Queequeg: There are nine gates in this city, and strange creatures on broomsticks are constantly flying in and out the nine gates. They go out into the world, gather information, and return. The living have a city of five gates. Through these five gates they learn everything they know of the outside world. There are messengers on broomsticks that carry all this information through the five gates. They are little bizarre animals with horns here, tails here, arms here, legs here—all randomly placed throughout their bodies. They are too small to be seen. They go out from the city of five gates, gather information, and return with their messages of the outside world.