Consumers own their devices. You can't just assume everything a company puts into an agreement is legal, moral or enforceable. They're always trying to put one over their partners and consumers.
Don't worry, your diatribe isn't that massive. Actually, I thought Melville's point was to digress. Wasn't the point to digress into all these side details out of the joy of describing the whaling world? (So I have read in commentaries.)
