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. They were dressed authentically, grass skirts and necklaces, a flower in the hair, nothing else. But instead of warm brown, their skins were white; most of them were blondes, two were redheads.
It makes a difference. By then I was ready to concede' that Polynesian women were correctly and even modestly dressed in their native costume -. other places, other customs. Was not Mother Eve modest in her simplicity before the Fall?
I But white women are grossly out of place in South Seas garb.
However, this did not keep me from watching the dancing. I was amazed to see that these girls danced that fast and complex dance as well (to my untutored eye) as did the island girls. I remarked on it to the Captain. 'They learned to dance that precisely in only four days?'
He snorted. 'They practice every cruise, those who ship with us before. All have practiced at least since San Diego.'
At that point I recognized one of the dancers - Astrid, the sweet young woman who had let me into 'my' stateroom - and I then understood why they had had time and incentive to practice together: These girls were ship's crew. I looked at her - stared, in fact - with more interest. She caught my eye and smiled. Like a dolt, a bumpkin, instead of smiling back I looked away and blushed, and tried to cover my embarrassment by taking a big sip of the drink I found in my hand.
One of the kanaka dancers whirled out in front of the white girls and called one of them out for a pair dance
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