CHAPTER48TheFirstLowering

thephantoms,forsotheythenseemed,wereflittingontheothersideofthedeck,and,withanoiselesscelerity,werecastingloosethetacklesandbandsoftheboatwhichswungthere.thisboathadalwaysbeendeemedoneofthespareboats,thoughtechnicallycalledthecaptain's,onaccountofitshangingfromthestarboardquarter.thefigurethatnowstoodbyitsbowswastallandswart,withonewhitetoothevillyprotrudingfromitssteel-likelips.arumpledchinesejacketofblackcottonfunereallyinvestedhim,withwideblacktrowsersofthesamedarkstuff.butstrangelycrowningthisebonnesswasaglisteningwhiteplaitedturban,thelivinghairbraidedandcoiledroundandrounduponhishead.lessswartinaspect,thecompanionsofthisfigurewereofthatvivid,tiger-yellowcomplexionpeculiartosomeoftheaboriginalnativesofthemanillas;—aracenotoriousforacertaindiabolismofsubtilty,andbysomehonestwhitemarinerssupposedtobethepaidspiesandsecretconfidentialagentsonthewaterofthedevil,theirlord,whosecounting-roomtheysupposetobeelsewhere.

whileyetthewonderingship'scompanyweregazinguponthesestrangers,ahabcriedouttothewhite-turbanedoldmanattheirhead,"allreadythere,fedallah?"

"ready,"wasthehalf-hissedreply.

"lowerawaythen;d'yehear?"shoutingacrossthedeck."lowerawaythere,isay."

suchwasthethunderofhisvoice,thatspiteoftheiramazementthemensprangovertherail;thesheaveswhirledroundintheblocks;withawallow,thethreeboatsdroppedintothesea;while,withadexterous,off-handeddaring,unknowninanyothervocation,thesailors,goat-like,leapeddowntherollingship'ssideintothetossedboatsbelow.

hardlyhadtheypulledoutfromundertheship'slee,whenafourthkeel,comingfromthewindwardside,pulledroundunderthestern,andshowedthefivestrangersrowingahab,who,standingerectinthestern,loudlyhailedstarbuck,stubb,andflask,tospreadthemselveswidely,soastocoveralargeexpanseofwater.butwithalltheireyesagainrivetedupontheswartfedallahandhiscrew,theinmatesoftheotherboatsobeyednotthecommand.

"captainahab?—"saidstarbuck.

"spreadyourselves,"criedahab;"giveway,allfourboats.thou,flask,pulloutmoretoleeward!"

"aye,aye,sir,"cheerilycriedlittleking-post,sweepingroundhisgreatsteeringoar."layback!"addressinghiscrew."there!—there!—thereagain!theresheblowsrightahead,boys!—layback!"

"neverheedyonderyellowboys,archy."

"oh,idon'tmind'em,sir,"saidarchy;"iknewitallbeforenow.didn'tihear'eminthehold?anddidn'titellcabacohereofit?whatsayye,cabaco?theyarestowaways,mr.flask."

"pull,pull,myfinehearts-alive;pull,mychildren;pull,mylittleones,"drawlinglyandsoothinglysighedstubbtohiscrew,someofwhomstillshowedsignsofuneasiness."whydon'tyoubreakyourbackbones,myboys?whatisityoustareat?thosechapsinyonderboat?tut!theyareonlyfivemorehandscometohelpus—nevermindfromwhere—themorethemerrier.pull,then,dopull;nevermindthebrimstone—devilsaregoodfellowsenough.so,so;thereyouarenow;that'sthestrokeforathousandpounds;that'sthestroketosweepthestakes!hurrahforthegoldcupofspermoil,myheroes!threecheers,men—allheartsalive!easy,easy;don'tbeinahurry—don'tbeinahurry.whydon'tyousnapyouroars,yourascals?bitesomething,youdogs!so,so,so,then:—softly,softly!that'sit—that'sit!longandstrong.givewaythere,giveway!thedevilfetchye,yeragamuffinrapscallions;yeareallasleep.stopsnoring,yesleepers,andpull.pull,willye?pull,can'tye?pull,won'tye?whyinthenameofgudgeonsandgingercakesdon'tyepull?—pullandbreaksomething!pull,andstartyoureyesout!here!"whippingoutthesharpknifefromhisgirdle;"everymother'ssonofyedrawhisknife,andpullwiththebladebetweenhisteeth.that'sit—that'sit.nowyedosomething;thatlookslikeit,mysteel-bits.starther—starther,mysilverspoons!starther,marling-spikes!"

