Plot Summary
Chapter 61 of Moby-Dick opens with Queequeg's prediction that the giant squid sighted in the previous chapter means a sperm whale is near. Sure enough, the following day—a still, sultry afternoon in the Indian Ocean—Ishmael stands watch at the foremast-head and falls into a drowsy trance along with the rest of the crew. Suddenly he snaps awake and spots an enormous sperm whale rolling lazily in the water less than forty fathoms away, its dark back glistening like a mirror. Captain Ahab orders the boats lowered, and the crew paddles silently toward the whale, seated "like Ontario Indians on the gunwales" and speaking only in whispers to avoid alarming the creature.
The Chase and Kill
When the whale sounds (dives), Stubb calmly lights his pipe and waits. As the whale resurfaces closer to Stubb's boat, the second mate claims the honor of the capture. With the whale now aware of its pursuers, paddles give way to oars and Stubb cheers on his crew—Tashtego at the harpoon, Daggoo and Queequeg in neighboring boats—while puffing smoke the entire time. Tashtego hurls the harpoon, and the magical whale-line screams through Stubb's bare hands as the stricken whale drags the boat forward at terrifying speed. The crew wets the line to prevent it from catching fire on the loggerhead as they are towed through boiling water.
Death of the Whale
After the whale slackens its flight, Stubb ranges alongside and darts lance after lance into the animal. describes a gruesome scene: red blood pours from the whale "like brooks down a hill," staining the sea and reflecting crimson onto every face in the boats. Stubb then carefully churns his long lance into the whale, "as if cautiously seeking to feel after some gold watch," searching for its innermost life. The whale enters its death throes—the terrible "flurry"—wallowing in spray before rolling motionless as gush after gush of "clotted red gore" shoots into the air. Its heart has burst.
Themes and Symbolism
The chapter is rich with parallel imagery of smoking: Stubb puffs his pipe while the harpoon line sends up "hempen blue smoke," while the dying whale "agonizingly" shoots white jets from its spiracle. Daggoo's final announcement—"He's dead, Mr. Stubb"—prompts Stubb's famous double-meaning reply: "Yes; both pipes smoked out!" He scatters his dead ashes over the water, linking his own extinguished pipe to the whale's extinguished life. The scene serves as a vivid rehearsal for the ultimate hunt of Moby Dick, showcasing the Pequod crew's skill while foreshadowing the violence that awaits. Melville also contrasts the dreamlike beauty of the sleeping sea with the brutal reality of the kill, raising moral questions about humanity's relationship with nature.