… But wherefore it was that after having repeatedly smelt the sea as a merchant sailor, I should now take it into my head to go on a whaling voyage; this the invisible police officer of the Fates, who has the constant surveillance of me, and secretly dogs me, and influences me in some unaccountable way – he can better answer than anyone else. And doubtless, my going on this whaling voyage, formed part of the grand programme of Providence that was drawn up a long time ago. It came in as a sort of brief interlude and solo between more extensive performances. I take it that this part of bill must have run something like this:

“Grand Contested Election for the Presidency of the United States.
“whaling voyage by one ishmael.
“BLOODY BATTLE IN AFFGHANISTAN.”

Photo: Flickr/threefishsleeping. (Creative Commons).