2o8 THE AMERICAN WHALEMAN 



and harpoon had all blended together; and the whale, merely grazed 

 by the iron, escaped. 



And in another chapter, entitled "Stubb Kills a Whale," 

 Melville gives a description of a second chase, this time suc- 

 cessful, which formed an admirable supplement to "The First 

 Lowering." 



. . . Close under our lee, not forty fathoms off, a gigantic Sperm 

 Whale lay rolling in the water like the capsized hull of a frigate, his 

 broad, glossy back of an Ethiopian hue, glistening in the sun's rays like 

 a mirror. But lazily undulating in the trough of the sea, and ever 

 and anon tranquilly spouting his vapory jet, the whale looked like a 

 portly burgher smoking his pipe of a warm afternoon . . . 



"Clear away the boats! Luff!" cried Ahab. And obeying his own 

 order, he dashed the helm down before the helmsman could handle 

 the spokes. 



The sudden exclamation of the crew must have alarmed the whale; 

 and ere the boats were down, majestically turning, he swam away to 

 the leeward, but with such a steady tranquillity, and making so few 

 ripples as he swam, that thinking after all he might not as yet be 

 alarmed, Ahab gave orders that not an oar should be used, and no 

 man must speak but in whispers. So seated like Ontario Indians on 

 the gunwales of the boats, we swiftly but silently paddled along; the 

 calm not admitting of the noiseless sails being set . . . 



"There go flukes!" was the cry, an announcement immediately fol- 

 lowed by Stubb's producing his match and igniting his pipe, for now a 

 respite was granted. After the full interval of his sounding had 

 elapsed, the whale rose again, and being now in advance of the 

 smoker's boat, and much nearer to it than to any of the others, Stubb 

 counted upon the honor of the capture. It was obvious now, that 

 the whale had at length become aware of his pursuers. All silence or 

 cautiousness was therefore no longer of use. Paddles were dropped, 

 and oars came loudly into play. And still puffing at his pipe, Stubb 

 cheered on his crew to the assault . . . 



"Start her, start her, my men! Don't hurry yourselves; take plenty 

 of time — but start her; start her like thunderclaps, that's all," cried 

 Stubb, spluttering out the smoke as he spoke. "Start her, now; give 

 'em the long and strong stroke, Tashtego. Start her, Tash, my boy — 

 start her, all; but keep cool, keep cool — cucumbers is the word — 

 easy, easy — only start her like grim death and grinning devils, and 

 raise the buried dead perpendicular out of their graves, boys — that's 

 all. Start her!" . . . 



And thus with oars and yells the keels cut the sea. Meanwhile, 

 Stubb retaining his place in the van, still encouraged his men to the 



