Now, as many Sperm Whales had been captured off the western coast of Java, within the near neighborhood of the Straits of Sunda; indeed, as most of the bottom, roundabout, was typically recognised by the fishermen as a wonderful spot for cruising; subsequently, as the Pequod gained increasingly upon Java Head, the look-outs were repeatedly hailed, and admonished to maintain huge awake. Nay. For a very long time, now, the circus-working sun has raced inside his fiery ring, and needs no sustenance however what’s in himself. In about three minutes’ time, Queequeg’s harpoon was flung; the stricken fish darted blinding spray in our faces, after which working away with us like gentle, steered straight for the center of the herd. But not a bit daunted, Queequeg steered us manfully; now sheering off from this monster straight throughout our route in advance; now edging away from that, whose colossal flukes were suspended overhead, while all the time, Starbuck stood up within the bows, lance in hand, pricking out of our approach whatever whales he may reach by brief darts, for there was no time to make long ones.
With a good, recent wind, the Pequod was now drawing nigh to those straits; Ahab purposing to cross by way of them into the Javan sea, and thence, cruising northwards, over waters known to be frequented right here and there by the Sperm Whale, sweep inshore by the Philippine Islands, and achieve the far coast of Japan, in time for the nice whaling season there. Unlike the straight perpendicular twin-jets of the correct Whale, which, dividing at high, fall over in two branches, just like the cleft drooping boughs of a willow, the single ahead-slanting spout of the Sperm Whale presents a thick curled bush of white mist, regularly rising and falling away to leeward. But though the green palmy cliffs of the land quickly loomed on the starboard bow, and with delighted nostrils the fresh cinnamon was snuffed within the air, yet not a single jet was descried. Seen from the Pequod’s deck, then, as she would rise on a excessive hill of the sea, this host of vapory spouts, individually curling up into the air, and beheld through a mixing environment of bluish haze, showed just like the thousand cheerful chimneys of some dense metropolis, descried of a balmy autumnal morning, by some horseman on a peak.
As, blind and deaf, the whale plunged ahead, as if by sheer energy of velocity to rid himself of the iron leech that had fastened to him; as we thus tore a white gash within the sea, on all sides menaced as we flew, by the crazed creatures to and fro rushing about us; our beset boat was like a ship mobbed by ice-isles in a tempest, and striving to steer by their complicated channels and straits, realizing not at what second it could also be locked in and crushed. Hence it is, that, whereas different ships may have gone to China from New York, and back again, touching at a rating of ports, the whale-ship, in all that interval, could not have sighted one grain of soil; her crew having seen no man but floating seamen like themselves. Brett, Brouse (May 24, 2011). “Red Wing to recognize domestic partnerships”. As marching armies approaching an unfriendly defile within the mountains, speed up their march, all eagerness to put that perilous passage in their rear, and once more develop in comparative safety upon the plain; even so did this huge fleet of whales now appear hurrying ahead through the straits; steadily contracting the wings of their semicircle, and swimming on, in a single solid, but still crescentic centre.
But still driving on in the wake of the whales, at length they appeared abating their velocity; progressively the ship neared them; and the wind now dying away, phrase was handed to spring to the boats. It was a lovely, bounteous, blue day; the spangled sea calm and cool, and flatly stretching away, all spherical, to the horizon, like gold-beater’s skin hammered out to the extremest. Broad on both bows, at the gap of some two or three miles, and forming a terrific semicircle, embracing one half of the extent horizon, a continuous chain of whale-jets were up-taking part in and sparkling within the noon-day air. Had these Leviathans been but a flock of easy sheep, pursued over the pasture by three fierce wolves, they couldn’t possibly have evinced such extreme dismay. But here be it premised, that owing to the unwearied activity with which of late they have been hunted over all 4 oceans, the Sperm Whales, as a substitute of nearly invariably sailing in small detached corporations, as in former instances, at the moment are incessantly met with in intensive herds, typically embracing so nice a large number, that it could nearly appear as if numerous nations of them had sworn solemn league and covenant for mutual help and safety.
