Chapter XX: ALL ASTIR
A day or two passed, and there was great activity aboard the pequod.
not only were the old sails being mended, but new sails were coming on
board, and bolts of canvas, and coils of rigging; in short, everything
betokened that the ship's preparations were hurrying to a close.
Captain Peleg seldom or never went ashore, but sat in his wigwam
keeping a sharp look-out upon the hands: Bildad did all the purchasing
and providing at the stores; and the men employed in the hold and on
the rigging were working till long after night-fall. On the day
following Queequeg's signing the articles, word was given at all the
inns where the ship's company were stopping, that their chests must be
on board before night, for there was no telling how soon the vessel
might be sailing. So Queequeg and I got down our traps, resolving,
however, to sleep ashore till the last. But it seems they always give
very long notice in these cases, and the ship did not sail for several
days. But no wonder; there was a good deal to be done, and there is
no telling how many things to be thought of, before the Pequod was
fully equipped. Every one knows what a multitude of things --beds,
sauce-pans, knives and forks, shovels and tongs, napkins,
nut-crackers, and what not, are indispensable to the business of
housekeeping. Just so with whaling, which necessitates a three-years'
housekeeping upon the wide ocean, far from all grocers, costermongers,
doctors, bakers, and bankers. And though this also holds true of
merchant vessels, yet not by any means to the same extent as with
whalemen. For besides the great length of the whaling voyage, the
numerous articles peculiar to the prosecution of the fishery, and the
impossibility of replacing them at the remote harbors usually
frequented, it must be remembered, that of all ships, whaling vessels
are the most exposed to accidents of all kinds, and especially to the
destruction and loss of the very things upon which the success of the
voyage most depends. Hence, the spare boats, spare spars, and spare
lines and harpoons, and spare everythings, almost, but a spare captain
and duplicate ship. At the period of our arrival at the Island, the
heaviest storage of the Pequod had been almost completed; comprising
her beef, bread, water, fuel, and iron hoops and staves. But, as
before hinted, for some time there was a continual fetching and
carrying on board of divers odds and ends of things, both large and
small. Chief among those who did this fetching and carrying was
Captain Bildad's sister, a lean old lady of a most determined and
indefatigable spirit, but withal very kindhearted, who seemed resolved
that, if she could help it, nothing should be found wanting in the
Pequod, after once fairly getting to sea. At one time she would come
on board with a jar of pickles for the steward's pantry; another time
with a bunch of quills for the chief mate's desk, where he kept his
log; a third time with a roll of flannel for the small of some one's
rheumatic back. Never did any woman better deserve her name, which
was Charity --Aunt Charity, as everybody called her. And like a
sister of charity did this charitable Aunt Charity bustle about hither
and thither, ready to turn her hand and heart to anything that
promised to yield safety, comfort, and consolation to all on board a
ship in which her beloved brother Bildad was concerned, and in which
she herself owned a score or two of well-saved dollars. But it was
startling to see this excellent hearted Quakeress coming on board, as
she did the last day, with a long oil-ladle in one hand, and a still
longer whaling lance in the other. Nor was Bildad himself nor Captain
Peleg at all backward. As for Bildad, he carried about with him a
long list of the articles needed, and at every fresh arrival, down
went his mark opposite that article upon the paper.
Every once and a while Peleg came hobbling out of his whalebone den,
roaring at the men down the hatchways, roaring up to the riggers at
the mast-head, and then concluded by roaring back into his
wigwam. During these days of preparation, Queequeg and I often visited
the craft, and as often I asked about Captain Ahab, and how he was,
and when he was going to come on board his ship. To these questions
they would answer, that he was getting better and better, and was
expected aboard every day; meantime, the two Captains, Peleg and
Bildad, could attend to everything necessary to fit the vessel for the
voyage. If I had been downright honest with myself, I would have seen
very plainly in my heart that I did but half fancy being committed
this way to so long a voyage, without once laying my eyes on the man
who was to be the absolute dictator of it, so soon as the ship sailed
out upon the open sea. But when a man suspects any wrong, it
sometimes happens that if he be already involved in the matter, he
insensibly strives to cover up his suspicions even from himself. And
much this way it was with me. I said nothing, and tried to think
nothing. At last it was given out that some time next day the ship
would certainly sail. So next morning, Queequeg and I took a very
early start.