The cla ssic novel, V lob y Dick, was writt n b 'vthe American aut or, Herrnan lVie!ville, e h . '!

, - ' J , ~ r'on ,.. I ,r ~ hales] . . f' . in bt} l. tn m e b ius, wnallng une acr o r,lUntmg whates w as an.rnportant Amerrcan
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d his f . "'" I l' I' ~ Jvnen rsnmae: an rus rnenc jomtne C or the W18ilng srup, tne rcouoa trJcy e\fl! , are unaware that its captain, the mvsterious Ahab, is out fa!' revenqe. H i5 plan 151:0 pursue and kill the vicious white whale, Mobv D and no o can stop him. ick, ne
'( ' 1 \ '1

industrv The oi] collected fro r the whales \/V as one of the main sources of fuel, n M otw D is an adven ie]: ture storv and an account of vvhaling in the 18005.

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warnings out of 1'1 1 Ymind, but it wasri't easy. Then, one cold gray morning, 1 looked u p to th e quarte rdcck,

("'1 tarbuck. the chief mate, was thirty years old and
~jfrom Nant ucket. Nex t to the capta in, he was the most important man on the ship. He was a strong. practcal, sensible man with many ycars of experience at sea. "1 won't have a man in my boat who is not afraid of a whale," he told uso "A 111an without fear is more clangerous than E lcoward.' 130th Starbuck's father and brother had been killed
on whaling trips, "Starbuck is careful, but he's a brave 111011, too," Stubb, the second mate, told me, Stubb was from Cape Codo He
r.-~

and there stood Ahab.

He did not look ill. or lke aman recovering frorn illness. He was tall and thin, and he had a white scar down one side o hs sunburned face. At first 1 didn't notice hs white Icg. When r did, Isaw that it was made from whalebone and fitted into special holes which had been dug into the quarterdeck. Captain Ahab did not speak.He either stared out
at the horizon, or looked down at us with a. fierce expression. After only l short time, he went back t o

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was i? thappv, relaxed sort of man, evenwhen he was chasing whales. Hesmoksd constantly on a sh01'1:, black pipe. It was only out. of bis mouth when he slept. T11e third rnatewas Flask. He was El short, red-faced man from Martha's Vineyard. V\Thdesmade Plask angry; and he had decided that his job was to kill as many of thern as possible. Vvhen l whale was spotted, a number of smaller
boats would set off after it, Each boat would each be capt ained by Starbuck, Stubb and Flask . Each man would carry a whaling spear and w01.1Id be accompaned by a harpooner.

hs cabin, But alter that mornng. he canje out each day either to stand on the quarterdeck or to walk up and clown among the crew, Spring had arrived. the sky became blue and the weather became warmer, We were now in the Tropics, and Ahab was on the deck 01' quarterdeck day and night, walking up and down and staring out [O sea. ,Aje could hear hi s leg tapping 011 the deck above 11S as we tried to sleep. One day he sent a sailor to fctch his pipe. Then 1 1 esat on the quarterdeck and smoked. After E lfew minutes,
we heard hi111 say, "Why d oesnt In)' ppe taste the

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As well as Queequeg, who would accmnpany Starbuck when the time carne, there were two other harpooners: Daggoo, an African who was six-feet-five taU, and Tashtego <in Americo..n Indian. Harpooners were special, brave men 1Nho were adrnired by the o!:her saiJors. Por severa!. days after leavD"1g Nantucket, we did not see Captain Ahab, Every time 1 'went on deck Ilookecl fol' hm on the quarterdeck-a place hgher (han lhe deck, where the captain stood--but he was not the1'e. It vvaspuzzli:ng. r tried to pul: the strange EEjal

same? And it doesnt calm me anymore. H doesn't give me any pleasure." And he threw the pipe overboard into the sea. A few days later, 500n after breakfast, Ahab carne on deck and began to walk up ami down, He seerned anxious, -.ut he did not speak. Hour after hour that day; l\hab walked in sUence-up and down, up and clown, "What!s he thinking, l::;lask?" asked Stubb. "He 's got 50rnc~ idea in his .head.!1

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uY es"you /r right/: fE-:plied Flask. e

-When evening came, }\hao cal1ed Starbl.1cl< ac J.'Os s

to hi n. r

"Can all themen up on deck." Ahab ordered, Starbuck was surprised. This order was only usually
given when there was some sort of emergency. "Look-outs!" Ahab shouted up to the men 011 the masts. "Come down!" The look-outs were sailors who took it in. tums

it's true, It was Mobv Dick who took mv lego u 1'11 And J
_ .

chase him round the Cape of Cood Hope and Cape H 'l1 and across the world before j 1et him get away! 0l 1

You see, that is what yon sign.ed for when you signcd for this voyagc! rnen. To chase that white whale all over the earth until he spouts black blood and dies, \Nill you do that?" "Yes, ves!" shouted the harpooners. I'T )e 2 1th 1 \,1 o b y to Dick! Death te Moby Dickl" "God bless yOt1., rnen," said Ahab. "But M I' Starbuck, why are you looking so unhappy? '\!Von't you chase the white whale with me? Won't yon help me catch Moby
Dick?"

to climb up to the top of the ship's tan masts=-the

mastheads-vand 100k out for whales. When the men IVe1'2 2 0 1on deck, Ahab continued 1

to walk

tIp

and down . He did not speak for some

minutes. The men whispered to each other, but A 11ab didnt seern to notice. Then he turned and shouted. "VVhat do yon do when you see a whale, men?' "We shout 'Whaler'" cried the sailors. "Or "There she "Cood." shouted Ahab .. " And what do you do next, the boats over the side 0,[ the ship and go

~" 111..en(

IV\le put

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after it," answcred the rnen. Each answer seerned to malee Ahab happier, "A.E yOL! look-outs and whaleboat captains llave heard J.1 l.C gi"\te orders about a white sp ern 1 whale," said Ahab. Then he held up l gold coin which shone brightly in the sun, "Look al this, menl Do you see it? lt's l Spanish gold coin, worth sixteen dollars. 1 \1 1 ' Starbuck, Ietch 111e a hammer." IV io .1Ilentslater, Starbuck returned with a hammer, Ahab took it and walked across to the ships main
1113.5[:.

