Introduction

Ahab and his crew were sailing towards the equator when they heard a wild cry. Some thought it was mermaids, while others believed it to be seals in distress. The oldest mariner of all said he had heard voices of newly drowned men. Ahab did not hear of this till gray dawn, when he came to the deck. It was then recounted to him by flask not unaccompanied with hinted dark meanings. He hollowly laughed. And thus explained the wonder those rocky islands the ship had passed were the resort of great numbers of seals. They must have risen nigh the ship and kept company with her,. crying and sobbing with their human sort of wail.