Moby Dick; Or, The Whale

CHAPITRE 87. The Grand Armada.

This chapter, titled CHAPTER 87. The Grand Armada, documents the Pequod’s passage through the Straits of Sunda, its encounter with an immense herd of sperm whales, the ship’s chase of the herd, evasion of pursuing Malay pirates, and Queequeg’s harpooning of a whale that leads the crew’s boat into the center of the panicked shoal, including the use of druggs to subdue multiple whales before the boat reaches the herd’s calm core. 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.

CHAPITRE 87. The Grand Armada.

This chapter, titled CHAPTER 87. The Grand Armada, documents the Pequod’s passage through the Straits of Sunda, its encounter with an immense herd of sperm whales, the ship’s chase of the herd, evasion of pursuing Malay pirates, and Queequeg’s harpooning of a whale that leads the crew’s boat into the center of the panicked shoal, including the use of druggs to subdue multiple whales before the boat reaches the herd’s calm core.

The Malacca Peninsula and Island Rampart

The narrow Malacca Peninsula, the southernmost point of Asia, is connected lengthwise to Australia by a continuous chain of islands including Sumatra, Java, Bally, and Timor, forming a natural rampart that separates the unbroken Indian Ocean from the East Indies archipelago; the Straits of Sunda and Malacca serve as key passageways through this island barrier for ships and whales.

Straits of Sunda as a Maritime Gateway

The Straits of Sunda, which divide Sumatra from Java and are flanked by the Java Head promontory, function as the central gateway to the wealth-filled East Indies archipelago, rich in spices, silks, jewels, gold, and ivory; unlike European-controlled straits, the Sunda Strait has no heavy fortifications demanding ceremonial tribute from passing ships, though local powers still claim practical tribute from vessels.

Malay Pirate Tribute in the Sunda Strait

For centuries, Malay pirates operating from hidden coves and islets around Sumatra have attacked ships passing through the Straits of Sunda, demanding tribute at spear point; while repeated European naval actions have reduced their activity in recent years, English and American vessels are still occasionally boarded and pillaged by these corsairs in the strait.

Pequod’s Voyage Plan Through the Strait

With a favorable wind, the Pequod approaches the Straits of Sunda, with Ahab planning to sail through into the Java Sea, then cruise north past the Philippine Islands to reach Japan in time for the peak whaling season; this route will let the Pequod cover nearly all known sperm whale cruising grounds before heading to the Pacific, where Ahab plans to hunt Moby Dick during the season the whale is most likely to be in the area.

Whaling Ship Self-Sufficiency

Unlike merchant ships that carry foreign cargo for foreign ports and must stop for supplies, the self-sufficient whaling ship carries only its crew, weapons, and provisions, including years of stored fresh Nantucket water, allowing it to sail for years without touching land or interacting with anyone other than fellow seafarers.

Sighting of the Large Sperm Whale Herd

As the Pequod nears the Straits of Sunda, no whales are spotted at first, but the crew soon sights a vast semicircular herd of sperm whales stretching across half the horizon, their spouts rising continuously in the midday air; widespread overhunting has driven sperm whales to travel in large, dense herds rather than the small, detached groups they once formed, meaning crews may sail for weeks without seeing a whale before encountering a herd of thousands.

Sperm Whale Spout Characteristics

The spout of the sperm whale is a single forward-slanting, thick curled bush of white mist that rises and falls to leeward, distinct from the straight, perpendicular twin-jet spout of the right whale that splits into two drooping branches at the top; from the Pequod’s deck, the mass of whale spouts looks like the chimneys of a dense city seen from a hill.