23. The Cargo and the Crew | Moby-Dick Act III: The Price of the Chase

[Verse 1]
The scent of oil is rising from below,
Where casks have failed and let their cargo flow.
I know the hands that filled them through the day,
And watch their hard-won labour drain away.

[Verse 2]
Each barrel bears the risk of boats at sea,
The strain of rope, the toil of men like me.
We came to bring this hard-won cargo home,
Not lose it in the hold beneath the foam.

[Chorus]
The cargo and the crew, I must defend,
Their lives and labour matter to the end.
I ask you, Captain, listen to my plea,
Repair the casks before we scour the sea.

[Verse 3]
I stand before you, Captain, face to face,
And see your eyes return to that one chase.
I tell you what the damaged barrels cost,
And how each hour will see more labour lost.

[Verse 4]
You name the whale that robbed you of your peace,
And speak as though all other claims must cease.
Yet men must eat, and families must live,
Command demands a care you still must give.

[Chorus]
The cargo and the crew, I must defend,
Their lives and labour matter to the end.
I ask you, Captain, listen to my plea,
Repair the casks before we scour the sea.

[Verse 5]
I serve beneath your orders as your mate,
But silence now would make me share the weight.
If duty has a voice, mine must be heard,
Though rank and anger punish every word.

[Verse 6]
I cannot change the whale that fills your sight,
Yet I can ask you, Captain, do what's right.
Give us the time to set the barrels fast,
And save what men have earned through dangers past.

[Chorus]
The cargo and the crew, I must defend,
Their lives and labour matter to the end.
I ask you, Captain, listen to my plea,
Repair the casks before we scour the sea.

[Outro]
I wait beneath your cold and steady gaze,
While in your eyes I see that distant blaze.
The cargo and the crew remain my care,
And I shall keep my station standing there.

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[The Scene] Following Pip’s abandonment and rescue, the human cost of the voyage has become increasingly apparent, but another problem now threatens the Pequod’s purpose. Oil is leaking from the casks in the hold, placing the crew’s hard-won cargo at risk. Starbuck confronts Ahab and urges him to halt the pursuit long enough to make the necessary repairs. Their earlier disagreement returns, but this time Starbuck appeals to the practical responsibilities of command rather than challenging the hunt itself. With Ahab still consumed by his pursuit of Moby Dick, Starbuck must insist that the labour and welfare of the crew cannot simply be sacrificed to one man’s obsession. [Verse 1] The scent of oil is rising from below, Where casks have failed and let their cargo flow. I know the hands that filled them through the day, And watch their hard-won labour drain away. [Verse 2] Each barrel bears the risk of boats at sea, The strain of rope, the toil of men like me. We came to bring this hard-won cargo home, Not lose it in the hold beneath the foam. [Chorus] The cargo and the crew, I must defend, Their lives and labour matter to the end. I ask you, Captain, listen to my plea, Repair the casks before we scour the sea. [Verse 3] I stand before you, Captain, face to face, And see your eyes return to that one chase. I tell you what the damaged barrels cost, And how each hour will see more labour lost. [Verse 4] You name the whale that robbed you of your peace, And speak as though all other claims must cease. Yet men must eat, and families must live, Command demands a care you still must give. [Chorus] The cargo and the crew, I must defend, Their lives and labour matter to the end. I ask you, Captain, listen to my plea, Repair the casks before we scour the sea. [Verse 5] I serve beneath your orders as your mate, But silence now would make me share the weight. If duty has a voice, mine must be heard, Though rank and anger punish every word. [Verse 6] I cannot change the whale that fills your sight, Yet I can ask you, Captain, do what's right. Give us the time to set the barrels fast, And save what men have earned through dangers past. [Chorus] The cargo and the crew, I must defend, Their lives and labour matter to the end. I ask you, Captain, listen to my plea, Repair the casks before we scour the sea. [Outro] I wait beneath your cold and steady gaze, While in your eyes I see that distant blaze. The cargo and the crew remain my care, And I shall keep my station standing there.

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