The Carpet Bag

I stuffed a shirt or two into my old carpet-bag, tucked it under my arm, and started for Cape Horn and the Pacific. Quitting the good city of old Manhatto, I duly arrived in New Bedford. It was a Saturday night in December. Much was I disappointed upon learning that the little packet for Nantucket had already sailed, and that no way of reaching that place would offer, till the following Monday.

I stuffed a shirt or two into my old carpetbag, tucked it under my arm, and set off for Cape Horn and the Pacific. After leaving the fine old city of Manhatto, I arrived in New Bedford. It was a Saturday night in December. I was very disappointed to learn that the small ferry to Nantucket had already sailed. There would be no way to reach Nantucket until the following Monday.

As most young candidates for the pains and penalties of whaling stop at this same New Bedford, thence to embark on their voyage, it may as well be related that I, for one, had no idea of so doing. For my mind was made up to sail in no other than a Nantucket craft, because there was a fine, boisterous something about everything connected with that famous old island, which amazingly pleased me. Besides though New Bedford has of late been gradually monopolising the business of whaling, and though in this matter poor old Nantucket is now much behind her, yet Nantucket was her great original—the Tyre of this Carthage;—the place where the first dead American whale was stranded. Where else but from Nantucket did those aboriginal whalemen, the Red-Men, first sally out in canoes to give chase to the Leviathan? And where but from Nantucket, too, did that first adventurous little sloop put forth, partly laden with imported cobblestones—so goes the story—to throw at the whales, in order to discover when they were nigh enough to risk a harpoon from the bowsprit?

Most young men setting out to face the hardships and dangers of whaling stop at New Bedford to begin their voyage. So I might as well say that I had no intention of doing the same. I had decided to sail only on a Nantucket ship. Everything connected with that famous old island had a fine, boisterous quality that delighted me. Besides, although New Bedford has lately been taking over the whaling business, and poor old Nantucket now lags far behind, Nantucket was the original. It was the Tyre to New Bedford's Carthage, the place where the first dead American whale was stranded. Where else but Nantucket did those first whalemen, the Native Americans, launch their canoes to chase the Leviathan? And where else but Nantucket did that first daring little sloop set sail? The story goes that it carried a partial load of imported cobblestones. The crew threw them at whales to see when they were close enough to risk throwing a harpoon from the bowsprit.

Now having a night, a day, and still another night following before me in New Bedford, ere I could embark for my destined port, it became a matter of concernment where I was to eat and sleep meanwhile. It was a very dubious-looking, nay, a very dark and dismal night, bitingly cold and cheerless. I knew no one in the place. With anxious grapnels I had sounded my pocket, and only brought up a few pieces of silver,—So, wherever you go, Ishmael, said I to myself, as I stood in the middle of a dreary street shouldering my bag, and comparing the gloom towards the north with the darkness towards the south—wherever in your wisdom you may conclude to lodge for the night, my dear Ishmael, be sure to inquire the price, and don’t be too particular.

I had a night, a day, and another night to spend in New Bedford before I could sail for my destination. So I had to consider where I would eat and sleep in the meantime. The night looked very doubtful, no, very dark and dismal. It was bitterly cold and cheerless. I knew no one in town. I had anxiously searched my pocket and brought up only a few pieces of silver. I stood in the middle of a dreary street with my bag on my shoulder. I compared the gloom to the north with the darkness to the south. Wherever you go, Ishmael, I said to myself, wherever you wisely decide to stay tonight, my dear Ishmael, be sure to ask the price, and don’t be too particular.

With halting steps I paced the streets, and passed the sign of “The Crossed Harpoons”—but it looked too expensive and jolly there. Further on, from the bright red windows of the “Sword-Fish Inn,” there came such fervent rays, that it seemed to have melted the packed snow and ice from before the house, for everywhere else the congealed frost lay ten inches thick in a hard, asphaltic pavement,—rather weary for me, when I struck my foot against the flinty projections, because from hard, remorseless service the soles of my boots were in a most miserable plight. Too expensive and jolly, again thought I, pausing one moment to watch the broad glare in the street, and hear the sounds of the tinkling glasses within. But go on, Ishmael, said I at last; don’t you hear? get away from before the door; your patched boots are stopping the way. So on I went. I now by instinct followed the streets that took me waterward, for there, doubtless, were the cheapest, if not the cheeriest inns.

