Jim M
08-05-2002, 01:41 PM
:eek: One day, after we had been paddling about for some time, I disembarked Kory-Kory, and paddled the canoe to the windward side of the lake. As I turned the canoe, Fayaway, who was with me, seemed all at once to be struck with some happy idea. With a wild exclamation of delight, she disengaged from her person the ample robe of tapa which was knotted over her shoulder (for the purpose of shielding her from the sun), and spreading it out like a sail, stood erect with upraised arms in the head of the canoe. We American sailors pride ourselves upon our straight clean spars but a prettier little mast than Fayaway made was never shipped aboard of any craft.
In a moment the tapa was distended by the breeze -- the long brown tresses of Fayaway streamed in the air -- and the canoe glided rapidly through the water, and host towards the shore. Seated in the stern, I directed its course with my paddle until it dashed up the soft sloping bank; and Fayaway, with a light spring, alighted on the ground; whilst Kory-Kory, who had watched our maneuvers with admiration, now clapped his hands in transport, and shouted like a madman. Many a time afterwards was this feat repeated.
Herman Melville, Typee (1846) Signet Classic Edition, Chapter 18.
In a moment the tapa was distended by the breeze -- the long brown tresses of Fayaway streamed in the air -- and the canoe glided rapidly through the water, and host towards the shore. Seated in the stern, I directed its course with my paddle until it dashed up the soft sloping bank; and Fayaway, with a light spring, alighted on the ground; whilst Kory-Kory, who had watched our maneuvers with admiration, now clapped his hands in transport, and shouted like a madman. Many a time afterwards was this feat repeated.
Herman Melville, Typee (1846) Signet Classic Edition, Chapter 18.