CHAPTER 6 The Street

IfIhadbeenastonishedatfirstcatchingaglimpseofsooutlandishanindividualasQueequegcirculatingamongthepolitesocietyofacivilizedtown,thatastonishmentsoondepartedupontakingmyfirstdaylightstrollthroughthestreetsofNewBedford.

Inthoroughfaresnighthedocks,anyconsiderableseaportwillfrequentlyoffertoviewthequeerestlookingnondescriptsfromforeignparts.EveninBroadwayandChestnutstreets,Mediterraneanmarinerswillsometimesjostletheaffrightedladies.RegentStreetisnotunknowntoLascarsandMalays;andatBombay,intheApolloGreen,liveYankeeshaveoftenscaredthenatives.ButNewBedfordbeatsallWaterStreetandWapping.Intheselast-mentionedhauntsyouseeonlysailors;butinNewBedford,actualcannibalsstandchattingatstreetcorners;savagesoutright;manyofwhomyetcarryontheirbonesunholyflesh.Itmakesastrangerstare.

But,besidestheFeegeeans,Tongatobooarrs,Erromanggoans,Pannangians,andBrighggians,and,besidesthewildspecimensofthewhaling-craftwhichunheededreelaboutthestreets,youwillseeothersightsstillmorecurious,certainlymorecomical.ThereweeklyarriveinthistownscoresofgreenVermontersandNewHampshiremen,allathirstforgainandgloryinthefishery.Theyaremostlyyoung,ofstalwartframes;fellowswhohavefelledforests,andnowseektodroptheaxeandsnatchthewhale-lance.ManyareasgreenastheGreenMountainswhencetheycame.Insomethingsyouwouldthinkthembutafewhoursold.Lookthere!thatchapstruttingroundthecorner.Hewearsabeaverhatandswallow-tailedcoat,girdledwithasailor-beltandsheath-knife.Herecomesanotherwithasou'-westerandabombazinecloak.

Notown-breddandywillcomparewithacountrybredone—Imeanadownrightbumpkindandy—afellowthat,inthedog-days,willmowhistwoacresinbuckskinglovesforfearoftanninghishands.Nowwhenacountrydandylikethistakesitintohisheadtomakeadistinguishedreputation,andjoinsthegreatwhale-fishery,youshouldseethecomicalthingshedoesuponreachingtheseaport.Inbespeakinghissea-outfit,heordersbell-buttonstohiswaistcoats;strapstohiscanvastrowsers.Ah,poorHay-Seed!howbitterlywillburstthosestrapsinthefirsthowlinggale,whenthouartdriven,straps,buttons,andall,downthethroatofthetempest.

Butthinknotthatthisfamoustownhasonlyharpooneers,cannibals,andbumpkinstoshowhervisitors.Notatall.StillNewBedfordisaqueerplace.Haditnotbeenforuswhalemen,thattractoflandwouldthisdayperhapshavebeeninashowlingconditionasthecoastofLabrador.Asitis,partsofherbackcountryareenoughtofrightenone,theylooksobony.Thetownitselfisperhapsthedearestplacetolivein,inallNewEngland.Itisalandofoil,trueenough:butnotlikeCanaan;aland,also,ofcornandwine.Thestreetsdonotrunwithmilk;norinthespring-timedotheypavethemwithfresheggs.Yet,inspiteofthis,nowhereinallAmericawillyoufindmorepatrician-likehouses;parksandgardensmoreopulent,thaninNewBedford.Whencecamethey?howplanteduponthisoncescraggyscoriaofacountry?

Goandgazeupontheironemblematicalharpoonsroundyonderloftymansion,andyourquestionwillbeanswered.Yes;allthesebravehousesandflowerygardenscamefromtheAtlantic,Pacific,andIndianoceans.Oneandall,theywereharpoonedanddraggeduphitherfromthebottomofthesea.CanHerrAlexanderperformafeatlikethat?

InNewBedford,fathers,theysay,givewhalesfordowerstotheirdaughters,andportionofftheirnieceswithafewporpoisesa-piece.YoumustgotoNewBedfordtoseeabrilliantwedding;for,theysay,theyhavereservoirsofoilineveryhouse,andeverynightrecklesslyburntheirlengthsinspermaceticandles.

Insummertime,thetownissweettosee;fulloffinemaples—longavenuesofgreenandgold.AndinAugust,highinair,thebeautifulandbountifulhorsechestnuts,candelabra-wise,profferthepasser-bytheirtaperinguprightconesofcongregatedblossoms.Soomnipotentisart;whichinmanyadistrictofNewBedfordhassuperinducedbrightterracesofflowersuponthebarrenrefuserocksthrownasideatcreation'sfinalday.

AndthewomenofNewBedford,theybloomliketheirownredroses.Butrosesonlybloominsummer;whereasthefinecarnationoftheircheeksisperennialassunlightintheseventhheavens.Elsewherematchthatbloomoftheirs,yecannot,saveinSalem,wheretheytellmetheyounggirlsbreathesuchmusk,theirsailorsweetheartssmellthemmilesoffshore,asthoughtheyweredrawingnightheodorousMoluccasinsteadofthePuritanicsands.