CHAPTER35TheMast-Head

itwasduringthemorepleasantweather,thatinduerotationwiththeotherseamenmyfirstmast-headcameround.

inmostamericanwhalementhemast-headsaremannedalmostsimultaneouslywiththevessel'sleavingherport;eventhoughshemayhavefifteenthousandmiles,andmore,tosailerereachingherpropercruisingground.andif,afterathree,four,orfiveyears'voyagesheisdrawingnighhomewithanythingemptyinher—say,anemptyvialeven—then,hermast-headsarekeptmannedtothelast;andnottillherskysail-polessailinamongthespiresoftheport,doesshealtogetherrelinquishthehopeofcapturingonewhalemore.

now,asthebusinessofstandingmast-heads,ashoreorafloat,isaveryancientandinterestingone,letusinsomemeasureexpatiatehere.itakeit,thattheearlieststandersofmast-headsweretheoldegyptians;because,inallmyresearches,ifindnonepriortothem.forthoughtheirprogenitors,thebuildersofbabel,mustdoubtless,bytheirtower,haveintendedtoreartheloftiestmast-headinallasia,orafricaeither;yet(erethefinaltruckwasputtoit)asthatgreatstonemastoftheirsmaybesaidtohavegonebytheboard,inthedreadgaleofgod'swrath;therefore,wecannotgivethesebabelbuilderspriorityovertheegyptians.andthattheegyptianswereanationofmast-headstanders,isanassertionbaseduponthegeneralbeliefamongarch?ologists,thatthefirstpyramidswerefoundedforastronomicalpurposes:atheorysingularlysupportedbythepeculiarstair-likeformationofallfoursidesofthoseedifices;whereby,withprodigiouslongupliftingsoftheirlegs,thoseoldastronomerswerewonttomounttotheapex,andsingoutfornewstars;evenasthelook-outsofamodernshipsingoutforasail,orawhalejustbearinginsight.insaintstylites,thefamouschristianhermitofoldtimes,whobuilthimaloftystonepillarinthedesertandspentthewholelatterportionofhislifeonitssummit,hoistinghisfoodfromthegroundwithatackle;inhimwehavearemarkableinstanceofadauntlessstander-of-mast-heads;whowasnottobedrivenfromhisplacebyfogsorfrosts,rain,hail,orsleet;butvaliantlyfacingeverythingouttothelast,literallydiedathispost.ofmodernstanders-of-mastheadswehavebutalifelessset;merestone,iron,andbronzemen;who,thoughwellcapableoffacingoutastiffgale,arestillentirelyincompetenttothebusinessofsingingoutupondiscoveringanystrangesight.thereisnapoleon;who,uponthetopofthecolumnofvendome,standswitharmsfolded,someonehundredandfiftyfeetintheair;careless,now,whorulesthedecksbelow;whetherlouisphilippe,louisblanc,orlouisthedevil.greatwashington,too,standshighaloftonhistoweringmain-mastinbaltimore,andlikeoneofhercules'pillars,hiscolumnmarksthatpointofhumangrandeurbeyondwhichfewmortalswillgo.admiralnelson,also,onacapstanofgun-metal,standshismast-headintrafalgarsquare;andeverwhenmostobscuredbythatlondonsmoke,tokenisyetgiventhatahiddenheroisthere;forwherethereissmoke,mustbefire.butneithergreatwashington,nornapoleon,nornelson,willanswerasinglehailfrombelow,howevermadlyinvokedtobefriendbytheircounselsthedistracteddecksuponwhichtheygaze;howeveritmaybesurmised,thattheirspiritspenetratethroughthethickhazeofthefuture,anddescrywhatshoalsandwhatrocksmustbeshunned.

itmayseemunwarrantabletocoupleinanyrespectthemast-headstandersofthelandwiththoseofthesea;butthatintruthitisnotso,isplainlyevincedbyanitemforwhichobedmacy,thesolehistorianofnantucket,standsaccountable.theworthyobedtellsus,thatintheearlytimesofthewhalefishery,ereshipswereregularlylaunchedinpursuitofthegame,thepeopleofthatislanderectedloftysparsalongthesea-coast,towhichthelook-outsascendedbymeansofnailedcleats,somethingasfowlsgoupstairsinahen-house.afewyearsagothissameplanwasadoptedbythebaywhalemenofnewzealand,who,upondescryingthegame,gavenoticetothereadymannedboatsnighthebeach.butthiscustomhasnowbecomeobsolete;turnwethentotheonepropermast-head,thatofawhale-shipatsea.thethreemastheadsarekeptmannedfromsun-risetosun-set;theseamentakingtheirregularturns(asatthehelm),andrelievingeachothereverytwohours.inthesereneweatherofthetropicsitisexceedinglypleasantthemast-head;nay,toadreamymeditativemanitisdelightful.thereyoustand,ahundredfeetabovethesilentdecks,stridingalongthedeep,asifthemastsweregiganticstilts,whilebeneathyouandbetweenyourlegs,asitwere,swimthehugestmonstersofthesea,evenasshipsoncesailedbetweenthebootsofthefamouscolossusatoldrhodes.thereyoustand,lostintheinfiniteseriesofthesea,withnothingruffledbutthewaves.thetrancedshipindolentlyrolls;thedrowsytradewindsblow;everythingresolvesyouintolanguor.forthemostpart,inthistropicwhalinglife,asublimeuneventfulnessinvestsyou;youhearnonews;readnogazettes;extraswithstartlingaccountsofcommonplacesneverdeludeyouintounnecessaryexcitements;youhearofnodomesticafflictions;bankruptsecurities;fallofstocks;arenevertroubledwiththethoughtofwhatyoushallhavefordinner—forallyourmealsforthreeyearsandmorearesnuglystowedincasks,andyourbilloffareisimmutable.

