Моби Дик

The Ship

           OldCaptainPeleg,manyyearsherchief-mate,beforehecommandedanothervesselofhisown,andnowaretiredseaman,andoneoftheprincipalownersofthePequodthisoldPeleg,duringthetermofhischief-mateship,hadbuiltuponheroriginalgrotesqueness,andinlaidit,allover,withaquaintnessbothofmaterialanddevice,unmatchedbyanythingexceptitbeThorkill-Hake’scarvedbucklerorbedstead.ShewasapparelledlikeanybarbaricEthiopianemperor,hisneckheavywithpendantsofpolishedivory.Shewasathingoftrophies.Acannibalofacraft,trickingherselfforthinthechasedbonesofherenemies.Allround,herunpanelled,openbulwarksweregarnishedlikeonecontinuousjaw,withthelongsharpteethofthespermwhale,insertedthereforpins,tofastenheroldhempenthewsandtendonsto.Thosethewsrannotthroughbaseblocksoflandwood,butdeftlytravelledoversheavesofsea-ivory.Scorningaturnstilewheelatherreverendhelm,shesportedthereatiller;andthattillerwasinonemass,curiouslycarvedfromthelongnarrowlowerjawofherhereditaryfoe.Thehelmsmanwhosteeredthattillerinatempest,feltliketheTartar,whenheholdsbackhisfierysteedbyclutchingitsjaw.Anoblecraft,butsomehowamostmelancholy!Allnoblethingsaretouchedwiththat.

           NowwhenIlookedaboutthequarter-deck,forsomeonehavingauthority,inordertoproposemyselfasacandidateforthevoyage,atfirstIsawnobody;butIcouldnotwelloverlookastrangesortoftent,orratherwigwam,pitchedalittlebehindthemain-mast.Itseemedonlyatemporaryerectionusedinport.Itwasofaconicalshape,sometenfeethigh;consistingofthelong,hugeslabsoflimberblackbonetakenfromthemiddleandhighestpartofthejawsoftheright-whale.Plantedwiththeirbroadendsonthedeck,acircleoftheseslabslacedtogether,mutuallyslopedtowardseachother,andattheapexunitedinatuftedpoint,wheretheloosehairyfibreswavedtoandfrolikethetop-knotonsomeoldPottowottamieSachem’shead.

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