CHAPTER 15 Chowder

ItwasquitelateintheeveningwhenthelittleMosscamesnuglytoanchor,andQueequegandIwentashore;sowecouldattendtonobusinessthatday,atleastnonebutasupperandabed.ThelandlordoftheSpouter-InnhadrecommendedustohiscousinHoseaHusseyoftheTryPots,whomheassertedtobetheproprietorofoneofthebestkepthotelsinallNantucket,andmoreoverhehadassuredusthatCousinHosea,ashecalledhim,wasfamousforhischowders.Inshort,heplainlyhintedthatwecouldnotpossiblydobetterthantrypot-luckattheTryPots.Butthedirectionshehadgivenusaboutkeepingayellowwarehouseonourstarboardhandtillweopenedawhitechurchtothelarboard,andthenkeepingthatonthelarboardhandtillwemadeacornerthreepointstothestarboard,andthatdone,thenaskthefirstmanwemetwheretheplacewas:thesecrookeddirectionsofhisverymuchpuzzledusatfirst,especiallyas,attheoutset,Queequeginsistedthattheyellowwarehouse—ourfirstpointofdeparture—mustbeleftonthelarboardhand,whereasIhadunderstoodPeterCoffintosayitwasonthestarboard.However,bydintofbeatingaboutalittleinthedark,andnowandthenknockingupapeaceableinhabitanttoinquiretheway,weatlastcametosomethingwhichtherewasnomistaking.

Twoenormouswoodenpotspaintedblack,andsuspendedbyasses'ears,swungfromthecross-treesofanoldtop-mast,plantedinfrontofanolddoorway.Thehornsofthecross-treesweresawedoffontheotherside,sothatthisoldtop-mastlookednotalittlelikeagallows.PerhapsIwasoversensitivetosuchimpressionsatthetime,butIcouldnothelpstaringatthisgallowswithavaguemisgiving.AsortofcrickwasinmyneckasIgazeduptothetworemaininghorns;yes,twoofthem,oneforQueequeg,andoneforme.It'sominous,thinksI.ACoffinmyInnkeeperuponlandinginmyfirstwhalingport;tombstonesstaringatmeinthewhalemen'schapel;andhereagallows!andapairofprodigiousblackpotstoo!AretheselastthrowingoutobliquehintstouchingTophet?Iwascalledfromthesereflectionsbythesightofafreckledwomanwithyellowhairandayellowgown,standingintheporchoftheinn,underadullredlampswingingthere,thatlookedmuchlikeaninjuredeye,andcarryingonabriskscoldingwithamaninapurplewoollenshirt.

"Getalongwithye,"saidshetotheman,"orI'llbecombingye!"

"Comeon,Queequeg,"saidI,"allright.There'sMrs.Hussey."

Andsoitturnedout;Mr.HoseaHusseybeingfromhome,butleavingMrs.Husseyentirelycompetenttoattendtoallhisaffairs.Uponmakingknownourdesiresforasupperandabed,Mrs.Hussey,postponingfurtherscoldingforthepresent,usheredusintoalittleroom,andseatingusatatablespreadwiththerelicsofarecentlyconcludedrepast,turnedroundtousandsaid—"ClamorCod?"

"What'sthataboutCods,ma'am?"saidI,withmuchpoliteness.

"ClamorCod?"sherepeated.

"Aclamforsupper?acoldclam;isthatwhatyoumean,Mrs.Hussey?"saysI,"butthat'sarathercoldandclammyreceptioninthewintertime,ain'tit,Mrs.Hussey?"

ButbeinginagreathurrytoresumescoldingthemaninthepurpleShirt,whowaswaitingforitintheentry,andseemingtohearnothingbuttheword"clam,"Mrs.Husseyhurriedtowardsanopendoorleadingtothekitchen,andbawlingout"clamfortwo,"disappeared.

"Queequeg,"saidI,"doyouthinkthatwecanmakeoutasupperforusbothononeclam?"

However,awarmsavorysteamfromthekitchenservedtobelietheapparentlycheerlessprospectbeforeus.Butwhenthatsmokingchowdercamein,themysterywasdelightfullyexplained.Oh,sweetfriends!hearkentome.Itwasmadeofsmalljuicyclams,scarcelybiggerthanhazelnuts,mixedwithpoundedshipbiscuit,andsaltedporkcutupintolittleflakes;thewholeenrichedwithbutter,andplentifullyseasonedwithpepperandsalt.Ourappetitesbeingsharpenedbythefrostyvoyage,andinparticular,Queequegseeinghisfavouritefishingfoodbeforehim,andthechowderbeingsurpassinglyexcellent,wedespatcheditwithgreatexpedition:whenleaningbackamomentandbethinkingmeofMrs.Hussey'sclamandcodannouncement,IthoughtIwouldtryalittleexperiment.Steppingtothekitchendoor,Iutteredtheword"cod"withgreatemphasis,andresumedmyseat.Inafewmomentsthesavourysteamcameforthagain,butwithadifferentflavor,andingoodtimeafinecochowderwasplacedbeforeus.

Weresumedbusiness;andwhileplyingourspoonsinthebowl,thinksItomyself,Iwondernowifthisherehasanyeffectonthehead?What'sthatstultifyingsayingaboutchowder-headedpeople?"Butlook,Queequeg,ain'tthataliveeelinyourbowl?Where'syourharpoon?"

FishiestofallfishyplaceswastheTryPots,whichwelldeserveditsname;forthepotstherewerealwaysboilingchowders.Chowderforbreakfast,andchowderfordinner,andchowderforsupper,tillyoubegantolookforfish-bonescomingthroughyourclothes.Theareabeforethehousewaspavedwithclam-shells.Mrs.Husseyworeapolishednecklaceofcodfishvertebra;andHoseaHusseyhadhisaccountbooksboundinsuperioroldshark-skin.Therewasafishyflavortothemilk,too,whichIcouldnotatallaccountfor,tillonemorninghappeningtotakeastrollalongthebeachamongsomefishermen'sboats,IsawHosea'sbrindledcowfeedingonfishremnants,andmarchingalongthesandwitheachfootinacod'sdecapitatedhead,lookingveryslip-shod,Iassureye.

Supperconcluded,wereceivedalamp,anddirectionsfromMrs.Husseyconcerningthenearestwaytobed;but,asQueequegwasabouttoprecedemeupthestairs,theladyreachedforthherarm,anddemandedhisharpoon;sheallowednoharpooninherchambers."Whynot?"saidI;"everytruewhalemansleepswithhisharpoon—butwhynot?""Becauseit'sdangerous,"saysshe."EversinceyoungStiggscomingfromthatunfort'ntv'y'geofhis,whenhewasgonefouryearsandahalf,withonlythreebarrelsofile,wasfounddeadinmyfirstfloorback,withhisharpooninhisside;eversincethenIallownoboarderstotakesichdangerousweeponsintheirroomsatnight.So,Mr.Queequeg"(forshehadlearnedhisname),"Iwilljusttakethishereiron,andkeepitforyoutillmorning.Butthechowder;clamorcodto-morrowforbreakfast,men?"

"Both,"saysI;"andlet'shaveacoupleofsmokedherringbywayofvariety."