CHAPTER41MobyDick

i,ishmael,wasoneofthatcrew;myshoutshadgoneupwiththerest;myoathhadbeenweldedwiththeirs;andstrongerishouted,andmoredidihammerandclinchmyoath,becauseofthedreadinmysoul.awild,mystical,sympatheticalfeelingwasinme;ahab'squenchlessfeudseemedmine.withgreedyearsilearnedthehistoryofthatmurderousmonsteragainstwhomiandalltheothershadtakenouroathsofviolenceandrevenge.

forsometimepast,thoughatintervalsonly,theompanied,secludedwhitewhalehadhauntedthoseuncivilizedseasmostlyfrequentedbythespermwhalefishermen.butnotallofthemknewofhisexistence;onlyafewofthem,comparatively,hadknowinglyseenhim;whilethenumberwhoasyethadactuallyandknowinglygivenbattletohim,wassmallindeed.for,owingtothelargenumberofwhale-cruisers;thedisorderlywaytheyweresprinkledovertheentirewaterycircumference,manyofthemadventurouslypushingtheirquestalongsolitarylatitudes,soasseldomorneverforawholetwelvemonthormoreonastretch,toencounterasinglenews-tellingsailofanysort;theinordinatelengthofeachseparatevoyage;theirregularityofthetimesofsailingfromhome;allthese,withothercircumstances,directandindirect,longobstructedthespreadthroughthewholeworld-widewhalingfleetofthespecialindividualizingtidingsconcerningmobydick.itwashardlytobedoubted,thatseveralvesselsreportedtohaveencountered,atsuchorsuchatime,oronsuchorsuchameridian,aspermwhaleofuncommonmagnitudeandmalignity,whichwhale,afterdoinggreatmischieftohisassailants,hadcompletelyescapedthem;tosomemindsitwasnotanunfairpresumption,isay,thatthewhaleinquestionmusthavebeennootherthanmobydick.yetasoflatethespermwhalefisheryhadbeenmarkedbyvariousandnotunfrequentinstancesofgreatferocity,cunning,andmaliceinthemonsterattacked;thereforeitwas,thatthosewhobyaccidentignorantlygavebattletomobydick;suchhunters,perhaps,forthemostpart,werecontenttoascribethepeculiarterrorhebred,more,asitwere,totheperilsofthespermwhalefisheryatlarge,thantotheindividualcause.inthatway,mostly,thedisastrousencounterbetweenahabandthewhalehadhithertobeenpopularlyregarded.

andasforthosewho,previouslyhearingofthewhitewhale,bychancecaughtsightofhim;inthebeginningofthethingtheyhadeveryoneofthem,almost,asboldlyandfearlesslyloweredforhim,asforanyotherwhaleofthatspecies.butatlength,suchcalamitiesdidensueintheseassaults—notrestrictedtosprainedwristsandankles,brokenlimbs,ordevouringamputations—butfataltothelastdegreeoffatality;thoserepeateddisastrousrepulses,allaccumulatingandpilingtheirterrorsuponmobydick;thosethingshadgonefartoshakethefortitudeofmanybravehunters,towhomthestoryofthewhitewhalehadeventuallycome.

nordidwildrumorsofallsortsfailtoerate,andstillthemorehorrifythetruehistoriesofthesedeadlyencounters.fornotonlydofabulousrumorsnaturallygrowoutoftheverybodyofallsurprisingterribleevents,—asthesmittentreegivesbirthtoitsfungi;but,inmaritimelife,farmorethaninthatofterrafirma,wildrumorsabound,whereverthereisanyadequaterealityforthemtoclingto.andastheseasurpassesthelandinthismatter,sothewhalefisherysurpasseseveryothersortofmaritimelife,inthewonderfulnessandfearfulnessoftherumorswhichsometimescirculatethere.fornotonlyarewhalemenasabodyunexemptfromthatignoranceandsuperstitiousnesshereditarytoallsailors;butofallsailors,theyarebyalloddsthemostdirectlybroughtintocontactwithwhateverisappallinglyastonishinginthesea;facetofacetheynotonlyeyeitsgreatestmarvels,but,handtojaw,givebattletothem.alone,insuchremotestwaters,thatthoughyousailedathousandmiles,andpassedathousandshores,youwouldnotcometoanychiseledhearth-stone,oraughthospitablebeneaththatpartofthesun;insuchlatitudesandlongitudes,pursuingtoosuchacallingashedoes,thewhalemaniswrappedbyinfluencesalltendingtomakehisfancypregnantwithmanyamightybirth.

