CHAPTER 22 Merry Christmas

Atlength,towardsnoon,uponthefinaldismissaloftheship'sriggers,andafterthePequodhadbeenhauledoutfromthewharf,andaftertheever-thoughtfulCharityhadcomeoffinawhaleboat,withherlastgift—anight-capforStubb,thesecondmate,herbrother-in-law,andaspareBibleforthesteward—afterallthis,thetwoCaptains,PelegandBildad,issuedfromthecabin,andturningtothechiefmate,Pelegsaid:

"Now,Mr.Starbuck,areyousureeverythingisright?CaptainAhabisallready—justspoketohim—nothingmoretobegotfromshore,eh?Well,callallhands,then.Muster'emafthere—blast'em!"

"Noneedofprofanewords,howevergreatthehurry,Peleg,"saidBildad,"butawaywiththee,friendStarbuck,anddoourbidding."

Hownow!Hereupontheverypointofstartingforthevoyage,CaptainPelegandCaptainBildadweregoingitwithahighhandonthequarter-deck,justasiftheyweretobejoint-commandersatsea,aswellastoallappearancesinport.And,asforCaptainAhab,nosignofhimwasyettobeseen;only,theysaidhewasinthecabin.Butthen,theideawas,thathispresencewasbynomeansnecessaryingettingtheshipunderweigh,andsteeringherwellouttosea.Indeed,asthatwasnotatallhisproperbusiness,butthepilot's;andashewasnotyetcompletelyrecovered—sotheysaid—therefore,CaptainAhabstayedbelow.Andallthisseemednaturalenough;especiallyasinthemerchantservicemanycaptainsnevershowthemselvesondeckforaconsiderabletimeafterheavinguptheanchor,butremainoverthecabintable,havingafarewellmerry-makingwiththeirshorefriends,beforetheyquittheshipforgoodwiththepilot.

Buttherewasnotmuchchancetothinkoverthematter,forCaptainPelegwasnowallalive.Heseemedtodomostofthetalkingandcommanding,andnotBildad.

"Afthere,yesonsofbachelors,"hecried,asthesailorslingeredatthemain-mast."Mr.Starbuck,drive'emaft."

"Strikethetentthere!"—wasthenextorder.AsIhintedbefore,thiswhalebonemarqueewasneverpitchedexceptinport;andonboardthePequod,forthirtyyears,theordertostrikethetentwaswellknowntobethenextthingtoheavinguptheanchor.

"Manthecapstan!Bloodandthunder!—jump!"—wasthenextcommand,andthecrewsprangforthehandspikes.

Nowingettingunderweigh,thestationgenerallyoccupiedbythepilotistheforwardpartoftheship.AndhereBildad,who,withPeleg,beitknown,inadditiontohisotherofficers,wasoneofthelicensedpilotsoftheport—hebeingsuspectedtohavegothimselfmadeapilotinordertosavetheNantucketpilot-feetoalltheshipshewasconcernedin,forheneverpilotedanyothercraft—Bildad,Isay,mightnowbeseenactivelyengagedinlookingoverthebowsfortheapproachinganchor,andatintervalssingingwhatseemedadismalstaveofpsalmody,tocheerthehandsatthewindlass,whoroaredforthsomesortofachorusaboutthegirlsinBoobleAlley,withheartygoodwill.Nevertheless,notthreedaysprevious,BildadhadtoldthemthatnoprofanesongswouldbeallowedonboardthePequod,particularlyingettingunderweigh;andCharity,hissister,hadplacedasmallchoicecopyofWattsineachseaman'sberth.

Meantime,overseeingtheotherpartoftheship,CaptainPelegrippedandsworeasterninthemostfrightfulmanner.Ialmostthoughthewouldsinktheshipbeforetheanchorcouldbegotup;involuntarilyIpausedonmyhandspike,andtoldQueequegtodothesame,thinkingoftheperilswebothran,instartingonthevoyagewithsuchadevilforapilot.Iwascomfortingmyself,however,withthethoughtthatinpiousBildadmightbefoundsomesalvation,spiteofhissevenhundredandseventy-seventhlay;whenIfeltasuddensharppokeinmyrear,andturninground,washorrifiedattheapparitionofCaptainPelegintheactofwithdrawinghislegfrommyimmediatevicinity.Thatwasmyfirstkick.

"Isthatthewaytheyheaveinthemarchantservice?"heroared."Spring,thousheep-head;spring,andbreakthybackbone!Whydon'tyespring,Isay,allofye—spring!Quohog!spring,thouchapwiththeredwhiskers;springthere,Scotch-cap;spring,thougreenpants.Spring,Isay,allofye,andspringyoureyesout!"Andsosaying,hemovedalongthewindlass,hereandthereusinghislegveryfreely,whileimperturbableBildadkeptleadingoffwithhispsalmody.ThinksI,CaptainPelegmusthavebeendrinkingsomethingto-day.

