The Hawaiian Archipelago - Six Months Among The Palm Groves, Coral Reefs, And Volcanoes Of The Sandwich Islands By Isabella L. Bird
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It Is Jokingly Said That Her Keel Has Rasped
Off The Branch Coral Round All The Islands.
Though there are many
inter-island schooners, she is the only sure mode of reaching the
windward islands in
Less than a week; and though at present I am
disposed to think rather slightingly of her, and to class her with
the New Zealand coasting craft, yet the residents are very proud of
her, and speak lovingly of her, and regard her as a blessed
deliverance from the horrors of beating to windward. She has a
shabby, obsolete look about her, like a second-rate coasting
collier, or an old American tow-boat. She looks ill-found, too; I
saw two essential pieces of tackle give way as they were hoisting
the main sail. {44} She has a small saloon with a double tier of
berths, besides transoms, which give accommodation on the level of
the lower berth. There is a stern cabin, which is a prolongation of
the saloon, and not in any way separated from it. There is no
ladies' cabin; but sex, race, and colour are included in a
promiscuous arrangement.
Miss Karpe, my travelling companion, and two agreeable ladies, were
already in their berths very sick, but I did not get into mine
because a cockroach, looking as large as a mouse, occupied the
pillow, and a companion not much smaller was roaming over the quilt
without any definite purpose. I can't vouch for the accuracy of my
observation, but it seemed to me that these tremendous creatures
were dark red, with eyes like lobsters', and antennae two inches
long.
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