By these means, the circumnavigating Pequod would sweep almost all the
known Sperm Whale cruising grounds of the world, previous to descending
upon the Line in the Pacific; where Ahab, though everywhere else
foiled in his pursuit, firmly counted upon giving battle to Moby Dick,
in the sea he was most known to frequent; and at a season when he might
most reasonably be presumed to be haunting it.
But how now? in this zoned quest, does Ahab touch no land? does
his crew drink air? Surely, he will stop for water. Nay. For a
long time, now, the circus-running sun has raced within his
fiery ring, and needs no sustenance but what's in himself.
So Ahab. Mark this, too, in the whaler. While other
hulls are loaded down with alien stuff, to be transferred
to foreign wharves; the world-wandering whale-ship carries
no cargo but herself and crew, their weapons and their wants.
She has a whole lake's contents bottled in her ample hold.
She is ballasted with utilities; not altogether with unusable
pig-lead and kentledge. She carries years' water in her.
Clear old prime Nantucket water; which, when three years afloat,
the Nantucketer, in the Pacific, prefers to drink before
the brackish fluid, but yesterday rafted off in casks,
from the Peruvian or Indian streams.
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