{"id":"01KG8AKWQHSDQGASC02W5TCM62","cid":"bafkreibje4nvfu4ejqt7d52arej5fxiljd5uqu74fokqljzci7ow7z77hm","type":"chunk","properties":{"end_line":9719,"extracted_at":"2026-01-30T20:48:15.153Z","extracted_by":"structure-extraction-lambda","label":"Chunk 1","source_file":"01KG89J1H7Y803CZ7X80F0QFHZ","start_line":9653,"text":"CHAPTER LXXI.\r\nWE START FOR TALOO\r\n\r\n\r\nBright was the morning, and brighter still the smiles of the young\r\nladies who accompanied us, when we sprang into a sort of family\r\ncanoe—wide and roomy—and bade adieu to the hospitable Marharvai and his\r\ntenantry. As we paddled away, they stood upon the beach, waving their\r\nhands, and crying out, “aroha! aroha!” (farewell! farewell!) as long as\r\nwe were within hearing.\r\n\r\nVery sad at parting with them, we endeavoured, nevertheless, to console\r\nourselves in the society of our fellow-passengers. Among these were two\r\nold ladies; but as they said nothing to us, we will say nothing about\r\nthem; nor anything about the old men who managed the canoe. But of the\r\nthree mischievous, dark-eyed young witches who lounged in the stern of\r\nthat comfortable old island gondola, I have a great deal to say.\r\n\r\nIn the first place, one of them was Marhar-Rarrar, the Bright-Eyed;\r\nand, in the second place, neither she nor the romps, her companions,\r\never dreamed of taking the voyage until the doctor and myself announced\r\nour intention; their going along was nothing more than a madcap frolic;\r\nin short, they were a parcel of wicked hoydens, bent on mischief, who\r\nlaughed in your face when you looked sentimental, and only tolerated\r\nyour company when making merry at your expense.\r\n\r\nSomething or other about us was perpetually awaking their mirth.\r\nAttributing this to his own remarkable figure, the doctor increased\r\ntheir enjoyment by assuming the part of a Merry Andrew. Yet his cap and\r\nbells never jingled but to some tune; and while playing the Tom-fool, I\r\nmore than suspected that he was trying to play the rake. At home, it is\r\ndeemed auspicious to go a-wooing in epaulets; but among the\r\nPolynesians, your best dress in courting is motley.\r\n\r\nA fresh breeze springing up, we set our sail of matting, and glided\r\nalong as tranquilly as if floating upon an inland stream; the white\r\nreef on one hand, and the green shore on the other.\r\n\r\nSoon, as we turned a headland, we encountered another canoe, paddling\r\nwith might and main in an opposite direction; the strangers shouting to\r\neach other, and a tall fellow in the bow dancing up and down like a\r\ncrazy man. They shot by us like an arrow, though our fellow-voyagers\r\nshouted again and again for them to cease paddling.\r\n\r\nAccording to the natives, this was a kind of royal mail-canoe, carrying\r\na message from the queen to her friends in a distant part of the\r\nisland.\r\n\r\nPassing several shady bowers which looked quite inviting, we proposed\r\ntouching, and diversifying the monotony of a sea-voyage by a stroll\r\nashore. So, forcing our canoe among the bushes, behind a decayed palm\r\nlying partly in the water, we left the old folks to take a nap in the\r\nshade, and gallanted the others among the trees, which were here\r\ntrellised with vines and creeping shrubs.\r\n\r\nIn the early part of the afternoon, we drew near the place to which the\r\nparty were going. It was a solitary house inhabited by four or five old\r\nwomen, who, when we entered, were gathered in a circle about the mats,\r\neating poee from a cracked calabash. They seemed delighted at seeing\r\nour companions, but rather drew up when introduced to ourselves. Eyeing\r\nus distrustfully, they whispered to know who we were. The answers they\r\nreceived were not satisfactory; for they treated us with marked\r\ncoolness and reserve, and seemed desirous of breaking off our\r\nacquaintance with the girls. Unwilling, therefore, to stay where our\r\ncompany was disagreeable, we resolved to depart without even eating a\r\nmeal.\r\n\r","title":"Chunk 1"},"relationships":[{"peer":"01KG8AJMW602X7SZ24GKPCWTQJ","peer_type":"chapter","predicate":"in"},{"peer":"01KG89J1H7Y803CZ7X80F0QFHZ","peer_type":"file","predicate":"extractedFrom"},{"peer":"01KG89HMDZKNY753EZE1CJ8HZW","peer_type":"collection","predicate":"collection"},{"peer":"01KG8AKWQH4CX4TWP54K42MK5H","peer_type":"chunk","predicate":"next"}],"ver":2,"created_at":"2026-01-30T20:48:19.185Z","ts":"2026-01-30T20:48:31.837Z","edited_by":{"method":"manual","user_id":"01KFF0H3YRP9ZSM033AM0QJ47H"}}