OTHER CHARACTERS

• CAPTAIN BOOMER AND SURGEON BUNGER

The humorous captain and surgeon of the British whaler Samuel Enderby represent a common-sense view of the universe completely alien to Ahab's. Captain Boomer lost an arm to Moby-Dick and has decided to avoid the whale in the future; Surgeon Bunger sees the whale's apparent malice as mere clumsiness.

• BULKINGTON

Bulkington is the tall, sober sailor Ishmael sees at the Spouter-Inn and then at the helm of the Pequod as it first sets sail. He is never mentioned again, however.

• CARPENTER

The carpenter is a skilled but dull man who considers all other men blocks of wood. He earns Ahab's anger for his lack of wit and imagination.

• DAGGOO

Daggoo, Flask's harpooner, is a black African who voluntarily signed aboard a whaler when a young boy.

• ELIJAH

One of the mad prophets in Moby-Dick, Elijah accosts Ishmael and Queequeg in New Bedford, delivering dark warnings about Captain Ahab. His name is that of the biblical prophet who opposed Ahab in I Kings.

• GABRIEL

Another of the mad prophets in Moby-Dick, Gabriel is a member of the Jeroboam's crew and warns Ahab that his quest for the whale will lead to his death.

• FLEECE

The Pequod's black cook, Fleece, is forced by Stubb to preach a sermon to the sharks.

• CAPTAIN GARDINER

The captain of the ship Rachel, Gardiner placed his twelve-year-old son aboard a whaleboat that was lost during a hunt for Moby-Dick. He begs Ahab to help search for the missing boat, but Ahab rejects his pleas.

• FATHER MAPPLE

Father Mapple is a robust though elderly former harpooner who now serves as minister of the Whaleman's Chapel in New Bedford. Early in Moby-Dick, he preaches a sermon on Jonah and the Whale.

• PELEG AND BILDAD

Peleg and Bildad, the principal owners of the Pequod, are both Quakers and former whalers. Peleg is loud, excitable, and the more generous of the two, Bildad is solemn, formally religious, and stingy.

• PERTH

Perth, the Pequod's blacksmith, lost his former livelihood and his family through an obsession with alcohol.

• RADNEY

Radney, first mate aboard the Town-Ho, was on the verge of being murdered by Steelkilt, but was killed by Moby-Dick instead.

• STEELKILT

A hot-tempered seaman aboard the Town-Ho, Steelkilt led a mutiny after being angered by Radney. For him Moby-Dick was a blessing, as the whale relieved him of the job of killing Radney.

• TASHTEGO

Tashtego, Stubb's harpooner, is an Indian from Martha's Vineyard, an island near Nantucket. He is saved from drowning by Queequeg. He is the last of the crew Ishmael sees before the Pequod sinks.