{"id":"01KG8AKW3VP4J9MXSW4659FFV0","cid":"bafkreie4rs5wxzs5wcrnfr7jxwrgnxsjp7ghmwcthvdqezi77in36iyujm","type":"chunk","properties":{"end_line":9569,"extracted_at":"2026-01-30T20:48:15.153Z","extracted_by":"structure-extraction-lambda","label":"Chunk 5","source_file":"01KG89J1H7Y803CZ7X80F0QFHZ","start_line":9526,"text":"swell of the sea is prevented from breaking on the beach by an\r\nencircling reef. No saline flavour is perceptible in the nut produced\r\nin such a place. Although it bears in any soil, whether upland or\r\nbottom, it does not flourish vigorously inland; and I have frequently\r\nobserved that, when met with far up the valley, its tall stem inclines\r\nseaward, as if pining after a more genial region.\r\n\r\nIt is a curious fact that if you deprive the cocoa-nut tree of the\r\nverdant tuft at its head, it dies at once; and if allowed to stand\r\nthus, the trunk, which, when alive, is encased in so hard a bark as to\r\nbe almost impervious to a bullet, moulders away, and, in an incredibly\r\nshort period, becomes dust. This is, perhaps, partly owing to the\r\npeculiar constitution of the trunk, a mere cylinder of minute hollow\r\nreeds, closely packed, and very hard; but, when exposed at top,\r\npeculiarly fitted to convey moisture and decay through the entire stem.\r\n\r\nThe finest orchard of cocoa-palms I know, and the only plantation of\r\nthem I ever saw at the islands, is one that stands right upon the\r\nsouthern shore of Papeetee Bay. They were set out by the first Pomaree,\r\nalmost half a century ago; and the soil being especially adapted to\r\ntheir growth, the noble trees now form a magnificent grove, nearly a\r\nmile in extent. No other plant, scarcely a bush, is to be seen within\r\nits precincts. The Broom Road passes through its entire length.\r\n\r\nAt noonday, this grove is one of the most beautiful, serene, witching\r\nplaces that ever was seen. High overhead are ranges of green rustling\r\narches; through which the sun’s rays come down to you in sparkles. You\r\nseem to be wandering through illimitable halls of pillars; everywhere\r\nyou catch glimpses of stately aisles, intersecting each other at all\r\npoints. A strange silence, too, reigns far and near; the air flushed\r\nwith the mellow stillness of a sunset.\r\n\r\nBut after the long morning calms, the sea-breeze comes in; and creeping\r\nover the tops of these thousand trees, they nod their plumes. Soon the\r\nbreeze freshens; and you hear the branches brushing against each other;\r\nand the flexible trunks begin to sway. Toward evening the whole grove\r\nis rocking to and fro; and the traveller on the Broom Road is startled\r\nby the frequent falling of the nuts, snapped from their brittle stems.\r\nThey come flying through the air, ringing like jugglers’ balls; and\r\noften bound along the ground for many rods.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r","title":"Chunk 5"},"relationships":[{"peer":"01KG8AJMWJ4YQ4MFXKN10F0MX9","peer_type":"chapter","predicate":"in"},{"peer":"01KG89J1H7Y803CZ7X80F0QFHZ","peer_type":"file","predicate":"extractedFrom"},{"peer":"01KG89HMDZKNY753EZE1CJ8HZW","peer_type":"collection","predicate":"collection"},{"peer":"01KG8AKW3VY7EB77QEAXR51ZA1","peer_type":"chunk","predicate":"prev"}],"ver":2,"created_at":"2026-01-30T20:48:18.555Z","ts":"2026-01-30T20:48:31.931Z","edited_by":{"method":"manual","user_id":"01KFF0H3YRP9ZSM033AM0QJ47H"}}