Gotta love Melville

Despite the opinions of many that Moby Dick is simply too long and detailed to be worthwhile (I confess that I used to be of this opinion), the more I read of it now as a teacher the greater my appreciation. Here's a line that I just read that is a great example of his style:

"[Queequeg] put on dry clothes, lighted his pipe, and leaning against the bulwarks, and mildly eyeing those around him, seemed to be saying to himself--'It's a mutual, joint- stock world, in all meridians. We cannibals must help these Christians."