stubb'sexordiumtohiscrewisgivenhereatlarge,becausehehadratherapeculiarwayoftalkingtothemingeneral,andespeciallyininculcatingthereligionofrowing.butyoumustnotsupposefromthisspecimenofhissermonizingsthatheeverflewintodownrightpassionswithhiscongregation.notatall;andthereinconsistedhischiefpeculiarity.hewouldsaythemostterrificthingstohiscrew,inatonesostrangelycompoundedoffunandfury,andthefuryseemedsocalculatedmerelyasaspicetothefun,thatnooarsmancouldhearsuchqueerinvocationswithoutpullingfordearlife,andyetpullingforthemerejokeofthething.besidesheallthetimelookedsoeasyandindolenthimself,solounginglymanagedhissteeringoar,andsobroadlygaped—open-mouthedattimes—thatthemeresightofsuchayawningcommander,bysheerforceofcontrast,actedlikeacharmuponthecrew.thenagain,stubbwasoneofthoseoddsortofhumorists,whosejollityissometimessocuriouslyambiguous,astoputallinferiorsontheirguardinthematterofobeyingthem.

inobediencetoasignfromahab,starbuckwasnowpullingobliquelyacrossstubb'sbow;andwhenforaminuteorsothetwoboatswereprettyneartoeachother,stubbhailedthemate.

"mr.starbuck!larboardboatthere,ahoy!awordwithye,sir,ifyeplease!"

"halloa!"returnedstarbuck,turningroundnotasingleinchashespoke;stillearnestlybutwhisperinglyurginghiscrew;hisfacesetlikeaflintfromstubb's.

"whatthinkyeofthoseyellowboys,sir!"

"ledonboard,somehow,beforetheshipsailed.(strong,strong,boys!)"inawhispertohiscrew,thenspeakingoutloudagain:"asadbusiness,mr.stubb!(seetheher,seetheher,mylads!)butnevermind,mr.stubb,allforthebest.letallyourcrewpullstrong,comewhatwill.(spring,mymen,spring!)there'shogsheadsofspermahead,mr.stubb,andthat'swhatyecamefor.(pull,myboys!)sperm,sperm'stheplay!thisatleastisduty;dutyandprofithandinhand."

"aye,aye,ithoughtasmuch,"soliloquizedstubb,whentheboatsdiverged,"assoonasiclapteyeon'em,ithoughtso.aye,andthat'swhathewentintotheafterholdfor,sooften,asdough-boylongsuspected.theywerehiddendownthere.thewhitewhale'satthebottomofit.well,well,sobeit!can'tbehelped!allright!giveway,men!itain'tthewhitewhaletoday!giveway!"

nowtheadventoftheseoutlandishstrangersatsuchacriticalinstantastheloweringoftheboatsfromthedeck,thishadnotunreasonablyawakenedasortofsuperstitiousamazementinsomeoftheship'scompany;butarchy'sfancieddiscoveryhavingsometimepreviousgotabroadamongthem,thoughindeednotcreditedthen,thishadinsomesmallmeasurepreparedthemfortheevent.ittookofftheextremeedgeoftheirwonder;andsowhatwithallthisandstubb'sconfidentwayofaccountingfortheirappearance,theywereforthetimefreedfromsuperstitioussurmisings;thoughtheaffairstillleftabundantroomforallmannerofwildconjecturesastodarkahab'spreciseagencyinthematterfromthebeginning.forme,isilentlyrecalledthemysteriousshadowsihadseencreepingonboardthepequodduringthedimnantucketdawn,aswellastheenigmaticalhintingsoftheountableelijah.

meantime,ahab,outofhearingofhisofficers,havingsidedthefurthesttowindward,wasstillrangingaheadoftheotherboats;acircumstancebespeakinghowpotentacrewwaspullinghim.thosetigeryellowcreaturesofhisseemedallsteelandwhalebone;likefivetrip-hammerstheyroseandfellwithregularstrokesofstrength,whichperiodicallystartedtheboatalongthewaterlikeahorizontalburstboileroutofamississippisteamer.asforfedallah,whowasseenpullingtheharpooneeroar,hehadthrownasidehisblackjacket,anddisplayedhisnakedchestwiththewholepartofhisbodyabovethegunwale,clearlycutagainstthealternatingdepressionsofthewateryhorizon;whileattheotherendoftheboatahab,withonearm,likeafencer's,thrownhalfbackwardintotheair,asiftocounterbalanceanytendencytotrip;ahabwasseensteadilymanaginghissteeringoarasinathousandboatloweringserethewhitewhalehadtornhim.allatoncetheoutstretchedarmgaveapeculiarmotionandthenremainedfixed,whiletheboat'sfivoarswereseensimultaneouslypeaked.boatandcrewsatmotionlessonthesea.instantlythethreespreadboatsintherearpausedontheirway.thewhaleshadirregularlysettledbodilydownintotheblue,thusgivingnodistantlydiscernibletokenofthemovement,thoughfromhiscloservicinityahabhadobservedit.

