It could just be for the benefit of the others, or in this particular incident for Ishmael. Ishmael seemed intent on reading Queequeg. Ishmael has only spoken of the great power and strength of the whales, as if they were, or are, divine creatures. Nature throughout this novel has always been the dominating force. The men were but little specks on this massive body of water.
Human nature can never really overcome nature.
It is powerful beyond any expectation or reality we could possibly imagine. Maybe the sinking of the Pequod was inevitable. All of the crew were playing the game as a team so to speak, they would go down in the end too when losing the battle. The fact that Ishmael survived by using Queequeg's coffin is really striking. Queequeg in the end pushes Ishmael up.