During his rapid flight from the Samuel Enderby, Ahab shattered his prosthetic leg, rendering it useless. This is not the first time he has done so, as before the Pequod’s journey, he nearly impaled himself on the shards of his broken prosthetic limb. The injury took a long time to heal—and was not fully healed before the Pequod set sail, explaining why Ahab remained sequestered away in his cabin. The ship’s carpenter, a skilled but bland and unlikable man, constructs him a replacement, but Ahab comments angrily about his dependence on others.

Starbuck suspects that the oil barrels on the ship are leaking, so he goes to Ahab’s room and seeks permission to "up Burtons," an extended task in which all the barrels are moved from the storage area and examined to locate the source of the leak. However, Ahab refuses to allow it because it would require the ship to stop for a week or more, a useless delay in his eyes. The pair argue, and Ahab threatens Starbuck with a loaded musket. Despite the threat on his life, Starbuck remains unafraid and warns Ahab to be cautious of himself. After some contemplation, Ahab changes his mind and orders the barrels to be lifted.