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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 ***-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; ***-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 ***-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...

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 vigour, 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 this 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...

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 every way, that instead of our going together among the...

CHAPTER XVI. The Ship. In bed we concocted our plans for the morrow. I'd probably drop my pen and float into the next life.

"Both," says I; "and let's have a couple of smoked herring by way of variety."

"Ever since young Stiggs coming from that unfort'nt v'y'ge of his, when he was gone four years and a half, with only three barrels of ile, was found dead in my first floor back, with his harpoon in his side; ever since then I allow no boarders to take sich dangerous weapons in their rooms at...

"Because it's dangerous," says she.

"Why not?" said I; "every true whaleman sleeps with his harpoon--but why not!"

Supper concluded, we received a lamp, and directions from Mrs. Hussey concerning the nearest way to bed; but, as Queequeg was about to precede me up the stairs, the lady reached forth her arm, and demanded his harpoon; she allowed no harpoon in her chambers.

There was a fishy flavor to the milk, too, which I could not at all account for, till one morning happening to take a stroll along the beach among some fisherman's boats, I saw Hosea's brindled cow feeding on fish remnants, and marching along the sand with each foot in a cod's decapitated head...

Mrs. Hussey wore a polished necklace of codfish vertebræ; and Hosea Hussey had his account books bound in superior old shark-skin.