Never did any woman better deserve her name,
which was Charity--Aunt Charity, as everybody called her.
And like a sister of charity did this charitable Aunt Charity
bustle about hither and thither, ready to turn her hand and heart
to anything that promised to yield safety, comfort, and consolation
to all on board a ship in which her beloved brother Bildad
was concerned, and in which she herself owned a score or two
of well-saved dollars.
But it was startling to see this excellent hearted Quakeress
coming on board, as she did the last day, with a long oil-ladle
in one hand, and a still longer whaling lance in the other.
Nor was Bildad himself nor Captain Peleg at all backward.
As for Bildad, he carried about with him a long list
of the articles needed, and at every fresh arrival,
down went his mark opposite that article upon the paper.
Every once in a while Peleg came hobbling out of his whalebone den,
roaring at the men down the hatchways, roaring up to the
riggers at the mast-head, and then concluded by roaring back
into his wigwam.
During these days of preparation, Queequeg and I often visited
the craft, and as often I asked about Captain Ahab, and how he was,
and when he was going to come on board his ship.
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