Table of Contents
Chapter 20
ALL ASTIR
A day or two passed, and
there was great activity aboard the pequod. not only were the old sails being
mended, but new sails were coming on board, and bolts of canvas, and coils of
rigging; in short, everything betokened that the ship's preparations were
hurrying to a close. Captain Peleg seldom or never went ashore, but sat in his
wigwam keeping a sharp look-out upon the hands: Bildad did all the purchasing
and providing at the stores; and the men employed in the hold and on the
rigging were working till long after night-fall. On the day following
Queequeg's signing the articles, word was given at all the inns where the
ship's company were stopping, that their chests must be on board before night,
for there was no telling how soon the vessel might be sailing. So Queequeg and
I got down our traps, resolving, however, to sleep ashore till the last. But
it seems they always give very long notice in these cases, and the ship did
not sail for several days. But no wonder; there was a good deal to be done,
and there ..
2 is no telling how many
things to be thought of, before the Pequod was fully equipped. Every one knows
what a multitude of things --beds, sauce-pans, knives and forks, shovels and
tongs, napkins, nut-crackers, and what not, are indispensable to the business
of housekeeping. Just so with whaling, which necessitates a three-years'
housekeeping upon the wide ocean, far from all grocers, costermongers,
doctors, bakers, and bankers. And though this also holds true of merchant
vessels, yet not by any means to the same extent as with whalemen. For besides
the great length of the whaling voyage, the numerous articles peculiar to the
prosecution of the fishery, and the impossibility of replacing them at the
remote harbors usually frequented, it must be remembered, that of all ships,
whaling vessels are the most exposed to accidents of all kinds, and especially
to the destruction and loss of the very things upon which the success of the
voyage most depends. Hence, the spare boats, spare spars, and spare lines and
harpoons, and spare everythings, almost, but a spare captain and duplicate
ship. At the period of our arrival at the Island, the heaviest storage of the
Pequod had been almost completed; comprising her beef, bread, water, fuel, and
iron hoops and staves. But, as before hinted, for some time there was a
continual fetching and carrying on board of divers odds and ends of things,
both large and small. Chief among those who did this fetching and carrying was
Captain Bildad's sister, a lean old lady of a most determined and
indefatigable spirit, but withal very kindhearted, who seemed resolved that,
if she could help it, nothing should be found wanting in the Pequod, after
once fairly getting to sea. At one time she would come on board with a jar of
pickles for the steward's pantry; another time with a bunch of quills for the
chief mate's desk, where he kept his log; a third time with a roll of flannel
for the small of some one's rheumatic back. Never did any woman better deserve
her name, which was Charity --Aunt Charity, as everybody called her. And like
a sister of charity did this charitable Aunt Charity bustle about hither and
thither, ready to turn her hand and heart to anything that promised to yield
safety, comfort, and consolation to all on board ..
3 a ship in which her
beloved brother Bildad was concerned, and in which she herself owned a score
or two of well-saved dollars. But it was startling to see this excellent
hearted Quakeress coming on board, as she did the last day, with a long
oil-ladle in one hand, and a still longer whaling lance in the other. Nor was
Bildad himself nor Captain Peleg at all backward. As for Bildad, he carried
about with him a long list of the articles needed, and at every fresh arrival,
down went his mark opposite that article upon the paper. Every once and a
while Peleg came hobbling out of his whalebone den, roaring at the men down
the hatchways, roaring up to the riggers at the mast-head, and then concluded
by roaring back into his wigwam. During these days of preparation, Queequeg
and I often visited the craft, and as often I asked about Captain Ahab, and
how he was, and when he was going to come on board his ship. To these
questions they would answer, that he was getting better and better, and was
expected aboard every day; meantime, the two Captains, Peleg and Bildad, could
attend to everything necessary to fit the vessel for the voyage. If I had been
downright honest with myself, I would have seen very plainly in my heart that
I did but half fancy being committed this way to so long a voyage, without
once laying my eyes on the man who was to be the absolute dictator of it, so
soon as the ship sailed out upon the open sea. But when a man suspects any
wrong, it sometimes happens that if he be already involved in the matter, he
insensibly strives to cover up his suspicions even from himself. And much this
way it was with me. I said nothing, and tried to think nothing. At last it was
given out that some time next day the ship would certainly sail. So next
morning, Queequeg and I took a very early start. .
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