The Chase.—Third Day — Moby-Dick

Fair third morning crowds every mast with look-outs; Ahab follows infallible wake, monologues wind and feeling versus thinking, oversails the whale, reverses course, and Starbuck murmurs they steer for the open jaw while hoisting Ahab aloft until three mast-head shrieks spot the spout.

Forehead to forehead third time, Ahab pauses at descent to shake Starbuck's hand, hears Pip's sharks cry ignored, and rows with sharks snapping oars until Moby Dick rises with trailing lines bearing Fedallah's half-torn body full upon Ahab; befooled, Ahab sees the first hearse and hunts the second as whale passes the ship and Starbuck warns Moby Dick seeks thee not.

Setting sail alone leeward Ahab orders Starbuck turn ship and follow; sharks bite oars to splinters; harpoon and curse sink to socket; line snaps; whale smites Pequod's bow; Ahab blinded cries save my ship as stove boat sinks; Tashtego and Stubb see the ram; Ahab turns from sun, names American wood hearse, curses from hell's heart, gives up the spear, and line nooses his neck shooting him from the boat.

Pequod sinks with pagan harpooneers on masts; vortex takes boat and crew; Tashtego nails flag while sky-hawk folds into Ahab's colors; sea rolls on; epilogue Job verse: Ishmael replaced Fedallah bowsman, dropped astern third day, drawn to vortex edge, coffin life-buoy bursts up, floats one day and night unharmed by sharks and hawks until Rachel devious-cruising picks up another orphan seeking lost children.