inoneofthosesouthernwhalesmen,onalongthreeorfouryears'voyage,asoftenhappens,thesumofthevarioushoursyouspendatthemast-headwouldamounttoseveralentiremonths.anditismuchtobedeploredthattheplacetowhichyoudevotesoconsiderableaportionofthewholetermofyournaturallife,shouldbesosadlydestituteofanythingapproachingtoacosyinhabitiveness,oradaptedtobreedacomfortablelocalnessoffeeling,suchaspertainstoabed,ahammock,ahearse,asentrybox,apulpit,acoach,oranyotherofthosesmallandsnugcontrivancesinwhichmentemporarilyisolatethemselves.yourmostusualpointofperchistheheadofthet'gallant-mast,whereyoustandupontwothinparallelsticks(almostpeculiartowhalemen)calledthet'gallantcross-trees.here,tossedaboutbythesea,thebeginnerfeelsaboutascosyashewouldstandingonabull'shorns.tobesure,incoldweatheryoumaycarryyourhousealoftwithyou,intheshapeofawatch-coat;butproperlyspeakingthethickestwatchcoatisnomoreofahousethantheuncladbody;forasthesoulisgluedinsideofitsfleshytabernacle,andcannotfreelymoveaboutinit,norevenmoveoutofit,withoutrunninggreatriskofperishing(likeanignorantpilgrimcrossingthesnowyalpsinwinter);soawatch-coatisnotsomuchofahouseasitisamereenvelope,oradditionalskinencasingyou.youcannotputashelforchestofdrawersinyourbody,andnomorecanyoumakeaconvenientclosetofyourwatch-coat.

concerningallthis,itismuchtobedeploredthatthemast-headsofasouthernwhaleshipareunprovidedwiththoseenviablelittletentsorpulpits,calledcrow's-nests,inwhichthelook-outsofagreenlandwhalerareprotectedfromtheinclementweatherofthefrozenseas.inthefiresidenarrativeofcaptainsleet,entitled"avoyageamongtheicebergs,inquestofthegreenlandwhale,andincidentallyforthere-discoveryofthelosticelandiccoloniesofoldgreenland;"inthisadmirablevolume,allstandersofmast-headsarefurnishedwithacharminglycircumstantialaccountofthethenrecentlyinventedcrow's-nestoftheglacier,whichwasthenameofcaptainsleet'sgoodcraft.hecalleditthesleet'scrow's-nest,inhonorofhimself;hebeingtheoriginalinventorandpatentee,andfreefromallridiculousfalsedelicacy,andholdingthatifwecallourownchildrenafterourownnames(wefathersbeingtheoriginalinventorsandpatentees),solikewiseshouldwedenominateafterourselvesanyotherapparatuswemaybeget.inshape,thesleet'scrow's-nestissomethinglikealargetierceorpipe;itisopenabove,however,whereitisfurnishedwithamovableside-screentokeeptowindwardofyourheadinahardgale.beingfixedonthesummitofthemast,youascendintoitthroughalittletrap-hatchinthebottom.ontheafterside,orsidenextthesternoftheship,isacomfortableseat,withalockerunderneathforumbrellas,comforters,andcoats.infrontisaleatherrack,inwhichtokeepyourspeakingtrumpet,pipe,telescope,andothernauticalconveniences.whencaptainsleetinpersonstoodhismast-headinthiscrow's-nestofhis,hetellsusthathealwayshadariflewithhim(alsofixedintherack),togetherwithpowderflaskandshot,forthepurposeofpoppingoffthestraynarwhales,orvagrantseaunicornsinfestingthosewaters;foryoucannotessfullyshootatthemfromthedeckowingtotheresistanceofthewater,buttoshootdownuponthemisaverydifferentthing.now,itwasplainlyalaborofloveforcaptainsleettodescribe,ashedoes,allthelittledetailedconveniencesofhiscrow's-nest;butthoughhesoenlargesuponmanyofthese,andthoughhetreatsustoaveryscientificaccountofhisexperimentsinthiscrow's-nest,withasmallcompasshekeptthereforthepurposeofcounteractingtheerrorsresultingfromwhatiscalledthe"localattraction"ofallbinnaclemagnets;anerrorascribabletothehorizontalvicinityoftheironintheship'splanks,andintheglacier'scase,perhaps,totherehavingbeensomanybrokendownblacksmithsamonghercrew;isay,thatthoughthecaptainisverydiscreetandscientifichere,yet,forallhislearned"binnacledeviations,""azimuthcompassobservations,"and"approximateerrors,"heknowsverywell,captainsleet,thathewasnotsomuchimmersedinthoseprofoundmagneticmeditations,astofailbeingattractedoccasionallytowardsthatwellreplenishedlittlecase-bottle,sonicelytuckedinononesideofhiscrow'snest,withineasyreachofhishand.though,uponthewhole,igreatlyadmireandevenlovethebrave,thehonest,andlearnedcaptain;yetitakeitveryillofhimthatheshouldsoutterlyignorethatcase-bottle,seeingwhatafaithfulfriendandcomforteritmusthavebeen,whilewithmittenedfingersandhoodedheadhewasstudyingthemathematicsaloftthereinthatbird'snestwithinthreeorfourperchesofthepole.