nowonder,then,thatevergatheringvolumefromthemeretransitoverthewidestwateryspaces,theoutblownrumorsofthewhitewhaledidintheendincorporatewiththemselvesallmannerofmorbidhints,andhalf-formedf?talestionsofsupernaturalagencies,whicheventuallyinvestedmobydickwithnewterrorsunborrowedfromanythingthatvisiblyappears.sothatinmanycasessuchapanicdidhefinallystrike,thatfewwhobythoserumors,atleast,hadheardofthewhitewhale,fewofthosehunterswerewillingtoencountertheperilsofhisjaw.

buttherewerestillotherandmorevitalpracticalinfluencesatwork.notevenatthepresentdayhastheoriginalprestigeofthespermwhale,asfearfullydistinguishedfromallotherspeciesoftheleviathan,diedoutofthemindsofthewhalemenasabody.therearethosethisdayamongthem,who,thoughintelligentandcourageousenoughinofferingbattletothegreenlandorrightwhale,wouldperhaps—eitherfromprofessionalinexperience,orincompetency,ortimidity,declineacontestwiththespermwhale;atanyrate,thereareplentyofwhalemen,especiallyamongthosewhalingnationsnotsailingundertheamericanflag,whohaveneverhostilelyencounteredthespermwhale,butwhosesoleknowledgeoftheleviathanisrestrictedtotheignoblemonsterprimitivelypursuedinthenorth;seatedontheirhatches,thesemenwillhearkenwithachildishfiresideinterestandawe,tothewild,strangetalesofsouthernwhaling.noristhepre-eminenttremendousnessofthegreatspermwhaleanywheremorefeelinglycomprehended,thanonboardofthoseprowswhichstemhim.

andasifthenowtestedrealityofhismighthadinformerlegendarytimesthrownitsshadowbeforeit;wefindsomebooknaturalists—olassenandpovelson—declaringthespermwhalenotonlytobeaconsternationtoeveryothercreatureinthesea,butalsotobesoincrediblyferociousascontinuallytobeathirstforhumanblood.norevendowntosolateatimeascuvier's,weretheseoralmostsimilarimpressionseffaced.forinhisnaturalhistory,thebaronhimselfaffirmsthatatsightofthespermwhale,allfish(sharksincluded)are"struckwiththemostlivelyterrors,"and"oftenintheprecipitancyoftheirflightdashthemselvesagainsttherockswithsuchviolenceastocauseinstantaneousdeath."andhoweverthegeneralexperiencesinthefisherymayamendsuchreportsasthese;yetintheirfullterribleness,eventothebloodthirstyitemofpovelson,thesuperstitiousbeliefinthemis,insomevicissitudesoftheirvocation,revivedinthemindsofthehunters.

sothatoverawedbytherumorsandportentsconcerninghim,notafewofthefishermenrecalled,inreferencetomobydick,theearlierdaysofthespermwhalefishery,whenitwasoftentimeshardtoinducelongpractisedrightwhalementoembarkintheperilsofthisnewanddaringwarfare;suchmenprotestingthatalthoughotherleviathansmightbehopefullypursued,yettochaseandpointlanceatsuchanapparitionasthespermwhalewasnotformortalman.thattoattemptit,wouldbeinevitablytobetornintoaquicketernity.onthishead,therearesomeremarkabledocumentsthatmaybeconsulted.

nevertheless,sometherewere,whoeveninthefaceofthesethingswerereadytogivechasetomobydick;andastillgreaternumberwho,chancingonlytohearofhimdistantlyandvaguely,withoutthespecificdetailsofanycertaincalamity,andwithoutsuperstitiousaccompaniments,weresufficientlyhardynottofleefromthebattleifoffered.

oneofthewildestionsreferredto,asatlastcomingtobelinkedwiththewhitewhaleinthemindsofthesuperstitiouslyinclined,wastheunearthlyconceitthatmobydickwasubiquitous;thathehadactuallybeenencounteredinoppositelatitudesatoneandthesameinstantoftime.

nor,credulousassuchmindsmusthavebeen,wasthisconceitaltogetherwithoutsomefaintshowofsuperstitiousprobability.forasthesecretsofthecurrentsintheseashaveneveryetbeendivulged,eventothemosteruditeresearch;sothehiddenwaysofthespermwhalewhenbeneaththesurfaceremain,ingreatpart,ountabletohispursuers;andfromtimetotimehaveoriginatedthemostcuriousandcontradictoryspeculationsregardingthem,especiallyconcerningthemysticmodeswhereby,aftersoundingtoagreatdepth,hetransportshimselfwithsuchvastswiftnesstothemostwidelydistantpoints.

