Бесплатный фрагмент - Typee

CHAPTER I

The sea — Longings for shore — A land-sick ship — Destination of the voyagers.

Six months at sea! Yes, reader, as I live, six months out of sight of land; cruising after the sperm whale beneath the scorching sun of the Line, and tossed on the billows of the wide-rolling Pacific — the sky above, the sea around, and nothing else! Weeks and weeks ago our fresh provisions were all exhausted. There is not a sweet potato left; not a single yam. Those glorious bunches of bananas which once decorated our stern and quarter-deck, have, alas, disappeared! and the delicious oranges which hung suspended from our tops and stays — they, too, are gone! Yes, they are all departed and there is nothing left us but salt-horse and sea-biscuit.

Oh! for a refreshing glimpse of one blade of grass — for a snuff at thefragrance of a handful of the loamy earth! Is there nothing fresharound us? Is there no green thing to be seen? Yes, the inside of ourbulwarks is painted green; but what a vile and sickly hue it is, asif nothing bearing even the semblance of verdure could flourish thisweary way from land. Even the bark that once clung to the wood we usefor fuel has been gnawed off and devoured by the captain’s pig; andso long ago, too, that the pig himself has in turn been devoured.

Thereis but one solitary tenant in the chicken-coop, once a gay and dapperyoung cock, bearing him so bravely among the coy hens. But look athim now; there he stands, moping all the day long on that everlastingone leg of his. He turns with disgust from the mouldy corn beforehim, and the brackish water in his little trough. He mourns no doubthis lost companions, literally snatched from him one by one, andnever seen again. But his days of mourning will be few; for Mungo, our black cook, told me yesterday that the word had at last goneforth, and poor Pedro’s fate was sealed. His attenuated body willbe laid out upon the captain’s table next Sunday, and long beforenight will be buried, with all the usual ceremonies, beneath thatworthy individual’s vest. Who would believe that there could be anyone so cruel as to long for the decapitation of the luckless Pedro; yet the sailors pray every minute, selfish fellows, that themiserable fowl may be brought to his end. They say the captain willnever point the ship for the land so long as he has in anticipation amess of fresh meat. This unhappy bird can alone furnish it; and whenhe is once devoured, the captain will come to his senses. I wish theeno harm, Peter; but as thou art doomed, sooner or later, to meet thefate of all thy race; and if putting a period to thy existence is tobe the signal for our deliverance, why — truth to speak — I wish thythroat cut this very moment; for, oh! how I wish to see the livingearth again! The old ship herself longs to look out upon the landfrom her hawseholes once more, as Jack Lewis said right the other daywhen the captain found fault with his steering.

«Why, d’ye see, Captain Vangs,» says bold Jack, «I’m as good ahelmsman as ever put hand to spoke; but none of us can steer the oldlady now. We can’t keep her full and bye, sir: watch her ever soclose, she will fall off; and then, sir, when I put the helm down sogently and try like to coax her to the work, she won’t take itkindly, but will fall round off again; and it’s all because sheknows the land is under the lee, sir, and she won’t go any more towindward.» Ay, and why should she, Jack? didn’t every one of herstout timbers grow on shore, and hasn’t she sensibilities as wellas we?

Poorold ship! Her very looks denote her desires: how deplorable sheappears! The paint on her sides, burnt up by the scorching sun, ispuffed out and cracked. See the weeds she trails along with her, andwhat an unsightly bunch of these horrid barnacles has formed abouther stern-piece; and every time she rises on a sea, she shows hercopper torn away or hanging in jagged strips.

Poorold ship! I say again: for six months she has been rolling andpitching about, never for one moment at rest. But courage, old lass, I hope to see thee soon within a biscuit’s toss of the merry land, riding snugly at anchor in some green cove, and sheltered from theboisterous winds.

«Hurrah, my lads! It’s a settled thing; next week we shape our course to theMarquesas!» The Marquesas! What strange visions of outlandishthings does the very name spirit up! Lovely houris — cannibalbanquets — groves of cocoa-nuts — coral reefs — tattooed chiefs — andbamboo temples; sunny valleys planted with bread-fruit trees — carvedcanoes dancing on the flashing blue waters — savage woodlands guardedby horrible idols — heathenishrites and human sacrifices.

Suchwere the strangely jumbled anticipations that haunted me during ourpassage from the cruising ground. I felt an irresistible curiosity tosee those islands which the olden voyagers had so glowinglydescribed.

Thegroup for which we were now steering (although among the earliest ofEuropean discoveries in the South Seas, having been first visited inthe year 1595) still continues to be tenanted by beings as strangeand barbarous as ever. The missionaries, sent on a heavenly errand, had sailed by their lovely shores, and had abandoned them to theiridols of wood and stone. How interesting the circumstances underwhich they were discovered! In the watery path of Mendanna, cruisingin quest of some region of gold, these isles had sprung up like ascene of enchantment, and for a moment the Spaniard believed hisbright dream was realized. In honour of the Marquess de Mendoza, thenviceroy of Peru — under whose auspices the navigator sailed — hebestowed upon them the name which denoted the rank of his patron, andgave to the world, on his return, a vague and magnificent account oftheir beauty. But these islands, undisturbed for years, relapsed intotheir previous obscurity; and it is only recently that anything hasbeen known concerning them. Once in the course of a half century, tobe sure, some adventurous rover would break in upon their peacefulrepose, and, astonished at the unusual scene, would be almost temptedto claim the merit of a new discovery.

Ofthis interesting group, but little account has ever been given, if weexcept the slight mention made of them in the sketches of South Seavoyages. Cook, in his repeated circumnavigations of the globe, barelytouched at their shores; and all that we know about them is from afew general narratives.

Withinthe last few years, American and English vessels engaged in theextensive whale fisheries of the Pacific have occasionally, whenshort of provisions, put into the commodious harbour which there isin one of the islands; but a fear of the natives, founded on therecollection of the dreadful fate which many white men have receivedat their hands, has deterred their crews from intermixing with thepopulation sufficiently to gain any insight into their peculiarcustoms and manners. Indeed, there is no cluster of islands in thePacific that has been any length of time discovered, of which solittle has hitherto been known as the Marquesas, and it is a pleasingreflection that this narrative of mine will do something towardswithdrawing the veil from regions so romantic and beautiful.

CHAPTER II

Passagefrom the cruising ground to the Marquesas — Sleepy times aboardship — South Sea scenery — Land ho! — The French squadron discoveredat anchor in the bay of Nukuheva — Strange pilot — Escort of canoes — Aflotilla of cocoa-nuts — Swimming visitors — The Dolly boardedby them — State of affairs that ensue.

Ican never forget the eighteen or twenty days during which the lighttrade-winds were silently sweeping us towards the islands. In pursuitof the sperm whale, we had been cruising on the line some twentydegrees to the westward of the Gallipagos; and all that we had to do, when our course was determined on, was to square in the yards andkeep the vessel before the breeze, and then the good ship and thesteady gale did the rest between them. The man at the wheel nevervexed the old lady with any superfluous steering, but comfortablyadjusting his limbs at the tiller, would doze away by the hour. Trueto her work, the Dolly headed to her course, andlike one of those characters who always do best when let alone, shejogged on her way like a veteran old sea-pacer as she was.

Whata delightful, lazy, languid time we had whilst we were thus glidingalong! There was nothing to be done; a circumstance that happilysuited our disinclination to do anything. We abandoned the fore-peakaltogether, and spreading an awning over the forecastle, slept, ate,and lounged under it the live-long day. Every one seemed to be underthe influence of some narcotic. Even the officers aft, whose dutyrequired them never to be seated while keeping a deck watch, vainlyendeavoured to keep on their pins; and were obliged invariably tocompromise the matter by leaning up against the bulwarks, and gazingabstractedly over the side. Reading was out of the question; take abook in your hand, and you were asleep in an instant.

