356 
MOBY DICK; OR 
vanced nor retreated, but collectively remained in one place. As is 
customary in those cases, the boats at once separated, each making for 
some one lone whale on the outskirts of the shoal. In about three 
minutes’ time, Queequeg’s harpoon was flung; the stricken fish darted 
blinding spray in our faces, and then running away with us like light, 
steered straight for the heart of the herd. Though such a movement on 
the part of the whale struck under such circumstances, is in nowise un- 
precedented ; and indeed is almost always more or less anticipated ; yet 
does it present one of the more perilous vicissitudes of the fishery; 
for as the swift monster drags you deeper and deeper into the frantic 
shoal, you bid adieu to circumspect life and only exist in a delirious 
throb. 
As, blind and deaf, the whale plunged forward, as if by sheer 
power of speed to rid himself of the iron leech that had fastened to 
him; as we thus tore a white gash in the sea, on all sides menaced as 
we flew, by the crazed creatures to and fro rushing about us; our 
beset boat was like a ship mobbed by ice-isles in a tempest, and striv- 
ing to steer through their complicated channels and straits, knowing 
not at what moment it may be locked in and crushed. 
But not a bit daunted, Queequeg steered us manfully; now sheer- 
ing off from this monster directly across our route in advance; now 
edging away from that, whose colossal flukes were suspended over- 
head, while all the time, Starbuck stood up in the bows, lance in 
hand, pricking out of our way whatever whales he could reach by 
short darts, for there was no time to make long ones. Nor were the 
oarsmen quite idle, though their wonted duty was now altogether 
dispensed with. They chiefly attended to the shouting part of the 
business. “Out of the way, Commodore !” cried one, to a great drom- 
edary that of a sudden rose bodily to the surface, and for an instant 
threatened to swamp us. “Hard down with your tail, there!” cried 
a second to another, which, close to our gunwale, seemed calmly cool- 
ing himself with his own fan-like extremity. 
All whaleboats carry certain curious contrivances, Originally in- 
vented by the Nantucket Indians called “druggs.” Two thick squares 
of wood of equal size are stoutly clenched together, so that they cross 
each other’s grain at right angles ; a line of considerable length is then 
attached to the middle of this block and the other end of the line be- 
