Chapters 15-17 Summary

Once in Nantucket Queequeg and Ishmael search out the hotel recommended to them by Peter Coffin. The Try Pots is adorned outside with two huge black wooden pots hanging by donkey's ears from an old ship's mast. Once inside the two enjoy as supper of clam and cod chowder after a brief misunderstanding where Ishmael thinks they are only going to get one clam for supper. As they are off to bed, Mrs. Hussey, the landlady, demands Queequeg leave his harpoon downstairs as one tenant once was killed by a harpoon in one of the rooms.

As they bed down, Queequeg insists that his small black idol, named Yojo, says that Ishmael alone should choose which whaling ship they are to sail on. Ishmael is unhappy with this decision since he is an inexperienced whaler and had depended upon Queequeg's experience...