CHAPTER	O
1	O
Loomings	O
Call	O
me	O
Ishmael	O
.	O

Some	O
years	O
ago	O
--	O
never	O
mind	O
how	O
long	O
precisely	O
--	O
having	O
little	O
or	O
no	O
money	O
in	O
my	O
purse	O
,	O
and	O
nothing	O
particular	O
to	O
interest	O
me	O
on	O
shore	O
,	O
I	O
thought	O
I	O
would	O
sail	O
about	O
a	O
little	O
and	O
see	O
the	O
watery	O
part	O
of	O
the	O
world	O
.	O

It	O
is	O
a	O
way	O
I	O
have	O
of	O
driving	O
off	O
the	O
spleen	O
and	O
regulating	O
the	O
circulation	O
.	O

Whenever	O
I	O
find	O
myself	O
growing	O
grim	O
about	O
the	O
mouth	O
;	O
whenever	O
it	O
is	O
a	O
damp	O
,	O
drizzly	O
November	O
in	O
my	O
soul	O
;	O
whenever	O
I	O
find	O
myself	O
involuntarily	O
pausing	O
before	O
coffin	O
warehouses	O
,	O
and	O
bringing	O
up	O
the	O
rear	O
of	O
every	O
funeral	O
I	O
meet	O
;	O
and	O
especially	O
whenever	O
my	O
hypos	O
get	O
such	O
an	O
upper	O
hand	O
of	O
me	O
,	O
that	O
it	O
requires	O
a	O
strong	O
moral	O
principle	O
to	O
prevent	O
me	O
from	O
deliberately	O
stepping	O
into	O
the	O
street	O
,	O
and	O
methodically	O
knocking	O
people	O
's	O
hats	O
off	O
--	O
then	O
,	O
I	O
account	O
it	O
high	O
time	O
to	O
get	O
to	O
sea	O
as	O
soon	O
as	O
I	O
can	O
.	O

This	O
is	O
my	O
substitute	O
for	O
pistol	O
and	O
ball	O
.	O

With	O
a	O
philosophical	O
flourish	O
Cato	O
throws	O
himself	O
upon	O
his	O
sword	O
;	O
I	O
quietly	O
take	O
to	O
the	O
ship	O
.	O

There	O
is	O
nothing	O
surprising	O
in	O
this	O
.	O

If	O
they	O
but	O
knew	O
it	O
,	O
almost	O
all	O
men	O
in	O
their	O
degree	O
,	O
some	O
time	O
or	O
other	O
,	O
cherish	O
very	O
nearly	O
the	O
same	O
feelings	O
towards	O
the	O
ocean	O
with	O
me	O
.	O

There	O
now	O
is	O
your	O
insular	O
city	O
of	O
the	O
Manhattoes	O
,	O
belted	O
round	O
by	O
wharves	O
as	O
Indian	O
isles	O
by	O
coral	O
reefs	O
--	O
commerce	O
surrounds	O
it	O
with	O
her	O
surf	O
.	O

Right	O
and	O
left	O
,	O
the	O
streets	O
take	O
you	O
waterward	O
.	O

Its	O
extreme	O
downtown	O
is	O
the	O
battery	O
,	O
where	O
that	O
noble	O
mole	O
is	O
washed	O
by	O
waves	O
,	O
and	O
cooled	O
by	O
breezes	O
,	O
which	O
a	O
few	O
hours	O
previous	O
were	O
out	O
of	O
sight	O
of	O
land	O
.	O

Look	O
at	O
the	O
crowds	O
of	O
water-gazers	O
there	O
.	O

Circumambulate	O
the	O
city	O
of	O
a	O
dreamy	O
Sabbath	O
afternoon	O
.	O

Go	O
from	O
Corlears	O
Hook	O
to	O
Coenties	O
Slip	O
,	O
and	O
from	O
thence	O
,	O
by	O
Whitehall	O
,	O
northward	O
.	O

What	O
do	O
you	O
see	O
?	O

--	O
Posted	O
like	O
silent	O
sentinels	O
all	O
around	O
the	O
town	O
,	O
stand	O
thousands	O
upon	O
thousands	O
of	O
mortal	O
men	O
fixed	O
in	O
ocean	O
reveries	O
.	O

