{"id":"01KFNR86S414PMZM3EK43KP8AX","cid":"bafkreiav7h5qnrubnvrh26ykoebhrwf2uhc5ps4znw43rzjglfi7pq4e44","type":"chunk","properties":{"end_line":4490,"extracted_at":"2026-01-23T15:41:01.920Z","extracted_by":"structure-extraction-lambda","label":"Chunk 0","source_file":"01KFNR0Z394A878Y5AQ63MQEM2","start_line":4397,"text":"CHAPTER 21. Going Aboard.\r\n\r\nIt was nearly six o’clock, but only grey imperfect misty dawn, when we\r\ndrew nigh the wharf.\r\n\r\n“There are some sailors running ahead there, if I see right,” said I to\r\nQueequeg, “it can’t be shadows; she’s off by sunrise, I guess; come\r\non!”\r\n\r\n“Avast!” cried a voice, whose owner at the same time coming close\r\nbehind us, laid a hand upon both our shoulders, and then insinuating\r\nhimself between us, stood stooping forward a little, in the uncertain\r\ntwilight, strangely peering from Queequeg to me. It was Elijah.\r\n\r\n“Going aboard?”\r\n\r\n“Hands off, will you,” said I.\r\n\r\n“Lookee here,” said Queequeg, shaking himself, “go ’way!”\r\n\r\n“Ain’t going aboard, then?”\r\n\r\n“Yes, we are,” said I, “but what business is that of yours? Do you\r\nknow, Mr. Elijah, that I consider you a little impertinent?”\r\n\r\n“No, no, no; I wasn’t aware of that,” said Elijah, slowly and\r\nwonderingly looking from me to Queequeg, with the most unaccountable\r\nglances.\r\n\r\n“Elijah,” said I, “you will oblige my friend and me by withdrawing. We\r\nare going to the Indian and Pacific Oceans, and would prefer not to be\r\ndetained.”\r\n\r\n“Ye be, be ye? Coming back afore breakfast?”\r\n\r\n“He’s cracked, Queequeg,” said I, “come on.”\r\n\r\n“Holloa!” cried stationary Elijah, hailing us when we had removed a few\r\npaces.\r\n\r\n“Never mind him,” said I, “Queequeg, come on.”\r\n\r\nBut he stole up to us again, and suddenly clapping his hand on my\r\nshoulder, said—“Did ye see anything looking like men going towards that\r\nship a while ago?”\r\n\r\nStruck by this plain matter-of-fact question, I answered, saying, “Yes,\r\nI thought I did see four or five men; but it was too dim to be sure.”\r\n\r\n“Very dim, very dim,” said Elijah. “Morning to ye.”\r\n\r\nOnce more we quitted him; but once more he came softly after us; and\r\ntouching my shoulder again, said, “See if you can find ’em now, will\r\nye?\r\n\r\n“Find who?”\r\n\r\n“Morning to ye! morning to ye!” he rejoined, again moving off. “Oh! I\r\nwas going to warn ye against—but never mind, never mind—it’s all one,\r\nall in the family too;—sharp frost this morning, ain’t it? Good-bye to\r\nye. Shan’t see ye again very soon, I guess; unless it’s before the\r\nGrand Jury.” And with these cracked words he finally departed, leaving\r\nme, for the moment, in no small wonderment at his frantic impudence.\r\n\r\nAt last, stepping on board the Pequod, we found everything in profound\r\nquiet, not a soul moving. The cabin entrance was locked within; the\r\nhatches were all on, and lumbered with coils of rigging. Going forward\r\nto the forecastle, we found the slide of the scuttle open. Seeing a\r\nlight, we went down, and found only an old rigger there, wrapped in a\r\ntattered pea-jacket. He was thrown at whole length upon two chests, his\r\nface downwards and inclosed in his folded arms. The profoundest slumber\r\nslept upon him.\r\n\r\n“Those sailors we saw, Queequeg, where can they have gone to?” said I,\r\nlooking dubiously at the sleeper. But it seemed that, when on the\r\nwharf, Queequeg had not at all noticed what I now alluded to; hence I\r\nwould have thought myself to have been optically deceived in that\r\nmatter, were it not for Elijah’s otherwise inexplicable question. But I\r\nbeat the thing down; and again marking the sleeper, jocularly hinted to\r\nQueequeg that perhaps we had best sit up with the body; telling him to\r\nestablish himself accordingly. He put his hand upon the sleeper’s rear,\r\nas though feeling if it was soft enough; and then, without more ado,\r\nsat quietly down there.\r\n\r\n“Gracious! Queequeg, don’t sit there,” said I.\r\n\r\n“Oh! perry dood seat,” said Queequeg, “my country way; won’t hurt him\r\nface.”\r\n\r\n“Face!” said I, “call that his face? very benevolent countenance then;\r\nbut how hard he breathes, he’s heaving himself; get off, Queequeg, you\r\nare heavy, it’s grinding the face of the poor. Get off, Queequeg! Look,\r\nhe’ll twitch you off soon. I wonder he don’t wake.”\r\n\r","title":"Chunk 0"},"relationships":[{"peer":"01KFNR84F0K5WVWR88JYBM5PBV","peer_label":"21","peer_type":"chapter","predicate":"in"},{"peer":"01KFNR84F0K5WVWR88JYBM5PBV","peer_label":"21","peer_type":"chapter","predicate":"partOf"},{"peer":"01KFNR81RMVAX2BBMMBW51V97D","peer_label":"Moby Dick; Or, The Whale","peer_type":"novel","predicate":"partOf"},{"peer":"01KFNR0H0Q791Y1SMZWEQ09FGV","peer_label":"Moby Dick","peer_type":"collection","predicate":"collection"},{"peer":"01KFNR86SY8MEJS4C2BZQXRHDR","peer_label":"Chunk 1","peer_type":"chunk","predicate":"next"}],"ver":2,"created_at":"2026-01-23T15:41:02.293Z","ts":"2026-01-23T15:41:14.895Z","edited_by":{"method":"manual","user_id":"01KFF0H3YRP9ZSM033AM0QJ47H"}}