CHAPTER100LegandArm

thepequod,ofnantucket,meetsthesamuelenderby,oflondon.

"ship,ahoy!hastseenthewhitewhale?"

socriedahab,oncemorehailingashipshowingenglishcolours,bearingdownunderthestern.trumpettomouth,theoldmanwasstandinginhishoistedquarter-boat,hisivorylegplainlyrevealedtothestrangercaptain,whowascarelesslyreclininginhisownboat'sbow.hewasadarkly-tanned,burly,good-natured,fine-lookingman,ofsixtyorthereabouts,dressedinaspaciousroundabout,thathungroundhiminfestoonsofbluepilot-cloth;andoneemptyarmofthisjacketstreamedbehindhimlikethebroideredarmofahussar'ssurcoat.

"hastseenthewhitewhale?"

"seeyouthis?"andwithdrawingitfromthefoldsthathadhiddenit,heheldupawhitearmofspermwhalebone,terminatinginawoodenheadlikeamallet.

"manmyboat!"criedahab,impetuously,andtossingabouttheoarsnearhim—"standbytolower!"inlessthanaminute,withoutquittinghislittlecraft,heandhiscrewweredroppedtothewater,andweresoonalongsideofthestranger.buthereacuriousdifficultypresenteditself.intheexcitementofthemoment,ahabhadforgottenthatsincethelossofhisleghehadneveroncesteppedonboardofanyvesselatseabuthisown,andthenitwasalwaysbyaningeniousandveryhandymechanicalcontrivancepeculiartothepequod,andathingnottobeedandshippedinanyothervesselatamoment'swarning.now,itisnoveryeasymatterforanybody—exceptthosewhoarealmosthourlyusedtoit,likewhalemen—toclamberupaship'ssidefromaboatontheopensea;forthegreatswellsnowlifttheboathighuptowardsthebulwarks,andtheninstantaneouslydropithalfwaydowntothekelson.so,deprivedofoneleg,andthestrangeshipofcoursebeingaltogetherunsuppliedwiththekindlyinvention,ahabnowfoundhimselfabjectlyreducedtoaclumsylandsmanagain;hopelesslyeyeingtheuncertainchangefulheighthecouldhardlyhopetoattain.

ithasbeforebeenhinted,perhaps,thateverylittleuntowardcircumstancethatbefellhim,andwhichindirectlysprangfromhislucklessmishap,almostinvariablyirritatedorexasperatedahab.andinthepresentinstance,allthiswasheightenedbythesightofthetwoofficersofthestrangeship,leaningovertheside,bytheperpendicularladderofnailedcleetsthere,andswingingtowardshimapairoftastefullyornamentedman-ropes;foratfirsttheydidnotseemtobethinkthemthataone-edmanmustbetoomuchofacrippletousetheirseabannisters.butthisawkwardnessonlylastedaminute,becausethestrangecaptain,observingataglancehowaffairsstood,criedout,"isee,isee!—avastheavingthere!jump,boys,andswingoverthecutting-tackle."

asgoodluckwouldhaveit,theyhadhadawhalealongsideadayortwoprevious,andthegreattackleswerestillaloft,andthemassivecurvedblubberhook,nowcleananddry,wasstillattachedtotheend.thiswasquicklyloweredtoahab,whoatoncecomprehendingitall,slidhissolitarythighintothecurveofthehook(itwaslikesittingintheflukeofananchor,orthecrotchofanappletree),andthengivingtheword,heldhimselffast,andatthesametimealsohelpedtohoisthisownweight,bypullinghand-overhandupononeoftherunningpartsofthetackle.soonhewascarefullyswunginsidethehighbulwarks,andgentlylandeduponthecapstanhead.withhisivoryarmfranklythrustforthinwelcome,theothercaptainadvanced,andahab,puttingouthisivoryleg,andcrossingtheivoryarm(liketwosword-fishblades)criedoutinhiswalrusway,"aye,aye,hearty!letusshakebonestogether!—anarmandaleg!—anarmthatnevercanshrink,d'yesee;andalegthatnevercanrun.wheredid'stthouseethewhitewhale?—howlongago?"