'TU help )ion catch him. if he comes our way," said Starbuck, "But I'rn here to chase whales, flor IO satisfy the l'evenge o rny captain, V V h .alingis rny business, out how many barreis of oil will y m,n - revenge get us? To be angry with an animal is crazy,. and--"Angry?" shouted Ahab. 1I~'CSf I'm angry. 1 hate that whale, 811d 1'11 kill him! The crew are with me, Are )'01..1, Starbuck? Or are you going te go against me? Spcak 1l0'W , if you are."
11

Ahab waited a mornent, then went on,

,1 j(l .. .

h, you're

silent. That gives me your answer." IIGodhelp 1J1e,l/whispered Starbuck to himself. IiGod help us all!"

"The first man 1 :0see a white whale with a wrinkled brow and a crooked jaw gets this gold coin!" he shouted. Aud he took anail from his coat pocket and 1 1 .a n 1 1 1 1 C rthe lcoin into the mast. Cc "A whi te whale. remember," he cried. "Look for white

i' The Five "Ghosts

1ft was nightt me. 1 was on deck when 1 heard <, ~! .,._~ l JL_SaLO 1'0:: t 1 1" o.,lllo '
111Cln.

t'\NO

"Listen! Did YO'u hear that noise, Cabaco?" said one "What noise, Archie?" asked the other man, "There it is again-below cleck! Do you hear ifi

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water, If yon see him, shout as loud as you can." Tashtego, Dagoo and Queequeg were listening with more interest and surprise than the others, "Captain Ahab." said Tashtego. "Do you mean the farnous white whale they call Moby Dick?" ir v T"L-) y [)ic.k? Do },OU krtovv the ,Alhite1Nh.aJ , o T~lSh?;J asked j\.hab.

1('5

someone coughing." saidArchie.

'/1 don't hear anything." said Cabaco. "And aga)!!I said Archie. "Listen Its the sound of two O l.' three men rnoving ir, their beds. 1 think there are sorne other Ill .en hiclcle. belo\v deck an.d V'le haven{t seen tl-1CIT~ yct. i-\nd J susp-ect Ollf captaiIl krl.o vvs sornetl1jYlg abo it." "U.t ~A.ft{::r his talk ,'t,v ith the crc\v, 01..11' captain. h .ae l Spent . ITIOst ofh isl1ightsstudy:ing cIlarts a.lld rnaps.,H e :: knevv about SPG~.11 '/v'halesl feeding habts anc1 \1\135 able to n1.ake quite good. gt1eSsesat the tirnes an.d. placcs \vhere he might find Moby Dick. --\t the sanle tirne, his ril .211 told each otheT rnany stories about the great v.rh.ite 1,vhale, So:rD.e\vere trU8 some imagined. T c )believe thcrn 111 rnea.nt that !Viob)' l)ick 111USt ll,a.ve been lTl ten. pIaces in the \lvurld al' l"he
8l111.e t ne.

:tYes, sl(," said j}tsh.tego.'iI-le l:" n O v e S .51tail strange.ly 1 1

before he goes Und2l the ,.-vater." ' "/\nd 11.e's got a grcat ~Afhite~)pout that sellds vvater 1 1i g 1 1 . the 5k)l, Capl a1Tt/'!said Daggoo . in1:c " . "And thcrc are three Ol' more harpoons stuck in
hTl1'l said

(ueequeg. i:{e s/tha.t's right \-lle2 l1ueg,'Jsaid f\ .. hab. "1'hat's . l'/1.o 'b yDick, lnen."
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A l .'0
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1 I"\flLJ el, "'_;'vP ]l.r~,T.Ld. P raliu.1. C:L~ SZ!.1~~ '-' (.d. L 1..1 ~J.J()l.'tthi!:: '\vhitevvhale\ 1.1 2 1 ir l\llobyD 1C 1< . \ .8 '\,\7110took yonr leg?f'
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"\tVho told you thltf" .A.hab looked angrily at S~jarbuckfol' am.oment. Then he said, "Yes, Stlrbucl<,

