The Chase — First Day

           hatnight,inthemid-watchwhentheoldmanashiswontatintervalssteppedforthfromthescuttleinwhichheleaned,andwenttohispivot-hole,hesuddenlythrustouthisfacefiercely,snuffinguptheseaairasasagaciousship’sdogwill,indrawingnightosomebarbarousisle.Hedeclaredthatawhalemustbenear.Soonthatpeculiarodor,sometimestoagreatdistancegivenforthbythelivingspermwhale,waspalpabletoallthewatch;norwasanymarinersurprisedwhen,afterinspectingthecompass,andthenthedog-vane,andthenascertainingtheprecisebearingoftheodorasnearlyaspossible,Ahabrapidlyorderedtheship’scoursetobeslightlyaltered,andthesailtobeshortened.

           Theacutepolicydictatingthesemovementswassufficientlyvindicatedatdaybreak,bythesightofalongsleekontheseadirectlyandlengthwiseahead,smoothasoil,andresemblinginthepleatedwaterywrinklesborderingit,thepolishedmetallic-likemarksofsomeswifttide-rip,atthemouthofadeep,rapidstream.

           "Manthemast-heads!Callallhands!"

           Thunderingwiththebuttsofthreeclubbedhandspikesontheforecastledeck,Daggoorousedthesleeperswithsuchjudgmentclapsthattheyseemedtoexhalefromthescuttle,soinstantaneouslydidtheyappearwiththeirclothesintheirhands.

           "Whatd’yesee?"criedAhab,flatteninghisfacetothesky.

           "Nothing,nothingsir!"wasthesoundhailingdowninreply.

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