The Author observes her flight--A description of a glumm
in the graundee--She finds out the gulf not far from the
ship--Brings home more goods--Makes her a gown by her
husband's instruction
I had ever since our marriage been desirous of seeing Youwarkee fly;
but this was the first opportunity I had of it; and indeed the sight was
worthy of all the attention I paid it; for I desired her slowly to put
herself in proper order for it, that I might make my observation
the more accurately; and shall now give you an account of the whole
apparatus, though several parts of the description were taken from
subsequent views; for it would have been impossible to have made just
remarks of everything at that once, especially as I only viewed her back
parts then.
I told you before, I had seen her graundee open, and quite extended as
low as her middle; but that being in the grotto by lamplight, I could
not take so just a survey as now, when the sort of light we ever had was
at the brightest.
She first threw up two long branches or ribs of the whalebone, as
I called it before (and indeed for several of its properties, as
toughness, elasticity, and pliableness, nothing I have ever seen can so
justly be compared to it), which were jointed behind to the upper bone
of the spine, and which, when not extended, lie bent over the shoulders
on each side of the neck forwards, from whence, by nearer and nearer
approaches, they just meet at the lower rim of the belly in a sort
of point; but when extended, they stand their whole length above the
shoulders, not perpendicularly, but spreading outwards, with a web of
the softest and most pliable and springy membrane that can be imagined,
in the interstice between them, reaching from their root or joint on the
back up above the hinder part of the head, and near half-way their own
length; but when closed, the membrane falls down in the middle upon the
neck, like a handkerchief. There are also two other ribs rising as it
were from the same root, which, when open, run horizontally, but not so
long as the others. These are filled up in the interstice between them
and the upper ones with the same membrane; and on the lower side of
this is also a deep flap of the membrane, so that the arms can be either
above or below it in flight, and are always above it when closed. This
last rib, when shut, flaps under the upper one, and also falls down with
it before to the waist, but is not joined to the ribs below. Along the
whole spine-bone runs a strong, flat, broad, grisly cartilage, to which
are joined several other of these ribs; all which open horizontally, and
are filled in the interstices with the above membrane, and are jointed
to the ribs of the person just where the plane of the back begins to
turn towards the breast and belly; and, when shut, wrap the body round
to the joints on the contrary side, folding neatly one side over the
other. At the lower spine are two more ribs, extended horizontally when
open, jointed again to the hips, and long enough to meet the joint on
the contrary side cross the belly; and from the hip-joint, which is on
the outermost edge of the hip-bone, runs a pliable cartilage quite down
the outside of the thigh and leg to the ankle; from which there branch
out divers other ribs horizontally also when open, but when closed, they
encompass the whole thigh and leg, rolling inwards cross the back of
the leg and thigh till they reach and just cover the cartilage. The
interstices of these are also filled up with the same membrane. From the
two ribs which join to the lower spine-bone, there hangs down a sort
of short apron, very full of plaits, from hip-joint to hip-joint, and
reaches below the buttocks, half-way or more to the hams. This has also
several small limber ribs in it. Just upon the lower spine-joint, and
above the apron, as I call it, there are two other long branches, which,
when close, extend upon the back from the point they join at below to
the shoulders, where each rib has a clasper, which reaching over the
shoulders, just under the fold of the uppermost branch or ribs, hold
up the two ribs flat to the back like a V, the interstices of which are
also filled up with the aforesaid membrane. This last piece, in flight,
falls down almost to the ankles, where the two claspers lapping under
each leg within-side, hold it very fast; and then also the short apron
is drawn up by-the strength of the ribs in it, between the thighs
forward, and covers the pudenda and groin as far as the rim of the
belly. The whole arms are covered also from the shoulders to the wrist
with the same delicate membrane, fastened to ribs of proportionable
dimensions, and jointed to a cartilage on the outside in the same manner
as on the legs.
It is very surprising to feel the difference of these ribs when open and
when closed; for, closed, they are as pliable as the finest whalebone,
or more so, but when extended, are as strong and stiff as a bone. They
are tapering from the roots, and are broader or narrower as best suits
the places they occupy, and the stress they are put to, up to their
points, which are almost as small as a hair. The membrane between them
is the most elastic thing I ever met with, occupying no more space, when
the ribs are closed, than just from rib to rib, as flat and smooth
as possible; but when extended in some postures, will dilate itself
surprisingly. This will be better comprehend by the plates, where you
will see several figures of glumms and gawrys in different attitudes,
than can be expressed by words.