itisathingwellknowntobothamericanandenglishwhale-ships,andaswellathingplaceduponauthoritativerecordyearsagobyscoresby,thatsomewhaleshavebeencapturedfarnorthinthepacific,inwhosebodieshavebeenfoundthebarbsofharpoonsdartedinthegreenlandseas.norisittobegainsaid,thatinsomeoftheseinstancesithasbeendeclaredthattheintervaloftimebetweenthetwoassaultscouldnothaveexceededverymanydays.hence,byinference,ithasbeenbelievedbysomewhalemen,thatthenor'westpassage,solongaproblemtoman,wasneveraproblemtothewhale.sothathere,inthereallivingexperienceoflivingmen,theprodigiesrelatedinoldtimesoftheinlandstrellomountaininportugal(nearwhosetoptherewassaidtobealakeinwhichthewrecksofshipsfloateduptothesurface);andthatstillmorewonderfulstoryofthearethusafountainnearsyracuse(whosewaterswerebelievedtohavecomefromtheholylandbyanundergroundpassage);thesefabulousnarrationsarealmostfullyequalledbytherealitiesofthewhalemen.

forcedintofamiliarity,then,withsuchprodigiesasthese;andknowingthatafterrepeated,intrepidassaults,thewhitewhalehadescapedalive;itcannotbemuchmatterofsurprisethatsomewhalemenshouldgostillfurtherintheirsuperstitions;declaringmobydicknotonlyubiquitous,butimmortal(forimmortalityisbutubiquityintime);thatthoughgrovesofspearsshouldbeplantedinhisflanks,hewouldstillswimawayunharmed;orifindeedheshouldeverbemadetospoutthickblood,suchasightwouldbebutaghastlydeception;foragaininunensanguinedbillowshundredsofleaguesaway,hisunsulliedjetwouldoncemorebeseen.

butevenstrippedofthesesupernaturalsurmisings,therewasenoughintheearthlymakeandincontestablecharacterofthemonstertostriketheimaginationwithunwontedpower.for,itwasnotsomuchhisuncommonbulkthatsomuchdistinguishedhimfromotherspermwhales,but,aswaselsewherethrownout—apeculiarsnow-whitewrinkledforehead,andahigh,pyramidicalwhitehump.thesewerehisprominentfeatures;thetokenswhereby,eveninthelimitless,unchartedseas,herevealedhisidentity,atalongdistance,tothosewhoknewhim.

therestofhisbodywassostreaked,andspotted,andmarbledwiththesameshroudedhue,that,intheend,hehadgainedhisdistinctiveappellationofthewhitewhale;aname,indeed,literallyjustifiedbyhisvividaspect,whenseenglidingathighnoonthroughadarkbluesea,leavingamilky-waywakeofcreamyfoam,allspangledwithgoldengleamings.

norwasithisunwontedmagnitude,norhisremarkablehue,noryethisdeformedlowerjaw,thatsomuchinvestedthewhalewithnaturalterror,asthatunexampled,intelligentmalignitywhich,accordingtospecificaccounts,hehadoverandoveragainevincedinhisassaults.morethanall,histreacherousretreatsstruckmoreofdismaythanperhapsaughtelse.for,whenswimmingbeforehisexultingpursuers,witheveryapparentsymptomofalarm,hehadseveraltimesbeenknowntoturnroundsuddenly,and,bearingdownuponthem,eitherstavetheirboatstosplinters,ordrivethembackinconsternationtotheirship.

alreadyseveralfatalitieshadattendedhischase.butthoughsimilardisasters,howeverlittlebruitedashore,werebynomeansunusualinthefishery;yet,inmostinstances,suchseemedthewhitewhale'sinfernalaforethoughtofferocity,thateverydismemberingordeaththathecaused,wasnotwhollyregardedashavingbeeninflictedbyanunintelligentagent.

judge,then,towhatpitchesofinflamed,distractedfurythemindsofhismoredesperatehunterswereimpelled,whenamidthechipsofchewedboats,andthesinkinglimbsoftorncomrades,theyswamoutofthewhitecurdsofthewhale'sdirefulwrathintotheserene,exasperatingsunlight,thatsmiledon,asifatabirthorabridal.

