Ahab and Starbuck in the Cabin

According to usage they were pumping the ship next morning; and lo! no inconsiderable oil came up with the water; the casks below must have sprung a bad leak. Much concern was shown; and Starbuck went down into the cabin to report this unfavourable affair.*

As usual, they were pumping the ship the next morning, and a considerable amount of oil came up with the water. The casks below must have sprung a bad leak. There was much concern, and Starbuck went down to the cabin to report the trouble.*

*In Sperm-whalemen with any considerable quantity of oil on board, it is a regular semi-weekly duty to conduct a hose into the hold, and drench the casks with sea-water; which afterwards, at varying intervals, is removed by the ship’s pumps. Hereby the casks are sought to be kept damply tight; while by the changed character of the withdrawn water, the mariners readily detect any serious leakage in the precious cargo.

*On sperm whaling ships carrying a considerable amount of oil, the crew has a regular duty twice a week. They run a hose into the hold and drench the casks with seawater. The water is then removed by the ship’s pumps at varying intervals. This keeps the casks damp and tight. Changes in the pumped-out water also help the sailors detect any serious leakage from the precious cargo.

Now, from the South and West the Pequod was drawing nigh to Formosa and the Bashee Isles, between which lies one of the tropical outlets from the China waters into the Pacific. And so Starbuck found Ahab with a general chart of the oriental archipelagoes spread before him; and another separate one representing the long eastern coasts of the Japanese islands—Niphon, Matsmai, and Sikoke. With his snow-white new ivory leg braced against the screwed leg of his table, and with a long pruning-hook of a jack-knife in his hand, the wondrous old man, with his back to the gangway door, was wrinkling his brow, and tracing his old courses again.

The Pequod was now approaching Formosa and the Bashee Isles from the south and west. Between them lies a tropical passage from the China waters into the Pacific. So Starbuck found Ahab with a general chart of the eastern archipelagoes spread before him. A separate chart showed the long eastern coasts of the Japanese islands Niphon, Matsmai, and Sikoke. The remarkable old man had his back to the gangway door. His new, snow-white ivory leg was braced against the table’s screwed leg, and he held a long, hooked jackknife. Frowning, he traced his old routes again.

“Who’s there?” hearing the footstep at the door, but not turning round to it. “On deck! Begone!”

“Who’s there?” Hearing footsteps at the door, he did not turn around. “On deck! Go away!”

“Captain Ahab mistakes; it is I. The oil in the hold is leaking, sir. We must up Burtons and break out.”

“Captain Ahab is mistaken. It’s me. The oil in the hold is leaking, sir. We must rig the hoists and unload the cargo.”

“Up Burtons and break out? Now that we are nearing Japan; heave-to here for a week to tinker a parcel of old hoops?”

“Rig the tackle and unload the hold? Now that we’re nearing Japan, stop here for a week to repair a bunch of old barrel hoops?”

“Either do that, sir, or waste in one day more oil than we may make good in a year. What we come twenty thousand miles to get is worth saving, sir.”

“Either do that, sir, or we may waste more oil in one day than we can replace in a year. We came twenty thousand miles to get it. It is worth saving, sir.”

“So it is, so it is; if we get it.”

“That’s right, that’s right, if we get it.”

“I was speaking of the oil in the hold, sir.”

“I was talking about the oil in the ship’s hold, sir.”

“And I was not speaking or thinking of that at all. Begone! Let it leak! I’m all aleak myself. Aye! leaks in leaks! not only full of leaky casks, but those leaky casks are in a leaky ship; and that’s a far worse plight than the Pequod’s, man. Yet I don’t stop to plug my leak; for who can find it in the deep-loaded hull; or how hope to plug it, even if found, in this life’s howling gale? Starbuck! I’ll not have the Burtons hoisted.”

“And I wasn’t speaking or thinking about that at all. Go away! Let it leak! I’m leaking all over myself. Yes! Leaks within leaks! Not only am I full of leaky barrels, but those leaky barrels are in a leaky ship. And that’s a far worse situation than the Pequod’s, man. Yet I don’t stop to plug my leak. Who can find it in the heavily loaded hull? And even if I found it, how could I hope to plug it in life’s howling gale? Starbuck! I won’t have the Burtons hoisted.”

“What will the owners say, sir?”

“What will the owners say, sir?”

“Let the owners stand on Nantucket beach and outyell the Typhoons. What cares Ahab? Owners, owners? Thou art always prating to me, Starbuck, about those miserly owners, as if the owners were my conscience. But look ye, the only real owner of anything is its commander; and hark ye, my conscience is in this ship’s keel.—On deck!”