I walked slowly through the streets and passed the sign of “The Crossed Harpoons,” but the place looked too expensive and cheerful. Farther on, the bright red windows of the “Sword-Fish Inn” gave off such intense warmth that it seemed to have melted the packed snow and ice in front of the building. Everywhere else, frozen snow and ice lay ten inches thick, forming a hard pavement like asphalt. Walking on it was tiring when my feet struck the hard, sharp bumps. The soles of my boots were in terrible condition after long, unforgiving use. Too expensive and cheerful, I thought again. I paused for a moment to watch the wide glow in the street and listen to the glasses clinking inside. But move on, Ishmael, I said to myself at last. Don’t you hear? Get away from the door. Your patched boots are in the way. So I went on. I now instinctively followed the streets toward the water. There, no doubt, I would find the cheapest inns, if not the most cheerful.

Such dreary streets! blocks of blackness, not houses, on either hand, and here and there a candle, like a candle moving about in a tomb. At this hour of the night, of the last day of the week, that quarter of the town proved all but deserted. But presently I came to a smoky light proceeding from a low, wide building, the door of which stood invitingly open. It had a careless look, as if it were meant for the uses of the public; so, entering, the first thing I did was to stumble over an ash-box in the porch. Ha! thought I, ha, as the flying particles almost choked me, are these ashes from that destroyed city, Gomorrah? But “The Crossed Harpoons,” and “The Sword-Fish?”—this, then must needs be the sign of “The Trap.” However, I picked myself up and hearing a loud voice within, pushed on and opened a second, interior door.

Such dreary streets! On either side were blocks of blackness, not houses. Here and there a candle flickered, like a candle moving about in a tomb. At this hour, on the last night of the week, that part of town was almost deserted. But soon I came to a low, wide building with a smoky light coming from it. Its door stood invitingly open. The building had a neglected look, as if it were meant for public use. So I went in, and the first thing I did was stumble over an ash box in the porch. Ha! I thought, ha, as the flying ashes nearly choked me. Are these ashes from that destroyed city, Gomorrah? But “The Crossed Harpoons,” and “The Sword-Fish?” This, then, must surely be the sign of “The Trap.” Still, I picked myself up. Hearing a loud voice inside, I pushed on and opened a second door.

It seemed the great Black Parliament sitting in Tophet. A hundred black faces turned round in their rows to peer; and beyond, a black Angel of Doom was beating a book in a pulpit. It was a negro church; and the preacher’s text was about the blackness of darkness, and the weeping and wailing and teeth-gnashing there. Ha, Ishmael, muttered I, backing out, Wretched entertainment at the sign of ‘The Trap!’

It looked like the great Black Parliament gathered in Tophet. A hundred black faces turned in their rows to stare. Beyond them, a black Angel of Doom was pounding a book in a pulpit. It was a Black church. The preacher’s text was about the blackness of darkness, and the weeping, wailing, and gnashing of teeth there. Ha, Ishmael, I muttered as I backed out, what wretched entertainment at the sign of ‘The Trap!’

Moving on, I at last came to a dim sort of light not far from the docks, and heard a forlorn creaking in the air; and looking up, saw a swinging sign over the door with a white painting upon it, faintly representing a tall straight jet of misty spray, and these words underneath—“The Spouter Inn:—Peter Coffin.”

As I walked on, I finally came to a dim light not far from the docks. I heard a lonely creaking in the air. Looking up, I saw a sign swinging over a door. A faint white painting on the sign showed a tall, straight jet of misty spray. Beneath it were the words: “The Spouter Inn: Peter Coffin.”

Coffin?—Spouter?—Rather ominous in that particular connexion, thought I. But it is a common name in Nantucket, they say, and I suppose this Peter here is an emigrant from there. As the light looked so dim, and the place, for the time, looked quiet enough, and the dilapidated little wooden house itself looked as if it might have been carted here from the ruins of some burnt district, and as the swinging sign had a poverty-stricken sort of creak to it, I thought that here was the very spot for cheap lodgings, and the best of pea coffee.

Coffin? Spouter? I thought the two names sounded rather ominous together. But Coffin is a common name in Nantucket, they say. I suppose this Peter came from there. The light was dim, and the place seemed quiet enough for the moment. The shabby little wooden house looked as if it might have been hauled here from a burned-out neighborhood. The swinging sign creaked as if it were poor, too. So I thought this was just the place for cheap lodging and the best pea coffee.

