But if these suspicions were really his,
he sagaciously refrained from verbally expressing them,
however his actions might seem to hint them.
"I will have the first sight of the whale myself,"--
he said. "Aye! Ahab must have the doubloon! and with
his own hands he rigged a nest of basketed bowlines;
and sending a hand aloft, with a single sheaved block,
to secure to the mainmast head, he received the two ends of
the downwardreeved rope; and attaching one to his basket prepared
a pin for the other end, in order to fasten it at the rail.
This done, with that end yet in his hand and standing beside the pin,
he looked round upon his crew, sweeping from one to the other;
pausing his glance long upon Daggoo, Queequeg, Tashtego;
but shunning Fedallah; and then settling his firm relying eye
upon the chief mate, said,--"Take the rope, sir--I give it into
thy hands, Starbuck." Then arranging his person in the basket,
he gave the word for them to hoist him to his perch, Starbuck being
the one who secured the rope at last; and afterwards stood near it.
And thus, with one hand clinging round the royal mast,
Ahab gazed abroad upon the sea for miles and miles,--ahead astern,
this side, and that,--within the wide expanded circle commanded
at so great a height.
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