{"id":"01KG8AM3CSJVWJETF1N3S2APMP","cid":"bafkreieqei26cecitiivah5yc57xfttv7vbtkhnksqtkiwqtvpm3535nee","type":"chunk","properties":{"end_line":6029,"extracted_at":"2026-01-30T20:48:25.203Z","extracted_by":"structure-extraction-lambda","label":"Chunk 2","source_file":"01KG89J1JYRSHWXR7JM0HYS9D4","start_line":5979,"text":"tastefully carved canoe from the sea. It was launched upon the sheet\r\nof water, and floated there as gracefully as a swan. But, melancholy to\r\nrelate, it produced an effect I had not anticipated. The sweet nymphs,\r\nwho had sported with me before on the lake, now all fled its vicinity.\r\nThe prohibited craft, guarded by the edicts of the ‘taboo,’ extended the\r\nprohibition to the waters in which it lay.\r\n\r\nFor a few days, Kory-Kory, with one or two other youths, accompanied\r\nme in my excursions to the lake, and while I paddled about in my light\r\ncanoe, would swim after me shouting and gambolling in pursuit. But I\r\nas ever partial to what is termed in the ‘Young Men’s Own Book’--‘the\r\nsociety of virtuous and intelligent young ladies;’ and in the absence\r\nof the mermaids, the amusement became dull and insipid. One morning\r\nI expressed to my faithful servitor my desire for the return of the\r\nnymphs. The honest fellow looked at me bewildered for a moment, and\r\nthen shook his head solemnly, and murmured ‘taboo! taboo!’ giving me to\r\nunderstand that unless the canoe was removed I could not expect to have\r\nthe young ladies back again. But to this procedure I was averse; I not\r\nonly wanted the canoe to stay where it was, but I wanted the beauteous\r\nFayaway to get into it, and paddle with me about the lake. This latter\r\nproposition completely horrified Kory-Kory’s notions of propriety. He\r\ninveighed against it, as something too monstrous to be thought of. It\r\nnot only shocked their established notions of propriety, but was at\r\nvariance with all their religious ordinances.\r\n\r\nHowever, although the ‘taboo’ was a ticklish thing to meddle with, I\r\ndetermined to test its capabilities of resisting an attack. I consulted\r\nthe chief Mehevi, who endeavoured to dissuade me from my object; but\r\nI was not to be repulsed; and accordingly increased the warmth of my\r\nsolicitations. At last he entered into a long, and I have no doubt a\r\nvery learned and eloquent exposition of the history and nature of the\r\n‘taboo’ as affecting this particular case; employing a variety of most\r\nextraordinary words, which, from their amazing length and sonorousness,\r\nI have every reason to believe were of a theological nature. But all\r\nthat he said failed to convince me: partly, perhaps, because I could not\r\ncomprehend a word that he uttered; but chiefly, that for the life of me\r\nI could not understand why a woman would not have as much right to\r\nenter a canoe as a man. At last he became a little more rational, and\r\nintimated that, out of the abundant love he bore me, he would consult\r\nwith the priests and see what could be done.\r\n\r\nHow it was that the priesthood of Typee satisfied the affair with their\r\nconsciences, I know not; but so it was, and Fayaway dispensation from\r\nthis portion of the taboo was at length procured. Such an event I\r\nbelieve never before had occurred in the valley; but it was high time\r\nthe islanders should be taught a little gallantry, and I trust that the\r\nexample I set them may produce beneficial effects. Ridiculous, indeed,\r\nthat the lovely creatures should be obliged to paddle about in the\r\nwater, like so many ducks, while a parcel of great strapping fellows\r\nskimmed over its surface in their canoes.\r\n\r","title":"Chunk 2"},"relationships":[{"peer":"01KG8AJR251ZEN5NNWESSQRASD","peer_type":"chapter","predicate":"in"},{"peer":"01KG89J1JYRSHWXR7JM0HYS9D4","peer_type":"file","predicate":"extractedFrom"},{"peer":"01KG89HMDZKNY753EZE1CJ8HZW","peer_type":"collection","predicate":"collection"},{"peer":"01KG8AM3CM25RC53YDSE9J89MP","peer_type":"chunk","predicate":"prev"},{"peer":"01KG8AM3CM7PPDX66FSDXJ6WMT","peer_type":"chunk","predicate":"next"}],"ver":2,"created_at":"2026-01-30T20:48:26.009Z","ts":"2026-01-30T20:48:38.499Z","edited_by":{"method":"manual","user_id":"01KFF0H3YRP9ZSM033AM0QJ47H"}}