A few things I’ve gleaned from the opening 100 pages of Melville’s opus:

1. Maritime jargon such as “lee of land” and handspike.
2. Surprisingly non-traditional views espoused by Ishmael: What is worship? To do the will of God. That is worship. And what is the will of God? To do to my fellow man what I would have my fellow man to do to me. That is the will of God. Now, Queequeg is my fellow man. And what do I wish this Queequeg would do to me? Why, unite with me in my particular form of worship. Consequently, I must then unite with him in his; ergo, I must turn idolator.
3. Building a story takes time. Captain Ahab does not appear until page 85, with Moby Dick not even on the horizon. 
4. That said, Mr. Melville also would have benefited from an editor.