AlthoughI could not avoid yielding in a great measure to the general languor,still at times I contrived to shake off the spell, and to appreciatethe beauty of the scene around me. The sky presented a clear expanseof the most delicate blue, except along the skirts of the horizon,where you might see a thin drapery of pale clouds which never variedtheir form or colour. The long, measured, dirge-like swell of thePacific came rolling along, with its surface broken by little tinywaves, sparkling in the sunshine. Every now and then a shoal offlying fish, scared from the water under the bows, would leap intothe air, and fall the next moment like a shower of silver into thesea. Then you would see the superb albicore with his glitteringsides, sailing aloft, and after describing an arc in his descent,disappear on the surface of the water. Far off, the lofty jet of thewhale might be seen, and nearer at hand the prowling shark, thatvillanous footpad of the seas, would come skulking along, and, at awary distance, regard us with an evil eye. At times, some shapelessmonster of the deep, floating on the surface, would, as we approach,sink slowly into the blue waters, and fade away from the sight. Butthe most impressive feature of the scene was the almost unbrokensilence that reigned over sky and water. Scarcely a sound could beheard but the occasional breathing of the grampus, and the ripplingat the cut-water.

Aswe drew nearer the land, I hailed with delight the appearance ofinnumerable sea-fowl. Screaming and whirling in spiral tracks, theywould accompany the vessel, and at times alight on our yards andstays. That piratical-looking fellow, appropriately named theman-of-war’s-hawk, with his blood-red bill and raven plumage, wouldcome sweeping round us in gradually diminishing circles, till youcould distinctly mark the strange flashings of his eye; and then, asif satisfied with his observation, would sail up into the air anddisappear from the view. Soon, other evidences of our vicinity to theland were apparent, and it was not long before the glad announcementof it being in sight was heard from aloft,—given with that peculiarprolongation of sound that a sailor loves—“Land ho!”

Thecaptain, darting on deck from the cabin, bawled lustily for hisspy-glass; the mate in still louder accents hailed the mast-head witha tremendous “Where-away?” The black cook thrust his woolly headfrom the galley, and Boatswain, the dog, leaped up between theknight-heads, and barked most furiously. Land ho! Ay, there it was. Ahardly perceptible blue irregular outline, indicating the boldcontour of the lofty heights of Nukuheva.

Thisisland, although generally called one of the Marquesas, is by somenavigators considered as forming one of a distinct cluster,comprising the islands of Roohka, Ropo, and Nukuheva; upon whichthree the appellation of the Washington Group has been bestowed. Theyform a triangle, and lie within the parallels of 8° 38′ and 9°32′ south latitude, and 139° 20′ and 140° 10′ west longitude,from Greenwich. With how little propriety they are to be regarded asforming a separate group will be at once apparent, when it isconsidered that they lie in the immediate vicinity of the otherislands, that is to say, less than a degree to the north-west ofthem; that their inhabitants speak the Marquesan dialect, and thattheir laws, religion, and general customs are identical. The onlyreason why they were ever thus arbitrarily distinguished, may beattributed to the singular fact, that their existence was altogetherunknown to the world until the year 1791, when they were discoveredby Captain Ingraham, of Boston, Massachusetts, nearly two centuriesafter the discovery of the adjacent islands by the agent of theSpanish Viceroy. Notwithstanding this, I shall follow the example ofmost voyagers, and treat of them as forming part and parcel of theMarquesas.

Nukuhevais the most important of these islands, being the only one at whichships are much in the habit of touching, and is celebrated as beingthe place where the adventurous Captain Porter refitted his shipsduring the late war between England and the United States, and whencehe sallied out upon the large whaling fleet then sailing under theenemy’s flag in the surrounding seas. This island is about twentymiles in length, and nearly as many in breadth. It has three goodharbours on its coast, the largest and best of which is called by thepeople living in its vicinity, “Tyohee,” and by Captain Porterwas denominated Massachusetts Bay. Among the adverse tribes dwellingabout the shores of the other bays, and by all voyagers, it isgenerally known by the name bestowed upon the island itself—Nukuheva.Its inhabitants have become somewhat corrupted, owing to their recentcommerce with Europeans; but so far as regards their peculiarcustoms, and general mode of life, they retain their originalprimitive character, remaining very nearly in the same state ofnature in which they were first beheld by white men. The hostileclans, residing in the more remote sections of the island, and veryseldom holding any communication with foreigners, are in everyrespect unchanged from their earliest known condition.

Inthe bay of Nukuheva was the anchorage we desired to reach. We hadperceived the loom of the mountains about sunset; so that, afterrunning all night with a very light breeze, we found ourselves closein with the island the next morning; but as the bay we sought lay onits farther side, we were obliged to sail some distance along theshore, catching, as we proceeded, short glimpses of blooming valleys,deep glens, waterfalls, and waving groves, hidden here and there byprojecting and rocky headlands, every moment opening to the view somenew and startling scene of beauty.

Thosewho for the first time visit the South Seas, generally are surprisedat the appearance of the islands when beheld from the sea. From thevague accounts we sometimes have of their beauty, many people are aptto picture to themselves enamelled and softly swelling plains, shadedover with delicious groves, and watered by purling brooks, and theentire country but little elevated above the surrounding ocean. Thereality is very different; bold rock-bound coasts, with the surfbeating high against the lofty cliffs, and broken here and there intodeep inlets, which open to the view thickly-wooded valleys, separatedby the spurs of mountains clothed with tufted grass, and sweepingdown towards the sea from an elevated and furrowed interior, form theprincipal features of these islands.

Towardsnoon we drew abreast the entrance to the harbour, and at last weslowly swept by the intervening promontory, and entered the bay ofNukuheva. No description can do justice to its beauty; but thatbeauty was lost to me then, and I saw nothing but the tri-colouredflag of France, trailing over the stern of six vessels, whose blackhulls, and bristling broadsides, proclaimed their warlike character.There they were, floating in that lovely bay, the green eminences ofthe shore looking down so tranquilly upon them, as if rebuking thesternness of their aspect. To my eye, nothing could be more out ofkeeping than the presence of these vessels; but we soon learnt whatbrought them there. The whole group of islands had just been takenpossession of by Rear-Admiral Du Petit Thouars, in the name of theinvincible French nation.

Thisitem of information was imparted to us by a most extraordinaryindividual, a genuine South Sea vagabond, who came alongside of us ina whale-boat as soon as we entered the bay, and, by the aid of somebenevolent persons at the gangway, was assisted on board, for ourvisitor was in that interesting stage of intoxication when a man isamiable and helpless. Although he was utterly unable to stand erect,or to navigate his body across the deck, he still magnanimouslyproffered his services to pilot the ship to a good and secureanchorage. Our captain, however, rather distrusted his ability inthis respect, and refused to recognise his claim to the character heassumed; but our gentleman was determined to play his part, for, bydint of much scrambling, he succeeded in getting into theweather-quarter boat, where he steadied himself by holding on to ashroud, and then commenced issuing his commands with amazingvolubility and very peculiar gestures. Of course, no one obeyed hisorders; but as it was impossible to quiet him, we swept by the shipsof the squadron with this strange fellow performing his antics infull view of all the French officers.

Weafterwards learned that our eccentric friend had been a lieutenant inthe English navy, but having disgraced his flag by some criminalconduct in one of the principal ports on the main, he had desertedhis ship, and spent many years wandering among the islands of thePacific, until accidentally being at Nukuheva when the French tookpossession of the place, he had been appointed pilot of the harbourby the newly constituted authorities.

Aswe slowly advanced up the bay, numerous canoes pushed off from thesurrounding shores, and we were soon in the midst of quite a flotillaof them, their savage occupants struggling to get aboard of us, andjostling one another in their ineffectual attempts. Occasionally theprojecting out-riggers of their slight shallops, running foul of oneanother, would become entangled beneath the water, threatening tocapsize the canoes, when a scene of confusion would ensue thatbaffles description. Such strange outcries and passionategesticulations I never certainly heard or saw before. You would havethought the islanders were on the point of flying at one another’sthroats, whereas they were only amicably engaged in disentanglingtheir boats.