Already, many men had died trying tu catcb Moby Dick. One whaling captain had [umped on his back and attacked him with l knife. But the whale had simply turned his great head and bitten off the captain's lego That man was CaptainAhab. Bis shipmates had pulled him frorn the 'water and he was screaming with pain. For weeks after that, he was like l madman and the crew had to tie hm to his bed, 1'\0\11' this crazy gray-haired old rnan was chasng the same whale around the world. Vvould his hatred forMoby Dick drive 11S all to our deaths? It was a cioudy, warr n afternoon. Sailors were halfasleop on the decks or staring out to sea. 1 was sittng with Queequeg. ;'il.1ddenJy there was a shout frorn the top of the main mast, "There she blows V'lhales! Lots 01 ' thern!" Ii: was Tashtego. He was pointing out to sea with his left hand. Immediately, every 111an on the ship began to move. Tashtego carne clown from the mast and we helped the crew put the whaleboats over the side of the shp. At that mornent, we heard a sound behind us and tumed round. Captain Ahab was standing there with five rnen, They stood like ghosts around Ahab, Then four of them went 'lo one of the spare whaleboats and put over the side of the ship . The fifth man was the chief of the others. He wore black cotton trousers and l black cotton jacket. He had one white tooth, ami his hair was fixed high 01 .1. bis head like l tall hat. "Are )'01.1 ready, Fedallah?" Ahab asked him. III'l 1~i ready," was the whispered reply, "Then lower the boats!" Ahab shouted, The other men and I jumped into OlE three boats and they were lowered quickly into the sea. 1 was in Starbucks boat. W ewere r owing 1.way [romo the ship when the fom-th boat came fmm the other sido of thc ship. '{he fivestrangers ,ven, row.ing ir, and Captain Ahab stood behind them. "j\love out!" Ahab shou.ted to the three boats captained by Starbuck, Stubb and Flask . "Spread yourselves!" "Captain Ahab-?" began Starbuck, staring at the
stru1gc nH~11
.

Soon Stubbs and Starbuck's boats were pClssing each other, and Stubb spoke 'lo the first mate. "Mr Starbuck. sir!" "Yes, Stubb?" answered Starbuck, "V\That do yon think about those new men?" asked Stubb. "They carne OIl board secretly beore the ship left Nantucket," repiie d Starbu ck. "I'm SUT e of it." "That's what 1 thought," said Stubb, "But why are they here?" asked Starbuck. "It's all because of the white whale." answered Stubb: The arrival of these five strClngers dio not frighten the rest of the crew. Archie hacl already told them about what he had heard, so they were not as surprised as they might have been, But this did not stop thern from wondering about them.Vvhere had Ahab found them? How had he persuaded thern to come OE the voyagc? Wild stories would spre ad abcut the rnen, but nobody knew the truth. I rernembered the strange shadows in the mist the day that Queeque g and 1 had come aboard. "These
strangers must be the men 1 saw," 1 thought.

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Then r remernbered Elijah's rnysterious warning. Captain Ahab's boat was far ahead of th e others. Fedallah had thrown off 1 Ii5black jacket and now stood holding his harpoon, Suddenly, Ahab put up his hand. It was a signal for every man to stop rowi.ng. "Queequeg, stand up and 100k out," Starbuck ordered. Queequeg stood up in. the boat and looked arounu for the whales, Across from us, Flaskwas also lcoking from his boat, For a moment everything had gene silent and still. Then St arbuck suddenly shouted, "Row, boys, row" Crear waves lifted us up, thenthrew H E; clown again. The boats separated, and 01.11' boat began to chase after tbncc whales. Our sai1 wa.s up and, with the strong wincl, Wl? rushed t111"01.1gh the vvater. "Pull, boys, p ull!" said ::;i:arbuck. ",!\Te I511.15t ki1l them before the wind gets toa 5t1'ong for uSo ~3tancl up,
Queequeg!"

"Flask, pull away to your left!" shouted Ahab. "'res-fe5, sir'" shoui:ed FJ.ask. "Don't wo1 '1')' abont the c a p ta1.l.'s ne\,v Crev\i/' he told hs ro.en . .fJ~ R o v, v boys, row! There she blov\Ts! There she blows!" "I heard them!" said Archie. u1 heard them below

Queequ.eg jum.ped up at the front o the boat. Bis harpoon was read.y i.n his hand. We a11 vvaited. Tben there Wl.S a sud den loud Boise as one of thewhales came up through the waves. "Tha:'s ftim'" sa.id Starbuck "Throw, Queequeg,
throvvf'/

deck, and1 toldC:abaco." uDid you?" said Plask. J/Yes/ f-\.fchie repled. "I-le didn't be ' i lie-ve lTl., but 1
tnld hirn .'f

Queequeg's harpoon flev v -out oi his hand. Inllnediately there was a hard push from behind tIle boat .. whle the front seemed [O hit sOlnething hard. lhe sail crasl1cd clown .. ane! somcthi..ng rolled beneith USo 1'he whlle hae! begun to swim. quickly away, pulling 1.15 behincl ir 2S ir ,vent, the harpoon studc in its l/aele

Then E lwave ot water rushed over and filled the boat. :\10n and oars were thrown into the sea but semehow 1'11.2 boat had stayed afloat. The whale had escaped. Queequegs harpoon had
caused him only a Iittle damage. VVe swam around the boat and picked up out oars, then climbed back

And once more, sails were raised and the ship started the chase. But agai.n the whale disappearsd. This began to happen night after night. The whale would appea.r~
and then disappear,

into our placcs. l/Ve VV2re up to our knees in water and the wnd was getth1g stronger. It was nearly dark. and there was ;;1 mist. v'V ecould not see the Pequod. For more than an hour ,N C :fought aganst the sea and
the strong winds as we shouted out 1 :0 rhe other boats, 13ut we could not se2' thern and they could not hear USo 1'Ve VlCTC wet, shivering with cold. and tired. Then (2ueequ.eg suddenly stood up. "Listen!" he sa id. 1 heard a chain moving, gind the SOUJl ,d of something to us. Mornents latcr, we saw the shape of the Pequod rnoving slowly through the mist, It was going to hit usl
COIT1.in.g closer

