The Van Buren press., 1859-10-21
seglistellaup,
Lieut. Maurys Adventure with g
Naked Nymph of the South Sea.

n. 2. Willis, in the Home Journal Of
Sept. 10th, tells the following story, which
he says Lieut.. Maury. the well known Su.
perintendent of the National Observatory
told to linn, while travelling in company
with Bayart Taylor and others, ON the Bal.
timore and Ohio Railroad, few evenings
since
First, the story of the world -honored sag
OF Movable Geography, who honored us
with his company-Comman Naury, OF
the Washington Observatory.
In the earlier days of his professional ca
reer, the present Commander was Mid
shiPman on board one of our sloops of war,
sent to cruise in the Pacific The duty be-
ing mainly to give authoritative comnte.
| nance to the merchant vessels in those seas,
much of their time, of course, was passed in
the anchorage of the different islands; and
Aaury, having always taste for languages,
had employed his any-an-idIe hour, as
cQxswain of the go-ashore boat, in master
ing the dialects of the natives So success
full had he been in this volunteer study. that
he became at last the regular interpreter
between the Commodore and the petty SOW
ereigns of the islands.
The thing he most struggled with, in
those days, was a constitutional bashfuI-
ness; and he was not little flabbergasted,
therefore, when he was summoned ito the
quarter deck, on one bright morning, to in.
terpret between the Commander and young
Owhyhee princess, the favorite daughter OF
the Chief of the island where they were an
chored. She had swum off to.the ship and
climbed up the side: and now stood in all
hnr- frnr 4
veloped young woman of sixteen, draped
mainly in her flowing treeses and her un-
conscious modesty land gesticulating in the
most lively manner, to the great admiration
of the officers and crew. She had evidently
message of importance to communicate.
Obedient to the summons, Of course, the
gold-laced cap of the young interpreter
MILDLY made Its appearance. and he proceed
ed to omen communication with the fair
Undine-Settlng side limitations from the
officers 'audienced about on the gan carriages
end port holes, that the dialogue of inquiry
shoula 10 10 prolonged as far as possible
He was no. iC,ne in learning her errand;
but how, with his Dsshi,. .ness, to translate
it to those groups of listening lieutenant $!
1t was no less tn. n an authorItlSe express
ion of the islands adI2iration of his sS'pc-
rior knowledge as shown in the mastery OF
their language. and proposal for the honor
of his hand. The girl had SWIM Off as her
fathers ambassador, to make the offer OF
herself-the answer being awaited on shore
in full council of warrior chiefs.
The difficulty of maintaining the proper
quarter deck gravity, or of so REFRESHING the
,1rfh nf ha ~. !,
to give offence to the pride of the auto:ques-
tion-popping Princess. was considerable.
Maury has no recollection at present wheth-
er he himself stood on his head or his heels
during the interview. The Commodore
was discreet, however; and it was soon un-
derstoOd that the legate of foreign power
was to be treated with respect, whether the
diplomatic drapeIy was more or less entire.
and the proposal was to be respectfully re-
ceived. The ward-room boat was mean
time ordered to be manned, aud the ships
newest flag spread in the seats to envelop
the royal nnclad on her less water draped
return. Marry was to 60 as coxswap, and
return the young lady to her parents, but
his orders were discretionary. He was to
make every assurance of amity between the
United States and the Pacific, and get clear,
if he Practically could-but on NO account
make any such rejection Of the proposed
honor as would lead to a misunderstanding
1t was pull of a mile or two, the sea
calm, and the tars willing for once to sit
with their backs to the bow. The officer
and his fag-enveloped passenger. had the
conversation all to themselves, and he was
busy cogitating. in the bashful back -parlor
Of his mind, how he should behave, under
the probable circumstancesEphase LIST. Cd
or 3d-when the young lady unexpectedly
jumped overheard and swam the restsof the
way to the beach, taking to her heels on asb