Ishmael attempts a phrenological analysis of the sperm whale’s head.

Ishmael breaks from his exploration of whale head anatomy to give the reader a (welcome) dose of action.

While scooping spermacetti out of the sperm whales head, Tashtego falls in. The crew thinks him drowned, but Queequeg acts decisively to save him.

An ode to the sperm whales powerful dome.

Ishmael continues comparing and contrasting the heads of sperm and right whales

Ishmael discusses the anatomy of whale heads.

Ishmael backtracks to explain another facet of carving up a sperm whale, which involves dangling a harpooner down to the carcass involving a rope and harness.

What could easily be a simple description of the dangers of yet another minute detail of whaling life, turns into a metaphor for the bonds between all humans and the social restrictions of free will.

The Pequod stops to exchange news with another whaling ship, the Jeroboam. Ahab wants intelligence on Moby Dick, but he finds a ship full of diseased men who pay more attention to the whims of a religious fanatic oarsmen then they do their captain.

The fanatic, Gabriel, recounts a story about Moby Dick (that may or may not be true), and warns Ahab against further pursuing the while whale.

Having finished butchering the whale, the crew lets the remainder of the carcass float away. Sharks and vultures gather to pay their respects.

Ishmael argues a whale’s blubber is, in fact, the whale’s skin, even though another layer of tissue separates it from the outside world.