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Table of Contents
Chapter 22
MERRY
CHRISTMAS
At length, towards noon,
upon the final dismissal of the ship's riggers, and after the Pequod had been
hauled out from the wharf, and after the ever-thoughtful Charity had come off
in a whaleboat, with her last gift --a night-cap for Stubb, the second mate,
her brother-in-law, and a spare bible for the steward -- after all this, the
two captains, Peleg and Bildad, issued from the cabin, and turning to the
chief mate, Peleg said: Now, Mr. Starbuck, are you sure everything is right?
Captain Ahab is all ready --just spoke to him --nothing more to be got from
shore, eh? Well, call all hands, then. Muster 'em aft here --blast 'em! No
need of profane words, however great the hurry, Peleg, said Bildad, but away
with thee, friend Starbuck, and do our bidding. How now! Here upon the very
point of starting for the voyage, Captain Peleg and Captain Bildad were going
it with a high hand on the quarter-deck, just as if they were to be
joint-commanders at sea, as well as to all appearances in port. And, as for
Captain Ahab, no sign of him was yet to be seen; Only, they said he was in the
cabin. But then, the idea was, ..
2 that his presence was by
no means necessary in getting the ship under weigh, and steering her well out
to sea. Indeed, as that was not at all his proper business, but the pilot's;
and as he was not yet completely recovered --so they said --therefore, Captain
Ahab stayed below. And all this seemed natural enough; especially as in the
merchant service many captains never show themselves on deck for a
considerable time after heaving up the anchor, but remain over the cabin
table, having a farewell merrymaking with their shore friends, before they
quit the ship for good with the pilot. But there was not much chance to think
over the matter, for Captain Peleg was now all alive. He seemed to do most of
the talking and commanding, and not Bildad. Aft here, ye sons of bachelors, he
cried, as the sailors lingered at the main-mast. Mr. Starbuck, drive 'em aft.
Strike the tent there! --was the next order. As I hinted before, this
whalebone marquee was never pitched except in port; and on board the Pequod,
for thirty years, the order to strike the tent was well known to be the next
thing to heaving up the anchor. Man the capstan! Blood and thunder! --jump!
--was the next command, and the crew sprang for the handspikes. Now, in
getting under weigh, the station generally occupied by the pilot is the
forward part of the ship. And here Bildad, who, with Peleg, be it known, in
addition to his other offices, was one of the licensed pilots of the port --he
being suspected to have got himself made a pilot in order to save the
Nantucket pilot-fee to all the ships he was concerned in, for he never piloted
any other craft --Bildad, I say, might now be seen actively engaged in looking
over the bows for the approaching anchor, and at intervals singing what seemed
a dismal stave of psalmody, to cheer the hands at the windlass, who roared
forth some sort of a chorus about the girls in Booble Alley, with hearty good
will. Nevertheless, not three days previous, Bildad had told them that no
profane songs would be allowed on board the Pequod, particularly in getting
under weigh; and Charity, his sister, had placed a small choice copy of Watts
in each seaman's berth. Meantime, overseeing the other part of the ship,
Captain Peleg ..
3 ripped and swore astern
in the most frightful manner. I almost thought he would sink the ship before
the anchor could be got up; involuntarily I paused on my handspike, and told
Queequeg to do the same, thinking of the perils we both ran, in starting on
the voyage with such a devil for a pilot. I was comforting myself, however,
with the thought that in pious Bildad might be found some salvation, spite of
his seven hundred and seventy-seventh lay; when I felt a sudden sharp poke in
my rear, and turning round, was horrified at the apparition of Captain Peleg
in the act of withdrawing his leg from my immediate vicinity. That was my
first kick. Is that the way they heave in the marchant service? he roared.