"everymanlookoutalonghisoars!"criedstarbuck."thou,queequeg,standup!"

nimblyspringinguponthetriangularraisedboxinthebow,thesavagestooderectthere,andwithintenselyeagereyesgazedofftowardsthespotwherethechasehadlastbeendescried.likewiseupontheextremesternoftheboatwhereitwasalsotriangularlyplatformedlevelwiththegunwale,starbuckhimselfwasseencoollyandadroitlybalancinghimselftothejerkingtossingsofhischipofacraft,andsilentlyeyeingthevastblueeyeofthesea.

notveryfardistantflask'sboatwasalsolyingbreathlesslystill;itscommanderrecklesslystandinguponthetopoftheerhead,astoutsortofpostrootedinthekeel,andrisingsometwofeetabovethelevelofthesternplatform.itisusedforcatchingturnswiththewhaleline.itstopisnotmorespaciousthanthepalmofaman'shand,andstandinguponsuchabaseasthat,flaskseemedperchedatthemast-headofsomeshipwhichhadsunktoallbuthertrucks.butlittleking-postwassmallandshort,andatthesametimelittleking-postwasfullofalargeandtallambition,sothatthiserheadstand-pointofhisdidbynomeanssatisfyking-post.

"ican'tseethreeseasoff;tipusupanoarthere,andletmeontothat."

uponthis,oo,witheitherhanduponthegunwaletosteadyhisway,swiftlyslidaft,andthenerectinghimselfvolunteeredhisloftyshouldersforapedestal.

"goodamast-headasany,sir.willyoumount?"

"thatiwill,andthankyeverymuch,myfinefellow;onlyiwishyoufiftyfeettaller.

whereuponplantinghisfeetfirmlyagainsttwooppositeplanksoftheboat,thegiganticnegro,stoopingalittle,presentedhisflatpalmtoflask'sfoot,andthenputtingflask'shandonhishearse-plumedheadandbiddinghimspringashehimselfshouldtoss,withonedexterousflinglandedthelittlemanhighanddryonhisshoulders.andherewasflasknowstanding,oowithoneliftedarmfurnishinghimwithabreastbandtoleanagainstandsteadyhimselfby.

atanytimeitisastrangesighttothetyrotoseewithwhatwondroushabitudeofunconsciousskillthewhalemanwillmaintainanerectpostureinhisboat,evenwhenpitchedaboutbythemostriotouslyperverseandcross-runningseas.stillmorestrangetoseehimgiddilyperchedupontheerheaditself,undersuchcircumstances.butthesightoflittleflaskmountedupongiganticoowasyetmorecurious;forsustaininghimselfwithacool,indifferent,easy,unthoughtof,barbaricmajesty,thenoblenegrotoeveryrolloftheseaharmoniouslyrolledhisfineform.onhisbroadback,flaxenhairedflaskseemedasnow-flake.thebearerlookednoblerthantherider.thoughtrulyvivacious,tumultuous,ostentatiouslittleflaskwouldnowandthenstampwithimpatience;butnotoneaddedheavedidhetherebygivetothenegro'slordlychest.sohaveiseenpassionandvanitystampingthelivingmagnanimousearth,buttheearthdidnotalterhertidesandherseasonsforthat.

meanwhilestubb,thethirdmate,betrayednosuchfar-gazingsolicitudes.thewhalesmighthavemadeoneoftheirregularsoundings,notatemporarydivefrommerefright;andifthatwerethecase,stubb,ashiswontinsuchcases,itseems,wasresolvedtosolacethelanguishingintervalwithhispipe.hewithdrewitfromhishatband,wherehealwaysworeitaslantlikeafeather.heloadedit,andrammedhometheloadingwithhisthumb-end;buthardlyhadheignitedhismatchacrosstheroughsandpaperofhishand,whentashtego,hisharpooneer,whoseeyeshadbeensettingtowindwardliketwofixedstars,suddenlydroppedlikelightfromhiserectattitudetohisseat,cryingoutinaquickphrensyofhurry,"down,downall,andgiveway!—theretheyare!"

toalandsman,nowhale,noranysignofaherring,wouldhavebeenvisibleatthatmoment;nothingbutatroubledbitofgreenishwhitewater,andthinscatteredpuffsofvaporhoveringoverit,andsuffusinglyblowingofftoleeward,liketheconfusedscudfromwhiterollingbillows.theairaroundsuddenlyvibratedandtingled,asitwere,liketheairoverintenselyheatedplatesofiron.beneaththisatmosphericwavingandcurling,andpartiallybeneathathinlayerofwater,also,thewhaleswereswimming.seeninadvanceofalltheotherindications,thepuffsofvaportheyspouted,seemedtheirforerunningcouriersanddetachedflyingoutriders.

allfourboatswerenowinkeenpursuitofthatonespotoftroubledwaterandair.butitbadefairtooutstripthem;itflewonandon,asamassofinterblendingbubblesbornedownarapidstreamfromthehills.

