewfromthefurtherhuntingofthewhale.
Thisterribleeventclothedthearchangelwithaddedinfluence;becausehiscredulousdisciplesbelievedthathehadspecificallyfore-announcedit,insteadofonlymakingageneralprophecy,whichanyonemighthavedone,andsohavechancedtohitoneofmanymarksinthewidemarginallowed.
Hebecameanamelessterrortotheship.
Mayhewhavingconcludedhisnarration,Ahabputsuchquestionstohim,thatthestrangercaptaincouldnotforbearinquiringwhetherheintendedtohunttheWhiteWhale,ifopportunityshouldoffer.TowhichAhabanswered-“Aye.”
Straightway,then,Gabrieloncemorestartedtohisfeet,glaringupontheoldman,andvehementlyexclaimed,withdownwardpointedfinger-“Think,thinkoftheblasphemer-dead,anddownthere!-bewareoftheblasphemer’send!”
Ahabstolidlyturnedaside;thensaidtoMayhew,“Captain,Ihavejustbethoughtmeofmyletter-bag;thereisaletterforoneofthyofficers,ifImistakenot.Starbuck,lookoverthebag.”
Everywhale-shiptakesoutagoodlynumberoflettersforvariousships,whosedeliverytothepersonstowhomtheymaybeaddressed,dependsuponthemerechanceofencounteringtheminthefouroceans.
Thus,mostlettersneverreachtheirmark;andmanyareonlyreceivedafterattaininganageoftwoorthreeyearsormore.
SoonStarbuckreturnedwithaletterinhishand.
Itwassorelytumbled,damp,andcoveredwithadull,spotted,greenmould,inconsequenceofbeingkeptinadarklockerofthecabin.
Ofsuchaletter,Deathhimselfmightwellhavebeenthepost-boy.
“Can’stnotreadit?”criedAhab.“Giveitme,man.
Aye,aye,it’sbutadimscrawl;-what’sthis?”
Ashewasstudyingitout,Starbucktookalongcutting-spadepole,andwithhisknifeslightlysplittheend,toinserttheletterthere,andinthatway,handittotheboat,withoutitscominganyclosertotheship.
Meantime,Ahabholdingtheletter,muttered,“Mr.Har-yes,Mr.Harry-(awoman’spinnyhand,-theman’swife,I’llwager)-Aye-Mr.HarryMacey,ShipJeroboam;whyit’sMacey,andhe’sdead!”
“Poorfellow!poorfellow!andfromhiswife,”sighedMayhew;“butletmehaveit.”
“Nay,keepitthyself,”criedGabrieltoAhab;“thouartsoongoingthatway.”
“Cursesthrottlethee!”yelledAhab.
“CaptainMayhew,standbynowtoreceiveit”;andtakingthefatalmissivefromStarbuck’shands,hecaughtitintheslitofthepole,andreacheditovertowardstheboat.
Butashedidso,theoarsmenexpectantlydesistedfromrowing;theboatdriftedalittletowardstheship’sstern;sothat,asifbymagic,thelettersuddenlyrangedalongwithGabriel’seagerhand.
Heclutcheditinaninstant,seizedtheboat-knife,andimpalingtheletteronit,sentitthusloadedbackintotheship.ItfellatAhab’sfeet.
ThenGabrielshriekedouttohiscomradestogivewaywiththeiroars,andinthatmannerthemutinousboatrapidlyshotawayfromthePequod.
As,afterthisinterlude,theseamenresumedtheirworkuponthejacketofthewhale,manystrangethingswerehintedinreferencetothiswildaffair.
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