But at last we turned to [he ease and to the Cape of Cood Hope. The Cape of Trouble would be a better name for it! Storrns and strong winds began to blow the ship about like l to}' en the OC2aIl . It rose into the air, then crashed down on the high wavcs. SeagulJ.s flew above US~ and every moming nl.ey sal on the sails and masts.
Duririg t his time Capt ain Ahab wal ked up snd down the deck, but he did 11.01 : speak more than a few words to anyone. Instead he would stand for hours. staring out t o sea. One day, as we sailed south-east from the Cape, another whaling ship carne towards us out of a sea rnist. l was look-out up on E lrnast al: the front of the ship ami had a goocl view o her, The ship '0/3 .S the ~4Ibatross. Only 1 1 e1 lower sails w ere u pand the clothes of 1.1.eI' look" ,

"[ump, menl [ump!' cried Starbuck, "Cet out of the way!" ,Ve a1.1 threw ourselves into the sea and began, to swim E r\I.ra y from the npproach.ing ship. but the waves . picked us Ltp and threw us against its sietes. . At last 01.11' shipmates threw down ropes and helped
lIS climb

outs were like rags. The men had the long beards and
tired faces of sailors who had been at sea for l verv long time . Captain Ahab called to the ship from the quarterdeck. "Ahoy therel Have you seen the white whale?" The captain of the Aibatroee shouted E lrepJ.:,~ but th.e wind carried his words avvcly. Ahab tried agan. "This 1 5 the Pcquod. \;Ve'fe saiing round the world. Send all future letters [O the Pacific

up into the ship.

"Does this sort of thing happen often, Queequeg?" I asked rny friend when I was safely back on deck. 1 was still shaking with cold and fear. JI(]uitc: often," he told me, without much emotion.

Ocean!"
.'1

Loioer ihe Boats! rr

Ships passing on the oceans of (he world usually

stop to exchangc ne1QS/ or for their captains to have

and weeks passed, The weather was calm. Pequ sailed through several whaling od areas and on to the south of St Helena. Captain Ahab: s jt~?'hostsl/ h2ld nOV l con1e on dec.k 'N"i'th the rest of
the CreV\l. 'T J-I.e ir lead(::ft FedaUah, spok.e to the other :
(1, !_J

strangers.r but nobody else. f-Ie 'V\laS a strange n1an, a1 1 d

little frightenirtg. E'very night h.p \vould cJirn the .b ula.in I1la.St to be look-ol.,

It \vas soo.n after H.l.idnight on ane of t.hese qu.iet rnoonlit x ghts that Fedallah shouted "'rhere 3 11.1 2 blovvs!': and poi11ted tu tI-le 1vater ahead aL l1irn. Captain .P.-.hab CJuicklycame on deck and caUed for thc sails to be raised. The ship t1 1 e.n1110ved f21st t.h:rough

a meal together. Ships corning frorn England usually carry letters for the sailors of other ships at sea. Bu\: (he other ship was alreadv being pushed away from U3 by the wind, V-le sailed north-east: to\,vards tile islc1l o lava. 1d The sky \,~as b1.uc, all.c1 th.esea calnl. )\ gen.tle breezC' "\va.s pushing us along. 'rb.en, one ha!: s'unny Inorningl Daggoo \AlaS look-out on th.e Dlai n lYlast. :rt( ::sasv somethi..rtg large and \Nhite.Suddenly he shm.rtecL lJThere s11eblovv-sI les the '\,vhite \,vJl.a.le! It's I\/loby
V \T looked to vvh.ere h.e portted. In the dist'u.1ce, 1V2 e

couId see l great area of *\N J .ite bubbJ1g 011. ['he seals 1
surface. lt disappearect '!ea'/ing the sea 3t1.H ana calrn

the \Vdte l~ anO. ~.\hab }urnped up2nd d OV/ H on the d.ec1 < likc 811 cxcited (hiLd. Sur altllough alni.ost c:-very Inan
s1dp .looked for thc \!\Thale, they S :T'\,Vit once.' bU.i: T1.0 1 :i seconcl tin .le.
0 11. t.he

'once rnore, tl1en reappeared.. Conld t be Moby Dick? n did nar bok hke l '\vh.aJe.

Captah1 .t\hab \:\Ta.s orl. thc quarterdeck. l~equicl<J.y

looked to 'vvhere Daggoo \:V3.5 pointing and studied the vvide, bubb1in.g :mass. Then he irnn'leliateIy raised his
arrn.

~)Onle days later, again jv.sl: after lTlidJ'tlght, Fedallah shouted, 1'There sh(~ biovvs!"