butifwesouthernwhale-fishersarenotsosnuglyhousedaloftascaptainsleetandhisgreenlandmenwere;yetthatdisadvantageisgreatlycounter-balancedbythewidelycontrastingserenityofthoseseductiveseasinwhichwesouthfishersmostlyfloat.forone,iusedtoloungeuptheingveryleisurely,restinginthetoptohaveachatwithqueequeg,oranyoneelseoffdutywhomimightfindthere;thenascendingalittlewayfurther,andthrowingalazylegoverthetop-sailyard,takeapreliminaryviewofthewaterypastures,andsoatlastmounttomyultimatedestination.

letmemakeacleanbreastofithere,andfranklyadmitthatikeptbutsorryguard.withtheproblemoftheuniverserevolvinginme,howcouldi—beingleftcompletelytomyselfatsuchathought-engenderingaltitude—howcouldibutlightlyholdmyobligationstoobserveallwhale-ships'standingorders,"keepyourweathereyeopen,andsingouteverytime."

andletmeinthisplacemovinglyadmonishyou,yeship-ownersofnantucket!bewareofenlistinginyourvigilantfisheriesanyladwithleanbrowandholloweye;giventounseasonablemeditativeness;andwhoofferstoshipwiththeph?doninsteadofbowditchinhishead.bewareofsuchanone,isay;yourwhalesmustbeseenbeforetheycanbekilled;andthissunken-eyedyoungplatonistwilltowyoutenwakesroundtheworld,andnevermakeyouonepintofspermthericher.norarethesemonitionsatallunneeded.fornowadays,thewhale-fisheryfurnishesanasylumformanyromantic,melancholy,andabsentmindedyoungmen,disgustedwiththecarkingcaresofearth,andseekingsentimentintarandblubber.childeharoldnotunfrequentlypercheshimselfuponthemast-headofsomelucklessdisappointedwhaleship,andinmoodyphraseejaculates:—

"rollon,thoudeepanddarkblueocean,roll!

tenthousandblubber-hunterssweepovertheeinvain."

veryoftendothecaptainsofsuchshipstakethoseabsent-mindedyoungphilosopherstotask,upbraidingthemwithnotfeelingsufficient"interest"inthevoyage;half-hintingthattheyaresohopelesslylosttoallhonorableambition,asthatintheirsecretsoulstheywouldrathernotseewhalesthanotherwise.butallinvain;thoseyoungplatonistshaveanotionthattheirvisionisimperfect;theyareshort-sighted;whatuse,then,tostrainthevisualnerve?theyhavelefttheiropera-glassesathome.

"why,thoumonkey,"saidaharpooneertooneoftheselads,"we'vebeencruisingnowharduponthreeyears,andthouhastnotraisedawhaleyet.whalesarescarceashen'steethwheneverthouartuphere."perhapstheywere;orperhapstheremighthavebeenshoalsoftheminthefarhorizon;butlulledintosuchanopium-likelistlessnessofvacant,unconsciousreverieisthisabsent-mindedyouthbytheblendingcadenceofwaveswiththoughts,thatatlastheloseshisidentity;takesthemysticoceanathisfeetforthevisibleimageofthatdeep,blue,bottomlesssoul,pervadingmankindandnature;andeverystrange,half-seen,gliding,beautifulthingthateludeshim;everydimly-discovered,uprisingfinofsomeundiscernibleform,seemstohimtheembodimentofthoseelusivethoughtsthatonlypeoplethesoulbycontinuallyflittingthroughit.inthisenchantedmood,thyspiritebbsawaytowhenceitcame;becomesdiffusedthroughtimeandspace;likecranmer'ssprinkledpantheisticashes,formingatlastapartofeveryshoretheroundglobeover.

thereisnolifeinthee,now,exceptthatrockinglifeimpartedbyagentlyrollingship;byher,borrowedfromthesea;bythesea,fromtheinscrutabletidesofgod.butwhilethissleep,thisdreamisonye,moveyourfootorhandaninch;slipyourholdatall;andyouridentitycomesbackinhorror.overdescartianvorticesyouhover.andperhaps,atmid-day,inthefairestweather,withonehalf-throttledshriekyoudropthroughthattransparentairintothesummersea,nomoretoriseforever.heeditwell,yepantheists!