it was curious and not unpleasing, how peleg and bildad were affected at this juncture, especially captain bildad. for loath to depart, yet; very loath to leave, for good, a ship bound on so long and perilous a voyage—beyond both stormy capes; a ship in which some thousands of his hard earned dollars were invested; a ship, in which an old shipmate sailed as captain; a man almost as old as he, once more starting to encounter all the terrors of the pitiless jaw; loath to say good-bye to a thing so every way brimful of every interest to him,—poor old bildad lingered long; paced the deck with anxious strides; ran down into the cabin to speak another farewell word there; again came on deck, and looked to windward; looked towards the wide and endless waters, only bounded by the far-off unseen eastern continents; looked towards the land; looked aloft; looked right and left; looked everywhere and nowhere; and at last, mechanically coiling a rope upon its pin, convulsively grasped stout peleg by the hand, and holding up a lantern, for a moment stood gazing heroically in his face, as much as to say, "nevertheless, friend peleg, i can stand it; yes, i can."