"Mun Ooerbca d!" r

whale feeds from the squid. Therefore, Queequeg did not agree with Starbuck. "When you see a squid." he told me as he pointcd his harpoon t oward the sea, "you 'Il 50 0n see sperm whale." There was no wind the next day. It was ver)' hot. and the crew of the P equodspent most o' the time sleeping. There was not much to see in this part of the Indian Ocean, 1 was look-out on the mast and tound it difficult to stay awake. The other look-outs were sleepy too. Suddenly, bubbles carn e up beneath the ship and with l shock 1 realized that 1 w as staring at a hugc sperm whale, It was swmming in thewater ahead of usoFrom th e sound of shout ng be iow, 1 knew that others must have seen it, too. All at once the whole ship was awake agal1. "Lower the boats!" shouted Captain Ahab. As 800n as the boats were down, the whale swarn away frorn uso Then he put his tail up in thc air and dove und er the water. We waited quietly until (he whale rose again. "There he is!" came l shout. The whale was closest to Stubb's boat, and the second mate called to his men, "Row, boys! Go after him!" Tashtego went t o the front o f the boat , hs harpoon in his hand, "Throw, Tashtego, throw!" shouted Stubb. I watched the harpoon 11 y through the air and sink into the whales side . The "lne"-lhe thick rope tied to the harpoon=-went round and round him as he circled and turned . Stubb tr ied to ho ld the li ne be tween h is hands but it moved through his fingers so Iast that it burned thern, "Wet the line: '\Net the Iine!" he called, The Une was kept in a wooden box. The man nearest fue box began to throw sea water over the rope to cool
it.

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took a11 thre e of our boat s to

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pull
the dea d wha le to J.th e Peq uod.
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lt tuas a greai tohite bod)!toitn long anns.

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"Lower rhe boats!" he shouted. \Vithin minutes, a11 four boatswere in the sea. Ahab and his "ghost" men were in the first boat. Quickly, we rowed to wards the great white shape, b ut it dsappeared under the water.
\Ne stopped rowing and waited, A short time passed [:11.2n it suddenly floated up agan. It was not a whale.

had bee n

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w~ e~

Ir was a great white bodywith long arms which curled and twisted in the water. It had no face 01' expression, there was nothing to say that it was a creature 01' any
torm 01'life.

at the terrible thing for a moment or two more before it finally disappeared under the water. Starbuck spoke with a wild voice. ''1' el rather fight Moby Dick than see that white ghost!" he said. "VI/hat was ir?" asked Flask. "Th2 dead body of a greal squid." sai d Starbuck, "Very few whaling ships see one and return home to t2]J anyone about it." 111.e sight oi' a gimt squid is very rare, and sor.ne sai.lors, like Starbuck, believc that the sight o o11.e brings very had luck. Ho-wever, it was also knowl1. that the sperm

'ij\le stared

Now the wh ale was pu lling the boat behind it. TI moved so fast that evcry man held tightly to his seat, afrad of being thrown into the sea. Thcn Tashtego ancl Stubb change d places, so that Stubbwas now at the front of the boato "PuE in! Pul in!" he shouted. The men began to pull the whale dosel' to the boat. \l\1hen they were several feet away, Stubb threw one speal~ thers another, Blood began to 1'OU1' out o the grear fish. . "Pull up-pull up!" shouted Stubb. "Closer, closer!" 1I1/11en the whale was finally puJ.led alongsic1e the boat, Stubb pushecl his spear into its heart. "He/s dead, NIr Stubb/' said. Daggoo, after a
minute.

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!!<-

i t

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"Yes," saicl Stubb. "He's dead."

'.

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80m8 distance away when

we had klled ir. Even with all eighteen of us rowing, it still took severa! hours to get the huge fish to the shp.

ap ~ ta n'/i: .!"'f' A ~ ha -"~ o b ~ st a wh re ale

 o r s o r n e m i n u t e s .
T 1 1 e n h e g a v e or d er s to ti e it

ay the e unt l it get

bout 1 :'1.e whale. In fact, it seerned to remind him that it did not matter how many other whales we might kill and bring 1:0 this ship. we still had not caught Moby Dick. And toAhab. he veas the only whale that

frorn the ship Lar us to see them, Captain Ahab carne rOTn his cabin and stood at the side of the ship. He sta red clown al the whale's head. "Speak tome, head, and tell me your secret," he saldo A mornent later, a voice shouted, "Ship, ahoy!" Ahab looked up. "Vvhere s it?' he called to theman

v.: ";

he said Early thenext morning when it was light, Stubb . and Starbuck cut two holes in the side of th e whale. T T11en they pushed two large hooks into the holes and h pulled the greatfish up until it hung f1'01"n the s de of e the ship. This was done wth rapes and chains which
n h e w e n t l o h i s c a b i n , H e d i d n o t s e e m p l e a s e d were fixed to the masts, The whale was so heavy that it almost pulled rhe P eouod over on to its side, The whale Vi2tS more than sixty-five feet long, and his tail was nineteen feet across. T11e middle part of rus body was

ligh mattered. t."

011 the m as.t

"To starboard, sir, and coming towards l1S fast!" the man replcd, "Cood. good," said Ahab. As it got closer, we could see that it was another whaling ship-v-the [eroboamfrom Nantucket, i/ve watched as it sailed close to the Peuuod. Then one o its boats was dropped down into the sea and tINO men climbed into it. One was the boar's capta in. The other was a strange looki.ng man with wild yellow hair and a long coat,

about fifteen al' sixteen feet high. On each side of his body was a fin, an car and an eye. Bis eyes were set twcnty or twenty-one feet back from the front of his head. Below his head was the jaw, which was about sixtcen Ieet long. On the 100A/e [aw were the whales 1' huge ivory teeth. The next job was to take off the whale's skin and remove his blubber=-the fatty stuf under the skin. A
harpooner tool< a long kniLe and made l hole in the ower part of the whale' s bod y. T 1 1 n l1e p1.1shed a laIge .e hook i nto the hojeo The hook was slowly clropped clown.into lhe sea, tal<:ing the skill with it. The hook 1.vas J.o\vered and raised agairland a.gain . Then Stubb and Sta.J'buck l..lsed l<J.l.ves lo cut out the \'v h .l/sbll..lbber. It "\Nt5 like taking 11 10 skin off a ;;d piece of fruit. As the blubber came off, it was droppecl through a claor in the deck into the "b]ubbe1' room". Here, som2 lHen waited to 1 '0 1it up. 1 fimtlly, a 1 1tle 11 o ok3: were taken out and the 1Nhale's

