Queequeg’s Anointing
Queequeg is a strong believer in the ritual of anointing. One morning prior to the whale hunt, he takes painstaking care in treating his boat, crawling beneath it to rub in the oil. He appears to be acting on a specific premonition about the impending chase.
The Whales Raised
Around noon, a school of whales is spotted from the ship. The animals become aware of the approaching vessel and immediately flee with startling speed and precipitation.
Disordered Flight
The chaotic and rapid retreat of the whales is compared to the flight of Cleopatra’s barges from the Battle of Actium, signifying a panicked and disorderly dispersal across the ocean.
Stubb’s Pursuit
Despite the whales’ swift escape, the whaleboats give chase. Stubb’s boat takes the lead in the pursuit of the fleeing prey.
Tashtego Plants Iron
Through significant effort, Tashtego successfully throws and plants a harpoon into one of the whales. However, the wounded whale does not dive but continues its horizontal flight at an increased speed, risking the loss of the harpoon if the strain continues.
Pitchpoling
Faced with an accelerating whale that cannot be overtaken, the crew must rely on the advanced technique of pitchpoling to strike with the lance from a moving boat at a great distance.
The Pitchpoling Maneuver
Pitchpoling is the art of accurately throwing a long lance from a violently rocking and jerking boat under extreme headway. The lance, made of light pine and spanning ten to twelve feet, is attached to a long rope called a warp so it can be retrieved after the throw.
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