517 
THE WHITE WHALE 
special, a most cunning, oh, a most malicious difference! And yet, 
I say again, and swear it now, that there’s something all glorious and 
gracious in the wind. These warm Trade Winds at least, that in the 
clear heavens blow straight on, in strong and steadfast, vigorous mild- 
ness ; and veer not from their mark, however the baser currents of the 
sea may turn and tack, and mightiest Mississippi of the land shift and 
swerve about, uncertain where to go at last. And by the eternal Poles ! 
these same Trades that so directly blow my good ship on ; these Trades, 
or something like them — something so unchangeable, and full as strong, 
blow my keeled soul along ! To it ! Aloft there ! What d’ye see ?” 
“Nothing, sir.” 
“Nothing! and noon at hand! The doubloon goes a-begging! See 
the sun! Aye, aye, it must be so. I’ve over-sailed him. How got 
the start? Ave, he’s chasing me now; not I, him — that’s bad; I 
might have known it, too. Fool! the lines — the harpoons he’s towing. 
Aye, aye, I have run him by last night. About ! about ! Come 
down, all of ye, but the regular lookouts! Man the braces!” 
Steering as she had done, the wind had been somewhat on the 
Pequod’s quarter, so that now being pointed in the reverse direction, 
the braced ship sailed hard upon the breeze as she rechurned the cream 
in her own white wake. 
“Against the wind he now steers for the open jaw,” murmured Star- 
buck to himself, as he coiled the new-hauled main-brace upon the rail. 
“God keep us, but already my bones feel damp within me, and from 
the inside wet my flesh. I misdoubt me that I disobeyed my God in 
obeying him!” 
“Stand by to sway me up !” cried Ahab, advancing to the hempen 
basket. “We should meet him soon.” 
“Aye, aye, sir,” and straightaway Starbuck did Ahab’s bidding, and 
once more Ahab swung on high. 
A whole hour now passed; gold-beaten out to ages. Time itself now 
held long breaths with keen suspense.* But at last, some three points 
off the weather-bow, Ahab descried the spout again, and instantly 
from the three mastheads three shrieks went up as if the tongues of 
fire had voiced it. 
“Forehead to forehead I meet thee ? this third time, Moby Dick! 
