The Albatross — Moby-Dick

South-east of the Cape the Pequod meets another whaler called the Goney, or Albatross. Ishmael watches from the mast-head as the strange ship draws near.

The Goney looks ghostly. Her hull is bleached white like old bone. Rust runs down her sides. Her rigging looks frosted. Her lookouts have long beards and patched clothes after nearly four years at sea.

The two ships pass very close. The lookouts could almost leap from mast to mast. Yet the Goney's men say nothing.

From the quarter-deck someone hails the stranger: have you seen the White Whale?

The other captain lifts his speaking trumpet to answer. It slips from his hand and falls into the sea. Rising wind carries his ship away before he can be heard.

The Pequod crew treats this as an omen. Ahab almost sends a boat to board them, but the weather forbids it.

He hails again that the Pequod is bound round the world. He tells them to send future mail to the Pacific.

As the wakes cross, small fish that had been swimming beside the Pequod suddenly dart over to the stranger's hull. Ahab murmurs, Swim away from me, do ye? His tone sounds strangely sad.

Then he orders the helm kept off and the voyage to continue round the world. Ishmael reflects that such a journey only leads through many dangers back to the place you started, while the phantom you chase may drown you halfway.