Moby Dick Chapter 134

Chapter 134

The Chase- the Second Day

At day-break, the mast-heads are manned again, but for a time, nothing is seen. The ship sails in the direction Moby-Dick was seen swimming; this act of following a whale is not unprecedented in whale fishery.

A man calls out Moby-Dick and the crew, their fears gone and replaced by frenzy, jump to, but the man mistook some other thing for a whale spout. Ahab is again hoisted up the main mast, and this time Moby-Dick breaches, jumping boldly out of the water so that his entire body can be seen for a moment.

Boats are lowered, and this time Moby-Dick attacks them. They manage to stab at him a few times, but the tangle of the rope and harness forces Ahab to cut him from his boat. Moby-Dick manages to smash Stubb and Flask's boats together, and flips over Ahab's boat. Then he swims away.

The Pequod comes and picks up the men. Ahab's ivory leg has been broken into a splinter, and he must now lean on Starbuck to stand. He curses the infirmity of his body. When the men are all accounted for, it seems that Fedellah is missing; Ahab remembers the prophecy he made, and is afraid. He has the carpenter make him a new leg from the keel of one of the wrecked boats.