.. < chapter xxii 12  MERRY CHRISTMAS >


     At length, towards noon, upon the

final dismissal of the ship's riggers, and after the Pequod had been hauled

out from the wharf, and after the ever-thoughtful Charity had come off in a

whaleboat, with her last gift --a night-cap for Stubb, the second mate, her

brother-in-law, and a spare bible for the steward -- after all this, the two

captains, Peleg and Bildad, issued from the cabin, and turning to the chief

mate, Peleg said: Now, Mr. Starbuck, are you sure everything is right?

Captain Ahab is all ready --just spoke to him --nothing more to be got from

shore, eh?  Well, call all hands, then.  Muster 'em aft here --blast 'em!  No

need of profane words, however great the hurry, Peleg, said Bildad, but

away with thee, friend Starbuck, and do our bidding.  How now!  Here upon the

very point of starting for the voyage, Captain Peleg and Captain Bildad were

going it with a high hand on the quarter-deck, just as if they were to be

joint-commanders at sea, as well as to all appearances in port.  And, as for

Captain Ahab, no sign of him was yet to be seen; Only, they said he was in the

cabin.  But then, the idea was,

.. <p 101 >

that his presence was by no means necessary in getting the ship under weigh,

and steering her well out to sea.  Indeed, as that was not at all his proper

business, but the pilot's; and as he was not yet completely recovered --so

they said --therefore, Captain Ahab stayed below.  And all this seemed natural

enough; especially as in the merchant service many captains never show

themselves on deck for a considerable time after heaving up the anchor, but

remain over the cabin table, having a farewell merrymaking with their shore

friends, before they quit the ship for good with the pilot.  But there was

not much chance to think over the matter, for Captain Peleg was now all

alive.  He seemed to do most of the talking and commanding, and not Bildad.


     Aft here, ye sons of bachelors, he cried, as the sailors lingered at the

main-mast.  Mr. Starbuck, drive 'em aft.  Strike the tent there! --was the

next order.  As I hinted before, this whalebone marquee was never pitched

except in port; and on board the Pequod, for thirty years, the order to

strike the tent was well known to be the next thing to heaving up the anchor.


     Man the capstan!  Blood and thunder! --jump! --was the next command, and the

crew sprang for the handspikes.  Now, in getting under weigh, the station

generally occupied by the pilot is the forward part of the ship.  And here

Bildad, who, with Peleg, be it known, in addition to his other offices, was

one of the licensed pilots of the port --he being suspected to have got himself

made a pilot in order to save the Nantucket pilot-fee to all the ships he was

concerned in, for he never piloted any other craft --Bildad, I say, might now

be seen actively engaged in looking over the bows for the approaching anchor,

and at intervals singing what seemed a dismal stave of psalmody, to cheer the

hands at the windlass, who roared forth some sort of a chorus about the girls

in Booble Alley, with hearty good will.  Nevertheless, not three days

previous, Bildad had told them that no profane songs would be allowed on

board the Pequod, particularly in getting under weigh; and Charity, his

sister, had placed a small choice copy of Watts in each seaman's berth.

Meantime, overseeing the other part of the ship, Captain Peleg

.. <p 102 >

ripped and swore astern in the most frightful manner.  I almost thought he

would sink the ship before the anchor could be got up; involuntarily I paused

on my handspike, and told Queequeg to do the same, thinking of the perils we

both ran, in starting on the voyage with such a devil for a pilot.  I was

comforting myself, however, with the thought that in pious Bildad might be

found some salvation, spite of his seven hundred and seventy-seventh lay;

when I felt a sudden sharp poke in my rear, and turning round, was horrified

at the apparition of Captain Peleg in the act of withdrawing his leg from my

immediate vicinity.  That was my first kick.  Is that the way they heave in

the marchant service?  he roared.  Spring, thou sheep-head; spring, and

break thy backbone!  why don't ye spring, i say, all of ye--spring!  Quohog!

