Volume I Part 17 (1/2)

And this reverence of his was an forever No more than myself; for, after a different fashi+on, Yillah was an idol to both

But what of rieve to say, that the old-fashi+oned interest he took in my affairs led him to look upon Yillah as a sort of intruder, an Aht lead me astray This would now and then provoke a phillipic; but he would only turn toward my resentment his devotion; and then I was silent

Unsophisticated as a wild flower in the gerhts in which she was regarded by our companions And like a true beauty seemed to cherish the presumption, that it was quite impossible for such a person as hers to prove otherwise than irresistible to all

She betrayed s appearance But most of all was she struck by a characteristic device upon the arm of the wonderful mariner--our Saviour on the cross, in blue; with the crown of thorns, and three drops of blood in ver one by one from each hand and foot

Now, honest Jarl did vastly pride himself upon this ornament It was the only piece of vanity about hiloveless her hand to show off a fine Turquoise ring, he invariably wore that sleeve of his frock rolled up, the better to display the embellishment

And round and round would Yillah turn Jarl's ar all over How such untutored hoenious artist!

Eventually, through the Upoluan, shethe possession of his picture in her own proper right In her very si, that like a landscape in fresco, it could not be re Under The Surface

Not to omit an occurrence of considerable interest, we must needs here present some account of a curious retinue of fish which overtook our Cha with the canoe

A violent crea in our rear announced their approach

Soon we found ourselves the nucleus of an incredible multitude of finny creatures, mostly anonymous

First, far in advance of our proam the helmeted Silver-heads; side by side, in uniform ranks, like an ar blue flanks Then, like a third distinct regih the water like Archile-tails; followed in turn by the rank and file of the Trigger-fish--so called fro set in their backs with a comical curve, as if at half-cock

Far astern the rear was brought up by endless battalions of Yellow- backs, rightoverhead were flights of birds; a wing in the air for every fin in the sea

But let the sea-fowls fly on: turn we to the fish

Their nu; countless as the tears shed for perfidious lovers Far abroad on both flanks, they swa lines, tier above tier; the water alive with their hosts Locusts of the sea, peradventure, going to fall with a blight upon soreen, mossy province of Neptune And tame and fearless they were, as the first fish that swa the hand; insoht many without lure or line

They for by our barnacled sides, as if they had been with us fro in the water; nor in the least sy a comrade by the hand of Samoa They closed in their ranks and swam on

How innocent, yet heartless they looked! Had a plank dropped out of our boat, we had sunk to the bottom; and belike, our cheerful retinue would have paid the last rites to our remains

But still we kept co hi her hands as the radiant creatures, by a si round on their silvery bellies, caused the whole sea to glow like a burnished shi+eld

But what has befallen this poor little Boneeta astern, that he swi purple? What has he there, towing behind? It is tangled sea-kelp clinging to its fins But the clogged thing strains to keep up with its fellows Yet little they heed Away they go; every fish for itself, and any fish for Samoa

At last the poor Boneeta is seen no more The myriad fins swim on; a lonely waste, where the lost one drops behind

Strange fish!+ All the live-long day, they were there by our side; and at night still tarried and shone; olden glare of the sun

How prettily they swi hither and thither between their long ranks, and touching their noses, and scraping acquaintance Nothey wear for the Boneeta left far astern; nor for those so cruelly killed by Saht hearts and light fins; gay backs and gay spirits--Say, say! my merry fins all Let us roam the flood; let us follow thisfish, so high out of water; that goes without fins What fish can it be? What rippling is that? Dost hear the great monster breathe? Why, 'tis sharp at both ends; a tail either way; nor eyes has it any, nor mouth What a curious fish!+ what a comical fish!+ But more co thereto like the snaky eels, that cling and slide on the back of the Sword fish, our terrible foe But what curious eels these are! Do they deem themselves pretty as we? No, no; for sure, they behold our limber fins, our speckled and beautiful scales Poor, powerless things! How they must wish they e, that roam the flood, and scour the seas with a wish Say; merry fins, say! Let him drop, that fellow that halts; make a lane; close in, and fill up Let hiards for us:--

We fish, we fish, we merrily swim, We care not for friend nor for foe: Our fins are stout, Our tails are out, As through the seas we go