CHAPTER115ThePequodMeetsTheBachelo

andjollyenoughwerethesightsandthesoundsthatcamebearingdownbeforethewind,somefewweeksafterahab'sharpoonhadbeenwelded.

itwasanantucketship,thebachelor,whichhadjustwedgedinherlastcaskofoil,andbolteddownherburstinghatches;andnow,ingladholidayapparel,wasjoyously,thoughsomewhatvain-gloriously,sailingroundamongthewidely-separatedshipsontheground,previoustopointingherprowforhome.

thethreemenathermast-headworelongstreamersofnarrowredbuntingattheirhats;fromthestern,awhale-boatwassuspended,bottomdown;andhangingcaptivefromthebowspritwasseenthelonglowerjawofthelastwhaletheyhadslain.signals,ensigns,andjacksofallcolourswereflyingfromhering,oneveryside.sidewayslashedineachofherthreebasketedtopsweretwobarrelsofsperm;abovewhich,inhertop-mastcross-trees,yousawslenderbreakersofthesamepreciousfluid;andnailedtohermaintruckwasabrazenlamp.

aswasafterwardslearned,thebachelorhadmetwiththemostsurprisingess;allthemorewonderful,forthatwhilecruisinginthesameseasnumerousothervesselshadgoneentiremonthswithoutsecuringasinglefish.notonlyhadbarrelsofbeefandbreadbeengivenawaytomakeroomforthefarmorevaluablesperm,butadditionalsupplementalcaskshadbeenbarteredfor,fromtheshipsshehadmet;andthesewerestowedalongthedeck,andinthecaptain'sandofficers'state-rooms.eventhecabintableitselfhadbeenknockedintokindling-wood;andthecabinmessdinedoffthebroadheadofanoil-butt,lasheddowntothefloorforacentrepiece.intheforecastle,thesailorshadactuallycaulkedandpitchedtheirchests,andfilledthem;itwashumorouslyadded,thatthecookhadclappedaheadonhislargestboiler,andfilledit;thatthestewardhadedhissparecoffeepotandfilledit;thattheharpooneershadheadedthesocketsoftheirironsandfilledthem;thatindeedeverythingwasfilledwithsperm,exceptthecaptain'spantaloonspockets,andthosehereservedtothrusthishandsinto,inself-complacenttestimonyofhisentiresatisfaction.

asthisgladshipofgoodluckboredownuponthemoodypequod,thebarbariansoundofenormousdrumscamefromherforecastle;anddrawingstillnearer,acrowdofhermenwereseenstandingroundherhugetry-pots,which,coveredwiththeparchmentlikepokeorstomachskinoftheblackfish,gaveforthaloudroartoeverystrokeoftheclenchedhandsofthecrew.onthequarter-deck,thematesandharpooneersweredancingwiththeolive-huedgirlswhohadelopedwiththemfromthepolynesianisles;whilesuspendedinanornamentedboat,firmlysecuredaloftbetweentheforemastandmainmast,threelongislandnegroes,withglitteringfiddle-bowsofwhaleivory,werepresidingoverthehilariousjig.meanwhile,othersoftheship'scompanyweretumultuouslybusyatthemasonryofthetry-works,fromwhichthehugepotshadbeenremoved.youwouldhavealmostthoughttheywerepullingdownthecursedbastille,suchwildcriestheyraised,asthenowuselessbrickandmortarwerebeinghurledintothesea.

lordandmasteroverallthisscene,thecaptainstooderectontheship'selevatedquarter-deck,sothatthewholerejoicingdramawasfullbeforehim,andseemedmerelycontrivedforhisownindividualdiversion.

andahab,hetoowasstandingonhisquarterdeck,yandblack,withastubborngloom;andasthetwoshipscrossedeachother'swakes—onealljubilationsforthingspassed,theotherallforebodingsastothingstocome—theirtwocaptainsinthemselvesimpersonatedthewholestrikingcontrastofthescene."comeaboard,comeaboard!"criedthegaybachelor'scommander,liftingaglassandabottleintheair.

"hastseenthewhitewhale?"grittedahabinreply.

"no;onlyheardofhim;butdon'tbelieveinhimatall,"saidtheothergood-humoredly."comeaboard!"

"thouarttoodamnedjolly.sailon.hastlostanymen?"

"notenoughtospeakof—twoislanders,that'sall;—butcomeaboard,oldhearty,comealong.i'llsoontakethatblackfromyourbrow.comealong,willye(merry'stheplay);afullshipandhomeward-bound."

"howwondrousfamiliarisafool!"mutteredahab;thenaloud,"thouartafullshipandhomewardbound,thousayst;well,then,callmeanemptyship,andoutward-bound.sogothyways,andiwillmine.forwardthere!setallsail,andkeephertothewind!"

andthus,whiletheoneshipwentcheerilybeforethebreeze,theotherstubbornlyfoughtagainstit;andsothetwovesselsparted;thecrewofthepequodlookingwithgrave,lingeringglancestowardstherecedingbachelor;butthebachelor'smenneverheedingtheirgazeforthelivelyrevelrytheywerein.andasahab,leaningoverthetaffrail,eyedthehomeward-boundcraft,hetookfromhispocketasmallvialofsand,andthenlookingfromtheshiptothevial,seemedtherebybringingtworemoteassociationstogether,forthatvialwasfilledwithnantucketsoundings.