232 
MOBY DICK; OR 
“ T>own into the forecastle then, down with ye, I’ll keep ye there 
till ye’re sick of it. Down ye go.’ 
“ ‘Shall we ?’ cried the ringleader to his men. Most of them were 
against it; hut at length, in obedience to Steelkilt, they preceded him 
down into their dark den, growlingly disappearing, like bears in a 
cave. 
“As the Lakeman’s hare head was just level with the planks, the 
Captain and his posse leaped the barricade, and rapidly drawing over 
the slide of the scuttle, planted their group of hands upon it, and 
loudly called for the steward to bring the heavy brass padlock be- 
longing to the companion-way. Then opening the slide a little, the 
Captain whispered something down the crack, closed it, and turned 
the key upon them — ten in number — leaving on deck some twenty or 
more, who thus far had remained neutral. 
“All night a wide-awake watch was kept by all the officers, for- 
ward and aft, especially about the forecastle scuttle and fore hatch- 
way, at which last place it was feared the insurgents might emerge, 
after breaking through the bulkhead below. But the hours of 
darkness passed in peace ; the men who still remained at their 
duty toiling hard at the pumps, whose clinking and clanking at 
intervals through the dreary night dismally resounded through the 
ship. 
“At sunrise the Captain went forward, and knocking on the deck, 
summoned the prisoners to work; but with a yell they refused. Water 
was then lowered down to them, and a couple of handfuls of biscuit 
were tossed after it; when again turning the key upon them and 
pocketing it, the Captain returned to the quarter-deck. Twice every 
day for three days this was repeated; but on the fourth morning a 
confused wrangling, and then a scuffling was heard, as the customary 
summons was delivered; and suddenly four men burst up from the 
forecastle, saying they were ready to turn to. The fetid closeness of 
the air, and a famishing diet, united perhaps to some fears of ultimate 
retribution, had constrained them to surrender at discretion. Em- 
boldened by this, the Captain reiterated his demand to the rest, but 
Steelkilt shouted up to him a terrific hint to stop his babbling and 
betake himself where he belonged. On the fifth morning three others 
