Section 171. TAHITI. III.
Reading edition
A white man bathing (S. 16, N. 4) by the side of a Tahitian was[1] like a plant bleached (S. 7, N. 3, attrib.) by the gardener’s art compared[2] with a fine dark-green one growing vigorously[3] in the field. Most of the men are tatooed, and the ornaments follow the curvature[4] of the body so[5] gracefully, that they[6] have a very elegant effect. The most common pattern, varying[7] in its details, is somewhat like[16] the crown of a palm-tree. It springs[8] from the central line of the back, and gracefully curls[9] round both sides. The simile may[10] be a fanciful one, but I[11] thought the body of a man thus ornamented[12] was (App. §§ 29 and 30) like[13] the trunk of a noble tree embraced[14] by a delicate creeper.
Many of the elder people[15] had their feet covered with small figures, so[16] placed as to resemble a sock. This fashion, however, is partly gone[17] by, and has been succeeded[18] by others. Here[19], although fashion is far from immutable, every one must abide[20] by that prevailing at his youth. An old man has thus[21] his age for ever stamped on his body, and he cannot assume[22] the airs of a young dandy. The women are tatooed in the same manner as the men, and[23] very commonly on their fingers.
In[24] returning to the boat, we witnessed[25] a very pretty scene. Numbers[26] of children were playing on the beach, and had lighted bonfires, which illuminated the placid sea and[27] surrounding trees; others, in[28] circles, were singing Tahitian verses. We seated ourselves on the sand, and[29] joined their party. The songs were impromptu[30], and[31] I believe related to our arrival. One little girl sang a line[32], which[33] the rest took up in parts, forming[34] a very pretty chorus. The whole scene made[35] us unequivocally aware that[36] we were seated on the shore of an island in the far-famed[37] South Sea.—Charles Darwin.