Think of that! When every moment we thought the ship would sink!
Death and the Judgment then? What? With all three masts making such
an everlasting thundering against the side; and every sea breaking
over us, fore and aft. Think of Death and the Judgment then?
No! no time to think about Death then. Life was what Captain Ahab
and I was thinking of; and how to save all hands how to rig jury-masts
how to get into the nearest port; that was what I was thinking of."
Bildad said no more, but buttoning up his coat, stalked on deck,
where we followed him. There he stood, very quietly overlooking
some sailmakers who were mending a top-sail in the waist.
Now and then he stooped to pick up a patch, or save an end
of tarred twine, which otherwise might have been wasted.
CHAPTER 19
The Prophet
"Shipmates, have ye shipped in that ship?"
Queequeg and I had just left the Pequod, and were sauntering away
from the water, for the moment each occupied with his own thoughts,
when the above words were put to us by a stranger, who, pausing before us,
levelled his massive forefinger at the vessel in question.
He was but shabbily apparelled in faded jacket and patched trowsers;
a rag of a black handkerchief investing his neck.
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