Some	O
leaning	O
against	O
the	O
spiles	O
;	O
some	O
seated	O
upon	O
the	O
pier-heads	O
;	O
some	O
looking	O
over	O
the	O
bulwarks	O
glasses	O
!	O

of	O
ships	O
from	O
China	O
;	O
some	O
high	O
aloft	O
in	O
the	O
rigging	O
,	O
as	O
if	O
striving	O
to	O
get	O
a	O
still	O
better	O
seaward	O
peep	O
.	O

But	O
these	O
are	O
all	O
landsmen	O
;	O
of	O
week	O
days	O
pent	O
up	O
in	O
lath	O
and	O
plaster	O
--	O
tied	O
to	O
counters	O
,	O
nailed	O
to	O
benches	O
,	O
clinched	O
to	O
desks	O
.	O

How	O
then	O
is	O
this	O
?	O

Are	O
the	O
green	O
fields	O
gone	O
?	O

What	O
do	O
they	O
here	O
?	O

But	O
look	O
!	O

here	O
come	EVENT
more	O
crowds	O
,	O
pacing	EVENT
straight	O
for	O
the	O
water	O
,	O
and	O
seemingly	O
bound	O
for	O
a	O
dive	O
.	O

Strange	O
!	O

Nothing	O
will	O
content	O
them	O
but	O
the	O
extremest	O
limit	O
of	O
the	O
land	O
;	O
loitering	O
under	O
the	O
shady	O
lee	O
of	O
yonder	O
warehouses	O
will	O
not	O
suffice	O
.	O

No	O
.	O

They	O
must	O
get	O
just	O
as	O
nigh	O
the	O
water	O
as	O
they	O
possibly	O
can	O
without	O
falling	O
in	O
.	O

And	O
there	O
they	O
stand	O
--	O
miles	O
of	O
them	O
--	O
leagues	O
.	O

Inlanders	O
all	O
,	O
they	O
come	O
from	O
lanes	O
and	O
alleys	O
,	O
streets	O
and	O
avenues	O
,	O
--	O
north	O
,	O
east	O
,	O
south	O
,	O
and	O
west	O
.	O

Yet	O
here	O
they	O
all	O
unite	O
.	O

Tell	O
me	O
,	O
does	O
the	O
magnetic	O
virtue	O
of	O
the	O
needles	O
of	O
the	O
compasses	O
of	O
all	O
those	O
ships	O
attract	O
them	O
thither	O
?	O

Once	O
more	O
.	O

Say	O
you	O
are	O
in	O
the	O
country	O
;	O
in	O
some	O
high	O
land	O
of	O
lakes	O
.	O

Take	O
almost	O
any	O
path	O
you	O
please	O
,	O
and	O
ten	O
to	O
one	O
it	O
carries	O
you	O
down	O
in	O
a	O
dale	O
,	O
and	O
leaves	O
you	O
there	O
by	O
a	O
pool	O
in	O
the	O
stream	O
.	O

There	O
is	O
magic	O
in	O
it	O
.	O

Let	O
the	O
most	O
absent-minded	O
of	O
men	O
be	O
plunged	O
in	O
his	O
deepest	O
reveries	O
--	O
stand	O
that	O
man	O
on	O
his	O
legs	O
,	O
set	O
his	O
feet	O
a-going	O
,	O
and	O
he	O
will	O
infallibly	O
lead	O
you	O
to	O
water	O
,	O
if	O
water	O
there	O
be	O
in	O
all	O
that	O
region	O
.	O

Should	O
you	O
ever	O
be	O
athirst	O
in	O
the	O
great	O
American	O
desert	O
,	O
try	O
this	O
experiment	O
,	O
if	O
your	O
caravan	O
happen	O
to	O
be	O
supplied	O
with	O
a	O
metaphysical	O
professor	O
.	O

Yes	O
,	O
as	O
every	O
one	O
knows	O
,	O
meditation	O
and	O
water	O
are	O
wedded	O
for	O
ever	O
.	O

