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- 2026-01-30T20:48:15.153Z
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- 9653
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- CHAPTER LXXI.
WE START FOR TALOO
Bright was the morning, and brighter still the smiles of the young
ladies who accompanied us, when we sprang into a sort of family
canoe—wide and roomy—and bade adieu to the hospitable Marharvai and his
tenantry. As we paddled away, they stood upon the beach, waving their
hands, and crying out, “aroha! aroha!” (farewell! farewell!) as long as
we were within hearing.
Very sad at parting with them, we endeavoured, nevertheless, to console
ourselves in the society of our fellow-passengers. Among these were two
old ladies; but as they said nothing to us, we will say nothing about
them; nor anything about the old men who managed the canoe. But of the
three mischievous, dark-eyed young witches who lounged in the stern of
that comfortable old island gondola, I have a great deal to say.
In the first place, one of them was Marhar-Rarrar, the Bright-Eyed;
and, in the second place, neither she nor the romps, her companions,
ever dreamed of taking the voyage until the doctor and myself announced
our intention; their going along was nothing more than a madcap frolic;
in short, they were a parcel of wicked hoydens, bent on mischief, who
laughed in your face when you looked sentimental, and only tolerated
your company when making merry at your expense.
Something or other about us was perpetually awaking their mirth.
Attributing this to his own remarkable figure, the doctor increased
their enjoyment by assuming the part of a Merry Andrew. Yet his cap and
bells never jingled but to some tune; and while playing the Tom-fool, I
more than suspected that he was trying to play the rake. At home, it is
deemed auspicious to go a-wooing in epaulets; but among the
Polynesians, your best dress in courting is motley.
A fresh breeze springing up, we set our sail of matting, and glided
along as tranquilly as if floating upon an inland stream; the white
reef on one hand, and the green shore on the other.
Soon, as we turned a headland, we encountered another canoe, paddling
with might and main in an opposite direction; the strangers shouting to
each other, and a tall fellow in the bow dancing up and down like a
crazy man. They shot by us like an arrow, though our fellow-voyagers
shouted again and again for them to cease paddling.
According to the natives, this was a kind of royal mail-canoe, carrying
a message from the queen to her friends in a distant part of the
island.
Passing several shady bowers which looked quite inviting, we proposed
touching, and diversifying the monotony of a sea-voyage by a stroll
ashore. So, forcing our canoe among the bushes, behind a decayed palm
lying partly in the water, we left the old folks to take a nap in the
shade, and gallanted the others among the trees, which were here
trellised with vines and creeping shrubs.
In the early part of the afternoon, we drew near the place to which the
party were going. It was a solitary house inhabited by four or five old
women, who, when we entered, were gathered in a circle about the mats,
eating poee from a cracked calabash. They seemed delighted at seeing
our companions, but rather drew up when introduced to ourselves. Eyeing
us distrustfully, they whispered to know who we were. The answers they
received were not satisfactory; for they treated us with marked
coolness and reserve, and seemed desirous of breaking off our
acquaintance with the girls. Unwilling, therefore, to stay where our
company was disagreeable, we resolved to depart without even eating a
meal.
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