- end_line
- 9417
- extracted_at
- 2026-01-30T20:48:15.153Z
- extracted_by
- structure-extraction-lambda
- start_line
- 9343
- text
- protection. Laying before his guest one of the packages of fish,
Marharvai opened it; and commended its contents to his particular
regards. But my comrade was one of those who, on convivial occasions,
can always take care of themselves. He ate an indefinite number of
“Pee-hee Lee Lees” (small fish), his own and next neighbour’s
bread-fruit; and helped himself, to right and left, with all the ease
of an accomplished diner-out.
“Paul,” said he, at last, “you don’t seem to be getting along; why
don’t you try the pepper sauce?” and, by way of example, he steeped a
morsel of food into his nutful of sea-water. On following suit, I found
it quite piquant, though rather bitter; but, on the whole, a capital
substitute for salt. The Imeeose invariably use sea-water in this way,
deeming it quite a treat; and considering that their country is
surrounded by an ocean of catsup, the luxury cannot be deemed an
expensive one.
The fish were delicious; the manner of cooking them in the ground
preserving all the juices, and rendering them exceedingly sweet and
tender. The plantain pudding was almost cloying; the cakes of Indian
turnip, quite palatable; and the roasted bread-fruit, crisp as toast.
During the meal, a native lad walked round and round the party,
carrying a long staff of bamboo. This he occasionally tapped upon the
cloth, before each guest; when a white clotted substance dropped forth,
with a savour not unlike that of a curd. This proved to be “Lownee,” an
excellent relish, prepared from the grated meat of ripe cocoa-nuts,
moistened with cocoa-nut milk and salt water, and kept perfectly tight
until a little past the saccharine stage of fermentation.
Throughout the repast there was much lively chatting among the
islanders, in which their conversational powers quite exceeded ours.
The young ladies, too, showed themselves very expert in the use of
their tongues, and contributed much to the gaiety which prevailed.
Nor did these lively nymphs suffer the meal to languish; for upon the
doctor’s throwing himself back, with an air of much satisfaction, they
sprang to their feet, and pelted him with oranges and guavas. This, at
last, put an end to the entertainment.
By a hundred whimsical oddities, my long friend became a great
favourite with these people; and they bestowed upon him a long, comical
title, expressive of his lank figure and Koora combined. The latter, by
the bye, never failed to excite the remark of everybody we encountered.
The giving of nicknames is quite a passion with the people of Tahiti
and Imeeo. No one with any peculiarity, whether of person or temper, is
exempt; not even strangers.
A pompous captain of a man-of-war, visiting Tahiti for the second time,
discovered that, among the natives, he went by the dignified title of
“Atee Poee”—literally, Poee Head, or Pudding Head. Nor is the highest
rank among themselves any protection. The first husband of the present
queen was commonly known in the court circles as “Pot Belly.” He
carried the greater part of his person before him, to be sure; and so
did the gentlemanly George IV.—but what a title for a king consort!
Even “Pomaree” itself, the royal patronymic, was, originally, a mere
nickname; and literally signifies, one talking through his nose. The
first monarch of that name, being on a war party, and sleeping
overnight among the mountains, awoke one morning with a cold in his
head; and some wag of a courtier had no more manners than to vulgarize
him thus.
How different from the volatile Polynesian in this, as in all other
respects, is our grave and decorous North American Indian. While the
former bestows a name in accordance with some humorous or ignoble
trait, the latter seizes upon what is deemed the most exalted or
warlike: and hence, among the red tribes, we have the truly patrician
appellations of “White Eagles,” “Young Oaks,” “Fiery Eyes,” and “Bended
Bows.”
- title
- Chunk 2