Scatteredhere and there among the canoes might be seen numbers of cocoa-nutsfloating closely together in circular groups, and bobbing up and downwith every wave. By some inexplicable means these cocoa-nuts were allsteadily approaching towards the ship. As I leaned curiously over theside, endeavouring to solve their mysterious movements, one mass, farin advance of the rest, attracted my attention. In its centre wassomething I could take for nothing else than a cocoa-nut, but which Icertainly considered one of the most extraordinary specimens of thefruit I had ever seen. It kept twirling and dancing about among therest in the most singular manner: and as it drew nearer, I thought itbore a remarkable resemblance to the brown shaven skull of one of thesavages. Presently it betrayed a pair of eyes, and soon I becameaware that what I had supposed to have been one of the fruit wasnothing else than the head of an islander, who had adopted thissingular method of bringing his produce to market. The cocoa-nutswere all attached to one another by strips of the husk, partly tornfrom the shell, and rudely fastened together. Their proprietor,inserting his head into the midst of them, impelled his necklace ofcocoa-nuts through the water by striking out beneath the surface withhis feet.

Iwas somewhat astonished to perceive that among the number of nativesthat surrounded us, not a single female was to be seen. At that timeI was ignorant of the fact that by the operation of the “taboo,”the use of canoes in all parts of the island is rigorously prohibitedto the entire sex, for whom it is death even to be seen entering onewhen hauled on shore; consequently, whenever a Marquesan lady voyagesby water, she puts in requisition the paddles of her own fair body.

Wehad approached within a mile and a half perhaps of the foot of thebay, when some of the islanders, who by this time had managed toscramble aboard of us at the risk of swamping their canoes, directedour attention to a singular commotion in the water ahead of thevessel. At first I imagined it to be produced by a shoal of fishsporting on the surface, but our savage friends assured us that itwas caused by a shoal of “whinhenies” (young girls), who in thismanner were coming off from the shore to welcome us. As they drewnearer, and I watched the rising and sinking of their forms, andbeheld the uplifted right arm bearing above the water the girdle oftappa, and their long dark hair trailing beside them as they swam, Ialmost fancied they could be nothing else than so many mermaids:—andvery like mermaids they behaved too.

Wewere still some distance from the beach, and under slow headway, whenwe sailed right into the midst of these swimming nymphs, and theyboarded us at every quarter; many seizing hold of the chainplates andspringing into the chains; others, at the peril of being run over bythe vessel in her course, catching at the bob-stays, and wreathingtheir slender forms about the ropes, hung suspended in the air. Allof them at length succeeded in getting up the ship’s side, wherethey clung dripping with the brine and glowing from the bath, theirjet-black tresses streaming over their shoulders, and half envelopingtheir otherwise naked forms. There they hung, sparkling with savagevivacity, laughing gaily at one another, and chattering away withinfinite glee. Nor were they idle the while, for each one performedthe simple offices of the toilet for the other. Their luxuriantlocks, wound up and twisted into the smallest possible compass, werefreed from the briny element; the whole person carefully dried, andfrom a little round shell that passed from hand to hand, anointedwith a fragrant oil: their adornments were completed by passing a fewloose folds of white tappa, in a modest cincture, around the waist.Thus arrayed they no longer hesitated, but flung themselves lightlyover the bulwarks, and were quickly frolicking about the decks. Manyof them went forward, perching upon the head-rails or running outupon the bow-sprit, while others seated themselves upon the taffrail,or reclined at full length upon the boats.

Theirappearance perfectly amazed me; their extreme youth, the light clearbrown of their complexions, their delicate features, andinexpressibly graceful figures, their softly moulded limbs, and freeunstudied action, seemed as strange as beautiful.

The Dolly wasfairly captured; and never I will say was vessel carried before bysuch a dashing and irresistible party of boarders. The ship taken, wecould not do otherwise than yield ourselves prisoners, and for thewhole period that she remained in the bay, the Dolly, aswell as her crew, were completely in the hands of the mermaids.

Inthe evening after we had come to an anchor, the deck was illuminatedwith lanterns, and this picturesque band of sylphs, tricked out withflowers, and dressed in robes of variegated tappa, got up a ball ingreat style. These females are passionately fond of dancing, and inthe wild grace and spirit of their style excel everything that I haveever seen. The varied dances of the Marquesan girls are beautiful inthe extreme, but there is an abandoned voluptuousness in theircharacter which I dare not attempt to describe.

Ourship was now wholly given up to every species of riot and debauchery.The grossest licentiousness and the most shameful inebrietyprevailed, with occasional and but short-lived interruptions, throughthe whole period of her stay. Alas for the poor savages when exposedto the influence of these polluting examples! Unsophisticated andconfiding, they are easily led into every vice, and humanity weepsover the ruin thus remorselessly inflicted upon them by theirEuropean civilizers. Thrice happy are they who, inhabiting some yetundiscovered island in the midst of the ocean, have never beenbrought into contaminating contact with the white man.

Stateof affairs aboard the ship—Contents of her larder—Length of SouthSeamen’s voyages—Account of a flying whale-man—Determination toleave the vessel—The bay of Nukuheva—The Typees.

Itwas in the summer of 1842, that we arrived at the islands. Our shiphad not been many days in the harbour of Nukuheva, before I came tothe determination of leaving her. That my reasons for resolving totake this step were numerous and weighty, may be inferred from thefact that I chose rather to risk my fortunes among the savages of theisland than to endure another voyage on board the Dolly.To use the concise, point-blank phrase of the sailors, I had made upmy mind to “run away.” Now, as a meaning is generally attached tothese two words no way flattering to the individual to whom they areapplied, it behoves me, for the sake of my own character, to offersome explanation of my conduct.

WhenI entered on board the Dolly, I signed, as a matter ofcourse, the ship’s articles, thereby voluntarily engaging andlegally binding myself to serve in a certain capacity for the periodof the voyage; and, special considerations apart, I was of coursebound to fulfil the agreement. But in all contracts, if one partyfail to perform his share of the compact, is not the other virtuallyabsolved from his liability? Who is there who will not answer in theaffirmative?

Havingsettled the principle, then, let me apply it to the particular casein question. In numberless instances had not only the implied but thespecified conditions of the articles been violated on the part of theship in which I served. The usage on board of her was tyrannical; thesick had been inhumanly neglected; the provisions had been doled outin scanty allowance; and her cruises were unreasonably protracted.The captain was the author of these abuses; it was in vain to thinkthat he would either remedy them, or alter his conduct, which wasarbitrary and violent in the extreme. His prompt reply to allcomplaints and remonstrances was—the butt-end of a hand-spike, soconvincingly administered as effectually to silence the aggrievedparty.

Towhom could we apply for redress? We had left both law and equity onthe other side of the Cape; and unfortunately, with a very fewexceptions, our crew was composed of a parcel of dastardly andmean-spirited wretches, divided among themselves, and only united inenduring without resistance the unmitigated tyranny of the captain.It would have been mere madness for any two or three of the number,unassisted by the rest, to attempt making a stand against his illusage. They would only have called down upon themselves theparticular vengeance of this “Lord of the Plank,” and subjectedtheir shipmates to additional hardships.

But,after all, these things could have been endured awhile, had weentertained the hope of being speedily delivered from them by the duecompletion of the terms of our servitude. But what a dismal prospectawaited us in this quarter! The longevity of Cape Horn whalingvoyages is proverbial, frequently extending over a period of four orfive years.

Somelong-haired, bare-necked youths, who, forced by the united influencesof a roving spirit and hard times, embark at Nantucket for a pleasureexcursion to the Pacific, and whose anxious mothers provide them withbottled milk for the occasion, oftentimes return very respectablemiddle-aged gentlemen.

Thevery preparations made for one of these expeditions are enough tofrighten one. As the vessel carries out no cargo, her hold is filledwith provisions for her own consumption. The owners, who officiate ascaterers for the voyage, supply the larder with an abundance ofdainties. Delicate morsels of beef and pork, cut on scientificprinciples from every part of the animal, and of all conceivableshapes and sizes, are carefully packed in salt, and stored away inbarrels; affording a never-ending variety in their different degreesof toughness, and in the peculiarities of their saline properties.Choice old water too, decanted into stout six-barrel casks, and twopints of which is allowed every day to each soul on board; togetherwith ample store of sea-bread, previously reduced to a state ofpetrifaction, with a view to preserve it either from decay orconsumption in the ordinary mode, are likewise provided for thenourishment and gastronomic enjoyment of the crew.