histhreeboatsstovearoundhim,andoarsandmenbothwhirlingintheeddies;onecaptain,seizingtheline-knifefromhisbrokenprow,haddashedatthewhale,asanarkansasduellistathisfoe,blindlyseekingwithasixinchbladetoreachthefathomdeeplifeofthewhale.thatcaptainwasahab.andthenitwas,thatsuddenlysweepinghissickle-shapedlowerjawbeneathhim,mobydickhadreapedawayahab'sleg,asamowerabladeofgrassinthefield.noturbanedturk,nohiredvenetianormalay,couldhavesmotehimwithmoreseemingmalice.smallreasonwastheretodoubt,then,thateversincethatalmostfatalencounter,ahabhadcherishedawildvindictivenessagainstthewhale,allthemorefellforthatinhisfranticmorbidnessheatlastcametoidentifywithhim,notonlyallhisbodilywoes,butallhisintellectualandspiritualexasperations.thewhitewhaleswambeforehimasthemonomaniacincarnationofallthosemaliciousagencieswhichsomedeepmenfeeleatinginthem,tilltheyareleftlivingonwithhalfaheartandhalfalung.thatintangiblemalignitywhichhasbeenfromthebeginning;towhosedominioneventhemodernchristiansascribeone-halfoftheworlds;whichtheancientophitesoftheeastreverencedintheirstatuedevil;—ahabdidnotfalldownandworshipitlikethem;butdeliriouslytransferringitsideatotheabhorredwhitewhale,hepittedhimself,allmutilated,againstit.allthatmostmaddensandtorments;allthatstirsuptheleesofthings;alltruthwithmaliceinit;allthatcracksthesinewsandcakesthebrain;allthesubtledemonismsoflifeandthought;allevil,tocrazyahab,werevisiblypersonified,andmadepracticallyassailableinmobydick.hepileduponthewhale'swhitehumpthesumofallthegeneralrageandhatefeltbyhiswholeracefromadamdown;andthen,asifhischesthadbeenamortar,hebursthishotheart'sshelluponit.

itisnotprobablethatthismonomaniainhimtookitsinstantriseattheprecisetimeofhisbodilydismemberment.then,indartingatthemonster,knifeinhand,hehadbutgivenloosetoasudden,passionate,corporalanimosity;andwhenhereceivedthestrokethattorehim,heprobablybutfelttheagonizingbodilylaceration,butnothingmore.yet,whenbythiscollisionforcedtoturntowardshome,andforlongmonthsofdaysandweeks,ahabandanguishlaystretchedtogetherinonehammock,roundinginmidwinterthatdreary,howlingpatagoniancape;thenitwas,thathistornbodyandgashedsoulbledintooneanother;andsointerfusing,madehimmad.thatitwasonlythen,onthehomewardvoyage,aftertheencounter,thatthefinalmonomaniaseizedhim,seemsallbutcertainfromthefactthat,atintervalsduringthepassage,hewasaravinglunatic;and,thoughunlimbedofaleg,yetsuchvitalstrengthyetlurkedinhisegyptianchest,andwasmoreoverintensifiedbyhisdelirium,thathismateswereforcedtolacehimfast,eventhere,ashesailed,ravinginhishammock.inastrait-jacket,heswungtothemadrockingsofthegales.and,whenrunningintomoresufferablelatitudes,theship,withmildstun'sailsspread,floatedacrossthetranquiltropics,and,toallappearances,theoldman'sdeliriumseemedleftbehindhimwiththecapehornswells,andhecameforthfromhisdarkdenintotheblessedlightandair;eventhen,whenheborethatfirm,collectedfront,howeverpale,andissuedhiscalmordersonceagain;andhismatesthankedgodthedirefulmadnesswasnowgone;eventhen,ahab,inhishiddenself,ravedon.humanmadnessisoftentimesacunningandmostfelinething.whenyouthinkitfled,itmayhavebutbecometransfiguredintosomestillsubtlerform.ahab'sfulllunacysubsidednot,butdeepeninglycontracted;liketheunabatedhudson,whenthatnoblenorthmanflowsnarrowly,butunfathomablythroughthehighlandgorge.but,asinhisnarrow-flowingmonomania,notonejotofahab'sbroadmadnesshadbeenleftbehind;sointhatbroadmadness,notonejotofhisgreatnaturalintellecthadperished.thatbeforelivingagent,nowbecamethelivinginstrument.ifsuchafurioustropemaystand,hisspeciallunacystormedhisgeneralsanity,andcarriedit,andturnedallitsconcentredcannonuponitsownmadmark;sothatfarfromhavinglosthisstrength,ahab,tothatoneend,didnowpossessathousandfoldmorepotencythaneverhehadsanelybroughttobearuponanyonereasonableobject.