"thewhitewhale,"saidtheenglishman,pointinghisivoryarmtowardstheeast,andtakingaruefulsightalongit,asifithadbeenatelescope;"thereisawhim,ontheline,lastseason."

"andhetookthatarmoff,didhe?"askedahab,nowslidingdownfromthecapstan,andrestingontheenglishman'sshoulder,ashedidso.

"aye,hewasthecauseofit,atleast;andthatleg,too?"

"spinmetheyarn,"saidahab;"howwasit?"

"itwasthefirsttimeinmylifethatievercruisedontheline,"begantheenglishman."iwasignorantofthewhitewhaleatthattime.well,onedayweloweredforapodoffourorfivewhales,andmyboatfastenedtooneofthem;aregularcircushorsehewas,too,thatwentmillingandmillingroundso,thatmyboat'screwcouldonlytrimdish,bysittingalltheirsternsontheoutergunwale.presentlyupbreachesfromthebottomoftheseaabouncinggreatwhale,withamilky-whiteheadandhump,allcrows'feetandwrinkles."

"itwashe,itwashe!"criedahab,suddenlylettingouthissuspendedbreath.

"andharpoonsstickinginnearhisstarboardfin.

"aye,aye—theyweremine—myirons,"criedahab,exultingly—"buton!"

"givemeachance,then,"saidtheenglishman,good-humoredly."well,thisoldgreat-grandfather,withthewhiteheadandhump,runsallafoamintothepod,andgoestosnappingfuriouslyatmyfast-line!

"aye,isee!—wantedtopartit;freethefast-fish—anoldtrick—iknowhim."

"howitwasexactly,"continuedtheone-armedcommander,"idonotknow;butinbitingtheline,itgotfoulofhisteeth,caughttheresomehow;butwedidn'tknowitthen;sothatwhenweafterwardspulledontheline,bouncewecameplumpontohishump!insteadoftheotherwhale's;thatwentofftowindward,allfluking.seeinghowmattersstood,andwhatanoblegreatwhaleitwas—thenoblestandestieversaw,sir,inmylife—iresolvedtocapturehim,spiteoftheboilingrageheseemedtobein.andthinkingthehap-hazardlinewouldgetloose,orthetoothitwastangledtomightdraw(forihaveadevilofaboat'screwforapullonawhale-line);seeingallthis,isay,ijumpedintomyfirstmate'sboat—mr.mounttop'shere(bytheway,captain—mounttop;mounttop—thecaptain);—asiwassaying,ijumpedintomounttop'sboat,which,d'yesee,wasgunwaleandgunwalewithmine,then;andsnatchingthefirstharpoon,letthisoldgreat-grandfatherhaveit.but,lord,lookyou,sir—heartsandsoulsalive,man—thenextinstant,inajiff,iwasblindasabat—botheyesout—alledandbedeadenedwithblackfoam—thewhale'stailloomingstraightupoutofit,perpendicularintheair,likeamarblesteeple.nousesterningall,then;butasiwasgropingatmidday,withablindingsun,allcrown-jewels;asiwasgroping,isay,afterthesecondiron,totossitoverboard—downcomesthetaillikealimatower,cuttingmyboatintwo,leavingeachhalfinsplinters;and,flukesfirst,thwhitehumpbackedthroughthewreck,asthoughitwasallchips.weallstruckout.toescapehisterribleflailings,iseizedholdofmyharpoon-polestickinginhim,andforamomentclungtothatlikeasuckingfish.butacombingseadashedmeoff,andatthesameinstant,thefish,takingonegooddartforwards,wentdownlikeaflash;andthebarbofthatcursedsecondirontowingalongnearmecaughtmehere"(clappinghishandjustbelowhisshoulder);"yes,caughtmejusthere,isay,andboremedowntohell'sflames,iwasthinking;when,when,allofasudden,thankthegoodgod,thebarbriptitswayalongtheflesh—clearalongthewholelengthofmyarm—cameoutnighmywrist,andupifloated;—andthatgentlemantherewilltellyoutherest(bytheway,captain—dr.bunger,ship'ssurgeon:bunger,mylad,—thecaptain).now,bungerboy,spinyourpartoftheyarn."

