{"id":"01KFNR89PDJKWF8Y44R4ZP9RRF","cid":"bafkreiao5ldb2dsnhucjs4syessj44o2kyrm3rkvty47f7s36lcmqljgzu","type":"chunk","properties":{"end_line":15013,"extracted_at":"2026-01-23T15:41:04.763Z","extracted_by":"structure-extraction-lambda","label":"Chunk 34","source_file":"01KFNR0Z394A878Y5AQ63MQEM2","start_line":14963,"text":"through that same gate he was now both chasing and being chased to his\r\ndeadly end; and not only that, but a herd of remorseless wild pirates\r\nand inhuman atheistical devils were infernally cheering him on with\r\ntheir curses;—when all these conceits had passed through his brain,\r\nAhab’s brow was left gaunt and ribbed, like the black sand beach after\r\nsome stormy tide has been gnawing it, without being able to drag the\r\nfirm thing from its place.\r\n\r\nBut thoughts like these troubled very few of the reckless crew; and\r\nwhen, after steadily dropping and dropping the pirates astern, the\r\nPequod at last shot by the vivid green Cockatoo Point on the Sumatra\r\nside, emerging at last upon the broad waters beyond; then, the\r\nharpooneers seemed more to grieve that the swift whales had been\r\ngaining upon the ship, than to rejoice that the ship had so\r\nvictoriously gained upon the Malays. But still driving on in the wake\r\nof the whales, at length they seemed abating their speed; gradually the\r\nship neared them; and the wind now dying away, word was passed to\r\nspring to the boats. But no sooner did the herd, by some presumed\r\nwonderful instinct of the Sperm Whale, become notified of the three\r\nkeels that were after them,—though as yet a mile in their rear,—than\r\nthey rallied again, and forming in close ranks and battalions, so that\r\ntheir spouts all looked like flashing lines of stacked bayonets, moved\r\non with redoubled velocity.\r\n\r\nStripped to our shirts and drawers, we sprang to the white-ash, and\r\nafter several hours’ pulling were almost disposed to renounce the\r\nchase, when a general pausing commotion among the whales gave animating\r\ntoken that they were now at last under the influence of that strange\r\nperplexity of inert irresolution, which, when the fishermen perceive it\r\nin the whale, they say he is gallied. The compact martial columns in\r\nwhich they had been hitherto rapidly and steadily swimming, were now\r\nbroken up in one measureless rout; and like King Porus’ elephants in\r\nthe Indian battle with Alexander, they seemed going mad with\r\nconsternation. In all directions expanding in vast irregular circles,\r\nand aimlessly swimming hither and thither, by their short thick\r\nspoutings, they plainly betrayed their distraction of panic. This was\r\nstill more strangely evinced by those of their number, who, completely\r\nparalysed as it were, helplessly floated like water-logged dismantled\r\nships on the sea. Had these Leviathans been but a flock of simple\r\nsheep, pursued over the pasture by three fierce wolves, they could not\r\npossibly have evinced such excessive dismay. But this occasional\r\ntimidity is characteristic of almost all herding creatures. Though\r\nbanding together in tens of thousands, the lion-maned buffaloes of the\r\nWest have fled before a solitary horseman. Witness, too, all human\r\nbeings, how when herded together in the sheepfold of a theatre’s pit,\r\nthey will, at the slightest alarm of fire, rush helter-skelter for the\r\noutlets, crowding, trampling, jamming, and remorselessly dashing each\r\nother to death. Best, therefore, withhold any amazement at the\r\nstrangely gallied whales before us, for there is no folly of the beasts\r\nof the earth which is not infinitely outdone by the madness of men.\r\n\r","title":"Chunk 34"},"relationships":[{"peer":"01KFNR84AAHSNQ4BFJ0ASPHB53","peer_label":"76","peer_type":"chapter","predicate":"in"},{"peer":"01KFNR84AAHSNQ4BFJ0ASPHB53","peer_label":"76","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":"01KFNR89QDNZKPDEPNY6KCW02K","peer_label":"Chunk 35","peer_type":"chunk","predicate":"next"},{"peer":"01KFNR89MQ55XY83KXH5VYTV15","peer_label":"Chunk 33","peer_type":"chunk","predicate":"prev"}],"ver":2,"created_at":"2026-01-23T15:41:05.345Z","ts":"2026-01-23T15:41:17.673Z","edited_by":{"method":"manual","user_id":"01KFF0H3YRP9ZSM033AM0QJ47H"}}