CHAPTER52TheAlbatross

south-eastwardfromthecape,offthedistantcrozetts,agoodcruisinggroundforrightwhalemen,asailloomedahead,thegoney(albatross)byname.assheslowlydrewnigh,frommyloftyperchatthefore-mast-head,ihadagoodviewofthatsightsoremarkabletoatyrointhefaroceanfisheries—awhaleratsea,andlongabsentfromhomeasifthewaveshadbeenfullers,thiscraftwasbleachedliketheskeletonofastrandedwalrus.alldownhersides,thisspectralappearancewastracedwithlongchannelsofreddenedrust,whileallhersparsandheringwerelikethethickbranchesoftreesfurredoverwithhoar-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.meantimehisshipwasstillincreasingthedistancebetween.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,orintormentedchaseofthatdemonphantomthat,sometimeorother,swimsbeforeallhumanhearts;whilechasingsuchoverthisroundglobe,theyeitherleadusoninbarrenmazesormidwayleaveuswhelmed.