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- 2026-01-30T20:48:18.539Z
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- 9577
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- CHAPTER LXXXIX.
Braid-Beard Rehearses The Origin Of The Isle Of Rogues
Judge not things by their names. This, the maxim illustrated respecting
the isle toward which we were sailing.
Ohonoo was its designation, in other words the Land of Rogues. So what
but a nest of villains and pirates could one fancy it to be: a
downright Tortuga, swarming with “Brethren of the coast,”—such as
Montbars, L’Ollonais, Bartolomeo, Peter of Dieppe, and desperadoes of
that kidney. But not so. The men of Ohonoo were as honest as any in
Mardi. They had a suspicious appellative for their island, true; but
not thus seemed it to them. For, upon nothing did they so much plume
themselves as upon this very name. Why? Its origin went back to old
times; and being venerable they gloried therein; though they disclaimed
its present applicability to any of their race; showing, that words are
but algebraic signs, conveying no meaning except what you please. And
to be called one thing, is oftentimes to be another.
But how came the Ohonoose by their name?
Listen, and Braid-Beard, our Herodotus, will tell.
Long and long ago, there were banished to Ohonoo all the bucaniers,
flibustiers, thieves, and malefactors of the neighboring islands; who,
becoming at last quite a numerous community, resolved to make a stand
for their dignity, and number one among the nations of Mardi. And even
as before they had been weeded out of the surrounding countries; so
now, they went to weeding out themselves; banishing all objectionable
persons to still another island.
These events happened at a period so remote, that at present it was
uncertain whether those twice banished, were thrust into their second
exile by reason of their superlative knavery, or because of their
comparative honesty. If the latter, then must the residue have been a
precious enough set of scoundrels.
However it was, the commonwealth of knaves now mustered together their
gray-beards, and wise-pates, and knowing-ones, of which last there was
a plenty, chose a king to rule over them, and went to political
housekeeping for themselves.
And in the fullness of time, this people became numerous and mighty.
And the more numerous and mighty they waxed, by so much the more did
they take pride and glory in their origin, frequently reverting to it
with manifold boastings. The proud device of their monarch was a hand
with the forefinger crooked, emblematic of the peculatory propensities
of his ancestors.
And all this, at greater length, said Mohi.
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