Butnot to speak of the quality of these articles of sailors’ fare, theabundance in which they are put on board a whaling vessel is almostincredible. Oftentimes, when we had occasion to break out in thehold, and I beheld the successive tiers of casks and barrels, whosecontents were all destined to be consumed in due course by the ship’scompany, my heart has sunk within me.

Although,as a general case, a ship unlucky in falling in with whales continuesto cruise after them until she has barely sufficient provisionsremaining to take her home, turning round then quietly and making thebest of her way to her friends, yet there are instances when eventhis natural obstacle to the further prosecution of the voyage isovercome by headstrong captains, who, bartering the fruits of theirhard-earned toils for a new supply of provisions in some of the portsof Chili or Peru, begin the voyage afresh with unabated zeal andperseverance. It is in vain that the owners write urgent letters tohim to sail for home, and for their sake to bring back the ship,since it appears he can put nothing in her. Not he. He has registereda vow: he will fill his vessel with good sperm oil, or failing to doso, never again strike Yankee soundings.

Iheard of one whaler, which after many years’ absence was given upfor lost. The last that had been heard of her was a shadowy report ofher having touched at some of those unstable islands in the farPacific, whose eccentric wanderings are carefully noted in each newedition of the South Sea charts. After a long interval, however,the Perseverance—for that was her name—was spokensomewhere in the vicinity of the ends of the earth, cruising along asleisurely as ever, her sails all bepatched and bequilted withrope-yarns, her spars fished with old pipe staves, and her riggingknotted and spliced in every possible direction. Her crew wascomposed of some twenty venerable Greenwich-pensioner-looking oldsalts, who just managed to hobble about deck. The ends of all therunning ropes, with the exception of the signal halyards andpoop-down-haul, were rove through snatch-blocks, and led to thecapstan or windlass, so that not a yard was braced or a sail setwithout the assistance of machinery.

Herhull was encrusted with barnacles, which completely encased her.Three pet sharks followed in her wake, and every day came alongsideto regale themselves from the contents of the cook’s bucket, whichwere pitched over to them. A vast shoal of bonetas and albicoresalways kept her company.

Suchwas the account I heard of this vessel, and the remembrance of italways haunted me; what eventually became of her I never learned; atany rate she never reached home, and I suppose she is still regularlytacking twice in the twenty-four hours somewhere off Buggerry Island,or the Devil’s-Tail Peak.

Havingsaid thus much touching the usual length of these voyages, when Iinform the reader that ours had as it were just commenced, we beingonly fifteen months out, and even at that time hailed as a latearrival, and boarded for news, he will readily perceive that therewas little to encourage one in looking forward to the future,especially as I had always had a presentiment that we should make anunfortunate voyage, and our experience so far had justified theexpectation.

Imay here state, and on my faith as an honest man, that some timeafter arriving home from my adventures, I learned that this vesselwas still in the Pacific, and that she had met with very poor successin the fishery. Very many of her crew, also, left her; and her voyagelasted about five years.

Butto return to my narrative. Placed in these circumstances, then, withno prospect of matters mending if I remained aboard the Dolly,I at once made up my mind to leave her: to be sure, it was rather aninglorious thing to steal away privately from those at whose hands Ihad received wrongs and outrages that I could not resent; but how wassuch a course to be avoided when it was the only alternative left me?Having made up my mind, I proceeded to acquire all the information Icould obtain relating to the island and its inhabitants, with a viewof shaping my plans of escape accordingly. The result of theseinquiries I will now state, in order that the ensuing narrative maybe the better understood.

Thebay of Nukuheva, in which we were then lying, is an expanse of waternot unlike in figure the space included within the limits of ahorse-shoe. It is, perhaps, nine miles in circumference. You approachit from the sea by a narrow entrance, flanked on either side by twosmall twin islets which soar conically to the height of some fivehundred feet. From these the shore recedes on both hands, anddescribes a deep semicircle.

Fromthe verge of the water the land rises uniformly on all sides, withgreen and sloping acclivities, until from gently rolling hillsidesand moderate elevations it insensibly swells into lofty and majesticheights, whose blue outlines, ranged all around, close in the view.The beautiful aspect of the shore is heightened by deep and romanticglens, which come down to it at almost equal distances, allapparently radiating from a common centre, and the upper extremitiesof which are lost to the eye beneath the shadow of the mountains.Down each of these little valleys flows a clear stream, here andthere assuming the form of a slender cascade, then stealing invisiblyalong until it bursts upon the sight again in larger and more noisywaterfalls, and at last demurely wanders along to the sea.

Thehouses of the natives, constructed of the yellow bamboo, tastefullytwisted together in a kind of wickerwork, and thatched with the longtapering leaves of the palmetto, are scattered irregularly alongthese valleys beneath the shady branches of the cocoa-nut trees.

Nothingcan exceed the imposing scenery of this bay. Viewed from our ship asshe lay at anchor in the middle of the harbour, it presented theappearance of a vast natural amphitheatre in decay, and overgrownwith vines, the deep glens that furrowed its sides appearing likeenormous fissures caused by the ravages of time. Very often when lostin admiration at its beauty, I have experienced a pang of regret thata scene so enchanting should be hidden from the world in these remoteseas, and seldom meet the eyes of devoted lovers of nature.

Besidesthis bay the shores of the island are indented by several otherextensive inlets, into which descend broad and verdant valleys. Theseare inhabited by as many distinct tribes of savages, who, althoughspeaking kindred dialects of a common language, and having the samereligion and laws, have from time immemorial waged hereditary warfareagainst each other. The intervening mountains, generally two or threethousand feet above the level of the sea, geographically define theterritories of each of these hostile tribes, who never cross them,save on some expedition of war or plunder. Immediately adjacent toNukuheva, and only separated from it by the mountains seen from theharbour, lies the lovely valley of Happar, whose inmates cherish themost friendly relations with the inhabitants of Nukuheva. On theother side of Happar, and closely adjoining it, is the magnificentvalley of the dreaded Typees, the unappeasable enemies of both thesetribes.

Thesecelebrated warriors appear to inspire the other islanders withunspeakable terrors. Their very name is a frightful one; for the word“Typee” in the Marquesan dialect signifies a lover of humanflesh. It is rather singular that the title should have been bestowedupon them exclusively, inasmuch as the natives of all this group areirreclaimable cannibals. The name may, perhaps, have been given todenote the peculiar ferocity of this clan, and to convey a specialstigma along with it.

Thesesame Typees enjoy a prodigious notoriety all over the islands. Thenatives of Nukuheva would frequently recount in pantomime to ourship’s company their terrible feats, and would show the marks ofwounds they had received in desperate encounters with them. Whenashore they would, try to frighten us by pointing to one of their ownnumber, and calling him a Typee, manifesting no little surprise thatwe did not take to our heels at so terrible an announcement. It wasquite amusing, too, to see with what earnestness they disclaimed allcannibal propensities on their own part, while they denounced theirenemies—the Typees—as inveterate gormandizers of human flesh; butthis is a peculiarity to which I shall hereafter have occasion toallude.

AlthoughI was convinced that the inhabitants of our bay were as arrantcannibals as any of the other tribes on the island, still I could notbut feel a particular and most unqualified repugnance to theaforesaid Typees. Even before visiting the Marquesas, I had heardfrom men who had touched at the group on former voyages somerevolting stories in connection with these savages; and fresh in myremembrance was the adventure of the master of the Katherine,who only a few months previous, imprudently venturing into this bayin an armed boat for the purpose of barter, was seized by thenatives, carried back a little distance into their valley, and wasonly saved from a cruel death by the intervention of a young girl,who facilitated his escape by night along the beach to Nukuheva.

Ihad heard, too, of an English vessel that many years ago, after aweary cruise, sought to enter the bay of Nukuheva, and arrivingwithin two or three miles of the land, was met by a large canoefilled with natives, who offered to lead the way to the place oftheir destination. The captain, unacquainted with the localities ofthe island, joyfully acceded to the proposition—the canoe paddledon and the ship followed. She was soon conducted to a beautifulinlet, and dropped her anchor in its waters beneath the shadows ofthe lofty shore. That same night the perfidious Typees, who had thusinveigled her into their fatal bay, flocked aboard the doomed vesselby hundreds, and at a given signal murdered every soul on board.

