{"id":"01KF7FPQ1CP2FMX0Q0XGFGH4DT","cid":"bafkreid6fef7yv5aokbagjqby6pnobenay2oq3mugrbt7hf5b3kxsgdgoe","type":"chunk","properties":{"end_line":1094,"extracted_at":"2026-01-18T02:42:17.935Z","extracted_by":"structure-extraction-lambda","label":"Chunk 0","source_file":"01KESYVB66H8YEVTN88DWE9W8D","start_line":1041,"text":"CHAPTER 2. The Carpet-Bag.\r\n\r\nI stuffed a shirt or two into my old carpet-bag, tucked it under my\r\narm, and started for Cape Horn and the Pacific. Quitting the good city\r\nof old Manhatto, I duly arrived in New Bedford. It was a Saturday night\r\nin December. Much was I disappointed upon learning that the little\r\npacket for Nantucket had already sailed, and that no way of reaching\r\nthat place would offer, till the following Monday.\r\n\r\nAs most young candidates for the pains and penalties of whaling stop at\r\nthis same New Bedford, thence to embark on their voyage, it may as well\r\nbe related that I, for one, had no idea of so doing. For my mind was\r\nmade up to sail in no other than a Nantucket craft, because there was a\r\nfine, boisterous something about everything connected with that famous\r\nold island, which amazingly pleased me. Besides though New Bedford has\r\nof late been gradually monopolising the business of whaling, and though\r\nin this matter poor old Nantucket is now much behind her, yet Nantucket\r\nwas her great original—the Tyre of this Carthage;—the place where the\r\nfirst dead American whale was stranded. Where else but from Nantucket\r\ndid those aboriginal whalemen, the Red-Men, first sally out in canoes\r\nto give chase to the Leviathan? And where but from Nantucket, too, did\r\nthat first adventurous little sloop put forth, partly laden with\r\nimported cobblestones—so goes the story—to throw at the whales, in\r\norder to discover when they were nigh enough to risk a harpoon from the\r\nbowsprit?\r\n\r\nNow having a night, a day, and still another night following before me\r\nin New Bedford, ere I could embark for my destined port, it became a\r\nmatter of concernment where I was to eat and sleep meanwhile. It was a\r\nvery dubious-looking, nay, a very dark and dismal night, bitingly cold\r\nand cheerless. I knew no one in the place. With anxious grapnels I had\r\nsounded my pocket, and only brought up a few pieces of silver,—So,\r\nwherever you go, Ishmael, said I to myself, as I stood in the middle of\r\na dreary street shouldering my bag, and comparing the gloom towards the\r\nnorth with the darkness towards the south—wherever in your wisdom you\r\nmay conclude to lodge for the night, my dear Ishmael, be sure to\r\ninquire the price, and don’t be too particular.\r\n\r\nWith halting steps I paced the streets, and passed the sign of “The\r\nCrossed Harpoons”—but it looked too expensive and jolly there. Further\r\non, from the bright red windows of the “Sword-Fish Inn,” there came\r\nsuch fervent rays, that it seemed to have melted the packed snow and\r\nice from before the house, for everywhere else the congealed frost lay\r\nten inches thick in a hard, asphaltic pavement,—rather weary for me,\r\nwhen I struck my foot against the flinty projections, because from\r\nhard, remorseless service the soles of my boots were in a most\r\nmiserable plight. Too expensive and jolly, again thought I, pausing one\r\nmoment to watch the broad glare in the street, and hear the sounds of\r\nthe tinkling glasses within. But go on, Ishmael, said I at last; don’t\r\nyou hear? get away from before the door; your patched boots are\r\nstopping the way. So on I went. I now by instinct followed the streets\r\nthat took me waterward, for there, doubtless, were the cheapest, if not\r\nthe cheeriest inns.\r\n\r","title":"Chunk 0"},"relationships":[{"peer":"01KF7FPMFMGYS49A1DGFD4SV3D","peer_label":"The Carpet-Bag","peer_type":"chapter","predicate":"in"},{"peer":"01KF7FPMFMGYS49A1DGFD4SV3D","peer_label":"The Carpet-Bag","peer_type":"chapter","predicate":"partOf"},{"peer":"01KF7FPKDT5SHSH1ZQV6ABHQCA","peer_label":"Moby Dick; Or, The Whale","peer_type":"book","predicate":"partOf"},{"peer":"01KESYJX0Z6XE0HWTS5N3SDG0B","peer_label":"The Classics","peer_type":"collection","predicate":"collection"},{"peer":"01KF7FPQ05AWT0X4X31KPDZ43S","peer_label":"Chunk 1","peer_type":"chunk","predicate":"next"}],"ver":2,"created_at":"2026-01-18T02:42:18.344Z","ts":"2026-01-18T02:42:24.540Z","edited_by":{"method":"manual","user_id":"01KF7FCDA7SCSJ6A30TDPDSJQV"}}