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1The long and narrow peninsula of Malacca, extending south-eastward from the territories of Birmah, forms the most
2southerly point of all Asia. In a continuous line from that peninsula stretch the long islands of Sumatra, Java, Bally,
3and Timor; which, with many others, form a vast mole, or rampart, lengthwise connecting Asia with Australia, and
4dividing the long unbroken Indian ocean from the thickly studded oriental archipelagoes. This rampart is pierced by
5several sally-ports for the convenience of ships and whales; conspicuous among which are the straits of Sunda and
6Malacca. By the straits of Sunda, chiefly, vessels bound to China from the west, emerge into the China seas. Those
7narrow straits of Sunda divide Sumatra from Java; and standing midway in that vast rampart of islands, buttressed by
8that bold green promontory, known to seamen as Java Head; they not a little correspond to the central gateway opening
9into some vast walled empire: and considering the inexhaustible wealth of spices, and silks, and jewels, and gold, and
10ivory, with which the thousand islands of that oriental sea are enriched, it seems a significant provision of nature,
11that such treasures, by the very formation of the land, should at least bear the appearance, however ineffectual, of
12being guarded from the all-grasping western world. The shores of the Straits of Sunda are unsupplied with those
13domineering fortresses which guard the entrances to the Mediterranean, the Baltic, and the Propontis. Unlike the Danes,
14these Orientals do not demand the obsequious homage of lowered top-sails from the endless procession of ships before the
15wind, which for centuries past, by night and by day, have passed between the islands of Sumatra and Java, freighted with
16the costliest cargoes of the east. But while they freely waive a ceremonial like this, they do by no means renounce
17their claim to more solid tribute. Time out of mind the piratical proas of the Malays, lurking among the low shaded
18coves and islets of Sumatra, have sallied out upon the vessels sailing through the straits, fiercely demanding tribute
19at the point of their spears. Though by the repeated bloody chastisements they have received at the hands of European
20cruisers, the audacity of these corsairs has of late been somewhat repressed; yet, even at the present day, we
21occasionally hear of English and American vessels, which, in those waters, have been remorselessly boarded and pillaged.
22With a fair, fresh wind, the Pequod was now drawing nigh to these straits; Ahab purposing to pass through them into the
23Javan sea, and thence, cruising northwards, over waters known to be frequented here and there by the Sperm Whale, sweep
24inshore by the Philippine Islands, and gain the far coast of Japan, in time for the great whaling season there. By these
25means, the circumnavigating Pequod would sweep almost all the known Sperm Whale cruising grounds of the world, previous
26to descending upon the Line in the Pacific; where Ahab, though everywhere else foiled in his pursuit, firmly counted
27upon giving battle to Moby Dick, in the sea he was most known to frequent; and at a season when he might most reasonably
28be presumed to be haunting it. But how now? in this zoned quest, does Ahab touch no land? does his crew drink air?
29Surely, he will stop for water. Nay. For a long time, now, the circus-running sun has raced within his fiery ring, and
30needs no sustenance but what's in himself. So Ahab. Mark this, too, in the whaler. While other hulls are loaded down
31with alien stuff, to be transferred to foreign wharves; the world-wandering whale-ship carries no cargo but herself and
32crew, their weapons and their wants. She has a whole lake's contents bottled in her ample hold. She is ballasted with
33utilities; not altogether with unusable pig-lead and kentledge. She carries years' water in her. Clear old prime
34Nantucket water; which, when three years afloat, the Nantucketer, in the Pacific, prefers to drink before the brackish
35fluid, but yesterday rafted off in casks, from the Peruvian or Indian streams. Hence it is, that, while other ships may
36have gone to China from New York, and back again, touching at a score of ports, the whale-ship, in all that interval,
37may not have sighted one grain of soil; her crew having seen no man but floating seamen like themselves. So that did you
38carry them the news that another flood had come; they would only answer--"Well, boys, here's the ark!" Now, as many
39Sperm Whales had been captured off the western coast of Java, in the near vicinity of the Straits of Sunda; indeed, as
40most of the ground, roundabout, was generally recognised by the fishermen as an excellent spot for cruising; therefore,
41as the Pequod gained more and more upon Java Head, the look-outs were repeatedly hailed, and admonished to keep wide
42awake. But though the green palmy cliffs of the land soon loomed on the starboard bow, and with delighted nostrils the
43fresh cinnamon was snuffed in the air, yet not a single jet was descried. Almost renouncing all thought of falling in
44with any game hereabouts, the ship had well nigh entered the straits, when the customary cheering cry was heard from
45aloft, and ere long a spectacle of singular magnificence saluted us. But here be it premised, that owing to the
46unwearied activity with which of late they have been hunted over all four oceans, the Sperm Whales, instead of almost
47invariably sailing in small detached companies, as in former times, are now frequently met with in extensive herds,
48sometimes embracing so great a multitude, that it would almost seem as if numerous nations of them had sworn solemn
49league and covenant for mutual assistance and protection. To this aggregation of the Sperm Whale into such immense
50caravans, may be imputed the circumstance that even in the best cruising grounds, you may now sometimes sail for weeks
51and months together, without being greeted by a single spout; and then be suddenly saluted by what sometimes seems
52thousands on thousands. Broad on both bows, at the distance of some two or three miles, and forming a great semicircle,
53embracing one half of the level horizon, a continuous chain of whale-jets were up-playing and sparkling in the noon-day
54air. Unlike the straight perpendicular twin-jets of the Right Whale, which, dividing at top, fall over in two branches,
55like the cleft drooping boughs of a willow, the single forward-slanting spout of the Sperm Whale presents a thick curled
56bush of white mist, continually rising and falling away to leeward. Seen from the Pequod's deck, then, as she would rise
57on a high hill of the sea, this host of vapory spouts, individually curling up into the air, and beheld through a
58blending atmosphere of bluish haze, showed like the thousand cheerful chimneys of some dense metropolis, descried of a
59balmy autumnal morning, by some horseman on a height. As marching armies approaching an unfriendly defile in the
60mountains, accelerate their march, all eagerness to place that perilous passage in their rear, and once more expand in
61comparative security upon the plain; even so did this vast fleet of whales now seem hurrying forward through the
62straits; gradually contracting the wings of their semicircle, and swimming on, in one solid, but still crescentic
63centre. Crowding all sail the Pequod pressed after them; the harpooneers handling their weapons, and loudly cheering
64from the heads of their yet suspended boats. If the wind only held, little doubt had they, that chased through these
65Straits of Sunda, the vast host would only deploy into the Oriental seas to witness the capture of not a few of their
66number. And who could tell whether, in that congregated caravan, Moby Dick himself might not temporarily be swimming,
67like the worshipped white-elephant in the coronation procession of the Siamese! So with stun-sail piled on stun-sail, we
68sailed along, driving these leviathans before us; when, of a sudden, the voice of Tashtego was heard, loudly directing
69attention to something in our wake. Corresponding to the crescent in our van, we beheld another in our rear. It seemed
70formed of detached white vapors, rising and falling something like the spouts of the whales; only they did not so
71completely come and go; for they constantly hovered, without finally disappearing. Levelling his glass at this sight,
72Ahab quickly revolved in his pivot-hole, crying, "Aloft there, and rig whips and buckets to wet the sails;--Malays, sir,
73and after us!"
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