" And we did not.
The women at the Keelings do not do all the drudgery, as in many
places visited on the voyage. It would cheer the heart of a Fuegian
woman to see the Keeling lord of creation up a cocoanut-tree. Besides
cleverly climbing the trees, the men of Keeling build exquisitely
modeled canoes. By far the best workmanship in boat-building I saw on
the voyage was here. Many finished mechanics dwelt under the palms at
Keeling, and the hum of the band-saw and the ring of the anvil were
heard from morning till night. The first Scotch settlers left there
the strength of Northern blood and the inheritance of steady habits.
No benevolent society has ever done so much for any islanders as the
noble Captain Ross, and his sons, who have followed his example of
industry and thrift.
Admiral Fitzroy of the _Beagle_, who visited here, where many
things are reversed, spoke of "these singular though small islands,
where crabs eat cocoanuts, fish eat coral, dogs catch fish, men ride
on turtles, and shells are dangerous man-traps," adding that the
greater part of the sea-fowl roost on branches, and many rats make
their nests in the tops of palm-trees.
My vessel being refitted, I decided to load her with the famous
mammoth tridaena shell of Keeling, found in the bayou near by. And
right here, within sight of the village, I came near losing "the crew
of the _Spray_"--not from putting my foot in a man-trap shell,
however, but from carelessly neglecting to look after the details of a
trip across the harbor in a boat.
Pages:
183
184
185
186
187
188
189
190
191
192
193
194
195
196
197
198
199
200
201
202
203
204
205
206
207