Thoughtsprevious to attempting an escape—Toby, a fellow-sailor, agrees toshare the adventure—Last night aboard the ship.

Havingfully resolved to leave the vessel clandestinely, and having acquiredall the knowledge concerning the bay that I could obtain under thecircumstances in which I was placed, I now deliberately turned overin my mind every plan of escape that suggested itself, beingdetermined to act with all possible prudence in an attempt wherefailure would be attended with so many disagreeable consequences. Theidea of being taken and brought back ignominiously to the ship was soinexpressibly repulsive to me, that I was determined by no hasty andimprudent measures to render such an event probable.

Iknew that our worthy captain, who felt such a paternal solicitude forthe welfare of his crew, would not willingly consent that one of hisbest hands should encounter the perils of a sojourn among the nativesof a barbarous island; and I was certain that in the event of mydisappearance his fatherly anxiety would prompt him to offer, by wayof a reward, yard upon yard of gaily printed calico for myapprehension. He might even have appreciated my services at the valueof a musket, in which case I felt perfectly certain that the wholepopulation of the bay would be immediately upon my track, incited bythe prospect of so magnificent a bounty.

Havingascertained the fact before alluded to, that the islanders, frommotives of precaution, dwelt together in the depths of the valleys,and avoided wandering about the more elevated portions of the shore,unless bound on some expedition of war or plunder, I concluded thatif I could effect unperceived a passage to the mountains, I mighteasily remain among them, supporting myself by such fruits as came inmy way until the sailing of the ship, an event of which I could notfail to be immediately apprized, as from my lofty position I shouldcommand a view of the entire harbour.

Theidea pleased me greatly. It seemed to combine a great deal ofpracticability with no inconsiderable enjoyment in a quiet way; forhow delightful it would be to look down upon the detested old vesselfrom the height of some thousand feet, and contrast the verdantscenery about me with the recollection of her narrow decks and gloomyforecastle! Why, it was really refreshing even to think of it; and soI straightway fell to picturing myself seated beneath a cocoa-nuttree on the brow of the mountain, with a cluster of plantains withineasy reach, criticizing her nautical evolutions as she was workingher way out of the harbour.

Tobe sure there was one rather unpleasant drawback to these agreeableanticipations—the possibility of falling in with a foraging partyof these same bloody-minded Typees, whose appetites, edged perhaps bythe air of so elevated a region, might prompt them to devour one.This, I must confess, was the most disagreeable view of the matter.

Justto think of a party of these unnatural gourmands taking it into theirheads to make a convivial meal of a poor devil, who would have nomeans of escape or defence: however, there was no help for it. I waswilling to encounter some risks in order to accomplish my object, andcounted much upon my ability to elude these prowling cannibalsamongst the many coverts which the mountains afforded. Besides, thechances were ten to one in my favour that they would none of themquit their own fastnesses.

Ihad determined not to communicate my design of withdrawing from thevessel to any of my shipmates, and least of all to solicit any one toaccompany me in my flight. But it so happened one night, that beingupon deck, revolving over in my mind various plans of escape, Iperceived one of the ship’s company leaning over the bulwarks,apparently plunged in a profound reverie. He was a young fellow aboutmy own age, for whom I had all along entertained a great regard; andToby, such was the name by which he went among us, for his real namehe would never tell us, was every way worthy of it. He was active,ready, and obliging, of dauntless courage, and singularly open andfearless in the expression of his feelings. I had on more than oneoccasion got him out of scrapes into which this had led him; and Iknow not whether it was from this cause, or a certain congeniality ofsentiment between us, that he had always shown a partiality for mysociety. We had battled out many a long watch together, beguiling theweary hours with chat, song, and story, mingled with a good manyimprecations upon the hard destiny it seemed our common fortune toencounter.

Toby,like myself, had evidently moved in a different sphere of life, andhis conversation at times betrayed this, although he was anxious toconceal it. He was one of that class of rovers you sometimes meet atsea, who never reveal their origin, never allude to home, and gorambling over the world as if pursued by some mysterious fate theycannot possibly elude.

Therewas much even in the appearance of Toby calculated to draw me towardshim, for while the greater part of the crew were as coarse in personas in mind, Toby was endowed with a remarkably prepossessingexterior. Arrayed in his blue frock and duck trousers, he was assmart a looking sailor as ever stepped upon a deck; he was singularlysmall and slightly made, with great flexibility of limb. Hisnaturally dark complexion had been deepened by exposure to thetropical sun, and a mass of jetty locks clustered about his temples,and threw a darker shade into his large black eyes. He was a strangewayward being, moody, fitful, and melancholy—at times almostmorose. He had a quick and fiery temper too, which, when thoroughlyroused, transported him into a state bordering on delirium.

Itis strange the power that a mind of deep passion has over feeblernatures. I have seen a brawny fellow, with no lack of ordinarycourage, fairly quail before this slender stripling, when in one ofhis furious fits. But these paroxysms seldom occurred, and in them mybig-hearted shipmate vented the bile which more calm-temperedindividuals get rid of by a continual pettishness at trivialannoyances.

Noone ever saw Toby laugh—I mean in the hearty abandonment ofbroad-mouthed mirth. He did smile sometimes, it is true; and therewas a good deal of dry, sarcastic humour about him, which told themore from the imperturbable gravity of his tone and manner.

LatterlyI had observed that Toby’s melancholy had greatly increased, and Ihad frequently seen him since our arrival at the island gazingwistfully upon the shore, when the remainder of the crew would berioting below. I was aware that he entertained a cordial detestationof the ship, and believed that should a fair chance of escape presentitself, he would embrace it willingly. But the attempt was soperilous in the place where we then lay, that I supposed myself theonly individual on board the ship who was sufficiently reckless tothink of it. In this, however, I was mistaken.

WhenI perceived Toby leaning, as I have mentioned, against the bulwarksand buried in thought, it struck me at once that the subject of hismeditations might be the same as my own. And if it be so, thought I,is he not the very one of all my shipmates whom I would choose forthe partner of my adventure? and why should I not have some comradewith me to divide its dangers and alleviate its hardships? Perhaps Imight be obliged to lie concealed among the mountains for weeks. Insuch an event what a solace would a companion be?

Thesethoughts passed rapidly through my mind, and I wondered why I had notbefore considered the matter in this light. But it was not too late.A tap upon the shoulder served to rouse Toby from his reverie; Ifound him ripe for the enterprise, and a very few words sufficed fora mutual understanding between us. In an hour’s time we hadarranged all the preliminaries, and decided upon our plan of action.We then ratified our engagement with an affectionate wedding ofpalms, and to elude suspicion repaired each to his hammock, to spendthe last night on board the Dolly.

Thenext day the starboard watch, to which we both belonged, was to besent ashore on liberty; and, availing ourselves of this opportunitywe determined, as soon after landing as possible, to separateourselves from the rest of the men without exciting their suspicions,and strike back at once for the mountains. Seen from the ship, thesummits appeared inaccessible, but here and there sloping spursextended from them almost into the sea, buttressing the loftyelevations with which they were connected, and forming thoseradiating valleys I have before described. One of these ridges, whichappeared more practicable than the rest, we determined to climb,convinced that it would conduct us to the heights beyond.Accordingly, we carefully observed its bearings and locality from theship, so that when ashore we should run no chance of missing it.

Inall this the leading object we had in view was to seclude ourselvesfrom sight until the departure of the vessel; then to take our chanceas to the reception the Nukuheva natives might give us; and afterremaining upon the island as long as we found our stay agreeable, toleave it the first favourable opportunity that offered.

Aspecimen of nautical oratory—Criticisms of the sailors—Thestarboard watch are given a holiday—The escape to the mountains.

