198 
MOBY DICK; OR 
cotton funereally invested him, with wide black trousers of the same 
dark stuff. But strangely crowning this ebonness was a glistening 
white plaited turban, the living hair braided and coiled round and 
round upon his head. Less swart in aspect, the companions of this 
figure were of that vivid, tiger-yellow complexion peculiar to some of 
the aboriginal natives of the Manillas; — a race notorious for a certain 
diabolism of subtilty, and by some honest white mariners supposed to 
he the paid spies and secret confidential agents on the water of the devil, 
their lord, whose counting-room they suppose to he elsewhere. 
While yet the wondering ship’s company were gazing upon these 
strangers, Ahab cried out to the white-turbaned old man at their head, 
“All ready there, Fedallah?” 
“Ready,” was the half-hissed reply. 
“Lower away then; d’ye hear?” shouting across the deck. “Lower 
away there, I say.” 
Such was the thunder of his voice, that spite of their amazement the 
men sprang over the rail ; the sheaves whirled round in the blocks ; with 
a wallow, the three boats dropped into the sea ; while, with a dexterous, 
off-handed daring, unknown in any other vocation, the sailors, goat-like, 
leaped down the rolling ship’s side into the tossed boats below. 
Hardly had they pulled out from under the ship’s lee, when a fourth 
keel, coming from the windward side pulled round under the stern, and 
showed the five strangers rowing Ahab, who standing erect in the stern, 
loudly hailed Starbuck, Stubb, and Flask, to spread themselves widely, 
so as to cover a large expanse of water. But with all their eyes again 
riveted upon the swart Fedallah and his crew, the inmates of the other 
boats obeyed not the command. 
“Captain Ahab ? ” said Starbuck. 
“Spread yourselves,” cried Ahab; “give way, all four boats. Thou, 
Flask, pull out more to leeward!” 
“Ay, ay, sir,” cheerily cried little King-Post, sweeping round his 
great steering oar. “Lay back!” addressing his crew. “There! — 
there ! — there again ! There she blows 'right ahead, boys ! — lay back ! 
Hever heed yonder yellow boys, Archy.” 
“Oh, I don’t mind ’em, sir,” said Archy ; “I knew it all before now. 
Didn’t I hear ’em in the hold ? And didn’t I tell Cabaco here of it ? 
What say ye, Cabaco ? They are stowaways, Mr. Flask.” 