But	O
here	O
is	O
an	O
artist	O
.	O

He	O
desires	O
to	O
paint	O
you	O
the	O
dreamiest	O
,	O
shadiest	O
,	O
quietest	O
,	O
most	O
enchanting	O
bit	O
of	O
romantic	O
landscape	O
in	O
all	O
the	O
valley	O
of	O
the	O
Saco	O
.	O

What	O
is	O
the	O
chief	O
element	O
he	O
employs	O
?	O

There	O
stand	O
his	O
trees	O
,	O
each	O
with	O
a	O
hollow	O
trunk	O
,	O
as	O
if	O
a	O
hermit	O
and	O
a	O
crucifix	O
were	O
within	O
;	O
and	O
here	O
sleeps	O
his	O
meadow	O
,	O
and	O
there	O
sleep	O
his	O
cattle	O
;	O
and	O
up	O
from	O
yonder	O
cottage	O
goes	O
a	O
sleepy	O
smoke	O
.	O

Deep	O
into	O
distant	O
woodlands	O
winds	O
a	O
mazy	O
way	O
,	O
reaching	O
to	O
overlapping	O
spurs	O
of	O
mountains	O
bathed	O
in	O
their	O
hill-side	O
blue	O
.	O

But	O
though	O
the	O
picture	O
lies	O
thus	O
tranced	O
,	O
and	O
though	O
this	O
pine-tree	O
shakes	O
down	O
its	O
sighs	O
like	O
leaves	O
upon	O
this	O
shepherd	O
's	O
head	O
,	O
yet	O
all	O
were	O
vain	O
,	O
unless	O
the	O
shepherd	O
's	O
eye	O
were	O
fixed	O
upon	O
the	O
magic	O
stream	O
before	O
him	O
.	O

Go	O
visit	O
the	O
Prairies	O
in	O
June	O
,	O
when	O
for	O
scores	O
on	O
scores	O
of	O
miles	O
you	O
wade	O
knee-deep	O
among	O
Tiger-lilies	O
--	O
what	O
is	O
the	O
one	O
charm	O
wanting	O
?	O

--	O
Water	O
there	O
is	O
not	O
a	O
drop	O
of	O
water	O
there	O
!	O

Were	O
Niagara	O
but	O
a	O
cataract	O
of	O
sand	O
,	O
would	O
you	O
travel	O
your	O
thousand	O
miles	O
to	O
see	O
it	O
?	O

Why	O
did	O
the	O
poor	O
poet	O
of	O
Tennessee	O
,	O
upon	O
suddenly	O
receiving	EVENT
two	O
handfuls	O
of	O
silver	O
,	O
deliberate	EVENT
whether	O
to	O
buy	O
him	O
a	O
coat	O
,	O
which	O
he	O
sadly	O
needed	O
,	O
or	O
invest	O
his	O
money	O
in	O
a	O
pedestrian	O
trip	O
to	O
Rockaway	O
Beach	O
?	O

Why	O
is	O
almost	O
every	O
robust	O
healthy	O
boy	O
with	O
a	O
robust	O
healthy	O
soul	O
in	O
him	O
,	O
at	O
some	O
time	O
or	O
other	O
crazy	O
to	O
go	O
to	O
sea	O
?	O

Why	O
upon	O
your	O
first	O
voyage	O
as	O
a	O
passenger	O
,	O
did	O
you	O
yourself	O
feel	O
such	O
a	O
mystical	O
vibration	O
,	O
when	O
first	O
told	O
that	O
you	O
and	O
your	O
ship	O
were	O
now	O
out	O
of	O
sight	O
of	O
land	O
?	O

Why	O
did	O
the	O
old	O
Persians	O
hold	O
the	O
sea	O
holy	O
?	O

Why	O
did	O
the	O
Greeks	O
give	O
it	O
a	O
separate	O
deity	O
,	O
and	O
own	O
brother	O
of	O
Jove	O
?	O

Surely	O
all	O
this	O
is	O
not	O
without	O
meaning	O
.	O

And	O
still	O
deeper	O
the	O
meaning	O
of	O
that	O
story	O
of	O
Narcissus	O
,	O
who	O
because	O
he	O
could	O
not	O
grasp	O
the	O
tormenting	O
,	O
mild	O
image	O
he	O
saw	EVENT
in	O
the	O
fountain	O
,	O
plunged	EVENT
into	O
it	O
and	O
was	O
drowned	EVENT
.	O

