CHAPTER 48

The First Lowering

The phantoms, for so they then seemed, were flitting on the other side of the deck, and, with a noiseless celerity, were casting loose the tackles and bands of the boat which swung there.  This boat had always been deemed one of the spare boats, though technically called the captain’s, on account of its hanging from the starboard quarter.  The figure that now stood by its bows was tall and swart, with one white tooth evilly protruding from its steel-like lips.  A rumpled Chinese jacket of black cotton funereally invested him, with wide black trowsers of the same dark stuff.  But strangely crowning this ebonness was a glistening white plaited turban, the living hair braided and coiled round and round upon his head.  Less swart in aspect, the companions of this figure were of that vivid, tiger-yellow complexion peculiar to some of the aboriginal natives of the Manillas;—­a race notorious for a certain diabolism of subtilty, and by some honest white mariners supposed to be the paid spies and secret confidential agents on the water of the devil, their lord, whose counting-room they suppose to be elsewhere.

While yet the wondering ship’s company were gazing upon these strangers, Ahab cried out to the white-turbaned old man at their head, “All ready there, Fedallah?”

“Ready,” was the half-hissed reply.

“Lower away then; d’ye hear?” shouting across the deck. 
“Lower away there, I say.”

Such was the thunder of his voice, that spite of their amazement the men sprang over the rail; the sheaves whirled round in the blocks; with a wallow, the three boats dropped into the sea; while, with a dexterous, off-handed daring, unknown in any other vocation, the sailors, goat-like, leaped down the rolling ship’s side into the tossed boats below.

Hardly had they pulled out from under the ship’s lee, when a fourth keel, coming from the windward side, pulled round under the stern, and showed the five strangers rowing Ahab, who, standing erect in the stern, loudly hailed Starbuck, Stubb, and Flask, to spread themselves widely, so as to cover a large expanse of water.  But with all their eyes again riveted upon the swart Fedallah and his crew, the inmates of the other boats obeyed not the command.

“Captain Ahab?-” said Starbuck.

“Spread yourselves,” cried Ahab; “give way, all four boats.  Thou, Flask, pull out more to leeward!”

“Aye, aye, sir,” cheerily cried little King-Post, sweeping round his great steering oar.  “Lay back!” addressing his crew.  “There!—­there!—­ there again!  There she blows right ahead, boys!—­lay back!

“Never heed yonder yellow boys, Archy.”

“Oh, I don’t mind’em, sir,” said Archy; “I knew it all before now.  Didn’t I hear ’em in the hold?  And didn’t I tell Cabaco here of it?  What say ye, Cabaco?  They are stowaways, Mr. Flask.”