It was a queer sort of place—a gable-ended old house, one side palsied as it were, and leaning over sadly. It stood on a sharp bleak corner, where that tempestuous wind Euroclydon kept up a worse howling than ever it did about poor Paul’s tossed craft. Euroclydon, nevertheless, is a mighty pleasant zephyr to any one in-doors, with his feet on the hob quietly toasting for bed. “In judging of that tempestuous wind called Euroclydon,” says an old writer—of whose works I possess the only copy extant—“it maketh a marvellous difference, whether thou lookest out at it from a glass window where the frost is all on the outside, or whether thou observest it from that sashless window, where the frost is on both sides, and of which the wight Death is the only glazier.” True enough, thought I, as this passage occurred to my mind—old black-letter, thou reasonest well. Yes, these eyes are windows, and this body of mine is the house. What a pity they didn’t stop up the chinks and the crannies though, and thrust in a little lint here and there. But it’s too late to make any improvements now. The universe is finished; the copestone is on, and the chips were carted off a million years ago. Poor Lazarus there, chattering his teeth against the curbstone for his pillow, and shaking off his tatters with his shiverings, he might plug up both ears with rags, and put a corn-cob into his mouth, and yet that would not keep out the tempestuous Euroclydon. Euroclydon! says old Dives, in his red silken wrapper—(he had a redder one afterwards) pooh, pooh! What a fine frosty night; how Orion glitters; what northern lights! Let them talk of their oriental summer climes of everlasting conservatories; give me the privilege of making my own summer with my own coals.

It was a strange place, an old house with a gabled end. One side seemed paralyzed and leaned sadly to one side. The house stood on a sharp, bleak corner. There, the storm wind Euroclydon howled worse than it ever had around poor Paul’s storm-tossed ship. Still, Euroclydon is a very pleasant breeze to anyone indoors, quietly warming his feet by the fire before bed. “In judging that storm wind called Euroclydon,” says an old writer, “it makes a remarkable difference where you watch it from. You may look out through a glass window, with the frost entirely on the outside. Or you may look through a window without a frame, where the frost is on both sides and Death himself is the only glazier.” I own the only surviving copy of this writer’s works. When the passage came to mind, I thought, how true. Old black-letter writer, you reason well. Yes, these eyes are windows, and this body of mine is the house. What a pity they didn’t seal the cracks and gaps and stuff a little lint here and there. But it’s too late to make improvements now. The universe is finished. The capstone is in place, and the chips were carted away a million years ago. Poor Lazarus lies there with the curb for a pillow, his teeth chattering and his shivering shaking off his rags. He might plug both ears with rags and put a corncob in his mouth. Even so, that would not keep out the storm wind Euroclydon. Euroclydon! says old Dives, in his red silk robe (he had a redder one afterward). Pooh, pooh! What a fine frosty night. How Orion glitters. What northern lights! Let them talk of their eastern summer climates, where the greenhouses last forever. Give me the privilege of making my own summer with my own coals.

But what thinks Lazarus? Can he warm his blue hands by holding them up to the grand northern lights? Would not Lazarus rather be in Sumatra than here? Would he not far rather lay him down lengthwise along the line of the equator; yea, ye gods! go down to the fiery pit itself, in order to keep out this frost?

But what does Lazarus think? Can he warm his blue hands by holding them up to the magnificent northern lights? Wouldn’t Lazarus rather be in Sumatra than here? Wouldn’t he much rather lie stretched out along the equator? Yes, gods! Wouldn’t he even go down to the fiery pit itself to escape this frost?

Now, that Lazarus should lie stranded there on the curbstone before the door of Dives, this is more wonderful than that an iceberg should be moored to one of the Moluccas. Yet Dives himself, he too lives like a Czar in an ice palace made of frozen sighs, and being a president of a temperance society, he only drinks the tepid tears of orphans.

Lazarus lay stranded on the curb outside Dives's door. That was more astonishing than an iceberg moored to one of the Moluccas. Yet Dives himself lived like a Czar in an ice palace made of frozen sighs. And as president of a temperance society, he drank only the lukewarm tears of orphans.

But no more of this blubbering now, we are going a-whaling, and there is plenty of that yet to come. Let us scrape the ice from our frosted feet, and see what sort of a place this “Spouter” may be.

But enough blubbering for now. We're going whaling, and there's plenty more blubbering to come. Let's scrape the ice off our frozen feet and see what kind of place this “Spouter” is.