As soon as my wife had expanded the whole graundee, being upon plain
ground, she stooped forward, moving with a heavy wriggling motion at
first, which put me into some pain for her; but after a few strokes,
beginning to rise a little, she cut through the air like lightning, and
was soon over the edge of the rock and out of my sight.
It is the most amazing thing in the world to observe the large expansion
of this graundee when open; and when closed (as it all is in a moment
upon the party's descent) to see it sit so close and compact to the
body, as no tailor can come up to it; and then the several ribs lie so
justly disposed in the several parts, that instead of being, as one
would imagine, a disadvantage to the shape, they make the body and limbs
look extremely elegant; and by the different adjustment of their lines
on the body and limbs, the whole, to my fancy, somewhat resembles the
dress of the old Roman warriors in their buskins; and, to appearance,
seems much more noble than any fictitious garb I ever saw, or can frame
a notion of to myself.
Though these people, in height, shape, and limb, very much resemble the
Europeans, there is yet this difference, that their bodies are rather
broader and flatter, and their limbs, though as long and well shaped,
are seldom as thick as ours. And this I observed generally in all I saw
of them during a long time among them afterwards; but their skin, for
beauty and fairness, exceeds ours very much.
My wife having now taken her second flight, I went home, and never left
my children till her return; this was three days after our parting. I
was in bed with my little ones when she knocked at the door. I soon let
her in, and we received each other with a glowing welcome. The news she
brought me was very agreeable. She told me she first went and pried into
every nook in the ship, where she had seen such things, could we get at
them, as would make us very happy. Then she set out the way I told her
to go, in order to find the gulf. She was much afraid she should not
have discovered it, though she flew very slow, that she might be sure
to hear the waterfall and not over-shoot it. It was long ere she came
at it; but when she did, she perceived she might have spared most of her
trouble, had she set out the other way; for, after she had flown almost
round the island, and not before, she began to hear the fall, and upon
coming up to it, found it to be not above six minutes' flight from the
ship. She said the entrance was very narrow, and, she thought, lower
than I represented it; for she could scarce discern any space between
the surface of the water and the arch-way of the rock. I told her that
might happen from the rise or fall of the sea itself. But I was glad to
hear the ship was no farther from the gulf; for my head was never free
from the thoughts of my ship and cargo. She then told me she had left
a small bundle for me without the wood, and went to look after her
children. I brought up the bundle, and though it was not near so large
as the other, I found several useful things in it, wrapped up in four
or five yards of dark blue woollen cloth, which I knew no name for, but
which was thin and light, and about a yard wide. I asked her where she
met with this stuff; she answered, where there was more of it, under a
thing like our bed, in a cloth like our sheet, which she cut open,
and took it out of.--"Well," says I, "and what will you do with
this?"--"Why, I will make me a coat like yours," says she, "for I don't
like to look different from my dear husband and children."--"No,
Youwarkee," replied I, "you must not do so; if you make such a jacket as
mine, there will be no distinction between glumm and gawry;* the gowren
praave,** in my country, would not on any account go dressed like a
glumm; for they wear a fine flowing garment called a gown, that sits
tight about the waist, and hangs down from thence in folds, like your
barras, *** almost to the ground, so that you can hardly discern their
feet, and no other part of their body but their hands and face, and
about as much of their neck and breasts as you see in your graundee."
* Man and woman.
** Modest women.
***The back flap of the graundee.
Youwarkee seemed highly delighted with this new-fancied dress, and
worked day and night at it against the cold weather. Whilst she employed
herself thus, I was busied in providing my winter stores, which I was
forced to do alone now, herself and children taking up all my wife's
time. About a fortnight after she had begun mantua-making, she presented
herself to me one day, as I came from work, in her new gown; and, truly,
considering the scanty description I had given her of such a garment,
it appeared a good comely dress. Though it had not one plait about the
body, it sat very tight thereto, and yet hung down full enough for a
countess; for she would have put it all in (all the stuff she had) had
there been as much more of it. I could see no opening before, so asked
her how she got it on. She told me she laid along on the ground, and
crept through the plaits at the bottom, and sewed the body round her
after she had got her hands and arms through the sleeves. I wondered at
her contrivance; and, smiling, showed her how she should put it on, and
also how to pin it before: and after she had done that, and I had turned
up about half a yard of sleeve, which then hung down to her fingers'
ends, I kissed her, and called her my country-woman; of which, and her
new gown, she was very proud for a long time.