The Town Ho’s Story by Herman Melville 1851 First appearance of Moby Dick.

"The Town Ho’s Story'' by Herman Melville Harper’s New Monthly Magazine. Volume III June to November, 1851.  Harper's November 1851 First appearance of Moby Dick (Story appears on pages 658-665).This is Chapter 54 of "Moby Dick".  Melville apparently felt it could function as a stand-alone story.  It gives a taste of his masterpiece.  It would later be hailed as the quintessential American novel of the 19th Century.The Town Ho was another Nantucket whaling ship the Pequod, during her last voyage, encountered off the Cape of Good Hope, which immediately called for a day of merry-making.  In between the dancing jigs of the bare-footed sailors, their legs loosen with ample supply of rum, its Captain told of his ship's recent encounter with the white whale.  They were lucky they survived.  Ahab, the obsessed master of the Pequod, listened with rapt attention.... This monster of the sea was the only thing that bought life to Ahab, bought him out of his cabin, in the company of men.  He had forsaken their company years ago.  Now he seeks their help, unbeknownst to them, to seek out another 'old friend', Moby Dick, the huge white whale "with a hump like a snowhill", who took his leg and left him with a peg instead.  Now Ahab was seeking his revenge and it didn't matter to him how many pounds of flesh it would take, even if those pounds of flesh didn't belong to him...Ahab wasn't detracted by the Town Ho's story, like normal men would be; it only proved to goad him on...**In Very Good Condition.  Beautifully rebound.   No signature or handwriting.  Moderate Foxing.One page end looks like it is uneven, don't know if it was publish like that or what; no loss of text..   Complete, with Other Miscellaneous Stories and IllustrationsLengthy Article on Napoleon Bonaparte"Phantoms and Realities - An Autobiography""Our National Anniversary" In July Issue"New Proof of the Earth's Rotation""The Daughter of Blood - A Tale of Spanish Life""Stories of Shipwreck" Much, much moreA Very Handsome Copy You Will Enjoy Reading or just BrowsingBooks, after all, are not just ornaments you put on a shelf Ships Media MailShips in a Box with TrackingUsually Ships same day if USPS availableThanks for Looking!RJEASY Fine LiteratureOn Ebay Since 2008100% Positive Feedback