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- 2026-01-30T20:48:15.149Z
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- 5711
- text
- linked us together. In such an enterprise, I somewhat distrusted the
doctor, for he was no sailor, and very tall; and a canoe is the most
ticklish of navigable things. However, it could not be helped; and so
we went.
But a word about the canoes before we go any further. Among the Society
Islands, the art of building them, like all native accomplishments, has
greatly deteriorated; and they are now the most inelegant, as well as
the most insecure of any in the South Seas. In Cook’s time, according
to his account, there was at Tahiti a royal fleet of seventeen hundred
and twenty large war canoes, handsomely carved, and otherwise adorned.
At present, those used are quite small; nothing more than logs hollowed
out, sharpened at one end, and then launched into the water.
To obviate a certain rolling propensity, the Tahitians, like all
Polynesians, attach to them what sailors call an “outrigger.” It
consists of a pole floating alongside, parallel to the canoe, and
connected with it by a couple of cross sticks, a yard or more in
length. Thus equipped, the canoe cannot be overturned, unless you
overcome the buoyancy of the pole, or lift it entirely out of the
water.
Now, Captain Bob’s “gig” was exceedingly small; so small, and of such a
grotesque shape, that the sailors christened it the Pill Box; and by
this appellation it always went. In fact, it was a sort of “sulky,”
meant for a solitary paddler, but, on an emergency, capable of floating
two or three. The outrigger was a mere switch, alternately rising in
air, and then depressed in the water.
Assuming the command of the expedition, upon the strength of my being a
sailor, I packed the Long Doctor with a paddle in the bow, and then
shoving off, leaped into the stern; thus leaving him to do all the
work, and reserving to myself the dignified sinecure of steering. All
would have gone on well, were it not that my paddler made such clumsy
work that the water spattered, and showered down upon us without
ceasing. Continuing to ply his tool, however, quite energetically, I
thought he would improve after a while, and so let him alone. But by
and bye, getting wet through with this little storm we were raising,
and seeing no signs of its clearing off, I conjured him, in mercy’s
name, to stop short, and let me wring myself out. Upon this, he
suddenly turned round, when the canoe gave a roll, the outrigger flew
overhead, and the next moment came rap on the doctor’s skull, and we
were both in the water.
Fortunately, we were just over a ledge of coral, not half-a-fathom
under the surface. Depressing one end of the filled canoe, and letting
go of it quickly, it bounced up, and discharged a great part of its
contents; so that we easily baled out the remainder, and again
embarked. This time, my comrade coiled himself away in a very small
space; and enjoining upon him not to draw a single unnecessary breath,
I proceeded to urge the canoe along by myself. I was astonished at his
docility, never speaking a word, and stirring neither hand nor foot;
but the secret was, he was unable to swim, and in case we met with a
second mishap, there were no more ledges beneath to stand upon.
“Crowning’s but a shabby way of going out of the world,” he exclaimed,
upon my rallying him; “and I’m not going to be guilty of it.”
At last, the ship was at hand, and we approached with much caution,
wishing to avoid being hailed by anyone from the quarter-deck. Dropping
silently under her bows, we heard a low whistle—the signal agreed
upon—and presently a goodly-sized bag was lowered over to us.
We cut the line, and then paddled away as fast as we could, and made
the best of our way home. Here, we found the rest waiting impatiently.
- title
- Chunk 1