Oh! sweet friends, hearken to me. It was made of small juicy clams,
scarcely bigger than hazel nuts, mixed with pounded ship biscuits,
and salted pork cut up into little flakes! the whole enriched
with butter, and plentifully seasoned with pepper and salt.
Our appetites being sharpened by the frosty voyage, and in particular,
Queequeg seeing his favourite fishing food before him, and the chowder
being surpassingly excellent, we despatched it with great expedition:
when leaning back a moment and bethinking me of Mrs. Hussey's clam
and cod announcement, I thought I would try a little experiment.
Stepping to the kitchen door, I uttered the word "cod" with
great emphasis, and resumed my seat. In a few moments the savoury
steam came forth again, but with a different flavor, and in good
time a fine cod-chowder was placed before us.
We resumed business; and while plying our spoons in the bowl, thinks I
to myself, I wonder now if this here has any effect on the head?
What's that stultifying saying about chowder-headed people?
"But look, Queequeg, ain't that a live eel in your bowl?
Where's your harpoon?"
Fishiest of all fishy places was the Try Pots, which well deserved
its name; for the pots there were always boiling chowders.
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