CHAPTER 125 The Log and Line

WhilenowthefatedPequodhadbeensolongafloatthisvoyage,thelogandlinehadbutveryseldombeeninuse.Owingtoaconfidentrelianceuponothermeansofdeterminingthevessel'splace,somemerchantmen,andmanywhalemen,especiallywhencruising,whollyneglecttoheavethelog;thoughatthesametime,andfrequentlymoreforform'ssakethananythingelse,regularlyputtingdownuponthecustomaryslatethecoursesteeredbytheship,aswellasthepresumedaveragerateofprogressioneveryhour.IthadbeenthuswiththePequod.Thewoodenreelandangularlogattachedhung,longuntouched,justbeneaththerailingoftheafterbulwarks.Rainsandsprayhaddampedit;sunandwindhadwarpedit;alltheelementshadcombinedtorotathingthathungsoidly.Butheedlessofallthis,hismoodseizedAhab,ashehappenedtoglanceuponthereel,notmanyhoursafterthemagnetscene,andherememberedhowhisquadrantwasnomore,andrecalledhisfranticoathaboutthelevellogandline.Theshipwassailingplungingly;asternthebillowsrolledinriots.

"Forward,there!Heavethelog!"

Twoseamencame.Thegolden-huedTahitianandthegrizzlyManxman."Takethereel,oneofye,I'llheave."

Theywenttowardstheextremestern,ontheship'sleeside,wherethedeck,withtheobliqueenergyofthewind,wasnowalmostdippingintothecreamy,sidelong-rushingsea.

TheManxmantookthereel,andholdingithighup,bytheprojectinghandle-endsofthespindle,roundwhichthespooloflinerevolved,sostoodwiththeangularloghangingdownwards,tillAhabadvancedtohim.

Ahabstoodbeforehim,andwaslightlyunwindingsomethirtyorfortyturnstoformapreliminaryhandcoiltotossoverboard,whentheoldManxman,whowasintentlyeyeingbothhimandtheline,madeboldtospeak.

"Sir,Imistrustit;thislinelooksfargone,longheatandwethavespoiledit."

"'Twillhold,oldgentleman.Longheatandwet,havetheyspoiledthee?Thouseem'sttohold.Or,truerperhaps,lifeholdsthee;notthouit."

"Iholdthespool,sir.Butjustasmycaptainsays.Withthesegreyhairsofmine'tisnotworthwhiledisputing,'speciallywithasuperior,who'llne'erconfess."

"What'sthat?Therenow'sapatchedprofessorinQueenNature'sgranite-foundedCollege;butmethinkshe'stoosubservient.Wherewertthouborn?"

"InthelittlerockyIsleofMan,sir."

"Excellent!Thou'sthittheworldbythat."

"Iknownot,sir,butIwasbornthere."

"IntheIsleofMan,hey?Well,theotherway,it'sgood.Here'samanfromMan;amanborninonceindependentMan,andnowunmannedofMan;whichissuckedin—bywhat?Upwiththereel!Thedead,blindwallbuttsallinquiringheadsatlast.Upwithit!So."

Thelogwasheaved.Theloosecoilsrapidlystraightenedoutinalongdragginglineastern,andthen,instantly,thereelbegantowhirl.Inturn,jerkinglyraisedandloweredbytherollingbillows,thetowingresistanceofthelogcausedtheoldreelmantostaggerstrangely.

"Holdhard!"

Snap!theoverstrainedlinesaggeddowninonelongfestoon;thetugginglogwasgone.

"Icrushthequadrant,thethunderturnstheneedles,andnowthemadseapartsthelog-line.ButAhabcanmendall.Haulinhere,Tahitian;reelup,Manxman.Andlookye,letthecarpentermakeanotherlog,andmendthoutheline.Seetoit."

"Therehegoesnow;tohimnothing'shappened;buttome,theskewerseemslooseningoutofthemiddleoftheworld.Haulin,haulin,Tahitian!Theselinesrunwhole,andwhirlingout:comeinbroken,anddraggingslow.Ha,Pip?cometohelp;eh,Pip?"

"Pip?whomcallyePip?Pipjumpedfromthewhale-boat.Pip'smissing.Let'sseenowifyehaven'tfishedhimuphere,fisherman.Itdragshard;Iguesshe'sholdingon.Jerkhim,Tahiti!Jerkhimoff;wehaulinnocowardshere.Ho!there'shisarmjustbreakingwater.Ahatchet!ahatchet!cutitoff—wehaulinnocowardshere.CaptainAhab!sir,sir!here'sPip,tryingtogetonboardagain."

"Peace,thoucrazyloon,"criedtheManxman,seizinghimbythearm."Awayfromthequarterdeck!"

"Thegreateridioteverscoldsthelesser,"mutteredAhab,advancing."Handsofffromthatholiness!WheresayestthouPipwas,boy?

"Asternthere,sir,astern!Lo!lo!"

"Andwhoartthou,boy?Iseenotmyreflectioninthevacantpupilsofthyeyes.OhGod!thatmanshouldbeathingforimmortalsoulstosievethrough!Whoartthou,boy?"

"Bell-boy,sir;ship's-crier;ding,dong,ding!Pip!Pip!Pip!OnehundredpoundsofclayrewardforPip;fivefeethigh—lookscowardly—quickestknownbythat!Ding,dong,ding!Who'sseenPipthecoward?"

"Therecanbenoheartsabovethesnow-line.Oh,yefrozenheavens!lookdownhere.Yedidbegetthislucklesschild,andhaveabandonedhim,yecreativelibertines.Here,boy;Ahab'scabinshallbePip'shomehenceforth,whileAhablives.Thoutouchestmyinmostcentre,boy;thouarttiedtomebycordswovenofmyheart-strings.Come,let'sdown."

"What'sthis?here'svelvetshark-skin,"intentlygazingatAhab'shand,andfeelingit."Ah,now,hadpoorPipbutfeltsokindathingasthis,perhapshehadne'erbeenlost!Thisseemstome,sir,asaman-rope;somethingthatweaksoulsmayholdby.Oh,sir,letoldPerthnowcomeandrivetthesetwohandstogether;theblackonewiththewhite,forIwillnotletthisgo."

"Oh,boy,norwillIthee,unlessIshouldtherebydragtheetoworsehorrorsthanarehere.Come,then,tomycabin.Lo!yebelieversingodsallgoodness,andinmanallill,loyou!seetheomniscientgodsobliviousofsufferingman;andman,thoughidiotic,andknowingnotwhathedoes,yetfullofthesweetthingsofloveandgratitude.Come!Ifeelprouderleadingtheebythyblackhand,thanthoughIgraspedanEmperor's!"

"Theregotwodaftonesnow,"mutteredtheoldManxman."Onedaftwithstrength,theotherdaftwithweakness.Buthere'stheendoftherottenline—alldripping,too.Mendit,eh?Ithinkwehadbesthaveanewlinealtogether.I'llseeMr.Stubbaboutit."