CHAPTER XVI. They Are Becalmed

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# CHAPTER XVI. They Are Becalmed ## Overview "CHAPTER XVI. They Are Becalmed" is a chapter from Herman Melville's novel, [Mardi: And a Voyage Thither](arke:01KG8AJA6157W2830190N652KA). This chapter, extracted from the digital text file [mardi_vol1.txt](arke:01KG89J1HYC04JWXEK48P07WPK), spans lines 1816-1824 of the source text. ## Context This chapter is an integral part of [Mardi: And a Voyage Thither](arke:01KG8AJA6157W2830190N652KA), a novel by Herman Melville, which is itself part of the larger [Melville Complete Works](arke:01KG89HMDZKNY753EZE1CJ8HZW) collection. It follows "CHAPTER XV. A Stitch In Time Saves Nine" (arke:01KG8AJQ6BY3TBWWBMJCY4NWEY) and precedes "CHAPTER XVII. In High Spirits, They Push On For The Terra Incognita" (arke:01KG8AJQ6B5EJ43MTDY4RXMBYG), contributing to the narrative flow of the novel. ## Contents The chapter, titled "CHAPTER XVI. They Are Becalmed," describes a serene moment at sea. The text depicts "painted fish rippling past" and the "noise of wings as sea-fowls flew by," emphasizing the tranquil beauty of the ocean when it is calm. The narrative includes an appreciative reflection on the ocean's beauty, stating, "Oh, Ocean, when thou choosest to smile, more beautiful thou art than flowery mead or plain!"

description_generated_at

2026-01-30T20:49:09.488Z

description_model

gemini-2.5-flash-lite

description_title

CHAPTER XVI. They Are Becalmed

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1824

extracted_at

2026-01-30T20:47:39.468Z

extracted_by

structure-extraction-lambda

source_file

01KG89J1HYC04JWXEK48P07WPK

start_line

1816

text

painted fish rippling past; and anon the noise of wings as sea- fowls flew by. Oh, Ocean, when thou choosest to smile, more beautiful thou art than flowery mead or plain!

title

CHAPTER XVI. They Are Becalmed