As the boat carne towards the Peouod,Stubb cried, "lt's him! It'5 Gabrle!'"
Stubb was not speaking about the captain of (he
Ierobcam, but of the man with yellow hair, who was

rowing the boat. "He's crazvl" Stubb went on. "He tells e"veryone that hes a prophet. The crew are afraid o him. and the captain is frightened to send him ashore because he thnks it will bring 1:1 1 eship bad luck." Starbuck gave an order for a rope Iadder to be dropped over the side Ior our visitors, But the other captain shouted a warning. "1 am Captain Mayhew," he told Aha b, "Many 0 1' our crew llave l fever, \tV edon't want to bring the fever aboard your ship. 1'11 talk to )Tou frorn this boat."
"1 arn not afraid of t.he fever," shoutcd Ahab. "TeH me, Have you seen the white whale?" "Beware o [he white whale!" Cabriel cried up from the smaller boato "Think about your whaleboats, holed and sunk! Think about your men, 1 0 s 1Ol' drowned!" ' Mayheio\T lookccl up at i\'hab. "Do you mean I'v1oby lJick?" he asked. "Yes , 1 can ten you l story about l\llobyDick" "Captain, I warned yon abollt that terrible creature

to th e
si d e of

J;ead \V8S cut off. Then the bodywas dropped into the seawhere it floated away. On1y lhe head rernained, hung on l chain outsidc the ship. The sharks quickly carne to feed from the whaJe's body as it floated further and further from the ship. The aack 'went on.for two Ol' three honrs. More shmks C1 J11 .e[o joini:hose aIready there, untl tbey 'Were 1:00 fA r

th e
s hi p w it h

before 'Ive 1eft porti" shoutedCabrie1. "1 .,'arned yOI) against attacking the monstcr, but yOl! dicln't listen te'
ITU?."

/'t " f112 . .me \vhat 11appenecl/' i:.l.l.a b i shou.t<::d te

Mayhew.
1..

1~

year 01'

-.

t/'/O 8 .Hl 2f

1',

\'ve 1eft Nantucket

OU T

chief

. J.11ate, 1\1ac Y rS 3.,\A,t hin1// cxplai edIv la yhl./v .I/Y '/l c e e n e a y

c h ai n s, " H e c a n s t

[ook five n1enin l boat and vven after l1h rt ~'r/Iacey 'vvas .t . startding up in the boat, holdj:ng :his h.arpoon. fII .:: vv'as
la.ughng and Sh0Ut:Ul.g 'i/vlldly a.t the i,.v l1 .ac. Sud.dcniy! l

Moby Dd: came 1..1p out of the sea cm d.knocked Iv.aceJ' off the boat'\Nitn h:is tail. O ur lI18t(:~ t 1 e 1 high i.nto thQ a \l ir

i' 7

before he Iell into the sea. 'vV enever Sd.\I\/ him again. "Yes, 1 can believe that." "Do you plan to hunt the white whale?" asked Mayhcw. I/ Ido." sad Ahab.

f!

The [ungfrau c " V davs later, we met the Cerman ship the !w 1s/i'a L. I ome
~It was some distance away. but wew atched it turn and come towards uso The ships captain w as named Derick De Deer and he came across to the Pequod in l small boat, He was carrying an oil can. "Ha! He's come to beg for oil." laughed Starbuck. "He needs it for his Iamps." The [ungfrau had not caught al1y whales on its vo-)rage so faro Captain De Deer had come to ask Ahab's crew to give him ol so that he could have some light in his room, Ahab went lo meet him. W11ile Starbuck fllcd the oil can, Ahab asked all the usual questions about the white whale. But De Deer could not help. He knew nothing about Moby Dick, and had not seen the great fish. Ahab was able to give the fWIgfrmt's captain 311 the oil mar he needed. and De Deer bcgan lo sail back to his boat. But before he had climbed back aboard his ship. there was l loud shout from the look-outs . .A number of whales had suddenly appeared ahead o both shipsl T11e captain immcdiately ordered three more Cerrnan whaleboats to be lowercd into the sea. They followed De Deer 's boat as it chased after thewhales, But the last whale was old and sic k and it only had one fin. It could not swim as fast as the others. .B y n 0 "-'. the Peouod's whaleboats were also in the ' water. 1 was with Starbuck. Our boats and the Cerrnan boats were a11 moving towards the sick whale. 1-'1e was the largest arte! the slowest, so he would be the easiest to catch. De Deers boat was leading the chase, but [he Peouod boats were getting dosel' with ev ery minute, V'v'e werc af"raid De Deer 'woul.d get his harpoon in thewhale frst, and De Deer seemed confident that this vvould happen. He even tLlrned nd laughed, and shool< his oil can at uso "Look at thatl" eried Starbuck. "1 filled that can only five rninutes ago! :!\Tow he's. using it to laugh at us!" l/Are we going to let him 'Nin, lJ'l.en?" Stubb shouted. ".Rovv, boys rO~N! " At that m01l1ent, De Deer threw the oil can at our boat. "Pull,m en, pull!" Stm'bl1ck shouted. Flask itl!RS also shouting ta 1:he 111en in his boat. "Cateh them! Catch the Gennans!" Slowly the tbree P eq uo d boats dre"v dosel' to De Deer's boat. But he was still ahead of us when one (lf the IIlcn droppecl his oar. vVllile t..'1e man tried to retrieve his oar, De Deer shouted at hinl angri,ly. StarbucK, Stubb aJ.id Flask all pulled alongside the Germans in their boats,
'-o .

