- end_line
- 7219
- extracted_at
- 2026-01-30T20:48:25.203Z
- extracted_by
- structure-extraction-lambda
- start_line
- 7164
- text
- earrings and spear, both well polished, lay beside him, while the highly
decorative pair of shoes hung suspended from a projecting cane against
the side of the house. The young men were similarly employed; and the
fair damsels, including Fayaway, were anointing themselves with ‘aka’,
arranging their long tresses, and performing other matters connected
with the duties of the toilet.
Having completed their preparations, the girls now exhibited themselves
in gala costume; the most conspicuous feature of which was a necklace
of beautiful white flowers, with the stems removed, and strung closely
together upon a single fibre of tappa. Corresponding ornaments were
inserted in their ears, and woven garlands upon their heads. About their
waist they wore a short tunic of spotless white tappa, and some of them
super-added to this a mantle of the same material, tied in an elaborate
bow upon the left shoulder, and falling about the figure in picturesque
folds.
Thus arrayed, I would have matched the charming Fayaway against any
beauty in the world.
People may say what they will about the taste evinced by our fashionable
ladies in dress. Their jewels, their feathers, their silks, and
their furbelows, would have sunk into utter insignificance beside the
exquisite simplicity of attire adopted by the nymphs of the vale on this
festive occasion. I should like to have seen a gallery of coronation
beauties, at Westminster Abbey, confronted for a moment by this band of
island girls; their stiffness, formality, and affectation, contrasted
with the artless vivacity and unconcealed natural graces of these savage
maidens. It would be the Venus de’ Medici placed beside a milliner’s
doll. It was not long before Kory-Kory and myself were left alone in the
house, the rest of its inmates having departed for the Taboo Groves.
My valet was all impatience to follow them; and was as fidgety about my
dilatory movements as a diner out waiting hat in hand at the bottom
of the stairs for some lagging companion. At last, yielding to his
importunities, I set out for the Ti. As we passed the houses peeping out
from the groves through which our route lay, I noticed that they were
entirely deserted by their inhabitants.
When we reached the rock that abruptly terminated the path, and
concealed from us the festive scene, wild shouts and a confused blending
of voices assured me that the occasion, whatever it might be, had
drawn together a great multitude. Kory-Kory, previous to mounting the
elevation, paused for a moment, like a dandy at a ball-room door, to put
a hasty finish to his toilet. During this short interval, the thought
struck me that I ought myself perhaps to be taking some little pains
with my appearance.
But as I had no holiday raiment, I was not a little puzzled to devise
some means of decorating myself. However, as I felt desirous to create a
sensation, I determined to do all that lay in my power; and knowing that
I could not delight the savages more than by conforming to their style
of dress, I removed from my person the large robe of tappa which I was
accustomed to wear over my shoulders whenever I sallied into the open
air, and remained merely girt about with a short tunic descending from
my waist to my knees.
- title
- Chunk 10