But	O
that	O
same	O
image	O
,	O
we	O
ourselves	O
see	O
in	O
all	O
rivers	O
and	O
oceans	O
.	O

It	O
is	O
the	O
image	O
of	O
the	O
ungraspable	O
phantom	O
of	O
life	O
;	O
and	O
this	O
is	O
the	O
key	O
to	O
it	O
all	O
.	O

Now	O
,	O
when	O
I	O
say	O
that	O
I	O
am	O
in	O
the	O
habit	O
of	O
going	O
to	O
sea	O
whenever	O
I	O
begin	O
to	O
grow	O
hazy	O
about	O
the	O
eyes	O
,	O
and	O
begin	O
to	O
be	O
over	O
conscious	O
of	O
my	O
lungs	O
,	O
I	O
do	O
not	O
mean	O
to	O
have	O
it	O
inferred	O
that	O
I	O
ever	O
go	O
to	O
sea	O
as	O
a	O
passenger	O
.	O

For	O
to	O
go	O
as	O
a	O
passenger	O
you	O
must	O
needs	O
have	O
a	O
purse	O
,	O
and	O
a	O
purse	O
is	O
but	O
a	O
rag	O
unless	O
you	O
have	O
something	O
in	O
it	O
.	O

Besides	O
,	O
passengers	O
get	O
sea-sick	O
--	O
grow	O
quarrelsome	O
--	O
do	O
n't	O
sleep	O
of	O
nights	O
--	O
do	O
not	O
enjoy	O
themselves	O
much	O
,	O
as	O
a	O
general	O
thing	O
;	O
--	O
no	O
,	O
I	O
never	O
go	O
as	O
a	O
passenger	O
;	O
nor	O
,	O
though	O
I	O
am	O
something	O
of	O
a	O
salt	O
,	O
do	O
I	O
ever	O
go	O
to	O
sea	O
as	O
a	O
Commodore	O
,	O
or	O
a	O
Captain	O
,	O
or	O
a	O
Cook	O
.	O

I	O
abandon	O
the	O
glory	O
and	O
distinction	O
of	O
such	O
offices	O
to	O
those	O
who	O
like	O
them	O
.	O

For	O
my	O
part	O
,	O
I	O
abominate	O
all	O
honorable	O
respectable	O
toils	O
,	O
trials	O
,	O
and	O
tribulations	O
of	O
every	O
kind	O
whatsoever	O
.	O

It	O
is	O
quite	O
as	O
much	O
as	O
I	O
can	O
do	O
to	O
take	O
care	O
of	O
myself	O
,	O
without	O
taking	O
care	O
of	O
ships	O
,	O
barques	O
,	O
brigs	O
,	O
schooners	O
,	O
and	O
what	O
not	O
.	O

And	O
as	O
for	O
going	O
as	O
cook	O
,	O
--	O
though	O
I	O
confess	O
there	O
is	O
considerable	O
glory	O
in	O
that	O
,	O
a	O
cook	O
being	O
a	O
sort	O
of	O
officer	O
on	O
ship-board	O
--	O
yet	O
,	O
somehow	O
,	O
I	O
never	O
fancied	O
broiling	O
fowls	O
;	O
--	O
though	O
once	O
broiled	O
,	O
judiciously	O
buttered	O
,	O
and	O
judgmatically	O
salted	O
and	O
peppered	O
,	O
there	O
is	O
no	O
one	O
who	O
will	O
speak	O
more	O
respectfully	O
,	O
not	O
to	O
say	O
reverentially	O
,	O
of	O
a	O
broiled	O
fowl	O
than	O
I	O
will	O
.	O

It	O
is	O
out	O
of	O
the	O
idolatrous	O
dotings	O
of	O
the	O
old	O
Egyptians	O
upon	O
broiled	O
ibis	O
and	O
roasted	O
river	O
horse	O
,	O
that	O
you	O
see	O
the	O
mummies	O
of	O
those	O
creatures	O
in	O
their	O
huge	O
bakehouses	O
the	O
pyramids	O
.	O

