Ishmael comments that it is difficult to know what a whale looks like, as the few paintings or artistic renderings of whales are imprecise and incapable of accurately indicating the true grandeur of these creatures, which can only be witnessed in the immeasurable depths of the ocean. 

Nonetheless, there are numerous depictions of whales available. A handicapped beggar in London clutches a painted sign illustrating the incident in which he lost his leg. Seafarers carve and inscribe on whale bones and teeth, a technique known as scrimshaw. By using their imagination, people can perceive whales in the stars and in the rippling formations of mountain ridges.

Returning from these thoughts to his surroundings, Ishmael notices that the Pequod ship is sailing through an area filled with brit, a yellow substance consumed by whales. Daggoo alerts the crew to the presence of the white whale, but upon closer inspection, they discover it is actually an enormous white squid. Starbuck interprets this sighting as an unfavorable sign. 

The adrenaline of the sighting ebbs, and Ishmael turns his focus to the Manila ropes that the harpoon is tied to; called the “whaling line,” this length of rope is immensely strong, threaded through complex twists from the front to the back of the vessel. If it slips out of place or is threaded incorrectly, the powerful rope could easily mangle crew members who happen to be in the way.