- description
- # Introduction
## Overview
This entry, titled "Introduction," is a textual segment extracted from a larger work. It spans lines 10363 to 10392 of the source document and serves as the introductory section to a chapter.
## Context
This introduction is part of [CHAPTER LXXVI. AN ISLAND JILT—WE VISIT THE SHIP](arke:01KG8AJNJB18W83V81B5VSVY7H), which is itself contained within the [Melville Complete Works](arke:01KG89HMDZKNY753EZE1CJ8HZW) collection. The text was extracted from the file named [omoo.txt](arke:01KG89J1H7Y803CZ7X80F0QFHZ). This segment immediately precedes the subsection titled [AN ISLAND JILT](arke:01KG8AKGC7V6NVTBWDA4XP4JV6).
## Contents
The text details a conversation with an individual referred to as "Po-Po" regarding the political situation in Taloo. It discusses the queen's potential resistance to the French, the involvement of chiefs from various islands, and the queen's reluctance to grant audiences. The narrative also mentions the narrator's and a doctor's desire to enlist as officers, which is deemed unlikely due to the availability of other Europeans. The section concludes with the decision to explore a ship docked in the bay while awaiting a more favorable opportunity for their plans.
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- Introduction
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- CHAPTER LXXVI.
AN ISLAND JILT—WE VISIT THE SHIP
Upon arriving home we fully laid open to Po-Po our motives in visiting
Taloo, and begged his friendly advice. In his broken English he
cheerfully gave us all the information we needed.
It was true, he said, that the queen entertained some idea of making a
stand against the French; and it was currently reported also that
several chiefs from Borabora, Huwyenee, Raiatair, and Tahar, the
leeward islands of the group, were at that very time taking counsel
with her as to the expediency of organizing a general movement
throughout the entire cluster, with a view of anticipating any further
encroachments on the part of the invaders. Should warlike measures be
actually decided upon, it was quite certain that Pomaree would be glad
to enlist all the foreigners she could; but as to her making officers
of either the doctor or me, that was out of the question; because,
already, a number of Europeans, well known to her, had volunteered as
such. Concerning our getting immediate access to the queen, Po-Po told
us it was rather doubtful; she living at that time very retired, in
poor health, and spirits, and averse to receiving calls. Previous to
her misfortunes, however, no one, however humble, was denied admittance
to her presence; sailors, even, attended her levees.
Not at all disheartened by these things, we concluded to kill time in
Partoowye until some event turned up more favourable to our projects.
So that very day we sallied out on an excursion to the ship which,
lying land-locked far up the bay, yet remained to be visited.
- title
- Introduction