Chapter 124 One two four set things right

The next morning, the sea was not completely calm. The waves were still churning violently, beating the Pequod like giant hands, pushing it forward. Although the wind was no longer as threatening, it was still very strong. The sail on the ship is like a giant with a big belly. Due to the influence of the typhoon, the sky was cloudy. Although the sun has come out, its existence cannot be seen at all, and only by the light it emits can its location be identified. The sun's radiance reflected on the sea, and the sea was like a crucible of molten gold, boiling and shining with light and heat.

Captain Ahab was standing in the pilothouse at this time, looking forward, looking at the scene on the sea. He said nothing, and seemed fascinated by it. After a night of hard work, Captain Ahab seemed to be unaffected and still full of energy. Captain Ahab murmured: Ah, my Pequod, look at you now, you are more like a water chariot commanded by the sun, we cut through the waves, spur the ocean forward, and bring the sun to every country we are about to reach. His words shook him like an epic. Captain Ahab's mood was very agitated. He watched the ship's teeth wall constantly undulating, and his heart was filled with joy.

But, without knowing it, the Pequod turned a corner and left the sun behind. Captain Ahab looked at the sun behind the ship, suddenly, his expression froze, and again, he became angry. He ran to the helm in a few steps, looked at the helmsman, and asked him the direction the ship was heading in a sinister tone. It's Southeast East, sir.The helmsman said with lingering fear. nonsense! Captain Ahab punched him. How can the sun be behind when the ship is heading east early in the morning? Captain Ahab's words fooled everyone. Yes, how could the sun be behind when the ship sails eastward? How could everyone not realize this?

Is everyone dazzled by the blinding sun? Captain Ahab sticks out his head, puts his head into the compass, and looks at the direction of the compass needle. Seeing that it doesn't matter, Captain Ahab was stunned, feeling a little confused for a moment. Starbuck was standing behind him at this time, and he also stretched his head to look at the compass needles. Strangely, now both compass needles are clearly pointing to the east. But the Pequod is indeed heading west now. Saw a ghost? Everyone was at a loss, and all the omens appeared again. Suddenly Captain Ahab burst out laughing.

I see! He yelled, triumphant and self-deprecating. This has happened before. It was the bad thing like thunder and lightning that turned our compass needle. How come you haven't heard of it?You are still whalers! But I've never been in a situation like this before, sir. said First Mate Starbuck, pale and gloomily. It turned out that this was just a misunderstanding, but it must be explained before people can understand. In stormy weather, lightning is very destructive to ships, and sometimes it will hit the ship, breaking some logs and rigging. If such a large force acts on a compass that relies on magnetism to work, guess what kind of impact it will have?

It will make the compass needle lose all function, worse than an old woman's sewing needle, and it will never be restored. If it is more serious and the compass box is also affected, then all the compass needles on the ship, including the compass needle inserted in the keel of the ship's bottom, will also be doomed, and that will be completely bad. Captain Ahab stood in front of the compass needle and thought for a while, then began to determine the direction of the sun by himself. After he was sure, he began to issue orders: U-turn, turn, head true east. Now the Pequod was headwind again.

Starbuck carried out Captain Ahab's orders in silence, but with thoughts of his own. Stubb was in the same mood as he, and everyone acquiesced to Captain Ahab's order, and carried it out silently. Although some sailors whispered in their hearts that they were very disgusted with Captain Ahab's order, but no one dared to speak out, because their courage to save their lives was really no match for the fear of Captain Ahab. Only the harpooneers remained the same, only made more determined by Captain Ahab's actions. Captain Ahab took a step across the deck, dragging his bony leg, tripped over something, and almost fell.

Captain Ahab saw that it was the lookout tube of the quadrant that he had smashed on the deck yesterday, and it was broken. Damn it, things in the world pay off like this, yesterday I smashed it, today the lightning came to destroy my compass needle, but it won't bother me, I will make the compass come alive again. Starbuck, please get me a harpoon point, a sledgehammer, and a sail-needle, quickly. Captain Ahab ordered. It was evident that Captain Ahab wanted these things in order to rebuild a compass needle. In fact, although the current compass needle is upside down, it can still be used to make do with it. The reason why Captain Ahab rebuilt it with his own hands is undoubtedly to show everyone his own strength, so as to help those who think that the omens are constantly The sailors dispelled some concerns.

After a while, everything was found. Captain Ahab began his own creation. Do you believe I can recreate a compass needle? Everyone looked at Captain Ahab suspiciously. Except Starbuck, who averted his eyes elsewhere. Captain Ahab knocked off the steel point of the javelin with a sledgehammer, asked the first mate to hang the spear head upright, and then hit the steel point with a sledgehammer. Afterwards, he inserted the blunt needle upside down into the end of the gun, tapped it lightly a few times, and made some weird movements. I don't know what the motive was, but it was probably a sham.

Now Captain Ahab came to the compass box, flashed the two upside-down needles, and hung the sail-needle flat between the two needles. At first, the needle was still turning around, but it stopped after a while. After checking the direction, Captain Ahab stood up calmly. Look for yourselves, is my compass needle pointing to the east, pointing to the sun? Everyone went up to watch one by one. Everyone who saw it straightened up reverently, looked at the God-man-like Captain Ahab, and then slipped away quietly. Captain Ahab looked at all this, his eyes were full of triumphant pride, but at the same time there was some vague contempt.

I, Ahab, am the master of this natural magnet! His voice echoed across the deck.