And there is a Catskill eagle in some souls that can alike
dive down into the blackest gorges, and soar out of them again
and become invisible in the sunny spaces. And even if he for
ever flies within the gorge, that gorge is in the mountains;
so that even in his lowest swoop the mountain eagle is still
higher than other birds upon the plain, even though they soar.
CHAPTER 97
The Lamp
Had you descended from the Pequod's try-works to the Pequod's forecastle,
where the off duty watch were sleeping, for one single moment you
would have almost thought you were standing in some illuminated
shrine of canonized kings and counsellors. There they lay in
their triangular oaken vaults, each mariner a chiselled muteness;
a score of lamps flashing upon his hooded eyes.
In merchantmen, oil for the sailor is more scarce than the milk
of queens. To dress in the dark, and eat in the dark,
and stumble in darkness to his pallet, this is his usual lot.
But the whaleman, as he seeks the food of light, so he lives in light.
He makes his berth an Aladdin's lamp, and lays him down in it;
so that in the pitchiest night the ship's black hull still
houses an illumination.
See with what entire freedom the whaleman takes his handful
of lamps--often but old bottles and vials, though--to the
copper cooler at the tryworks, and replenishes them there,
as mugs of ale at a vat.
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