Call me Ishmael. Years ago, finding myself poor and aimless on land, I decided to sail and view the watery world. This is my method for curing melancholy and regulating my blood. Whenever my mouth grows grim, or my soul feels like a damp, drizzly November, I know it is time to leave. The urge becomes undeniable when I pause before coffin before warehouses, trail behind funerals, or feel a manic impulse to knock hats off in the street. Going to sea is my alternative to suicide. While Cato died on his sword with a flourish, I quietly board a ship. This impulse is not unique; almost all men feel a magnetic pull toward the ocean.
As they approach the Pequod, Captain Peleg blocks Queequeg, refusing to allow a supposed “cannibal” aboard without papers. Captain Bildad emerges to demand if Queequeg belongs to a Christian church. Pressed for an answer, Ishmael claims Queequeg is a member of the “First Congregational Church,” explaining that this refers to the ancient, universal congregation to which all humanity belongs. Impressed by this “sermon,” Peleg agrees to take Queequeg but asks for a demonstration of his skill. Queequeg silently leaps into the hanging whale-boat and hurls his harpoon across the deck, obliterating a tiny speck of tar. Peleg, startled by the accuracy, immediately offers him the generous ninetieth lay.
In the cabin, Queequeg signs the ship’s articles not with a name, but by copying the peculiar round figure tattooed on his arm. Bildad solemnly presses a religious tract upon him, urging him to save his soul, while Peleg argues that excessive piety ruins a harpooneer by making him too fearful of death. Bildad cites a past typhoon as proof that men think of judgment, but Peleg retorts that in true danger, one thinks only of survival and practical action. The theological debate ends as Bildad stalks off to deck, where he obsessively gathers scraps of rope and tar to prevent waste.
After signing the ship’s articles, Ishmael and Queequeg are intercepted by a ragged, pockmarked stranger demanding to know if they have shipped on the Pequod. He inquires about their souls and speaks in riddles about Captain Ahab, whom he calls “Old Thunder.” The stranger hints that Ahab is not merely sick but permanently altered by a past death-like trance, a violent skirmish, and the loss of his leg according to a prophecy. Ishmael attempts to dismiss the man as a lunatic, but the stranger insists that what is signed is sealed and their fate is decided. Before departing, he identifies himself as Elijah.
Though Ishmael initially laughs him off as a humbug, he soon notices Elijah following a short distance behind them. This physical pursuit, combined with the stranger’s cryptic warnings about Ahab and the voyage, plants a seed of dread in a mind already crowded with Peleg’s comments and the squaw Tistig’s predictions. To test his suspicion, Ishmael doubles back and crosses the street, but Elijah passes them without looking. Relieved by this, Ishmael convinces himself the man is not dogging them and dismisses the creeping fear.
The original text of this work is in the public domain. This page focuses on a guided summary article, reading notes, selected quotes, and visual learning materials for educational purposes.