Earlythe next morning the starboard watch were mustered upon thequarter-deck, and our worthy captain, standing in the cabin gangway,harangued us as follows:—

“Now,men, as we are just off a six month’s cruise, and have got throughmost all our work in port here, I suppose you want to go ashore.Well, I mean to give your watch liberty to-day, so you may get readyas soon as you please, and go; but understand this, I am going togive you liberty because I suppose you would growl like so many oldquarter gunners if I didn’t; at the same time, if you’ll take myadvice, every mother’s son of you will stay aboard, and keep out ofthe way of the bloody cannibals altogether. Ten to one, men, if yougo ashore, you will get into some infernal row, and that will be theend of you; for if these tattooed scoundrels get you a little waysback into their valleys, they’ll nab you—that you may be certainof. Plenty of white men have gone ashore here and never been seen anymore. There was the old Dido,she put in here about two years ago, and sent one watch off onliberty; they never were heard of again for a week—the nativesswore they didn’t know where they were—and only three of themever got back to the ship again, and one with his face damaged forlife, for the cursed heathens tattooed a broad patch clean across hisfigure head. But it will be no use talking to you, for go you will,that I see plainly; so all I have to say is, that you need not blameme if the islanders make a meal of you. You may stand some chance ofescaping them though, if you keep close about the French encampment,and are back to the ship again before sunset. Keep that much in yourmind, if you forget all the rest I’ve been saying to you. There, goforward: bear a hand and rig yourselves, and stand by for a call. Attwo bells the boat will be manned to take you off, and the Lord havemercy on you!”

Variouswere the emotions depicted upon the countenances of the starboardwatch whilst listening to this address; but on its conclusion therewas a general move towards the forecastle, and we soon were allbusily engaged in getting ready for the holiday so auspiciouslyannounced by the skipper. During these preparations, his harangue wascommented upon in no very measured terms; and one of the party, afterdenouncing him as a lying old son of a sea-cook who begrudged afellow a few hours’ liberty, exclaimed with an oath, “But youdon’t bounce me out of my liberty, old chap, for all your yarns;for I would go ashore if every pebble on the beach was a live coal,and every stick a gridiron, and the cannibals stood ready to broil meon landing.”

Thespirit of this sentiment was responded to by all hands, and weresolved that in spite of the captain’s croakings we would make aglorious day of it.

ButToby and I had our own game to play, and we availed ourselves of theconfusion which always reigns among a ship’s company preparatory togoing ashore, to confer together and complete our arrangements. Asour object was to effect as rapid a flight as possible to themountains, we determined not to encumber ourselves with anysuperfluous apparel; and accordingly, while the rest were riggingthemselves out with some idea of making a display, we were content toput on new stout duck trousers, serviceable pumps, and heavy Havrefrocks, which, with a Payta hat, completed our equipment.

Whenour shipmates wondered at this, Toby exclaimed, in his odd grave way,that the rest might do as they liked, but that he for one preservedhis go-ashore traps for the Spanish main, where the tie of a sailor’sneckerchief might make some difference; but as for a parcel ofunbreeched heathen, he wouldn’t go to the bottom of his chest forany of them, and was half disposed to appear among them in buffhimself. The men laughed at what they thought was one of his strangeconceits, and so we escaped suspicion.

Itmay appear singular that we should have been thus on our guard withour own shipmates; but there were some among us who, had theypossessed the least inkling of our project, would, for a paltry hopeof reward, have immediately communicated it to the captain.

Assoon as two bells struck, the word was passed for the liberty-men toget into the boat. I lingered behind in the forecastle a moment, totake a parting glance at its familiar features, and just as I wasabout to ascend to the deck, my eye happened to light on thebread-barge and beef-kid, which contained the remnants of our lasthasty meal. Although I had never before thought of providing anythingin the way of food for our expedition, as I fully relied upon thefruits of the island to sustain us wherever we might wander, yet Icould not resist the inclination I felt to provide a luncheon fromthe relics before me. Accordingly I took a double handful of thosesmall, broken, flinty bits of biscuit which generally go by the nameof “midshipmen’s nuts,” and thrust them into the bosom of myfrock; in which same ample receptacle I had previously stowed awayseveral pounds of tobacco and a few yards of cotton cloth,—articleswith which I intended to purchase the good-will of the natives, assoon as we should appear among them after the departure of ourvessel.

Thislast addition to my stock caused a considerable protuberance infront, which I abated in a measure by shaking the bits of breadaround my waist, and distributing the plugs of tobacco among thefolds of the garment.

Hardlyhad I completed these arrangements when my name was sung out by adozen voices, and I sprung upon the deck, where I found all the partyin the boat, and impatient to shove off. I dropped over the side, andseated myself, with the rest of the watch, in the stern sheets, whilethe poor larboarders shipped their oars, and commenced pulling usashore.

Thishappened to be the rainy season at the islands, and the heavens hadnearly the whole morning betokened one of those heavy showers which,during this period, so frequently occur. The large drops fellbubbling into the water shortly after our leaving the ship, and bythe time we had effected a landing, it poured down in torrents. Wefled for shelter under cover of an immense canoe-house, which stoodhard by the beach, and waited for the first fury of the storm topass.

Itcontinued, however, without cessation; and the monotonous beating ofthe rain overhead began to exert a drowsy influence upon the men,who, throwing themselves here and there upon the large war-canoes,after chatting awhile, all fell asleep.

Thiswas the opportunity we desired, and Toby and I availed ourselves ofit at once, by stealing out of the canoe-house, and plunging into thedepths of an extensive grove that was in its rear. After ten minutes’rapid progress, we gained an open space, from which we could justdescry the ridge we intended to mount looming dimly through the mistsof the tropical shower, and distant from us, as we estimated,something more than a mile. Our direct course towards it lay througha rather populous part of the bay; but desirous as we were of evadingthe natives and securing an unmolested retreat to the mountains, wedetermined, by taking a circuit through some extensive thickets, toavoid their vicinity altogether.

Theheavy rain that still continued to fall without intermission,favoured our enterprise, as it drove the islanders into their houses,and prevented any casual meeting with them. Our heavy frocks soonbecame completely saturated with water, and by their weight, and thatof the articles we had concealed beneath them, not a little impededour progress. But it was no time to pause, when at any moment wemight be surprised by a body of the savages, and forced at the veryoutset to relinquish our undertaking.

Sinceleaving the canoe-house we had scarcely exchanged a single syllablewith one another, but when we entered a second narrow opening in thewood, and again caught sight of the ridge before us, I took Toby bythe arm, and pointing along its sloping outline to the lofty heightsat its extremity, said, in a low tone, “Now, Toby, not a word, nora glance backward, till we stand on the summit of yonder mountain; sono more lingering, but let us shove ahead while we can, and in a fewhours’ time we may laugh aloud. You are the lightest and thenimblest, so lead on, and I will follow.”

“Allright, brother,” said Toby, “quick’s our play, only let’skeep close together, that’s all”; and so saying, with a boundlike a young roe, he cleared a brook which ran across our path, andrushed forward with a quick step.

Whenwe arrived within a short distance of the ridge, we were stopped by amass of tall yellow reeds, growing together as thickly as they couldstand, and as tough and stubborn as so many rods of steel; and weperceived, to our chagrin, that they extended midway up the elevationwe proposed to ascend.

Fora moment we gazed about us in quest of a more practicable route; itwas, however, at once apparent that there was no resource but topierce this thicket of canes at all hazards. We now reversed ourorder of march, I, being the heaviest, taking the lead, with a viewof breaking a path through the obstruction, while Toby fell into therear.

Twoor three times I endeavoured to insinuate myself between the canes,and, by dint of coaxing and bending them, to make some progress; buta bull-frog might as well have tried to work a passage through theteeth of a comb, and I gave up the attempt in despair.

Halfwild with meeting an obstacle we had so little anticipated, I threwmyself desperately against it, crushing to the ground the canes withwhich I came in contact, and rising to my feet again, repeated theaction with like effect. Twenty minutes of this violent exercisealmost exhausted me, but it carried us some way into the thicket;when Toby, who had been reaping the benefit of my labours byfollowing close at my heels, proposed to become pioneer in turn, andaccordingly passed ahead with a view of affording me a respite frommy exertions. As, however, with his slight frame he made but bad workof it, I was soon obliged to resume my old place again.