theprofessionalgentlemanthusfamiliarlypointedout,hadbeenallthetimestandingnearthem,withnothingspecificvisible,todenotehisgentlemanlyrankonboard.hisfacewasanexceedinglyroundbutsoberone;hewasdressedinafadedbluewoollenfrockorshirt,andpatchedtrowsers;andhadthusfarbeendividinghisattentionbetweenamarlingspikeheheldinonehand,andapill-boxheldintheother,occasionallycastingacriticalglanceattheivorylimbsofthetwocrippledcaptains.but,athissuperior'sintroductionofhimtoahab,hepolitelybowed,andstraightwaywentontodohiscaptain'sbidding.

"itwasashockingbadwound,"beganthewhalesurgeon;"and,takingmyadvice,captainboomerhere,stoodouroldsammy—"

"samuelenderbyisthenameofmyship,"interruptedtheone-armedcaptain,addressingahab;"goon,boy.""stoodouroldsammyofftothenorthward,togetoutoftheblazinghotweatherthereontheline.butitwasnouse—ididallicould;satupwithhimnights;wasveryseverewithhiminthematterofdiet—"

"oh,verysevere!"chimedinthepatienthimself;thensuddenlyalteringhisvoice,"drinkinghotrumtoddieswithmeeverynight,tillhecouldn'tseetoputonthebandages;andsendingmetobed,halfseasover,aboutthreeo'clockinthemorning.oh,yestars!hesatupwithmeindeed,andwasverysevereinmydiet.oh!agreatwatcher,andverydieteticallysevere,isdr.bunger.(bunger,youdog,laughout!whydon'tye?youknowyou'reapreciousjollyrascal.)but,heaveahead,boy,i'dratherbekilledbyyouthankeptalivebyanyotherman."

"mycaptain,youmusthaveerethisperceived,respectedsir"—saidtheimperturbablegodly-lookingbunger,slightlybowingtoahab—"isapttobefacetiousattimes;hespinsusmanycleverthingsofthatsort.butimayaswellsay—enpassant,asthefrenchremark—thatimyself—thatistosay,jackbunger,lateofthereverendclergy—amastricttotalabstinenceman;ineverdrink—"

"water!"criedthecaptain;"heneverdrinksit;it'sasortoffitstohim;freshwaterthrowshimintothehydrophobia;butgoon—goonwiththearmstory."

"yes,imayaswell,"saidthesurgeon,coolly."iwasaboutobserving,sir,beforecaptainboomer'sfacetiousinterruption,thatspiteofmybestandseverestendeavors,thewoundkeptgettingworseandworse;thetruthwas,sir,itwasasuglygapingwoundassurgeoneversaw;morethantwofeetandseveralincheslong.imeasureditwiththeleadline.inshort,itgrewblack;iknewwhatwasthreatened,andoffitcame.butihadnohandinshippingthativoryarmthere;thatthingisagainstallrule"—pointingatitwiththemarlingspike—"thatisthecaptain'swork,notmine;heorderedthecarpentertomakeit;hehadthatclub-hammerthereputtotheend,toknocksomeone'sbrainsoutwith,isuppose,ashetriedmineonce.hefliesintodiabolicalpassionssometimes.doyeseethisdent,sir"—removinghishat,andbrushingasidehishair,andexposingabowl-likecavityinhisskull,butwhichborenottheslightestscarrytrace,oranytokenofeverhavingbeenawound—"well,thecaptaintherewilltellyouhowthatcamehere;heknows."

"no,idon't,"saidthecaptain,"buthismotherdid;hewasbornwithit.oh,yousolemnrogue,you—youbunger!wasthereeversuchanotherbungerinthewateryworld?bunger,whenyoudie,yououghttodieinpickle,youdog;youshouldbepreservedtofutureages,yourascal."