130th men were silent for 3. moment, Then Ahab said,

"Then 1 wish you luck," said Mayhew, Then Cabriel tumed the boat around and rowed him back 1:0 the
[eroboam.

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Itwas Tashtegos job lo remove the valuable oil from the whale' s head. 1 watched as he climbed down from the deck and stepped on to it with 3. bucket in his hand. Ropc had been ted to the bucket and Daggoo and another rnan on the deck above were holding the other end of the rape. Tashtego cut a hole in the whalehead wrh a sharp knife before dropping the bucket into the hole until it disappeared. A few moments later, he shouted, "Full up now!" to the rnen on deck. As Daggoo and the other man pulled hard on the rope, 1 watched the bucket come up out of the whales head. It was filled with white liquid-e- valuable 01:1'When the bucket finally reached the deck, the 111.en poured the oil into barreis. Agaill and agan. the bucket was dropped clown into the head, reaching deeper and deeper each time. Then something terrible happened. Tashtego had been holding on to one of the chains that was holding the whale' s head at the side of the ship. Suddenly, Tashtego cried out as he slipped and fell into the whales headl But worse was to come. The chain was not strong enough to hold Tashtego and the head, Seconds later, the chain brokc and the head went crashing down into the sea-"\vit.h Tashtego inside ir ! "Man overboard!" shouted Daggoo. A: tle same mo.mer\t, 111y brave frend Queequeg clove off the side of the ship with a knife in his hand. There 1"/aS l splash as he hit the water and disappeared. It wa~:J several mirmtes before we .sa'w hirn corn,e up
again.

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"I-Ic:'sgot 11im!" someone shoutecL And it '\-vas truco Queequeg ,;vas holding on to Tashtego ancl s\,virnn1ing tO lA s the ship. rard Some of the crew jum.ped into ane Ol the whaleboats. We iowered it quickly and they began to ro'N tovvards the hIlO men. Then they reached down ancl pulled them into the boat. 1i}hen all thc m2n were back aboard the Pequod, Qut2equeg told us about thc rescue. "1 hacll:o cut a hole il1 the head/' he explained. 'Then I ]xlledTash.tego out by his hair." So VvC ]ost tl.le whalcs head--but Queequeg had saved Tashtego!

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The sick whale was ahead of uso He was trying hard to get away, usng his one fin to swim. He was frightened,

~ ~
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and it was almost sad to watchhim. Sometimes he sank below the water for a few moments, then he appeared
again .

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De Deer: s harpooner picked up the longest harpoon in his boat and stood ready to throw it at the whale. At the same mornent, Queequeg, Tashtego and Dagoo a11 stood up with their harpoons, The three Peq uo d harpooners threw at the same time. Their harpoons went over the head of the Cerman and into the whale, The whale irnmediately began 1:0 splash about in the sea, sending great waves towards uso The three Pequod boats knocked aganst the side o the Jungfiau boats as they rushed forward, De Deer and his harpooner were both thrown into the water. "Dori't be afraid, boys!" shouted Stubb, laughing. "You'll be picked up soon. I saw some sharks behind
us!"

ha rp o o n in h a n d.

it. De Deer ami. his men were chasing after l whale that could not be caughtl s Most whaling ships take cargo to add to the profit o.f the voyage. They stop in China 01.' in N2W York to sell the goocls they ha ve brought with them, But did the Pecuod ha ve cargo for other ports? No, not Captain Ahab's shipl 1-12 had taken only what was needed for himself and his crew to stay out at sea for the whole voyage. Did Ahab go ashore at cmy place? Did he stop to get more food or water? No, he did not. Ahabs plan was to sal north to the far coast of [apan a nd catch sperm whales. V\le would then sail 011
to the Pacific Ocean during the month whe n the grcat white whale might be hunting there for food, Here we

wh ale bo ats '~ ver e

Vve chased after the sick whale. It "vas not a long

chase, because the whale was tired and weak. Finally our three lines went round him and he dove under the water. "Be ready, men!" shouted Starbuck. Then we waited in silence for him to surface once more.

Two minutes Iater; the whales head rose up out of the water and he began to swim away from us. 11:1 ''}"'u11 in! PulJ. in!" shouted Starbuck. the As our bailes got closer to him, we could see that the fish was biind. There were pools of blood a11 around hirn as he turned over in the water. Then he gave one Iast weak spout=-and died, Lines were thrown around him from each boat while we waited f01" the P eq od lo come near USo When she u arrived, more lines were thrown around the whale until he was fxed to the side of the ship with chains. Sur the old whale was heavy and the lihip began to lean heavily 1:0 one "ide. "I-Iold on, Pl!quodl B.old onl" cried Stubb. "Don'[ be in .'Ol1ch l hurry to sink; We lTl Ust do something men, or wc'U 10se OUT ship. Quick, cut the chains!" Queequeg guickly began lo cu.t the chains with an ax. After l moment, they broke i:m elthe whale .'Oank into the sea. Im.rnediatcly the ship straightenedin the
water. Ne were a11 sad to 10se he old whale, but it was the