"pull,pull,mygoodboys,"saidstarbuck,inthelowestpossiblebutintensestconcentratedwhispertohismen;whilethesharpfixedglancefromhiseyesdartedstraightaheadofthebow,almostseemedastwovisibleneedlesintwounerringbinnaclecompasses.hedidnotsaymuchtohiscrew,though,nordidhiscrewsayanythingtohim.onlythesilenceoftheboatwasatintervalsstartlinglypiercedbyoneofhispeculiarwhispers,nowharshwithcommand,nowsoftwithentreaty.

howdifferenttheloudlittleking-post."singoutandsaysomething,myhearties.roarandpull,mythunderbolts!beachme,beachmeontheirblackbacks,boys;onlydothatforme,andi'llsignovertoyoumymartha'svineyardplantation,boys;includingwifeandchildren,boys.laymeon—laymeon!olord,lord!butishallgostark,staringmad!see!seethatwhitewater!"andsoshouting,hepulledhishatfromhishead,andstampedupanddownonit;thenpickingitup,flirteditfaroffuponthesea;andfinallfelltorearingandplungingintheboat'ssternlikeacrazedcoltfromtheprairie.

"lookatthatchapnow,"philosophicallydrawledstubb,who,withhisunlightedshortpipe,mechanicallyretainedbetweenhisteeth,atashortdistance,followedafter—"he'sgotfits,thatflaskhas.fits?yes,givehimfits—that'stheveryword—pitchfitsinto'em.merrily,merrily,hearts-alive.puddingforsupper,youknow;—merry'stheword.pull,babes—pull,sucklings—pull,all.butwhatthedevilareyouhurryingabout?softly,softly,andsteadily,mymen.onlypull,andkeeppulling;nothingmore.crackallyourbackbones,andbiteyourknivesintwo—that'sall.takeiteasy—whydon'tyetakeiteasy,isay,andburstallyourliversandlungs!"

butwhatitwasthatinscrutableahabsaidtothattiger-yellowcrewofhis—thesewerewordsbestomittedhere;foryouliveundertheblessedlightoftheevangelicalland.onlytheinfidelsharksintheaudaciousseasmaygiveeartosuchwords,when,withtornadobrow,andeyesofredmurder,andfoamgluedlips,ahableapedafterhisprey.

meanwhile,alltheboatstoreon.therepeatedspecificallusionsofflaskto"thatwhale,"ashecalledthefictitiousmonsterwhichhedeclaredtobeincessantlytantalizinghisboat'sbowwithitstail—theseallusionsofhiswereattimessovividandlifelike,thattheywouldcausesomeoneortwoofhismentosnatchafearfullookovertheshoulder.butthiswasagainstallrule;fortheoarsmenmustputouttheireyes,andramaskewerthroughtheirnecks;usagepronouncingthattheymusthavenoorgansbutears,andnolimbsbutarms,inthesecriticalmoments.

itwasasightfullofquickwonderandawe!thevastswellsoftheomnipotentsea;thesurging,hollowroartheymade,astheyrolledalongtheeightgunwales,likegiganticbowlsinaboundlessreen;thebriefsuspendedagonyoftheboat,asitwouldtipforaninstantontheknife-likeedgeofthesharperwaves,thatalmostseemedthreateningtocutitintwo;thesuddenprofounddipintothewateryglensandhollows;thekeenspurringsandgoadingstogainthetopoftheoppositehill;theheadlong,sled-likeslidedownitsotherside;—allthese,withthecriesoftheheadsmenandharpooneers,andtheshudderinggaspsoftheoarsmen,withthewondroussightoftheivorypequodbearingdownuponherboatswithoutstretchedsails,likeawildhenafterherscreamingbrood;—allthiswasthrilling.

nottherawrecruit,marchingfromthebosomofhiswifeintothefeverheatofhisfirstbattle;notthedeadman'sghostencounteringthefirstunknownphantomintheotherworld;—neitherofthesecanfeelstrangerandstrongeremotionsthanthatmandoes,whoforthefirsttimefindshimselfpullingintothecharmed,churnedcircleofthehuntedspermwhale.