Onwe toiled, the perspiration starting from our bodies in floods, ourlimbs torn and lacerated with the splintered fragments of the brokencanes, until we had proceeded perhaps as far as the middle of thebrake, when suddenly it ceased raining, and the atmosphere around usbecame close and sultry beyond expression. The elasticity of thereeds quickly recovering from the temporary pressure of our bodies,caused them to spring back to their original position, so that theyclosed in upon us as we advanced, and prevented the circulation ofthe little air which might otherwise have reached us. Besides this,their great height completely shut us out from the view ofsurrounding objects, and we were not certain but that we might havebeen going all the time in a wrong direction.

Fatiguedwith my long-continued efforts, and panting for breath, I felt myselfcompletely incapacitated for any further exertion. I rolled up thesleeve of my frock, and squeezed the moisture it contained into myparched mouth. But the few drops I managed to obtain gave me littlerelief, and I sank down for a moment with a sort of dogged apathy,from which I was aroused by Toby, who had devised a plan to free usfrom the net in which we had become entangled.

Hewas laying about him lustily with his sheath-knife, lopping the canesright and left, like a reaper, and soon made quite a clearing aroundus. This sight reanimated me; and seizing my own knife, I hacked andhewed away without mercy. But, alas! the farther we advanced thethicker and taller, and apparently the more interminable, the reedsbecame.

Ibegan to think we were fairly snared, and had almost made up my mindthat without a pair of wings we should never be able to escape fromthe toils, when all at once I discerned a peep of daylight throughthe canes on my right, and, communicating the joyful tidings to Toby,we both fell to with fresh spirit, and speedily opening a passagetowards it, we found ourselves clear of perplexities, and in the nearvicinity of the ridge.

Afterresting for a few moments we began the ascent, and after a littlevigorous climbing found ourselves close to its summit. Instead,however, of walking along its ridge, where we should have been infull view of the natives in the vales beneath, and at a point wherethey could easily intercept us, were they so inclined, we cautiouslyadvanced on one side, crawling on our hands and knees, and screenedfrom observation by the grass through which we glided, much in thefashion of a couple of serpents. After an hour employed in thisunpleasant kind of locomotion, we started to our feet again, andpursued our way boldly along the crest of the ridge.

Thissalient spur of the lofty elevations that encompassed the bay, rosewith sharp angle from the valleys at its base, and presented, withthe exception of a few steep acclivities, the appearance of a vastinclined plane, sweeping down towards the sea from the heights in thedistance. We had ascended it near the place of its termination, andat its lowest point, and now saw our route to the mountainsdistinctly defined along its narrow crest, which was covered with asoft carpet of verdure, and was in many parts only a few feet wide.

Elatedwith the success which had so far attended our enterprise, andinvigorated by the refreshing atmosphere we now inhaled, Toby and I,in high spirits, were making our way rapidly along the ridge whensuddenly from the valleys below, which lay on either side of us, weheard the distant shouts of the natives, who had just descried us,and to whom our figures, brought in bold relief against the sky, wereplainly revealed.

Glancingour eyes into these valleys, we perceived their savage inhabitantshurrying to and fro, seemingly under the influence of some suddenalarm, and appearing to the eye scarcely bigger than so many pigmies,while their white thatched dwellings, dwarfed by the distance, lookedlike baby-houses. As we looked down upon the islanders from our loftyelevation, we experienced a sense of security; feeling confidentthat, should they undertake a pursuit, it would, from the start wenow had, proved entirely fruitless, unless they followed us into themountains, where we knew they cared not to venture.

However,we thought it was well to make the most of our time; and accordingly,where the ground would admit of it, we ran swiftly along the summitof the ridge, until we were brought to a stand by a steep cliff,which at first seemed to interpose an effectual barrier to ourfarther advance. By dint of much hard scrambling, however, and atsome risk to our necks, we at last surmounted it, and continued ourflight with unabated celerity.

Wehad left the beach early in the morning, and after an uninterrupted,though at times difficult and dangerous ascent, during which we hadnever once turned our faces to the sea, we found ourselves, aboutthree hours before sunset, standing on the top of what seemed to bethe highest land on the island, an immense overhanging cliff composedof basaltic rocks, hung round with parasitical plants. We must havebeen more than three thousand feet above the level of the sea, andthe scenery viewed from this height was magnificent.

Thelonely bay of Nukuheva, dotted here and there with the black hulls ofthe vessels composing the French squadron, lay reposing at the baseof a circular range of elevations, whose verdant sides, perforatedwith deep glens, or diversified with smiling valleys, formedaltogether the loveliest view I ever beheld, and were I to live ahundred years, I shall never forget the feeling of admiration which Ithen experienced.

Theother side of the mountain—Disappointment—Inventory of articlesbrought from the ship—Division of the stock of bread—Appearanceof the interior of the island—A discovery—A ravine andwaterfalls—A sleepless night—Further discoveries—My illness—AMarquesan landscape.

Mycuriosity had been not a little raised with regard to the descriptionof country we should meet on the other side of the mountains; and Ihad supposed, with Toby, that immediately on gaining the heights weshould be enabled to view the large bays of Happar and Typee reposingat our feet on one side, in the same way that Nukuheva lay spread outbelow on the other. But here we were disappointed. Instead of findingthe mountain we had ascended sweeping down in the opposite directioninto broad and capacious valleys, the land appeared to retain itsgeneral elevation, only broken into a series of ridges andinter-vales, which as far as the eye could reach stretched away fromus, with their precipitous sides covered with the brightest verdure,and waving here and there with the foliage of clumps of woodland;among which, however, we perceived none of those trees upon whosefruit we had relied with such certainty.

Thiswas a most unlooked-for discovery, and one that promised to defeatour plans altogether, for we could not think of descending themountain on the Nukuheva side in quest of food. Should we for thispurpose be induced to retrace our steps, we should run no smallchance of encountering the natives, who in that case, if they didnothing worse to us, would be certain to convey us back to the shipfor the sake of the reward in calico and trinkets, which we had nodoubt our skipper would hold out to them as an inducement to ourcapture.

Whatwas to be done? The Dolly would not sail perhaps forten days, and how were we to sustain life during this period? Ibitterly repented our improvidence in not providing ourselves, as weeasily might have done, with a supply of biscuit. With a ruefulvisage I now bethought me of the scanty handful of bread I hadstuffed into the bosom of my frock, and felt somewhat desirous toascertain what part of it had weathered the rather rough usage it hadexperienced in ascending the mountain. I accordingly proposed to Tobythat we should enter into a joint examination of the various articleswe had brought from the ship. With this intent we seated ourselvesupon the grass; and a little curious to see with what kind ofjudgment my companion had filled his frock—which I remarked seemedabout as well lined as my own—I requested him to commenceoperations by spreading out its contents.

Thrustinghis hand, then, into the bosom of his capacious receptacle, he firstbrought to light about a pound of tobacco, whose component partsstill adhered together, the whole outside being covered with softparticles of sea-bread. Wet and dripping, it had the appearance ofhaving been just recovered from the bottom of the sea. But I paidslight attention to a substance of so little value to us in ourpresent situation, as soon as I perceived the indications it gave ofToby’s foresight in laying in a supply of food for the expedition.

Ieagerly inquired what quantity he had brought with him, whenrummaging once more beneath his garment, he produced a small handfulof something so soft, pulpy, and discoloured, that for a few momentshe was as much puzzled as myself to tell by what possibleinstrumentality such a villanous compound had become engendered inhis bosom. I can only describe it as a hash of soaked bread and bitsof tobacco, brought to a doughy consistency by the united agency ofperspiration and rain. But repulsive as it might otherwise have been,I now regarded it as an invaluable treasure, and proceeded with greatcare to transfer this paste-like mass to a large leaf which I hadplucked from a bush beside me. Toby informed me that in the morninghe had placed two whole biscuits in his bosom, with a view ofmunching them, should he feel so inclined, during our flight. Thesewere now reduced to the equivocal substance which I had just placedon the leaf.

Anotherdive into the frock brought to view some four or five yards of calicoprint, whose tasteful pattern was rather disfigured by the yellowstains of the tobacco with which it had been brought in contact. Indrawing this calico slowly from his bosom inch by inch, Toby remindedme of a juggler performing the feat of the endless ribbon. The nextcast was a small one, being a sailor’s little “ditty bag,”containing needles, thread, and other sewing utensils; then came arazor-case, followed by two or three separate plugs of negro-head,which were fished up from the bottom of the now empty receptacle.These various matters being inspected, I produced a few things whichI had myself brought.