spring, thou chap with the red whiskers; spring there, Scotchcap; spring,

thou green pants.  Spring, I say, all of ye, and spring your eyes out!  And

so saying, he moved along the windlass, here and there using his leg very

freely, while imperturbable Bildad kept leading off with his psalmody.  Thinks

I, Captain Peleg must have been drinking something to-day.  At last the anchor

was up, the sails were set, and off we glided.  It was a short, cold

Christmas; and as the short northern day merged into night, we found

ourselves almost broad upon the wintry ocean, whose freezing spray cased us

in ice, as in polished armor.  The long rows of teeth on the bulwarks

glistened in the moonlight; and like the white ivory tusks of some huge

elephant, vast curving icicles depended from the bows.  Lank Bildad, as pilot,

headed the first watch, and ever and anon, as the old craft deep dived into

the green seas, and sent the shivering frost all over her, and the winds

howled, and the cordage rang, his steady notes were heard, -- Sweet fields

beyond the swelling flood, Stand dressed in living green.  So to the Jews old

Canaan stood, While Jordan rolled between.  Never did those sweet words sound

more sweetly to me than then.  They were full of hope and fruition.  Spite of

this frigid

.. <p 103 >

winter night in the boisterous Atlantic, spite of my wet feet and wetter

jacket, there was yet, it then seemed to me, many a pleasant haven in

store; and meads and glades so eternally vernal, that the grass shot up by

the spring, untrodden, unwilted, remains at midsummer.  At last we gained such

an offing, that the two pilots were needed no longer.  The stout sail-boat

that had accompanied us began ranging alongside.  It was curious and not

unpleasing, how Peleg and Bildad were affected at this juncture, especially

Captain Bildad.  For loath to depart, yet; very loath to leave, for good, a

ship bound on so long and perilous a voyage --beyond both stormy Capes; a ship

in which some thousands of his hard earned dollars were invested; a ship, in

which an old shipmate sailed as captain; a man almost as old as he, once

more starting to encounter all the terrors of the pitiless jaw; loath to say

good-bye to a thing so every way brimful of every interest to him, --poor old

Bildad lingered long; paced the deck with anxious strides" ran down into the

cabin to speak another farewell word there; again came on deck, and looked

to windward; looked towards the wide and endless waters, only bounded by the

far-off unseen Eastern Continents; looked towards the land, looked aloft;

looked right and left; looked everywhere and nowhere; and at last,

mechanically coiling a rope upon its pin, convulsively grasped stout Peleg by

the hand, and holding up a lantern, for a moment stood gazing heroically in

his face, as much as to say, Nevertheless, friend Peleg, I can stand it;

yes, I can.  As for Peleg himself, he took it more like a philosopher; but

for all his philosophy, there was a tear twinkling in his eye, when the

lantern came too near.  And he, too, did not a little run from cabin to deck

--now a word below, and now a word with Starbuck, the chief mate.  But, at

last, he turned to his comrade, with a final sort of look about him, -- Captain

Bildad --come, old shipmate, we must go.  Back the main-yard there!  Boat ahoy!

Stand by to come close alongside, now!  Careful, careful! --come, Bildad, boy

--say your last.  Luck to ye, Starbuck --luck to ye, Mr. Stubb --luck to ye,


.. <p 104 >

Mr. Flask --good-bye, and good luck to ye all --and this day three years I'll

have a hot supper smoking for ye in old Nantucket.  Hurrah and away!  God

bless ye, and have ye in His holy keeping, men, murmured old Bildad, almost

incoherently.  I hope ye'll have fine weather now, so that Captain Ahab may

soon be moving among ye --a pleasant sun is all he needs, and ye'll have

plenty of them in the tropic voyage ye go.  Be careful in the hunt, ye mates.

Don't stave the boats needlessly, ye harpooneers; good white cedar plank is

raised full three per cent.  within the year.  Don't forget your prayers,

either.  Mr Starbuck, mind that cooper don't waste the spare staves.  Oh!  the

sail-needles are in the green locker!  Don't whale it too much a' Lord's days,

men; but don't miss a fair chance either, that's rejecting Heaven's good

gifts.  Have an eye to the molasses tierce, Mr. Stubb; it was a little leaky,

I thought.  If ye touch at the islands, Mr. Flask, beware of fornication.

Good-bye, good-bye!  Don't keep that cheese too long down in the hold, Mr.

Starbuck; it'll spoil.  Be careful with the butter --twenty cents the pound it

was, and mind ye, if-- Come, come, Captain Bildad; stop palavering, --away!

and with that, Peleg hurried him over the side, and both dropt into the

boat.  Ship and boat diverged; the cold, damp night breeze blew between; a

screaming gull flew overhead; the two hulls wildly rolled; we gave three

heavy-hearted cheers, and blindly plunged like fate into the lone Atlantic.

.. <p 104 >