"whatbecameofthewhitewhale?"nowcriedahab,whothusfarhadbeenimpatientlylisteningtothisby-playbetweenthetwoenglishmen.

"oh!"criedtheone-armedcaptain,"oh,yes!well;afterhesounded,wedidn'tseehimagainforsometime;infact,asibeforehinted,ididn'tthenknowwhatwhaleitwasthathadservedmesuchatrick,tillsometimeafterwards,whencomingbacktotheline,weheardaboutmobydick—assomecallhim—andtheniknewitwashe."

"did'stthoucrosshiswakeagain?"

"twice."

"butcouldnotfasten?"

"didn'twanttotryto:ain'tonelimbenough?whatshouldidowithoutthisotherarm?andi'mthinkingmobydickdoesn'tbitesomuchasheswallows."

"well,then,"interruptedbunger,"givehimyourleftarmforbaittogettheright.doyouknow,gentlemen"—verygravelyandmathematicallybowingtoeachcaptaininession—"doyouknow,gentlemen,thatthedigestiveorgansofthewhalearesoinscrutablyconstructedbydivineprovidence,thatitisquiteimpossibleforhimtocompletelydigestevenaman'sarm?andheknowsittoo.sothatwhatyoutakeforthewhitewhale'smaliceisonlyhisawkwardness.forhenevermeanstoswallowasinglelimb;heonlythinkstoterrifybyfeints.butsometimesheisliketheoldlingfellow,formerlyapatientofmineinceylon,thatmakingbelieveswallowjackknives,onceuponatimeletonedropintohimingoodearnest,andthereitstayedforatwelvemonthormore;whenigavehimanemetic,andheheaveditupinsmalltacks,d'yesee.nopossiblewayforhimtodigestthatjack-knife,andfullyincorporateitintohisgeneralbodilysystem.yes,captainboomer,ifyouarequickenoughaboutit,andhaveamindtopawnonearmforthesakeoftheprivilegeofgivingdecentburialtotheother,whyinthatcasethearmisyours;onlyletthewhalehaveanotherchanceatyoushortly,that'sall."

"no,thankye,bunger,"saidtheenglishcaptain,"he'swelcometothearmhehas,sinceican'thelpit,anddidn'tknowhimthen;butnottoanotherone.nomorewhitewhalesforme;i'veloweredforhimonce,andthathassatisfiedme.therewouldbegreatgloryinkillinghim,iknowthat;andthereisaship-loadofprecioussperminhim,but,harkye,he'sbestletalone;don'tyouthinkso,captain?"—glancingattheivoryleg.

"heis.buthewillstillbehunted,forallthat.whatisbestletalone,thataccursedthingisnotalwayswhatleastallures.he'sallamagnet!howlongsincethousaw'sthimlast?whichwayheading?"

"blessmysoul,andcursethefoulfiend's,"criedbunger,stoopinglywalkingroundahab,andlikeadog,strangelysnuffing;"thisman'sblood—bringthethermometer!—it'sattheboilingpoint!—hispulsemakestheseplanksbeat!—sir!"—takingalancetfromhispocket,anddrawingneartoahab'sarm.

"avast!"roaredahab,dashinghimagainstthebulwarks—"mantheboat!whichwayheading?"

"goodgod!"criedtheenglishcaptain,towhomthequestionwasput."what'sthematter?hewasheadingeast,ithink.—isyourcaptaincrazy?"whisperingfedallah.

butfedallah,puttingafingeronhislip,slidoverthebulwarkstotaketheboat'ssteeringoar,andahab,swingingthecutting-tackletowardshim,commandedtheship'ssailorstostandbytolower.

inamomenthewasstandingintheboat'sstern,andthemanillamenwerespringingtotheiroars.invaintheenglishcaptainhailedhim.withbacktothestrangership,andfacesetlikeaflinttohisown,ahabstooduprighttillalongsideofthepequod.