CHAPTER40Midnight,Forecastle

harpooneersandsailors.

(foresailrisesanddiscoversthewatchstanding,lounging,leaning,andlyinginvariousattitudes,allsinginginchorus.)

farewellandadieutoyou,spanishladies!

farewellandadieutoyou,ladiesofspain!

ourcaptain'scommanded.—

1stnantucketsailor.oh,boys,don'tbesentimental;it'sbadforthedigestion!takeatonic,followme!

(sings,andallfollow.)

ourcaptainstooduponthedeck,

aspy-glassinhishand,

aviewingofthosegallantwhales

thatblewateverystrand.

oh,yourtubsinyourboats,myboys,

andbyyourbracesstand,

andwe'llhaveoneofthosefinewhales

hand,boys,overhand!

so,becheery,mylads!mayyourheartsneverfail!

whiletheboldharpoonerisstrikingthewhale!

mate'svoicefromthequarter-deck.eightbellsthere,forward!

2ndnantucketsailor.avastthechorus!eightbellsthere!d'yehear,bell-boy?strikethebelleight,thoupip!thoublackling!andletmecallthewatch.i'vethesortofmouthforthat—thehogsheadmouth.so,so,(thrustshisheaddownthescuttle,)star-bo-l-e-e-n-s,a-h-o-y!eightbellstherebelow!tumbleup!

dutchsailor.grandsnoozingto-night,maty;fatnightforthat.imarkthisinouroldmogul'swine;it'squiteasdeadeningtosomeasfillipingtoothers.wesing;theysleep—aye,liedownthere,likegroundtierbutts.at'emagain!there,takethiscopper-pump,andhail'emthroughit.tell'emtoavastdreamingoftheirlasses.tell'emit'stheresurrection;theymustkisstheirlast,andcometojudgment.that'stheway—that'sit;thythroatain'tspoiledwitheatingamsterdambutter.

frenchsailor.hist,boys!let'shaveajigortwobeforeweridetoanchorinblanketbay.whatsayye?therecomestheotherwatch.standbyalllegs!pip!littlepip!hurrahwithyourtambourine!

pip.(sulkyandsleepy.)don'tknowwhereitis.

frenchsailor.beatthybelly,then,andwagthyears.jigit,men,isay;merry'stheword;hurrah!damnme,won'tyoudance?form,now,indian-file,andgallopintothedouble-shuffle?throwyourselves!legs!legs!

icelandsailor.idon'tlikeyourfloor,maty;it'stoospringytomytaste.i'musedtoice-floors.i'msorrytothrowcoldwateronthesubject;butexcuseme.

maltesesailor.metoo;where'syourgirls?whobutafoolwouldtakehislefthandbyhisright,andsaytohimself,howd'yedo?partners!imusthavepartners!

siciliansailor.aye;girlsandagreen!—theni'llhopwithye;yea,turngrasshopper!

long-islandsailor.well,well,yesulkies,there'splentymoreofus.hoecornwhenyoumay,sayi.alllegsgotoharvestsoon.ah!herecomesthemusic;nowforit!

azoresailor.(ascending,andpitchingthetambourineupthescuttle.)hereyouare,pip;andthere'sthewindlass-bitts;upyoumount!now,boys!(thehalfofthemdancetothetambourine;somegobelow;somesleeporlieamongthecoilsofing.oathsa-plenty.)

azoresailor.(dancing)goit,pip!bangit,bell-boy!rigit,digit,stigit,quigit,bell-boy!makefire-flies;breakthejingler!

pip.jinglers,yousay?—theregoesanother,droppedoff;ipounditso.

chinasailor.rattlethyteeth,then,andpoundaway;makeapagodaofthyself.

frenchsailor.merry-mad!holdupthyhoop,pip,tillijumpthroughit!splitjibs!tearyourselves!

tashtego.(quietlysmoking.)that'sawhiteman;hecallsthatfun:humph!isavemysweat.

oldmanxsailor.iwonderwhetherthosejollyladsbethinkthemofwhattheyaredancingover.i'lldanceoveryourgrave,iwill—that'sthebitterestthreatofyournight-women,thatbeathead-windsroundcorners.ochrist!tothinkofthegreennaviesandthegreen-skulledcrews!well,well;belikethewholeworld'saball,asyouscholarshaveit;andso'tisrighttomakeoneballroomofit.danceon,lads,you'reyoung;iwasonce.

3dnantucketsailor.spelloh!—whew!thisisworsethanpullingafterwhalesinacalm—giveusawhiff,tash.

(theyceasedancing,andgatherinclusters.meantimetheskydarkens—thewindrises.)

lascarsailor.bybrahma!boys,it'llbedousesailsoon.thesky-born,high-tidegangesturnedtowind!thoushowestthyblackbrow,seeva!

maltesesailor.(recliningandshakinghiscap.)it'sthewaves—thesnow'scapsturntojigitnow.they'llshaketheirtasselssoon.nowwouldallthewaveswerewomen,theni'dgodrown,andchasseewiththemevermore!there'snaughtsosweetonearth—heavenmaynotmatchit!—asthoseswiftglancesofwarm,wildbosomsinthedance,whentheover-arboringarmshidesuchripe,burstinggrapes.

siciliansailor.(reclining.)tellmenotofit!harkye,lad—fleetinterlacingsofthelimbs—litheswayings—coyings—flutterings!lip!heart!hip!allgraze:unceasingtouchandgo!nottaste,observeye,elsecomesatiety.eh,pagan?(nudging.)

tahitansailor.(recliningonamat.)hail,holynakednessofourdancinggirls!—theheevaheeva!ah!lowveiled,highpalmedtahiti!istillrestmeonthymat,butthesoftsoilhasslid!isawtheewoveninthewood,mymat!greenthefirstdayibroughtyethence;nowwornandwiltedquite.ahme!—notthounoricanbearthechange!howthen,ifsobetransplantedtoyonsky?hearitheroaringstreamsfrompirohitee'speakofspears,whentheyleapdownthecragsanddrownthevillages?—theblast!theblast!up,spine,andmeetit!(leapstohisfeet.)

portuguesesailor.howthesearollsswashing'gainsttheside!standbyforreefing,hearties!thewindsarejustcrossingswords,pell-mellthey'llgolungingpresently.

danishsailor.crack,crack,oldship!solongasthoucrackest,thouholdest!welldone!thematethereholdsyetoitstiffly.he'snomoreafraidthantheislefortatcattegat,puttheretofightthebalticwithstorm-lashedguns,onwhichthesea-saltcakes!

4thnantucketsailor.hehashisorders,mindyethat.iheardoldahabtellhimhemustalwayskillasquall,somethingastheyburstawaterspoutwithapistol—fireyourshiprightintoit.

englishsailor.blood!butthatoldman'sagrandoldcove!wearetheladstohunthimuphiswhale!

all.aye!aye!

oldmanxsailor.howthethreepinesshake!pinesarethehardestsortoftreetolivewhenshiftedtoanyothersoil,andherethere'snonebutthecrew'scursedclay.steady,helmsman!steady.thisisthesortofweatherwhenbraveheartssnapashore,andkeeledhullssplitatsea.ourcaptainhashisbirthmark;lookyonder,boys,there'sanotherinthesky—lurid-like,yesee,allelsepitchblack.

oo.whatofthat?who'safraidofblack'safraidofme!i'mquarriedoutofit!

spanishsailor.(aside.)hewantstobully,ah!—theoldgrudgemakesmetouchy(advancing.)aye,harpooneer,thyraceistheundeniabledarksideofmankind—devilishdarkatthat.nooffence.

oo(grimly).none.