thedancingwhitewatermadebythechasewasnowbecomingmoreandmorevisible,owingtotheincreasingdarknessoftheduncloud-shadowsflunguponthesea.thejetsofvapornolongerblended,buttiltedeverywheretorightandleft;thewhalesseemedseparatingtheirwakes.theboatswerepulledmoreapart;starbuckgivingchasetothreewhalesrunningdeadtoleeward.oursailwasnowset,and,withthestillrisingwind,werushedalong;theboatgoingwithsuchmadnessthroughthewater,thattheleeoarscouldscarcelybeworkedrapidlyenoughtoescapebeingtornfromtherow-locks.

soonwewererunningthroughasuffusingwideveilofmist;neithershipnorboattobeseen.

"giveway,men,"whisperedstarbuck,drawingstillfurtheraftthesheetofhissail;"thereistimetokillafishyetbeforethesquallcomes.there'swhitewateragain!—closeto!spring!"

soonafter,twocriesinquickessiononeachsideofusdenotedthattheotherboatshadgotfast;buthardlyweretheyoverheard,whenwithalightninglikehurtlingwhisperstarbucksaid:"standup!"andqueequeg,harpooninhand,sprangtohisfeet.

thoughnotoneoftheoarsmenwasthenfacingthelifeanddeathperilsoclosetothemahead,yetwiththeireyesontheintensecountenanceofthemateinthesternoftheboat,theyknewthattheimminentinstanthadcome;theyheard,too,anenormouswallowingsoundasoffiftyelephantsstirringintheirlitter.meanwhiletheboatwasstillboomingthroughthemist,thewavescurlingandhissingaroundusliketheerectedcrestsofenragedserpents.

"that'shishump.there,there,giveittohim!"whisperedstarbuck.

ashortrushingsoundleapedoutoftheboat;itwasthedartedironofqueequeg.thenallinoneweldedcommotioncameaninvisiblepushfromastern,whileforwardtheboatseemedstrikingonaledge;thesailcollapsedandexploded;agushofscaldingvaporshotupnearby;somethingrolledandtumbledlikeanearthquakebeneathus.thewholecrewwerehalfsuffocatedastheyweretossedhelter-skelterintothewhitecurdlingcreamofthesquall.squall,whale,andharpoonhadallblendedtogether;andthewhale,merelygrazedbytheiron,escaped.

thoughcompletelyswamped,theboatwasnearlyunharmed.swimmingrounditwepickedupthefloatingoars,andlashingthemacrossthegunwale,tumbledbacktoourplaces.therewesatuptoourkneesinthesea,thewatercoveringeveryribandplank,sothattoourdownwardgazingeyesthesuspendedcraftseemedacoralboatgrownuptousfromthebottomoftheocean.

thewindincreasedtoahowl;thewavesdashedtheirbucklerstogether;thewholesquallroared,forked,andcrackledarounduslikeawhitefireupontheprairie,inwhich,unconsumed,wewereburning;immortalinthesejawsofdeath!invainwehailedtheotherboats;aswellroartothelivecoalsdownthechimneyofaflamingfurnaceashailthoseboatsinthatstorm.meanwhilethedrivingscud,rack,andmist,grewdarkerwiththeshadowsofnight;nosignoftheshipcouldbeseen.therisingseaforbadeallattemptstobaleouttheboat.theoarswereuselessaspropellers,performingnowtheofficeoflifepreservers.so,cuttingthelashingofthewaterproofmatchkeg,aftermanyfailuresstarbuckcontrivedtoignitethelampinthelantern;thenstretchingitonawaifpole,handedittoqueequegasthestandardbearerofthisforlornhope.there,then,hesat,holdingupthatimbecilecandleintheheartofthatalmightyforlornness.there,then,hesat,thesignandsymbolofamanwithoutfaith,hopelesslyholdinguphopeinthemidstofdespair.

wet,drenchedthrough,andshiveringcold,despairingofshiporboat,weliftedupoureyesasthedawncameon.themiststillspreadoverthesea,theemptylanternlaycrushedinthebottomoftheboat.suddenlyqueequegstartedtohisfeet,hollowinghishandtohisear.weallheardafaintcreaking,asofropesandyardshithertomuffledbythestorm.thesoundcamenearerandnearer;thethickmistsweredimlypartedbyahuge,vagueform.affrighted,weallsprangintotheseaastheshipatlastloomedintoview,bearingrightdownuponuswithinadistanceofnotmuchmorethanitslength.