No	O
,	O
when	O
I	O
go	O
to	O
sea	O
,	O
I	O
go	O
as	O
a	O
simple	O
sailor	O
,	O
right	O
before	O
the	O
mast	O
,	O
plumb	O
down	O
into	O
the	O
fore-castle	O
,	O
aloft	O
there	O
to	O
the	O
royal	O
mast-head	O
.	O

True	O
,	O
they	O
rather	O
order	O
me	O
about	O
some	O
,	O
and	O
make	O
me	O
jump	O
from	O
spar	O
to	O
spar	O
,	O
like	O
a	O
grasshopper	O
in	O
a	O
May	O
meadow	O
.	O

And	O
at	O
first	O
,	O
this	O
sort	O
of	O
thing	O
is	O
unpleasant	O
enough	O
.	O

It	O
touches	O
one	O
's	O
sense	O
of	O
honor	O
,	O
particularly	O
if	O
you	O
come	O
of	O
an	O
old	O
established	O
family	O
in	O
the	O
land	O
,	O
the	O
Van	O
Rensselaers	O
,	O
or	O
Randolphs	O
,	O
or	O
Hardicanutes	O
.	O

And	O
more	O
than	O
all	O
,	O
if	O
just	O
previous	O
to	O
putting	O
your	O
hand	O
into	O
the	O
tar-pot	O
,	O
you	O
have	O
been	O
lording	O
it	O
as	O
a	O
country	O
schoolmaster	O
,	O
making	O
the	O
tallest	O
boys	O
stand	O
in	O
awe	O
of	O
you	O
.	O

The	O
transition	O
is	O
a	O
keen	O
one	O
,	O
I	O
assure	EVENT
you	O
,	O
from	O
a	O
schoolmaster	O
to	O
a	O
sailor	O
,	O
and	O
requires	O
a	O
strong	O
decoction	O
of	O
Seneca	O
and	O
the	O
Stoics	O
to	O
enable	O
you	O
to	O
grin	O
and	O
bear	O
it	O
.	O

But	O
even	O
this	O
wears	O
off	O
in	O
time	O
.	O

What	O
of	O
it	O
,	O
if	O
some	O
old	O
hunks	O
of	O
a	O
sea-captain	O
orders	O
me	O
to	O
get	O
a	O
broom	O
and	O
sweep	O
down	O
the	O
decks	O
?	O

What	O
does	O
that	O
indignity	O
amount	O
to	O
,	O
weighed	O
,	O
I	O
mean	O
,	O
in	O
the	O
scales	O
of	O
the	O
New	O
Testament	O
?	O

Do	O
you	O
think	O
the	O
archangel	O
Gabriel	O
thinks	O
anything	O
the	O
less	O
of	O
me	O
,	O
because	O
I	O
promptly	O
and	O
respectfully	O
obey	O
that	O
old	O
hunks	O
in	O
that	O
particular	O
instance	O
?	O

Who	O
ai	O
n't	O
a	O
slave	O
?	O

Tell	O
me	O
that	O
.	O

Well	O
,	O
then	O
,	O
however	O
the	O
old	O
sea-captains	O
may	O
order	O
me	O
about	O
--	O
however	O
they	O
may	O
thump	O
and	O
punch	O
me	O
about	O
,	O
I	O
have	O
the	O
satisfaction	O
of	O
knowing	O
that	O
it	O
is	O
all	O
right	O
;	O
that	O
everybody	O
else	O
is	O
one	O
way	O
or	O
other	O
served	O
in	O
much	O
the	O
same	O
way	O
--	O
either	O
in	O
a	O
physical	O
or	O
metaphysical	O
point	O
of	O
view	O
,	O
that	O
is	O
;	O
and	O
so	O
the	O
universal	O
thump	O
is	O
passed	O
round	O
,	O
and	O
all	O
hands	O
should	O
rub	O
each	O
other	O
's	O
shoulder-blades	O
,	O
and	O
be	O
content	O
.	O

Again	O
,	O
I	O
always	O
go	O
to	O
sea	O
as	O
a	O
sailor	O
,	O
because	O
they	O
make	O
a	O
point	O
of	O
paying	O
me	O
for	O
my	O
trouble	O
,	O
whereas	O
they	O
never	O
pay	O
passengers	O
a	O
single	O
penny	O
that	O
I	O
ever	O
heard	O
of	O
.	O

