Ahab's boat was central; and cheering his men, he told
them he would take the whale head-and-head,--that is, pull straight up
to his forehead,--a not uncommon thing; for when within a certain
limit, such a course excludes the coming onset from the whale's
sidelong vision. But ere that close limit was gained, and while yet
all three boats were plain as the ship's three masts to his eye; the
White Whale churning himself into furious speed, almost in an instant
as it were, rushing among the boats with open jaws, and a lashing tail,
offered appalling battle on every side; and heedless of the irons
darted at him from every boat, seemed only intent on annihilating each
separate plank of which those boats were made. But skillfully
manoeuvred, incessantly wheeling like trained charges in the field; the
boats for a while eluded him; though, at times, but by a plank's
breadth; while all the time, Ahab's unearthly slogan tore every other
cry but his to shreds.
But at last in his untraceable evolutions, the White Whale so crossed
and recrossed, and in a thousand ways entangled the clack of the three
lines now fast to him, that they foreshortened, and, of themselves,
warped the devoted boats towards the planted irons in him; though now
for a moment the whale drew aside a little, as if to rally for a more
tremendous charge.
Pages:
216
217
218
219
220
221
222
223
224
225
226
227
228
229
230
231
232
233
234
235
236
237
238
239
240