The Barricade at the Forecastle
The Barricade at the Forecastle When the Lakeman is confronted by the junior mates and harpooneers, two Canallers rush to his defense and drag him toward the forecastle, where he and his desperadoes hastily roll large casks into a windlass-lined barricade. The captain, brandishing pistols brought by the steward, furiously demands they come out and surrender, but Steelkilt leaps upon the barricade and defies him.
The Mutineers’ Demands
The Mutineers’ Demands From behind the barricade, Steelkilt warns that his death would trigger a general mutiny, and the ringleader demands assurance they will not be touched if they return to duty. The captain refuses to make promises and threatens to sink the ship, prompting Steelkilt and his men to declare they will not turn to work unless guaranteed they will not be flogged.
Imprisonment in the Hold
Imprisonment in the Hold The captain orders the men down into the forecastle, and after Steelkilt leads most of them below, the officers leap the barricade, secure the scuttle with a brass padlock, and imprison ten men in the dark hold. A twenty-man neutral watch remains on deck while the imprisoned toil at the pumps throughout the night, their clanking echoing dismally through the ship.
The Defection of the Mutineers
The Defection of the Mutineers At sunrise the prisoners refuse to work, and the captain forces them back below with water and biscuit. After three days of this, seven men surrender and emerge, broken by the fetid air and starvation. Steelkilt, still defiant, hurls insults at the captain until three more bolt upward from the desperate crowd below, leaving only three holdouts—Steelkilt and the two Canallers.
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