Atlasttheanchorwasup,thesailswereset,andoffweglided.Itwasashort,coldChristmas;andastheshortnortherndaymergedintonight,wefoundourselvesalmostbroaduponthewintryocean,whosefreezingspraycasedusinice,asinpolishedarmor.Thelongrowsofteethonthebulwarksglistenedinthemoonlight;andlikethewhiteivorytusksofsomehugeelephant,vastcurvingiciclesdependedfromthebows.

LankBildad,aspilot,headedthefirstwatch,andeverandanon,astheoldcraftdeepdivedintothegreenseas,andsenttheshiveringfrostalloverher,andthewindshowled,andthecordagerang,hissteadynoteswereheard,—

"Sweetfieldsbeyondtheswellingfloo,

Standdressedinlivinggreen.

SototheJewsoldCanaanstood,

WhileJordanrolledbetween."

Neverdidthosesweetwordssoundmoresweetlytomethanthen.Theywerefullofhopeandfruition.SpiteofthisfrigidwinternightintheboisterousAtlantic,spiteofmywetfeetandwetterjacket,therewasyet,itthenseemedtome,manyapleasanthaveninstore;andmeadsandgladessoeternallyvernal,thatthegrassshotupbythespring,untrodden,unwilted,remainsatmidsummer.

Atlastwegainedsuchanoffing,thatthetwopilotswereneedednolonger.Thestoutsail-boatthathadaccompaniedusbeganrangingalongside.

Itwascuriousandnotunpleasing,howPelegandBildadwereaffectedatthisjuncture,especiallyCaptainBildad.Forloathtodepart,yet;veryloathtoleave,forgood,ashipboundonsolongandperilousavoyage—beyondbothstormyCapes;ashipinwhichsomethousandsofhishardearneddollarswereinvested;aship,inwhichanoldshipmatesailedascaptain;amanalmostasoldashe,oncemorestartingtoencounteralltheterrorsofthepitilessjaw;loathtosaygood-byetoathingsoeverywaybrimfulofeveryinteresttohim,—pooroldBildadlingeredlong;pacedthedeckwithanxiousstrides;randownintothecabintospeakanotherfarewellwordthere;againcameondeck,andlookedtowindward;lookedtowardsthewideandendlesswaters,onlyboundedbythefar-offunseenEasternContinents;lookedtowardstheland;lookedaloft;lookedrightandleft;lookedeverywhereandnowhere;andatlast,mechanicallycoilingaropeuponitspin,convulsivelygraspedstoutPelegbythehand,andholdingupalantern,foramomentstoodgazingheroicallyinhisface,asmuchastosay,"Nevertheless,friendPeleg,Icanstandit;yes,Ican."

AsforPeleghimself,hetookitmorelikeaphilosopher;butforallhisphilosophy,therewasateartwinklinginhiseye,whenthelanterncametoonear.Andhe,too,didnotalittlerunfromcabintodeck—nowawordbelow,andnowawordwithStarbuck,thechiefmate.

But,atlast,heturnedtohiscomrade,withafinalsortoflookabouthim,—"CaptainBildad—come,oldshipmate,wemustgo.Backthemain-yardthere!Boatahoy!Standbytocomeclosealongside,now!Careful,careful!—come,Bildad,boy—sayyourlast.Lucktoye,Starbuck—lucktoye,Mr.Stubb—lucktoye,Mr.Flask—good-byeandgoodlucktoyeall—andthisdaythreeyearsI'llhaveahotsuppersmokingforyeinoldNantucket.Hurrahandaway!"

"Godblessye,andhaveyeinHisholykeeping,men,"murmuredoldBildad,almostincoherently."Ihopeye'llhavefineweathernow,sothatCaptainAhabmaysoonbemovingamongye—apleasantsunisallheneeds,andye'llhaveplentyoftheminthetropicvoyageyego.Becarefulinthehunt,yemates.Don'tstavetheboatsneedlessly,yeharpooneers;goodwhitecedarplankisraisedfullthreepercent.withintheyear.Don'tforgetyourprayers,either.Mr.Starbuck,mindthatcooperdon'twastethesparestaves.Oh!thesail-needlesareinthegreenlocker!Don'twhaleittoomucha'Lord'sdays,men;butdon'tmissafairchanceeither,that'srejectingHeaven'sgoodgifts.Haveaneyetothemolassestierce,Mr.Stubb;itwasalittleleaky,Ithought.Ifyetouchattheislands,Mr.Flask,bewareoffornication.Good-bye,good-bye!Don'tkeepthatcheesetoolongdowninthehold,Mr.Starbuck;it'llspoil.Becarefulwiththebutter—twentycentsthepounditwas,andmindye,if—"

"Come,come,CaptainBildad;stoppalavering,—away!"andwiththat,Peleghurriedhimovertheside,andbothdroptintotheboat.

Shipandboatdiverged;thecold,dampnightbreezeblewbetween;ascreaminggullflewoverhead;thetwohullswildlyrolled;wegavethreeheavy-heartedcheers,andblindlyplungedlikefateintotheloneAtlantic.