As for Peleg himself, he took it more like a philosopher; but for all his philosophy, there was a tear twinkling in his eye, when the lantern came too near. And he, too, did not a little run from cabin to deck—now a word below, and now a word with Starbuck, the chief mate.
But, at last, he turned to his comrade, with a final sort of look about him—“Captain Bildad—come, old shipmate, we must go. Back the main-yard there! Boat ahoy! Stand by to come close alongside, now! Careful, careful!—come, Bildad, boy—say your last. Luck to ye, Starbuck—luck to ye, Mr. Stubb—luck to ye, Mr. Flask—goodbye and good luck to ye all—and this day three years I’ll have a hot supper smoking for ye in old Nantucket. Hurrah and away!”
“God bless ye, and have ye in His holy keeping, men,” murmured old Bildad, almost incoherently. “I hope ye’ll have fine weather now, so that Captain Ahab may soon be moving among ye—a pleasant sun is all he needs, and ye’ll have plenty of them in the tropic voyage ye go.
- Be careful in the hunt, ye mates.
- Don’t stave the boats needlessly, ye harpooneers; good white cedar plank is raised full three percent within the year.
- Don’t forget your prayers, either.
- Mr. Starbuck, mind that cooper don’t waste the spare staves.
- Oh! the sail-needles are in the green locker!
- Don’t whale it too much a’ Lord’s days, men; but don’t miss a fair chance either, that’s rejecting Heaven’s good gifts.
- Have an eye to the molasses tierce, Mr. Stubb; it was a little leaky, I thought.
- If ye touch at the islands, Mr. Flask, beware of fornication.
- Goodbye, goodbye!
- Don’t keep that cheese too long down in the hold, Mr. Starbuck; it’ll spoil.
- Be careful with the butter—twenty cents the pound it was, and mind ye, if—”