The Works of Edgar Allan Poe — Volume 3Poe, Edgar Allan
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The Works of Edgar Allan Poe — Volume 3
Poe, Edgar Allan
American fiction -- 19th century; Fantasy fiction; Horror tales, American
When they had concluded their harangue (for it was clear they
intended their jabbering for such), one of them who seemed to be
the chief stood up in the prow of his canoe, and made signs for
us to bring our boats alongside of him. This hint we pretended
not to understand, thinking it the wiser plan to maintain, if
possible, the interval between us, as their number more than
quadrupled our own. Finding this to be the case, the chief
ordered the three other canoes to hold back, while he advanced
toward us with his own. As soon as he came up with us he leaped
on board the largest of our boats, and seated himself by the side
of Captain Guy, pointing at the same time to the schooner, and
repeating the word Anamoo-moo! and Lama-Lama! We now put back to
the vessel, the four canoes following at a little distance.
Upon getting alongside, the chief evinced symptoms of extreme
surprise and delight, clapping his hands, slapping his thighs and
breast, and laughing obstreperously. His followers behind joined
in his merriment, and for some minutes the din was so excessive
as to be absolutely deafening. Quiet being at length restored,
Captain Guy ordered the boats to be hoisted up, as a necessary
precaution, and gave the chief (whose name we soon found to be
Too-wit) to understand that we could admit no more than twenty of
his men on deck at one time. With this arrangement he appeared
perfectly satisfied, and gave some directions to the canoes, when
one of them approached, the rest remaining about fifty yards off.
Twenty of the savages now got on board, and proceeded to ramble
over every part of the deck, and scramble about among the
rigging, making themselves much at home, and examining every
article with great inquisitiveness.
It was quite evident that they had never before seen any of the
white race—from whose complexion, indeed, they appeared to
recoil. They believed the Jane to be a living creature, and
seemed to be afraid of hurting it with the points of their
spears, carefully turning them up. Our crew were much amused with
the conduct of Too-wit in one instance. The cook was splitting
some wood near the galley, and, by accident, struck his axe into
the deck, making a gash of considerable depth. The chief
immediately ran up, and pushing the cook on one side rather
roughly, commenced a half whine, half howl, strongly indicative
of sympathy in what he considered the sufferings of the schooner,
patting and smoothing the gash with his hand, and washing it from
a bucket of seawater which stood by. This was a degree of
ignorance for which we were not prepared, and for my part I could
not help thinking some of it affected.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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