On	O
the	O
contrary	O
,	O
passengers	O
themselves	O
must	O
pay	O
.	O

And	O
there	O
is	O
all	O
the	O
difference	O
in	O
the	O
world	O
between	O
paying	O
and	O
being	O
paid	O
.	O

The	O
act	O
of	O
paying	O
is	O
perhaps	O
the	O
most	O
uncomfortable	O
infliction	O
that	O
the	O
two	O
orchard	O
thieves	O
entailed	O
upon	O
us	O
.	O

But	O
being	O
paid	O
,	O
--	O
what	O
will	O
compare	O
with	O
it	O
?	O

The	O
urbane	O
activity	O
with	O
which	O
a	O
man	O
receives	O
money	O
is	O
really	O
marvellous	O
,	O
considering	O
that	O
we	O
so	O
earnestly	O
believe	O
money	O
to	O
be	O
the	O
root	O
of	O
all	O
earthly	O
ills	O
,	O
and	O
that	O
on	O
no	O
account	O
can	O
a	O
monied	O
man	O
enter	O
heaven	O
.	O

Ah	O
!	O

how	O
cheerfully	O
we	O
consign	O
ourselves	O
to	O
perdition	O
!	O

Finally	O
,	O
I	O
always	O
go	O
to	O
sea	O
as	O
a	O
sailor	O
,	O
because	O
of	O
the	O
wholesome	O
exercise	O
and	O
pure	O
air	O
of	O
the	O
fore-castle	O
deck	O
.	O

For	O
as	O
in	O
this	O
world	O
,	O
head	O
winds	O
are	O
far	O
more	O
prevalent	O
than	O
winds	O
from	O
astern	O
(	O
that	O
is	O
,	O
if	O
you	O
never	O
violate	O
the	O
Pythagorean	O
maxim	O
)	O
,	O
so	O
for	O
the	O
most	O
part	O
the	O
Commodore	O
on	O
the	O
quarter-deck	O
gets	O
his	O
atmosphere	O
at	O
second	O
hand	O
from	O
the	O
sailors	O
on	O
the	O
forecastle	O
.	O

He	O
thinks	O
he	O
breathes	O
it	O
first	O
;	O
but	O
not	O
so	O
.	O

In	O
much	O
the	O
same	O
way	O
do	O
the	O
commonalty	O
lead	O
their	O
leaders	O
in	O
many	O
other	O
things	O
,	O
at	O
the	O
same	O
time	O
that	O
the	O
leaders	O
little	O
suspect	O
it	O
.	O

But	O
wherefore	O
it	O
was	O
that	O
after	O
having	O
repeatedly	O
smelt	O
the	O
sea	O
as	O
a	O
merchant	O
sailor	O
,	O
I	O
should	O
now	O
take	O
it	O
into	O
my	O
head	O
to	O
go	O
on	O
a	O
whaling	O
voyage	O
;	O
this	O
the	O
invisible	O
police	O
officer	O
of	O
the	O
Fates	O
,	O
who	O
has	O
the	O
constant	O
surveillance	O
of	O
me	O
,	O
and	O
secretly	O
dogs	O
me	O
,	O
and	O
influences	O
me	O
in	O
some	O
unaccountable	O
way	O
--	O
he	O
can	O
better	O
answer	O
than	O
any	O
one	O
else	O
.	O

And	O
,	O
doubtless	O
,	O
my	O
going	O
on	O
this	O
whaling	O
voyage	O
,	O
formed	O
part	O
of	O
the	O
grand	O
programme	O
of	O
Providence	O
that	O
was	O
drawn	O
up	O
a	O
long	O
time	O
ago	O
.	O

It	O
came	O
in	O
as	O
a	O
sort	O
of	O
brief	O
interlude	O
and	O
solo	O
between	O
more	O
extensive	O
performances	O
.	O

I	O
take	O
it	O
that	O
this	O
part	O
of	O
the	O
bill	O
must	O
have	O
run	O
something	O
like	O
this	O
:	O