“Let the owners stand on Nantucket beach and shout louder than the Typhoons. What does Ahab care? Owners, owners? You’re always going on to me, Starbuck, about those miserly owners, as if they were my conscience. But look here, the only real owner of anything is the one who commands it. And listen, my conscience is in this ship’s keel. On deck!”

“Captain Ahab,” said the reddening mate, moving further into the cabin, with a daring so strangely respectful and cautious that it almost seemed not only every way seeking to avoid the slightest outward manifestation of itself, but within also seemed more than half distrustful of itself; “A better man than I might well pass over in thee what he would quickly enough resent in a younger man; aye, and in a happier, Captain Ahab.”

“Captain Ahab,” said the mate, his face reddening as he moved further into the cabin. His boldness was strangely respectful and cautious. It seemed to be trying in every way to hide itself, while also more than half doubting itself. “A better man than I might well overlook in you what he would quickly resent in a younger man. Yes, and in a happier man, Captain Ahab.”

“Devils! Dost thou then so much as dare to critically think of me?—On deck!”

“Devils! Do you even dare to think critically about me? On deck!”

“Nay, sir, not yet; I do entreat. And I do dare, sir—to be forbearing! Shall we not understand each other better than hitherto, Captain Ahab?”

“No, sir, not yet. I beg you. And I do dare, sir, to be patient! Can’t we understand each other better than we have so far, Captain Ahab?”

Ahab seized a loaded musket from the rack (forming part of most South-Sea-men’s cabin furniture), and pointing it towards Starbuck, exclaimed: “There is one God that is Lord over the earth, and one Captain that is lord over the Pequod.—On deck!”

Ahab grabbed a loaded musket from the rack. Such racks were part of the cabin furnishings on most South Sea ships. He pointed the musket at Starbuck and shouted: “There is one God who is lord over the earth, and one Captain who is lord over the Pequod. On deck!”

For an instant in the flashing eyes of the mate, and his fiery cheeks, you would have almost thought that he had really received the blaze of the levelled tube. But, mastering his emotion, he half calmly rose, and as he quitted the cabin, paused for an instant and said: “Thou hast outraged, not insulted me, sir; but for that I ask thee not to beware of Starbuck; thou wouldst but laugh; but let Ahab beware of Ahab; beware of thyself, old man.”

For an instant, the mate’s flashing eyes and fiery cheeks made him look as if he had actually been struck by the blast from the gun aimed at him. But he mastered his emotion and rose, half calmly. As he left the cabin, he paused for a moment and said: “You have outraged me, sir, not insulted me. But I won’t ask you to beware of Starbuck for that. You would only laugh. Instead, let Ahab beware of Ahab. Beware of yourself, old man.”

“He waxes brave, but nevertheless obeys; most careful bravery that!” murmured Ahab, as Starbuck disappeared. “What’s that he said—Ahab beware of Ahab—there’s something there!” Then unconsciously using the musket for a staff, with an iron brow he paced to and fro in the little cabin; but presently the thick plaits of his forehead relaxed, and returning the gun to the rack, he went to the deck.

“He’s getting brave, but he still obeys. What careful bravery!” Ahab murmured as Starbuck disappeared. “What did he say? Ahab beware of Ahab. There’s something in that!” Without realizing it, Ahab used the musket as a walking stick. He paced back and forth in the little cabin, his brow stern. But soon the deep furrows in his forehead relaxed. He returned the gun to the rack and went on deck.

“Thou art but too good a fellow, Starbuck,” he said lowly to the mate; then raising his voice to the crew: “Furl the t’gallant-sails, and close-reef the top-sails, fore and aft; back the main-yard; up Burton, and break out in the main-hold.”

“You’re too good a man, Starbuck,” he said quietly to the mate. Then he raised his voice to the crew: “Furl the topgallant sails and reef the topsails as tightly as possible, fore and aft. Turn the main yard against the wind. Rig the hoist and open up the main hold.”

It were perhaps vain to surmise exactly why it was, that as respecting Starbuck, Ahab thus acted. It may have been a flash of honesty in him; or mere prudential policy which, under the circumstance, imperiously forbade the slightest symptom of open disaffection, however transient, in the important chief officer of his ship. However it was, his orders were executed; and the Burtons were hoisted.

It may be pointless to guess exactly why Ahab acted this way toward Starbuck. It may have been a flash of honesty. Or it may have been simple caution. Under the circumstances, Ahab could not afford even the briefest sign of open discontent from his important chief officer. Whatever the reason, his orders were carried out, and the Burtons were hoisted.