Ch.5: News from the Quarter Deck

Sailors are naturally superstitious. As a result, Pappy Ishmael received a nickname from some of the wags in the forecastle...Fluke. They all agreed it was a 'fluke' that he had coincidentally been drawn into the vortex surrounding the Pequod that took it and the rest of the crew to Davy Jones' Locker just at the time its strength was abating and at the very time when Queequeg's coffin popped to the surface. Oh, Ishmael had been aboard ship for only several days, but had become the obvious center of attention among the inquisitive crewmen right from the start due to his most recent encounter. He became Fluke, also, because of the obvious whaler's familiarity with the flukes of their prey, the sperm whales; which had not done in their new shipmate. So there it was, just as Jacob ('the deceiver') was renamed Israel ('God contends'), Ishmael ('God listens') was renamed Fluke ('stroke of good luck').

He had already been asked numerous times to retell the tale; which was more than right up his alley, considering he was naturally gregarious when not in a funk brought on by circumstances of his life. Actually, for those of us looking back on Pappy's behavior and his description of his actions from his own mouth through Mr. Melville, it would appear he was perhaps a bit of a manic depressive personality at the time of his experiences with Ahab and his crew. He started out for his whaling adventure in a 'drizzly November' in his soul and once in the Spouter Inn went from being left 'in a brown study' in his attitude by the trick of Peter Coffin to threatening to 'break it for him,' meaning the yet unmet Queequeg's head...somewhat of a sudden shift, wouldn't you say?!!

Ishmael now had his audience on whom he could practice his tale-telling as well as the germ of an idea from his carpenter friend on how he might expand his audience when he finally left the whaling trade in which he was currently engaged on the Rachel. He asked about if there was any spare paper and writing implement on board, and the captain, when presented with the nutshell of Pappy's project, gladly provided a small lined volume of his own and the pencils to use to retell the story that he also found fascinating as a way in which to while away some hours. The news from the quarterdeck this day was surprising to some extent, but perhaps not, given the state of the captain's heart.

"Mr. Lions, assemble all hands. I have something they all will need to hear."

"Aye, aye, Cap'n," said First Mate Lions, with characteristic attention to naval etiquette. "ALL HANDS GATHER AFT. COME 'ROUND, LADS, TO HEAR YER CAPTAIN'S WORDS!!"

The men rarely received this sort of attention unless their quarry was in sight, but the Rachel's barrels had been near filled before The Incident, so they gathered quickly, not knowing what might be so important in the Captain's mind.

"Men, it is with personally heavy heart over the loss of my boy and several other men that I have decided to shorten this particular voyage. We have tacked long enough around this portion of the Pacific to realize that my boy and the other men lost in our last encounter with Moby Dick will not be found. We will stop briefly in the islands nearby to refit and gather provisions, then sail straightway for San Francisco instead of taking the longer route around The Horn to get back home. The barrels will only handle oil from perhaps one good size whale, so if we encounter one other than that white devil, we will lower away and fill up the purse of our owners and be sure to cover your portions of the voyage. If we see no spouts, I will personally stand ready to part with whatever portion of my share is necessary to satisfy all parties involved."

"Beggin' yer pardon, Cap'n," piped up Second Mate Murray, "what has brought on this decision?"

"As I said, grief over the loss of those taken by Moby Dick has shown me the wisdom of my own retirement. I do not want to jeopardize your lives with my own spleen or other emotions that might infect me with the same vengeance Captain Ahab thought would give him victory over one who will not be defeated by mere mortals. I have spent enough years under sail and still have one son to raise...on land, unless he chooses otherwise."

"Sir, will we all be left in port to fend for ourselves?" This was from Lions.

"No, Mr. Lions, I will endeavor to find a suitable captain to continue the voyage after communicating with the owners my desires so that each of you will have employment back to New Bedford if you choose. All others will be given their wages to that point of the voyage and may do as they see fit. You have been as good a crew as a captain could desire. I will not willingly put you in jeopardy again. You are dismissed."

The men, confronted with the possibility of a quiet rest of the voyage, were more than willing to give voice to all sorts of sailors' conjectures, but the main message was clearly understood and well received.