Tashtego

Tashtego is a skilled and observant harpooneer from Gay Head, Martha's Vineyard, belonging to the proud lineage of Native American whale-hunters who have supplied Nantucket with some of its most formidable mariners. As the harpooner assigned to Stubb's boat, he carries the responsibility of striking the whale with accuracy and courage during the hunt. His intimate familiarity with the habits and distinctive features of sperm whales makes him valuable to the crew; he recognizes Moby Dick's description instantly when Captain Ahab reveals the whale's identifying marks during the fateful quarter-deck assembly. Throughout the voyage aboard the Pequod, Tashtego proves himself an alert lookout and a reliable member of the hunting crews. His dark eyes and lean frame speak to a life spent in maritime labor, and his presence in the rigging and boats reflects the skill and nerve required of those who pursue the great leviathans across the world's oceans.