225 
THE WHITE WHALE 
manifested by several of her company; especially by Radney the mate. 
He commanded the upper sails to be well hoisted, sheeted home anew, 
and every way expanded to the breeze. ,How this Radney, I suppose, 
was as little of a coward, and as little inclined to any sort of nervous 
apprehensiveness touching his own person as any fearless, unthinking 
creature on land or on sea that you can conveniently imagine, gen- 
tlemen. Therefore when he betrayed this solicitude about the safety 
of the ship, some of the seamen declared that it was only on account 
of his being a part owner in her. So when they were working that 
evening at the pumps, there was on this head no small gamesomeness 
slyly going on among them, as they stood with their feet continually 
overflowed by the rippling clear water ; clear as any spring, gentlemen — 
that bubbling from the pumps ran across the deck, 'and poured . itself 
out in steady spouts at the lee scupper-holes. 
“How, as you well know, it is not seldom the case in this conventional 
world ©f ours — watery or otherwise — that a person placed in command 
over his fellowmen finds one of them to be very significantly his 
superior in general pride of manhood, straightway against that man 
he conceives an unconquerable dislike and bitterness ; and if he have a 
chance he will pull down and pulverise that subaltern’s tower, and 
make a little heap of dust of it. Be this conceit of mine as it may, 
gentlemen, at all events Steelkilt was a tall and noble animal with a 
head like a Roman, and a flowing golden beard like the tasselled hous- 
ings of your last viceroy’s snorting charger; and a brain, and a heart, 
and a soul in him, gentlemen, which had made Steelkilt Charlemagne, 
had he been bom son to Charlemagne’s father. But Radney, the mate, 
was ngly as a mule ; yet as hardy, as stubborn, as malicious. He did 
not love Steelkilt, and Steelkilt knew it. 
“Espying the mate drawing near as he was toiling at the pump with 
the rest, the Lakeman affected not to notice him, but unawed, went on 
with his gay banterings. 
“ ‘Aye, aye, my merry lads, it’s a lively leak this ; hold a cannikin, 
one of ye, and let’s have a taste. By the Lord, it’s worth bottling! 
I’ll tell you what, men, old Rad’s investment must go for it! he had 
best cut away his part of the hull and tow it home. The fact is, boys, 
that sword-fish only began the job; he’s come back again with a gang 
of ship carpenters, saw-fish and file-fish, and what not ; and the whole 
