CHAPTER 12 Biographical

QueequegwasanativeofRokovoko,anislandfarawaytotheWestandSouth.Itisnotdowninanymap;trueplacesneverare.

Whenanew-hatchedsavagerunningwildabouthisnativewoodlandsinagrassclout,followedbythenibblinggoats,asifhewereagreensapling;eventhen,inQueequeg'sambitioussoul,lurkedastrongdesiretoseesomethingmoreofChristendomthanaspecimenwhalerortwo.HisfatherwasaHighChief,aKing;hisuncleaHighPriest;andonthematernalsideheboastedauntswhowerethewivesofunconquerablewarriors.Therewasexcellentbloodinhisveins—royalstuff;thoughsadlyvitiated,Ifear,bythecannibalpropensityhenourishedinhisuntutoredyouth.

ASagHarborshipvisitedhisfather'sbay,andQueequegsoughtapassagetoChristianlands.Buttheship,havingherfullcomplementofseamen,spurnedhissuit;andnotalltheKinghisfather'sinfluencecouldprevail.ButQueequegvowedavow.Aloneinhiscanoe,hepaddledofftoadistantstrait,whichheknewtheshipmustpassthroughwhenshequittedtheisland.Ononesidewasacoralreef;ontheotheralowtongueofland,coveredwithmangrovethicketsthatgrewoutintothewater.Hidinghiscanoe,stillafloat,amongthesethickets,withitsprowseaward,hesatdowninthestern,paddlelowinhand;andwhentheshipwasglidingby,likeaflashhedartedout;gainedherside;withonebackwarddashofhisfootcapsizedandsankhiscanoe;climbedupthechains;andthrowinghimselfatfulllengthuponthedeck,grappledaring-boltthere,andsworenottoletitgo,thoughhackedinpieces.

Invainthecaptainthreatenedtothrowhimoverboard;suspendedacutlassoverhisnakedwrists;QueequegwasthesonofaKing,andQueequegbudgednot.Struckbyhisdesperatedauntlessness,andhiswilddesiretovisitChristendom,thecaptainatlastrelented,andtoldhimhemightmakehimselfathome.Butthisfineyoungsavage—thisseaPrinceofWales,neversawtheCaptain'scabin.Theyputhimdownamongthesailors,andmadeawhalemanofhim.ButlikeCzarPetercontenttotoilintheshipyardsofforeigncities,Queequegdisdainednoseemingignominy,iftherebyhemighthappilygainthepowerofenlighteninghisuntutoredcountrymen.Foratbottom—sohetoldme—hewasactuatedbyaprofounddesiretolearnamongtheChristians,theartswherebytomakehispeoplestillhappierthantheywere;andmorethanthat,stillbetterthantheywere.But,alas!thepracticesofwhalemensoonconvincedhimthatevenChristianscouldbebothmiserableandwicked;infinitelymoreso,thanallhisfather'sheathens.ArrivedatlastinoldSagHarbor;andseeingwhatthesailorsdidthere;andthengoingontoNantucket,andseeinghowtheyspenttheirwagesinthatplacealso,poorQueequeggaveitupforlost.Thoughthe,it'sawickedworldinallmeridians;I'lldieapagan.

Andthusanoldidolatoratheart,heyetlivedamongtheseChristians,woretheirclothes,andtriedtotalktheirgibberish.Hencethequeerwaysabouthim,thoughnowsometimefromhome.

Byhints,Iaskedhimwhetherhedidnotproposegoingback,andhavingacoronation;sincehemightnowconsiderhisfatherdeadandgone,hebeingveryoldandfeebleatthelastaccounts.Heansweredno,notyet;andaddedthathewasfearfulChristianity,orratherChristians,hadunfittedhimforascendingthepureandundefiledthroneofthirtypaganKingsbeforehim.Butbyandby,hesaid,hewouldreturn,—assoonashefelthimselfbaptizedagain.Forthenonce,however,heproposedtosailabout,andsowhiswildoatsinallfouroceans.Theyhadmadeaharpooneerofhim,andthatbarbedironwasinlieuofasceptrenow.

Iaskedhimwhatmightbehisimmediatepurpose,touchinghisfuturemovements.Heanswered,togotoseaagain,inhisoldvocation.Uponthis,Itoldhimthatwhalingwasmyowndesign,andinformedhimofmyintentiontosailoutofNantucket,asbeingthemostpromisingportforanadventurouswhalemantoembarkfrom.Heatonceresolvedtoaccompanymetothatisland,shipaboardthesamevessel,getintothesamewatch,thesameboat,thesamemesswithme,inshorttosharemyeveryhap;withbothmyhandsinhis,boldlydipintothePotluckofbothworlds.ToallthisIjoyouslyassented;forbesidestheaffectionInowfeltforQueequeg,hewasanexperiencedharpooneer,andassuch,couldnotfailtobeofgreatusefulnesstoone,who,likeme,waswhollyignorantofthemysteriesofwhaling,thoughwellacquaintedwiththesea,asknowntomerchantseamen.

Hisstorybeingendedwithhispipe'slastdyingpuff,Queequegembracedme,pressedhisforeheadagainstmine,andblowingoutthelight,werolledoverfromeachother,thiswayandthat,andverysoonweresleeping.