Spring, thou sheep-head; spring, and break thy backbone! why don't ye spring,
i say, all of ye--spring! Quohog! spring, thou chap with the red whiskers;
spring there, Scotchcap; spring, thou green pants. Spring, I say, all of ye,
and spring your eyes out! And so saying, he moved along the windlass, here and
there using his leg very freely, while imperturbable Bildad kept leading off
with his psalmody. Thinks I, Captain Peleg must have been drinking something
to-day. At last the anchor was up, the sails were set, and off we glided. It
was a short, cold Christmas; and as the short northern day merged into night,
we found ourselves almost broad upon the wintry ocean, whose freezing spray
cased us in ice, as in polished armor. The long rows of teeth on the bulwarks
glistened in the moonlight; and like the white ivory tusks of some huge
elephant, vast curving icicles depended from the bows. Lank Bildad, as pilot,
headed the first watch, and ever and anon, as the old craft deep dived into
the green seas, and sent the shivering frost all over her, and the winds
howled, and the cordage rang, his steady notes were heard, -- Sweet fields
beyond the swelling flood, Stand dressed in living green. So to the Jews old
Canaan stood, While Jordan rolled between. Never did those sweet words sound
more sweetly to me than then. They were full of hope and fruition. Spite of
this frigid ..
4 winter night in the
boisterous Atlantic, spite of my wet feet and wetter jacket, there was yet, it
then seemed to me, many a pleasant haven in store; and meads and glades so
eternally vernal, that the grass shot up by the spring, untrodden, unwilted,
remains at midsummer. At last we gained such an offing, that the two pilots
were needed no longer. The stout sail-boat that had accompanied us began
ranging alongside. It was curious and not unpleasing, how Peleg and Bildad
were affected at this juncture, especially Captain Bildad. For loath to
depart, yet; very loath to leave, for good, a ship bound on so long and
perilous a voyage --beyond both stormy Capes; a ship in which some thousands
of his hard earned dollars were invested; a ship, in which an old shipmate
sailed as captain; a man almost as old as he, once more starting to encounter
all the terrors of the pitiless jaw; loath to say good-bye to a thing so every
way brimful of every interest to him, --poor old Bildad lingered long; paced
the deck with anxious strides" ran down into the cabin to speak another
farewell word there; again came on deck, and looked to windward; looked
towards the wide and endless waters, only bounded by the far-off unseen
Eastern Continents; looked towards the land, looked aloft; looked right and
left; looked everywhere and nowhere; and at last, mechanically coiling a rope
upon its pin, convulsively grasped stout Peleg by the hand, and holding up a
lantern, for a moment stood gazing heroically in his face, as much as to say,
Nevertheless, friend Peleg, I can stand it; yes, I can. As for Peleg himself,
he took it more like a philosopher; but for all his philosophy, there was a
tear twinkling in his eye, when the lantern came too near. And he, too, did
not a little run from cabin to deck --now a word below, and now a word with
Starbuck, the chief mate. But, at last, he turned to his comrade, with a final
sort of look about him, -- Captain Bildad --come, old shipmate, we must go.
Back the main-yard there! Boat ahoy! Stand by to come close alongside, now!
Careful, careful! --come, Bildad, boy --say your last. Luck to ye, Starbuck
--luck to ye, Mr. Stubb --luck to ye, ..
5 Mr. Flask --good-bye,
and good luck to ye all --and this day three years I'll have a hot supper
smoking for ye in old Nantucket. Hurrah and away! God bless ye, and have ye in
His holy keeping, men, murmured old Bildad, almost incoherently. I hope ye'll
have fine weather now, so that Captain Ahab may soon be moving among ye --a
pleasant sun is all he needs, and ye'll have plenty of them in the tropic
voyage ye go. Be careful in the hunt, ye mates. Don't stave the boats
needlessly, ye harpooneers; good white cedar plank is raised full three per
cent. within the year. Don't forget your prayers, either. Mr Starbuck, mind
that cooper don't waste the spare staves. Oh! the sail-needles are in the
green locker! Don't whale it too much a' Lord's days, men; but don't miss a
fair chance either, that's rejecting Heaven's good gifts. Have an eye to the
molasses tierce, Mr. Stubb; it was a little leaky, I thought. If ye touch at
the islands, Mr. Flask, beware of fornication. Good-bye, good-bye! Don't keep
that cheese too long down in the hold, Mr. Starbuck; it'll spoil. Be careful
with the butter --twenty cents the pound it was, and mind ye, if-- Come, come,
Captain Bildad; stop palavering, --away! and with that, Peleg hurried him over
the side, and both dropt into the boat. Ship and boat diverged; the cold, damp
night breeze blew between; a screaming gull flew overhead; the two hulls
wildly rolled; we gave three heavy-hearted cheers, and blindly plunged like
fate into the lone Atlantic. ..
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