{"id":"01KG8AKY4H95T4RMFPP07EGJQ6","cid":"bafkreig5a6e57x7fhqfnqt5i7p6c2y2x3zlzpwfdru3iq6l4nuxifr35eu","type":"chunk","properties":{"end_line":5573,"extracted_at":"2026-01-30T20:48:15.149Z","extracted_by":"structure-extraction-lambda","label":"Chunk 1","source_file":"01KG89J1H7Y803CZ7X80F0QFHZ","start_line":5510,"text":"The islanders are much like the rest of the world; and the news of our\r\ngood fortune brought us troops of “tayos,” or friends, eager to form an\r\nalliance after the national custom, and do our slightest bidding.\r\n\r\nThe really curious way in which all the Polynesians are in the habit of\r\nmaking bosom friends at the shortest possible notice is deserving of\r\nremark. Although, among a people like the Tahitians, vitiated as they\r\nare by sophisticating influences, this custom has in most cases\r\ndegenerated into a mere mercenary relation, it nevertheless had its\r\norigin in a fine, and in some instances, heroic sentiment, formerly\r\nentertained by their fathers.\r\n\r\nIn the annals of the island are examples of extravagant friendships,\r\nunsurpassed by the story of Damon and Pythias: in truth, much more\r\nwonderful; for, notwithstanding the devotion—even of life in some\r\ncases—to which they led, they were frequently entertained at first\r\nsight for some stranger from another island.\r\n\r\nFilled with love and admiration for the first whites who came among\r\nthem, the Polynesians could not testify the warmth of their emotions\r\nmore strongly than by instantaneously making their abrupt proffer of\r\nfriendship. Hence, in old voyages we read of chiefs coming off from the\r\nshore in their canoes, and going through with strange antics,\r\nexpressive of the desire. In the same way, their inferiors accosted the\r\nseamen; and thus the practice has continued in some islands down to the\r\npresent day.\r\n\r\nThere is a small place, not many days’ sail from Tahiti, and seldom\r\nvisited by shipping, where the vessel touched to which I then happened\r\nto belong.\r\n\r\nOf course, among the simple-hearted natives, We had a friend all round.\r\nMine was Poky, a handsome youth, who never could do enough for me.\r\nEvery morning at sunrise, his canoe came alongside loaded with fruits\r\nof all kinds; upon being emptied, it was secured by a line to the\r\nbowsprit, under which it lay all day long, ready at any time to carry\r\nits owner ashore on an errand.\r\n\r\nSeeing him so indefatigable, I told Poky one day that I was a virtuoso\r\nin shells and curiosities of all kinds. That was enough; away he\r\npaddled for the head of the bay, and I never saw him again for\r\ntwenty-four hours. The next morning, his canoe came gliding slowly\r\nalong the shore with the full-leaved bough of a tree for a sail. For\r\nthe purpose of keeping the things dry, he had also built a sort of\r\nplatform just behind the prow, railed in with green wicker-work; and\r\nhere was a heap of yellow bananas and cowree shells; young cocoa-nuts\r\nand antlers of red coral; two or three pieces of carved wood; a little\r\npocket-idol, black as jet, and rolls of printed tappa.\r\n\r\nWe were given a holiday; and upon going ashore, Poky, of course, was my\r\ncompanion and guide. For this, no mortal could be better qualified; his\r\nnative country was not large, and he knew every inch of it. Gallanting\r\nme about, everyone was stopped and ceremoniously introduced to Poky’s\r\n“tayo karhowree nuee” or his particular white friend.\r\n\r\nHe showed me all the lions; but more than all, he took me to see a\r\ncharming lioness—a young damsel—the daughter of a chief—the reputation\r\nof whose charms had spread to the neighbouring islands, and even\r\nbrought suitors therefrom. Among these was Tooboi, the heir of\r\nTamatory, King of Eaiatair, one of the Society Isles. The girl was\r\ncertainly fair to look upon. Many heavens were in her sunny eyes; and\r\nthe outline of that arm of hers, peeping forth from a capricious tappa\r\nrobe, was the very curve of beauty.\r\n\r","title":"Chunk 1"},"relationships":[{"peer":"01KG8AKGC25T26020GQB6K5EBE","peer_type":"subsection","predicate":"in"},{"peer":"01KG89J1H7Y803CZ7X80F0QFHZ","peer_type":"file","predicate":"extractedFrom"},{"peer":"01KG89HMDZKNY753EZE1CJ8HZW","peer_type":"collection","predicate":"collection"},{"peer":"01KG8AKYRGVKGMQM8WC7S4J1SM","peer_type":"chunk","predicate":"next"}],"ver":2,"created_at":"2026-01-30T20:48:20.625Z","ts":"2026-01-30T20:48:28.176Z","edited_by":{"method":"manual","user_id":"01KFF0H3YRP9ZSM033AM0QJ47H"}}