Today’s reading is “The Carpet-Bag,” the wonderful chapter in which Ishmael “quit[s] the good city of old Manhatto” in which the first chapter was set and “duly arrive[s]” in the whaling town of New Bedford. Disappointed that he can’t go directly to Nantucket, his intended destination, Ishmael “pace[s] the streets” with “halting steps,” looking for a place to stay. The names aren’t promising: “The Crossed Harpoons,” “Sword-Fish Inn,” “The Trap,” and “The Spouter Inn.” Which will he choose and why? Listen to the reading by Capt. Robert N. Hone, who is Lecturer in Nautical Studies, School of Marine Science and Engineering at Plymouth University in the UK.

I’ve also taken the liberty of reproducing a small version of today’s artwork, Cape-Horner in a great Hurricane by Clara Drummond (oil on board, January 2012). Visit the site to see the vivid piece in higher resolution. (Click on the image when you get there.)

[soundcloud url=”http://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/60117133″ params=”show_artwork=false&auto_play=false&color=000000″ width=”100%” height=”166″ iframe=”true” /]

[Cross-posted with Patell and Waterman’s History of New York]