We started the first quarter of the book seeing that Ishmael had
many tasks to accomplish before the ship Pilgrim can set off in search of Moby
Dick.
The harpooner contest resulted in acquiring a chief harpooner
for the ship although Ishmael hadn't shed all his doubts about Foley Baha's
ability for other shipboard duties.
With a fair wind Pilgrim left Nantucket and sailed into the
Atlantic. Shipboard duties fell into place and both watches enjoyed cloudless
skies and off watch time.
Baha's orlop assignment wore on the crew and Ishmael wondered
when the little harpooner would opt for the forecastle.
Hanford, the greenest of the crew, passed his first test: to
climb to the fore mast crow's nest.
After a month at sea Pilgrim made its first kill. Seventy-five
barrels of oil would help defray the expense of the voyage.
Shortly after the whale's blubber was tryed out and darkness
enveloped the ship Nesbitt went to the Orlop. All he got for his nefarious
effort was a slashed arm and the discovery of Baha's secret.
Pilgrim madelandfall on St. Helena. While provisions and water
were stowed Hanford left without permission to see where Napoleon was
imprisoned.
Captain Strunk mused over the punishment to be meted out to
Hanford for leaving the ship without his permission.
Hanford, still questioning the why of it, receives five lashes
of the cat.
After leaving St. Helena, Pilgrim sails into heavy weather
around the Cape of Good Hope.
Finally leaving the miseries of the cape Pilgrim trades with a
Lascar captain for needed stores.
Ishmael becomes more attached to Baha now that he knows her
secret.
Pilgrim arrives in Colombo and the crew is given four hours of
shore leave. After the second eight bells are rung, Ishmael has to go ashore to
search for McDonough and Hanford.
Captain Strunk is told about the infraction adding to the
intrigue aboard Pilgrim.
Ned Hanford survives a beam to beam keel hauling.
As Ned is revived a whale is spotted and the crew mans the boats
with Coffin replacing Hanford, too bloodied to go out with his boat.
The rogue whale smashes Ishmael's boat and kills Coffin in a
most gruesome manner.
The survivors are rescued by McDonough and await Pilgrim's
arrival. And the ship finally appears to haul them out of the surviving boat.
But they are not safe because the storm worsens sending Ishmael and Baha up to
furl the topgallant royal sails.
Turning North Captain Strunk tells Ishmael that Hobarton in Van
Dieman's Land will be their next port of call.
The third quarter of the book provided character development as
well as exposing secrets that had been well kept.
In Hobarton many of those secrets were revealed: Nesbitt's
homosexual bent, Baha's attraction to Ishmael and his awkward but successful
foray into coupling.
Meanwhile Captain Strunk thought about Ishmael, the Pequod's
fate and the quest for Moby Dick.
Sailing northward Pilgrim endured being fog bound. That
circumstance gave Strunk a chance to test the fog destroyer cannon. The cannon
fired as designed but did not "destroy" the fog.
McDonough and Hanford find out that Nesbitt was the informer
about their tardy return to the ship from their leave in Colombo.
Pilgrim hailed Samuel French, another whaler with castaways.
Captain Strunk visited with the other captain and then the two ships parted
company.
Sailing northward Pilgrim encountered a wrecked whale boat with
one survivor. The boat was from Rachel the ship that rescued Ishmael when
Pequod was sunk.
Nesbitt hatched a plot to avenge his keelhauling using Novack to
invade the Orlop and assault Baha.
With the assault foiled, Captain Strunk admonished the crew and
the mates to keep Baha safe. She was at a loss to understand why no punishment
was given to Nesbitt and Novack.
Pilgrim lost the wind and the boats were launched to tow Pilgrim
toward a sighed ship.'
Strunk bought 3 barrels of much needed water from the
merchantman Winslow.
At last the wind returned and Pilgrim continued her journey
northward.
Pilgrim spots a black whale and
Strunk belays Ishmael's order to give chase. The crew feel they have been
cheated out of a larger lay.
A storm bears down on Pilgrim.
All sails are struck. The mizzen sail is blown out and Baha falls into the sea.
Ishmael is thunderstruck at her loss, but she finds safety in the mizzen sail
and is taken back aboard.
That she blows shouts from the
crow's nest. It's Moby Dick bent on ramming Pilgrim. More sails are set and the
ship escapes the same
fate as Pequod. Moby Dick sounds and Pilgrim continues the search.
Pilgrim meets the spouter Junior,
smaller with holds filled and about to return to port.
Junior's crew might be a threat
to Baha, so Ishmael sends her to the captain's cabin.
Meanwhile Nesbitt plants one of
Baha's menstrual rags on the Greek from Junior. He, in turn, plays a joke on
another of Junior's crew.
Then the men of Junior's crew
seek out Baha, but are foiled in their attempt. Hands bound with marline they
return to Junior as Strunk returns to Pilgrim.
Hanford spots Moby Dick ahead of
Pilgrim but the approaching storm makes Ishmael refuse Strunk;s order to lower
and give chase.
The storm almost wrecks Pilgrim.
At last their prize is sighted
again and the battle between men and whale is joined.
I'll leave the story here and
hope that your excitement will lead you into the epic struggle Pilgrim's crew
has with Moby Dick.
I also hope that after finishing
the book you'll put your thoughts as Digiread's comments and a review on
Amazon.
