CHAPTER TWO The Pequod
The Pequod
Bright sunlight entered the room the next morning and I could hear the sound of carriages and people outside. Queequeg was shaving with the head of his harpoon. I thought this was very strange, but later I learned that harpoons were very sharp.
Queequeg did not say much but he was gentle and polite, and we soon felt like old friends. We went down to breakfast together and saw many other whalers having breakfast. I had some bread and butter with a cup of hot coffee, but Queequeg only ate beef steaks, and plenty of them.
After breakfast I wanted to go to church. I didn't think Queequeg was interested in going to church. But, to my surprise, when I got to the chapel Queequeg was there.
Almost every sailor visits the Whaleman's Chapel before sailing. As we waited for the reverend I read some of the memorials to sailors lost at sea. They all began with "Sacred to the memory of..." I read one memorial that made me tremble:
SACRED TO THE MEMORY OF THE LATE CAPTAIN EZEKIEL HARDY, WHO WAS KILLED BY A SPERM WHALE OFF THE COAST OF JAPAN, AUGUST 3RD, 1833.
I wanted to hunt and kill whales, but I didn't want whales to hunt and kill me. Would I have the same fate as Captain Hardy?
I was pleased to see the reverend go to the pulpit. It was a strange pulpit because it was built like the bow of a ship, and the reverend climbed up to it on a rope ladder. Father Mapple was the reverend's name and he was loved by all the whalers. He had been a whaler himself many years ago when he was younger.
Today his sermon was about Jonah, who was swallowed by a whale - very appropriate, I thought - and frightening.
We returned to the Spouter Inn and sat in front of a warm fire. I sat there watching Queequeg thoughtfully. In spite of his strange color and tattooed face and body, he was a dignified, pleasant person. You can't hide a man's soul, and under all those tattoos I could see a simple, honest heart and a kind soul. Here was a man far away from home in a world so different from his own, who was serene and peaceful. He looked wild and yet I began to feel mysteriously attracted towards him. I'll try a pagan friend, I thought, since Christian friends were often quite disappointing.
I asked Queequeg about himself and he told me that he was a native of Kokovoko, an island in the South Pacific. He was related to the royal family there. But he did not want to be a king one day - he wanted a life of adventure. He decided to join a whaling ship that was visiting the island, and one night he left home and went on board the ship.
He learned many things about life at sea and became an excellent harpooner after sailing around the world three times. After living with Christians he also learned that they could be as bad as the people they were trying to convert.
We felt true affection for each other and became good friends - Ishmael, Queequeg and Yojo, his little black idol.
The next morning we took a boat to the port of Nantucket because that was where we could sign up with a whaling ship. Choosing a whaling ship was an important decision because we would be at sea for the next three years. Queequeg was not worried about choosing the right ship. He said his little black idol told him that it was my responsibility.
At the port there were three ships to choose from. There was the Devil-Dam - not a good name. Then there was the Tit-Bit, but I chose the Pequod, named after an old Indian tribe of Massachusetts.
"Look at that old ship," I said to Queequeg. "It's a noble ship! It's our ship!" Queequeg simply nodded and we went aboard to sign up. We met a tough-looking young man.
"Ahoy!" I said. "Are you the captain of the ship?" "No!" answered the young man. "I'm the first mate of this ship. My name's Starbuck. What do you want?" "My friend and I want to sign up." "Have you ever been whaling?" he asked.
"No, but I've been to sea many times, and I want to see what whaling is like." "You want to see what whaling is like, eh?" he asked, looking at me carefully. "Alright, you'll do." "But shouldn't I talk to the captain?" I asked.
"Captain Ahab...," he said with a half-smile, "there's plenty of time to get to know him. You'll know him as soon as you see him because he has only one leg. The other one was torn off and eaten by the most monstrous whale of the sea." "What did that whale do?" I asked nervously.
"You heard me," he said, "and it killed many men." "What's Captain Ahab like?" I asked.
"He's a strange man, but a good one," said the first mate. "He doesn't speak much but when he does you'd better listen." "Yes, sir," I replied. "And what about my friend?" The first mate looked at him with doubtful eyes. "He's a strange fellow - looks like a pagan." "Things aren't always what they seem," I said. "I know him, he's a good, strong man." Then Queequeg took his harpoon and pointed to a small piece of wood floating in the sea. His strong arm threw the harpoon and hit it.
The first mate was amazed and said, "Quick! Sign him up! Quick!" He knew how valuable a good harpooner was on a whaling ship.
Queequeg and I were now happy. We were about to start an exciting adventure at sea hunting giant whales.
While we were walking around the docks, we met a crazy old man. As we walked by him he took my arm and said, "You were on the Pequod. Have you met Captain Ahab yet?" "No," I said, surprised. "Have you signed up?" "Yes, we have, but what do you know about Ahab?" The crazy old man shook his head and said, "Well, what's done is done. There's no turning back now - but that ship is doomed, doomed! Haven't you seen the demons he keeps in the hold of the ship?" "Doomed? The demons?" I said laughing. "What are you saying? You're crazy, old man." He looked at us with his wild eyes and said softly, "God have mercy on you." What nonsense, I told myself, as Queequeg and I hurried away. I turned around and asked, "But who are you?" "I'm Elijah!" he said.
The name of a prophet, I thought nervously. But I pushed the man and his prophecy out of my mind. This was going to be an exciting voyage, a chance to see the world and hunt whales. That old fool wasn't going to ruin things for me.
