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- tastefully carved canoe from the sea. It was launched upon the sheet
of water, and floated there as gracefully as a swan. But, melancholy to
relate, it produced an effect I had not anticipated. The sweet nymphs,
who had sported with me before on the lake, now all fled its vicinity.
The prohibited craft, guarded by the edicts of the ‘taboo,’ extended the
prohibition to the waters in which it lay.
For a few days, Kory-Kory, with one or two other youths, accompanied
me in my excursions to the lake, and while I paddled about in my light
canoe, would swim after me shouting and gambolling in pursuit. But I
as ever partial to what is termed in the ‘Young Men’s Own Book’--‘the
society of virtuous and intelligent young ladies;’ and in the absence
of the mermaids, the amusement became dull and insipid. One morning
I expressed to my faithful servitor my desire for the return of the
nymphs. The honest fellow looked at me bewildered for a moment, and
then shook his head solemnly, and murmured ‘taboo! taboo!’ giving me to
understand that unless the canoe was removed I could not expect to have
the young ladies back again. But to this procedure I was averse; I not
only wanted the canoe to stay where it was, but I wanted the beauteous
Fayaway to get into it, and paddle with me about the lake. This latter
proposition completely horrified Kory-Kory’s notions of propriety. He
inveighed against it, as something too monstrous to be thought of. It
not only shocked their established notions of propriety, but was at
variance with all their religious ordinances.
However, although the ‘taboo’ was a ticklish thing to meddle with, I
determined to test its capabilities of resisting an attack. I consulted
the chief Mehevi, who endeavoured to dissuade me from my object; but
I was not to be repulsed; and accordingly increased the warmth of my
solicitations. At last he entered into a long, and I have no doubt a
very learned and eloquent exposition of the history and nature of the
‘taboo’ as affecting this particular case; employing a variety of most
extraordinary words, which, from their amazing length and sonorousness,
I have every reason to believe were of a theological nature. But all
that he said failed to convince me: partly, perhaps, because I could not
comprehend a word that he uttered; but chiefly, that for the life of me
I could not understand why a woman would not have as much right to
enter a canoe as a man. At last he became a little more rational, and
intimated that, out of the abundant love he bore me, he would consult
with the priests and see what could be done.
How it was that the priesthood of Typee satisfied the affair with their
consciences, I know not; but so it was, and Fayaway dispensation from
this portion of the taboo was at length procured. Such an event I
believe never before had occurred in the valley; but it was high time
the islanders should be taught a little gallantry, and I trust that the
example I set them may produce beneficial effects. Ridiculous, indeed,
that the lovely creatures should be obliged to paddle about in the
water, like so many ducks, while a parcel of great strapping fellows
skimmed over its surface in their canoes.
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