thisismuch;yetahab'slarger,darker,deeperpartremainsunhinted.butvaintopopularizeprofundities,andalltruthisprofound.windingfardownfromwithintheveryheartofthisspikedhoteldeclunywhereweherestand—howevergrandandwonderful,nowquitit;—andtakeyourway,yenobler,saddersouls,tothosevastromanhallsofthermes;wherefarbeneaththefantastictowersofman'supperearth,hisrootofgrandeur,hiswholeawfulessencesitsinbeardedstate;anantiqueburiedbeneathantiquities,andthronedontorsoes!sowithabrokenthrone,thegreatgodsmockthatcaptiveking;solikeacaryatid,hepatientsits,upholdingonhisfrozenbrowthepiledentablaturesofages.windyedownthere,yeprouder,saddersouls!questionthatproud,sadking!afamilylikeness!aye,hedidbegetye,yeyoungexiledroyalties;andfromyourgrimsireonlywilltheoldstate-secretcome.

now,inhisheart,ahabhadsomeglimpseofthis,namely:allmymeansaresane,mymotiveandmyobjectmad.yetwithoutpowertokill,orchange,orshunthefact;helikewiseknewthattomankindhedidlongdissemble;insomesort,didstill.butthatthingofhisdissemblingwasonlysubjecttohisperceptibility,nottohiswilldeterminate.nevertheless,sowelldidheeedinthatdissembling,thatwhenwithivoryleghesteppedashoreatlast,nonantucketerthoughthimotherwisethanbutnaturallygrieved,andthattothequick,withtheterriblecasualtywhichhadovertakenhim.

thereportofhisundeniabledeliriumatseawaslikewisepopularlyascribedtoakindredcause.andsotoo,alltheaddedmoodinesswhichalwaysafterwards,totheverydayofsailinginthepequodonthepresentvoyage,satbroodingonhisbrow.norisitsoveryunlikely,thatfarfromdistrustinghisfitnessforanotherwhalingvoyage,onaccountofsuchdarksymptoms,thecalculatingpeopleofthatprudentislewereinclinedtoharbortheconceit,thatforthoseveryreasonshewasallthebetterqualifiedandsetonedge,forapursuitsofullofrageandwildnessasthebloodyhuntofwhales.gnawedwithinandscorchedwithout,withtheinfixed,unrelentingfangsofsomeincurableidea;suchanone,couldhebefound,wouldseemtheverymantodarthisironandlifthislanceagainstthemostappallingofallbrutes.or,ifforanyreasonthoughttobecorporeallyincapacitatedforthat,yetsuchanonewouldseemsuperlativelycompetenttocheerandhowlonhisunderlingstotheattack.butbeallthisasitmay,certainitis,thatwiththemadsecretofhisunabatedrageboltedupandkeyedinhim,ahabhadpurposelysaileduponthepresentvoyagewiththeoneonlyandall-engrossingobjectofhuntingthewhitewhale.hadanyoneofhisoldacquaintancesonshorebuthalfdreamedofwhatwaslurkinginhimthen,howsoonwouldtheiraghastandrighteoussoulshavewrenchedtheshipfromsuchafiendishman!theywerebentonprofitablecruises,theprofitobecounteddownindollarsfromthemint.hewasintentonanaudacious,immitigable,andsupernaturalrevenge.

here,then,wasthisgrey-headed,ungodlyoldman,chasingwithcursesajob'swhaleroundtheworld,attheheadofacrew,too,chieflymadeupofmongrelrenegades,andcastaways,andcannibals—morallyenfeebledalso,bytheincompetenceofmereunaidedvirtueorright-mindednessinstarbuck,theinvulnerablejollityofindifferenceandrecklessnessinstubb,andthepervadingmediocrityinflask.suchacrew,soofficered,seemedspeciallypickedandpackedbysomeinfernalfatalitytohelphimtohismonomaniacrevenge.howitwasthattheysoaboundinglyrespondedtotheoldman'sire—bywhatevilmagictheirsoulswerepossessed,thatattimeshishateseemedalmosttheirs;thewhitewhaleasmuchtheirinsufferablefoeashis;howallthiscametobe—whatthewhitewhalewastothem,orhowtotheirunconsciousunderstandings,also,insomedim,unsuspectedway,hemighthaveseemedtheglidinggreatdemonoftheseasoflife,—allthistoexplain,wouldbetodivedeeperthanishmaelcango.thesubterraneanminerthatworksinusall,howcanonetellwhitherleadshisshaftbytheevershifting,muffledsoundofhispick?whodoesnotfeeltheirresistiblearmdrag?whatskiffintowofaseventyfourcanstandstill?forone,igavemyselfuptotheabandonmentofthetimeandtheplace;butwhileyetalla-rushtoencounterthewhale,couldseenaughtinthatbrutebutthedeadliestill.