Her masts-cut somewhere on the coast of Japan, where her original ones were lost overboard in a gale-her masts stood stiffly up like the spines of the three old kings of Cologne. Long seasoned and weather-stained in the typhoons and calms of all four oceans, her old hull’s complexion was darkened like a French grenadier’s, who has alike fought in Egypt and Siberia. She was a ship of the old school, rather small if anything with an old-fashioned claw-footed look about her. ![]() You may have seen many a quaint craft in your day, for aught I know -square-toed luggers mountainous Japanese junks butter-box galliots, and what not but take my word for it, you never saw such a rare old craft as this same rare old Pequod. I peered and pryed about the Devil-dam from her, hopped over to the Tit-bit and finally, going on board the Pequod, looked around her for a moment, and then decided that this was the very ship for us. Devil-Dam, I do not know the origin of Tit-bit is obvious Pequod, you will no doubt remember, was the name of a celebrated tribe of Massachusetts Indians now extinct as the ancient Medes. After much prolonged sauntering and many random inquiries, I learnt that there were three ships up for three-years’ voyages-The Devil-dam, the Tit-bit, and the Pequod. Next morning early, leaving Queequeg shut up with Yojo in our little bedroom-for it seemed that it was some sort of Lent or Ramadan, or day of fasting, humiliation, and prayer with Queequeg and Yojo that day how it was I never could find out, for, though I applied myself to it several times, I never could master his liturgies and XXXIX Articles-leaving Queequeg, then, fasting on his tomahawk pipe, and Yojo warming himself at his sacrificial fire of shavings, I sallied out among the shipping. But as all my remonstrances produced no effect upon Queequeg, I was obliged to acquiesce and accordingly prepared to set about this business with a determined rushing sort of energy and vigor, that should quickly settle that trifling little affair. I had not a little relied upon Queequeg’s sagacity to point out the whaler best fitted to carry us and our fortunes securely. Now, this plan of Queequeg’s, or rather Yojo’s, touching the selection of our craft I did not like that plan at all. ![]() I have forgotten to mention that, in many things, Queequeg placed great confidence in the excellence of Yojo’s judgment and surprising forecast of things and cherished Yojo with considerable esteem, as a rather good sort of god, who perhaps meant well enough upon the whole, but in all cases did not succeed in his benevolent designs. But to my surprise and no small concern, Queequeg now gave me to understand, that he had been diligently consulting Yojo-the name of his black little god-and Yojo had told him two or three times over, and strongly insisted upon it everyway, that instead of our going together among the whaling-fleet in harbor, and in concert selecting our craft instead of this, I say, Yojo earnestly enjoined that the selection of the ship should rest wholly with me, inasmuch as Yojo purposed befriending us and, in order to do so, had already pitched upon a vessel, which, if left to myself, I, Ishmael, should infallibly light upon, for all the world as though it had turned out by chance and in that vessel I must immediately ship myself, for the present irrespective of Queequeg. In bed we concocted our plans for the morrow.
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