expected to finc1 Moby Dick. As '1vC got do ser and closer to [ava Head, Ahab told the look-outs to be sure to stay awake. But f01" a long time they did nor 3ee one whale. We had begull. to think that there were no whales in this part of the oce an, \Ne had reached the Straits of Sundra, between the islands of Surnatra and Iava. when a shout came from the masthead. "There she blows!" We looked out to see whale spouts some distance ahead of uso Therc were not just two or three whale spouts, but hundreds of thern. "Pul up more sails!" shouted Ahab , "We need to [';0 faster if we're going 1:0 catch them!" And so the Pequod began the chasco
T11e whales soon realized that a ship was behind thern and they began to swim faster, Our harpooners prepared to jump nto the whaleboats as soon as we got clase. VI/e only needed the strong WJ.1d. to continu and 'NI? might be able to cat.ch a number of the creatures. Perhaps one of thern was Moby Dick himself Suddenly, Tashtego shouted a warning ancl pointed behind uso "\'ve looked back in sarprise to see ten 01"

twelve ships fo 1.l.ovving uSo

"Pirates!" cred Ahab. ""\Net th.e sails O give 1.lS more

speed! Pirates are coming after liS!" He began to waIk ap and down the deck, firse lookirlg ahead at the whales, then looking behind h1m
at the pirates. i\fter fifteen or t-vventy lrnutes, '!\fC \Iven?

out of the Straits ane! in open sea. Ahablooked back at the pirate ships, which were now very far in the distance.
.

~ l
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J .

only thing we c0l..1.1d havE' done 1:0 save the ship. Not long "fter the old whale sank, we heard a shout from the mastheacls o the JungfrallImmediately [he . Cennan ship lowered 110,r bOdts again. But the on1y spon!: thai: we coulcl see ~ame from a Fn.bC tck vvhale, vvhich has a spout similar to a sperm. whale's. But the r:inback wiiJns 11l1Jch too fast for any whaler to catch water, the \A)' hales .immediately gathered in l school and began to swim avvay at'gi'eat. , speec. "Pull, boys, pu ll!" shout ed Shu:bt~k .. "Or weIllose
thcm:"

..

"VVe've 112ft them behind, boys!" he shoutcd. "They'Jl

not con1e -itO open sea. \I\lell done!"

He was right. The pirate sbips "vere tLUTling back.

We hacl esca.pecl.

By now we had grown dose i:o the whales. . "Lovver the boat.s!" ~?tarbuck cTied. But as 500n as the

J; 1,
~

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As soon as wewere clase to one of the fish, his arm came up and he threw the harpoon nto ,.1 " C'kCE"t whale Imrnediatelv the creature swam
.~.. \.1 '-o _ ~ . I'-:J v
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d e t o s i d e . W e w

w(~ rowed hard for the next

hour and we re

almost ready to give up the chase when t11~ whales suddenly seemed to become confused about which \l\T a yto g o .: They began lo splash about in the sea, their tails high . in the water. Instead of staying in l straight Iine, they
started to 5Y;'11 1 circles.
0 1.11' boats at once separa ted. each rowng towards

one of the whales, 111 OUt boat. Queeque g stood ready,

towards the others. 1-1e was a bg fish and he pulled us aiong after 111I n . H: is very dangerous to be in the centre of l school of whales, but .. ve hado little choice. The whale we had hit swam fast, hoping to shake off the harpoon in his side. All around 1.1S, the tails and fins of other whales splashed and made waves that threw OUT boatfr om

ere cxpe cting 1:0 be knoc ked into the sea al a.ny morn ent. . But Que eque g rem ainc d cal m as he stee ed the boat
thro ugh the cmg ry

.
We fOU Tic1 curselves in [he center of the school,

The water here was flat and calm, like a lake. i\. great "wall" of whales surrounded US, 31.1.d there was no "v'lay
through it.Wc: decided to stay in the center of [he Iake and, after a few minutes, b2gan to be visited by the C(V;NS and their yourLg calves. They S\'Va111 alongside CHJf boat, touching it with their bodies,

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Queequ<2g put a. hand d own and touched their heads. Starbuck did the same. And under the water, we could see the mothers who were. wating [O give birth to calves. Itwaswonderful to se2 all o this, and
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sornethnz that 1 would never forcet e. Suddenly, the calm wter around us was full of waves and our boat started to rack from side [O side.
L b { 1 . . .... _

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Momencs later, a grE!at whae burst through the water with ,; harpoon linetwisted round his tail. His sudden

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Under the toa ter, 'lue c o uid s ee ihe tnoihers ioiu: to ere TIH !.iting to gioe bi il: to coio ee. r appearance frightened the other whales and [he)' began
to swim in evcTY drection. "Oars Oars!" Starbuck whispered. He spoke

crea ture s
whil st

we
rowe d like

craz y rne n. At iast, the wha le man agc d to shak e Que equ cgs harp oon out o
111S

quietlv because he did not want to fr ighten th ose creatures closest to us. The "wall" had broken open now. 1 '11 e whales were swimm ing in. all direcrions. ~A,Te rowed qui ckly but carefully between their bodies After 50m o2 rninures, we were back in the open sea.again.
Flask killed one whale, b ut that was all we would ea tch

that day, \lile rowcd back to the Pequod, disappontedby our morning s work. "These things ofte~l happen," Queequcg told me. "The more whales vou see r the fewer yOP. catch."

'.

~ ..

skin and our boat slo wed to a stop