These reflections just here are occasioned by thecircumstance that after we were all seated at thetable, and I was preparing to hear some good storiesabout whaling; to my no small surprise, nearly everyman maintained a profound silence. And not onlythat, but they looked embarrassed. Yes, here werea set of sea-dogs, many of whom without theslightest bashfulness had boarded great whales onthe high seas—entire strangers to them—and duelledthem dead without winking; and yet, here they satat a social breakfast table—all of the same calling,all of kindred tastes—looking round as sheepishly at each other as though they had never beenout of sight of some sheepfold among the Green Mountains. A curious sight; these bashfulbears, these timid warrior whalemen!

But as for Queequeg—why, Queequeg sat there among them—at the head of the table, too, itso chanced; as cool as an icicle. To be sure I cannot say much for his breeding. His greatestadmirer could not have cordially justified his bringing his harpoon into breakfast with him,and using it there without ceremony; reaching over the table with it, to the imminentjeopardy of many heads, and grappling the beefsteaks towards him. But THAT was certainlyvery coolly done by him, and every one knows that in most people's estimation, to do anythingcoolly is to do it genteelly.

We will not speak of all Queequeg's peculiarities here; how he eschewed coffee and hot rolls,and applied his undivided attention to beefsteaks, done rare. Enough, that when breakfastwas over he withdrew like the rest into the public room, lighted his tomahawk-pipe, and wassitting there quietly digesting and smoking with his inseparable hat on, when I sallied out for astroll.

CHAPTER 6. The Street.

If I had been astonished at first catching a glimpse of so outlandish an individual asQueequeg circulating among the polite society of a civilized town, that astonishment soondeparted upon taking my first daylight stroll through the streets of New Bedford.

In thoroughfares nigh the docks, any considerable seaport will frequently offer to view thequeerest looking nondescripts from foreign parts. Even in Broadway and Chestnut streets,Mediterranean mariners will sometimes jostle the affrighted ladies. Regent Street is notunknown to Lascars and Malays; and at Bombay, in the Apollo Green, live Yankees have oftenscared the natives.