Moby Dick; Or, The Whale

Pequod Chases the Sperm Whale Herd

The Pequod crowds on all sail to pursue the whale herd, which is moving through the strait; the crew hopes to capture many whales once the herd exits into the open Oriental seas, and even speculates that Moby Dick might be among the thousands of whales in the herd.

Malay Pirates Pursue the Pequod

As the Pequod chases the whales, Ahab spots a second crescent of hovering vapor in the ship’s wake, which he identifies as Malay pirate proas in pursuit of the Pequod; he orders the crew to rig whips and buckets to wet the sails to speed the ship forward and evade the pirates.

Ahab’s Reflections on Dual Pursuit

Ahab reflects on the strange coincidence that the same strait gateway leading to his vengeance against Moby Dick is also the path the pursuing Malay pirates are using to chase him; he sees the pirates as infernal forces cheering him on toward his deadly end, leaving his face gaunt and strained by these dark thoughts.

Pequod Evades Pirates and Closes on Whales

The fast Pequod, with its favorable wind, gradually leaves the Malay pirates far astern as it passes Cockatoo Point on the Sumatra side and emerges into the open water beyond the strait, drawing closer to the slowing whale herd; as the wind dies, the crew prepares to launch the whaleboats to pursue the whales.

Sperm Whale Herd Becomes Gallied and Panics

When the whale herd senses the three approaching whaleboats, it first forms tight, close ranks, but then becomes “gallied” (perplexed and panicked), breaking its orderly formation and scattering wildly in all directions; some whales float helplessly like damaged ships, displaying the extreme timidity common to herding creatures when alarmed, comparable to panicked crowds or fleeing buffalo herds.

Queequeg Harpoons a Whale and Enters Herd Center

Each whaleboat targets a lone whale on the edge of the shoal; Queequeg successfully harpoons a whale that immediately darts straight into the center of the panicked herd, pulling the boat into the chaotic mass of whales, with Starbuck using his lance to fend off approaching whales and the oarsmen shouting warnings to avoid collisions with the crazed creatures surrounding them.

Use of Druggs to Subdue Multiple Whales

The crew uses druggs, wooden cross-shaped contraptions attached to harpoon lines, to wound and slow multiple whales at once, since they cannot chase every whale in the dense herd; two druggs are successfully deployed to tether two whales, but the third catches on a boat seat, tears it out, and briefly causes the boat to take on water before the crew stuffs clothing into the leak to stop it.

Boat Reaches the Calm Herd Core

As the boat moves deeper into the herd, the chaotic outer crowds of whales fall away, and the boat glides into the still, calm center of the shoal, a smooth, satin-like expanse of water called a “sleek” produced by moisture from the whales; the outer chaos of the panicked herd is visible in the distance, and small, tame whale calves occasionally approach the boat in the quiet core.

KAPITEL 87. The Grand Armada.

The chapter excerpt follows the Pequod’s boat as it encounters a vast, multi-layered sperm whale pod spanning at least two to three square miles, observes the peaceful behaviors of central pod whales including nursing mothers and calves, witnesses a wounded, rampaging whale trigger mass panic and collective flight across the entire herd, and details the boat’s narrow escape and the limited capture of drugged whales in the aftermath.

Enormous Herd Surrounds the Boat

The whale herd surrounding the boat occupies a minimum of two to three square miles, accounting for wide intervals between the outer revolving circles of the pod and gaps between individual pods within those circles; spoutings visible from the low boat appear to rise nearly to the horizon rim.

Fearless Young Whales Approach the Gunwales

Young, inexperienced whales from the margin of the herd swim directly up to the becalmed boat, displaying unexpected fearlessness as they nuzzle the gunwales; Queequeg pats their foreheads and Starbuck scratches their backs with his lance, but the pair refrains from harpooning the unafraid animals.