CHAPTER71TheJeroboam'sStory

handinhand,shipandbreezeblewon;butthebreezecamefasterthantheship,andsoonthepequodbegantorock.

byandby,throughtheglassthestranger'sboatsandmannedmast-headsprovedherawhale-ship.butasshewassofartowindward,andshootingby,apparentlymakingapassagetosomeotherground,thepequodcouldnothopetoreachher.sothesignalwassettoseewhatresponsewouldbemade.

herebeitsaid,thatlikethevesselsofmilitarymarines,theshipsoftheamericanwhalefleethaveeachaprivatesignal;allwhichsignalsbeingcollectedinabookwiththenamesoftherespectivevesselsattached,everycaptainisprovidedwithit.thereby,thewhalecommandersareenabledtorecogniseeachotherupontheocean,evenatconsiderabledistancesandwithnosmallfacility.

thepequod'ssignalwasatlastrespondedtobythestranger'ssettingherown;whichprovedtheshiptobethejeroboamofnantucket.squaringheryards,sheboredown,rangedabeamunderthepequod'slee,andloweredaboat;itsoondrewnigh;but,astheside-ladderwasbeingedbystarbuck'sordertoaccommodatethevisitingcaptain,thestrangerinquestionwavedhishandfromhisboat'ssternintokenofthatproceedingbeingentirelyunnecessary.itturnedoutthatthejeroboamhadamalignantepidemiconboard,andthatmayhew,hercaptain,wasfearfulofinfectingthepequod'scompany.for,thoughhimselfandboat'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,stubhadexclaimed—"that'she!that'she!—theedscaramouchthetown-ho'scompanytoldusof!"stubbherealludedtoastrangestorytoldofthejeroboam,andacertainmanamonghercrew,sometimepreviouswhenthepequodspokethetown-ho.accordingtothisaccountandwhatwassubsequentlylearned,itseemedthatthescaramouchinquestionhadgainedawonderfulascendencyoveralmosteverybodyinthejeroboam.hisstorywasthis:

hehadbeenoriginallynurturedamongthecrazysocietyofneskyeunashakers,wherehehadbeenagreatprophet;intheircracked,secretmeetingshavingseveraltimesdescendedfromheavenbythewayofatrap-door,announcingthespeedyopeningoftheseventhvial,whichhecarriedinhisvest-pocket;but,which,insteadofcontaininggunpowder,wassupposedtobechargedwithlaudanum.astrange,apostolicwhimhavingseizedhim,hehadleftneskyeunafornantucket,where,withthatcunningpeculiartocraziness,heassumedasteady,commonsenseexterior,andofferedhimselfasagreen-handcandidateforthejeroboam'swhalingvoyage.theyengagedhim;butstraightwayupontheship'sgettingoutofsightofland,hisinsanitybrokeoutinafreshet.heannouncedhimselfasthearchangelgabriel,andcommandedthecaptaintojumpoverboard.hepublishedhismanifesto,wherebyhesethimselfforthasthedelivereroftheislesoftheseaandvicargeneralofalloceanica.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—"butagaintheboattoreaheadasifedbyfiends.nothingwassaidforsomemoments,whileaessionofriotouswavesrolledby,whichbyoneofthoseoccasionalcapricesoftheseasweretumbling,notheavingit.meantime,thehoistedspermwhale'sheadedaboutveryviolently,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,burnedwithardourtoencounterhim;andthecaptainhimselfbeingnotunwillingtolethimhavetheopportunity,despiteallthearchangel'sdenunciationsandforewarnings,maceyeededinpersuadingfivementomanhisboat.withthemhepushedoff;and,aftermuchwearypulling,andmanyperilous,essfulonsets,heatlasteededingettingoneironfast.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,inwhichtheheadsmanstands,istornfromitsplaceandaccompaniesthebody.butstrangestofallisthecircumstance,thatinmoreinstancesthanone,whenthebodyhasbeenrecovered,notasinglemarkofviolenceisdiscernible;themanbeingstarkdead.

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,starbucktookalongcuttingspadepole,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.