292 MOBY, DICK; OR 
one of many marks in the wide margin allowed. He became a name- 
less terror to the ship. 
Mayhew having concluded the narration, Ahab put such questions to 
him, that the stranger captain could not forbear inquiring whether 
he intended to hunt the White Whale, if opportunity should offer. 
To which Ahab answered — “Aye.” Straightway, then, Gabriel once 
more started to his feet, glaring upon the old man, and vehemently 
exclaimed, with downward pointed finger — “Think, think of the 
blasphemer — dead, and down there ! — beware of the blasphemer’s 
end!” 
Ahab stolidly turned asi^e; then said to Mayhew, “Captain, I 
have just bethought me of my letter-bag; there is a letter for one of 
thy officers, if I mistake not. Starbuck, look over the bag.” 
Every whale ship takes out a goodly number of letters for various 
ships, whose delivery to the persons to whom they may be addressed, 
depends upon the mere chance of encountering them in the four 
oceans. Thus, most letters never reach their mark; and many are 
only received after attaining an age of two and three years or more. 
Soon Starbuck returned with a letter in his hand. It was sorely 
tumbled, damp, and covered with a dull, spotted, green mould, in 
consequence of being kept in a dark locker of the cabin. Of such a 
letter, Death himself might well have been the post-boy. 
“Canst not read it?” cried Ahab. “Give it me, man. Aye, aye, 
it’s but a dim scrawl; — what’s this?” As he was studying it out, 
'Starbuck took a long cutting-spade pole, and with his knife slightly 
split the end, to insert the letter there, and in that way, hand it 
to the boat, without its coming any closer to the ship. 
Meantime, Ahab holding the letter, muttered, “Mr. Har — yes, Mr. 
Harry — (a woman’s pinny hand,— the man’s wife, I’ll wager) — Aye 
— Mr. Harry Macey, Ship Jeroboam ; — why, it’s Macey, and he’s 
dead!” 
“Poor fellow! poor fellow! and from his wife,” sighed Mayhew; 
“but let me have it.” 
“Hay, keep it thyself,” cried Gabriel to Ahab; “thou are soon going 
that way.” 
“Curse throttle thee!” yelled Ahab. “Captain Mayhew, stand by 