Asmight have been anticipated from the state of my companion’s ediblesupplies, I found my own in a deplorable condition, and diminished toa quantity that would not have formed half a dozen mouthfuls for ahungry man who was partial enough to tobacco not to mind swallowingit. A few morsels of bread, with a fathom or two of white cottoncloth, and several pounds of choice pigtail, composed the extent ofmy possessions.

Ourjoint stock of miscellaneous articles were now made up into a compactbundle, which it was agreed we should carry alternately. But thesorry remains of the biscuit were not to be disposed of so summarily:the precarious circumstances in which we were placed made us regardthem as something on which very probably depended the fate of ouradventure. After a brief discussion, in which we both of us expressedour resolution of not descending into the bay until the ship’sdeparture, I suggested to my companion that little of it as therewas, we should divide the bread into six equal portions, each ofwhich should be a day’s allowance for both of us. This propositionhe assented to; so I took the silk kerchief from my neck, and cuttingit with my knife into half a dozen equal pieces, proceeded to make anexact division.

Atfirst, Toby, with a degree of fastidiousness that seemed to meill-timed, was for picking out the minute particles of tobacco withwhich the spongy mass was mixed; but against this proceeding Iprotested, as by such an operation we must have greatly diminishedits quantity.

Whenthe division was accomplished, we found that a day’s allowance forthe two was not a great deal more than what a table-spoon might hold.Each separate portion we immediately rolled up in the bit of silkprepared for it, and joining them all together into a small package,I committed them, with solemn injunctions of fidelity, to the custodyof Toby. For the remainder of that day we resolved to fast, as we hadbeen fortified by a breakfast in the morning; and now starting againto our feet, we looked about us for a shelter during the night,which, from the appearance of the heavens, promised to be a dark andtempestuous one.

Therewas no place near us which would in any way answer our purpose; soturning our backs upon Nukuheva, we commenced exploring the unknownregions which lay upon the other side of the mountain.

Inthis direction, as far as our vision extended, not a sign of life,nor anything that denoted even the transient residence of man couldbe seen. The whole landscape seemed one unbroken solitude, theinterior of the island having apparently been untenanted since themorning of the creation; and as we advanced through this wilderness,our voices sounded strangely in our ears, as though human accents hadnever before disturbed the fearful silence of the place, interruptedonly by the low murmurings of distant waterfalls.

Ourdisappointment, however, in not finding the various fruits with whichwe had intended to regale ourselves during our stay in these wilds,was a good deal lessened by the consideration that from this verycircumstance we should be much less exposed to a casual meeting withthe savage tribes about us, who we knew always dwelt beneath theshadows of those trees which supplied them with food.

Wewandered along, casting eager glances into every bush we passed,until just as we had succeeded in mounting one of the many ridgesthat intersected the ground, I saw in the grass before me somethinglike an indistinctly traced footpath, which appeared to lead alongthe top of the ridge, and to descend with it into a deep ravine abouthalf a mile in advance of us.

RobinsonCrusoe could not have been more startled at the footprint in the sandthan we were at this unwelcome discovery. My first impulse was tomake as rapid a retreat as possible, and bend our steps in some otherdirection; but our curiosity to see whither this path might lead,prompted us to pursue it. So on we went, the track becoming more andmore visible the farther we proceeded, until it conducted us to theverge of the ravine, where it abruptly terminated.

“Andso,” said Toby, peering down into the chasm, “every one thattravels this path takes a jump here, eh?”

“Notso,” said I, “for I think they might manage to descend withoutit; what say you,—shall we attempt the feat?”

“Andwhat, in the name of caves and coal-holes, do you expect to find atthe bottom of that gulf but a broken neck—why, it looks blackerthan our ship’s hold, and the roar of those waterfalls down therewould batter one’s brains to pieces.”

“Oh,no, Toby,” I exclaimed, laughing; “but there’s something to beseen here, that’s plain, or there would have been no path, and I amresolved to find out what it is.”

“Iwill tell you what, my pleasant fellow,” rejoined Toby, quickly,“if you are going to pry into everything you meet with here thatexcites your curiosity, you will marvellously soon get knocked on thehead; to a dead certainty you will come bang upon a party of thesesavages in the midst of your discovery-makings, and I doubt whethersuch an event would particularly delight you. Just take my advice foronce, and let us ’bout ship and steer in some other direction;besides, it’s getting late, and we ought to be mooring ourselvesfor the night.”

“Thatis just the thing I have been driving at,” replied I; “and I amthinking that this ravine will exactly answer our purpose, for it isroomy, secluded, well watered, and may shelter us from the weather.”

“Ay,and from sleep too, and by the same token will give us sore throats,and rheumatism into the bargain,” cried Toby, with evident dislikeat the idea.

“Oh,very well then, my lad,” said I, “since you will not accompanyme, here I go, alone. You will see me in the morning”; andadvancing to the edge of the cliff upon which we had been standing, Iproceeded to lower myself down by the tangled roots which clusteredabout all the crevices of the rock. As I had anticipated, Toby, inspite of his previous remonstrances, followed my example, anddropping himself with the activity of a squirrel from point to point,he quickly outstripped me, and effected a landing at the bottombefore I had accomplished two-thirds of the descent.

Thesight that now greeted us was one that will ever be vividly impressedupon my mind. Five foaming streams, rushing through as many gorges,and swelled and turbid by the recent rains, united together in onemad plunge of nearly eighty feet, and fell with wild uproar into adeep black pool scooped out of the gloomy-looking rocks that laypiled around, and thence in one collected body dashed down a narrowsloping channel which seemed to penetrate into the very bowels of theearth. Overhead, vast roots of trees hung down from the sides of theravine, dripping with moisture, and trembling with the concussionsproduced by the fall. It was now sunset, and the feeble uncertainlight that found its way into these caverns and woody depthsheightened their strange appearance, and reminded us that in a shorttime we should find ourselves in utter darkness.

Assoon as I had satisfied my curiosity by gazing at this scene, I fellto wondering how it was that what we had taken for a path should haveconducted us to so singular a place, and began to suspect that afterall I might have been deceived in supposing it to have been a trackformed by the islanders. This was rather an agreeable reflection thanotherwise, for it diminished our dread of accidentally meeting withany of them, and I came to the conclusion that perhaps we could nothave selected a more secure hiding-place than this very spot we hadso accidentally hit upon. Toby agreed with me in this view of thematter, and we immediately began gathering together the limbs oftrees which lay scattered about, with the view of constructing atemporary hut for the night. This we were obliged to build close tothe foot of the cataract for the current of water extended verynearly to the sides of the gorge. The few moments of light thatremained we employed in covering our hut with a species ofbroad-bladed grass that grew in every fissure of the ravine. Our hut,if it deserved to be called one, consisted of six or eight of thestraightest branches we could find laid obliquely against the steepwall of rock, with their lowered ends within a foot of the stream.Into the space thus covered over we managed to crawl, and dispose ourwearied bodies as best we could.

ShallI ever forget that horrid night! As for poor Toby, I could scarcelyget a word out of him. It would have been some consolation to haveheard his voice, but he lay shivering the live-long night like a manafflicted with the palsy, with his knees drawn up to his head, whilehis back was supported against the dripping side of the rock. Duringthis wretched night there seemed nothing wanting to complete theperfect misery of our condition. The rain descended in such torrentsthat our poor shelter proved a mere mockery. In vain did I try toelude the incessant streams that poured upon me; by protecting onepart I only exposed another, and the water was continually findingsome new opening through which to drench us.

Ihave had many a ducking in the course of my life, and in generalcared little about it: but the accumulated horrors of that night, thedeath-like coldness of the place, the appalling darkness and thedismal sense of our forlorn condition, almost unmanned me.

Itwill not be doubted that the next morning we were early risers, andas soon as I could catch the faintest glimpse of anything likedaylight I shook my companion by the arm, and told him it wassunrise. Poor Toby lifted up his head, and after a moment’s pausesaid, in a husky voice, “Then, shipmate, my toplights have goneout, for it appears darker now with my eyes open than it did whenthey were shut.”

“Nonsense!”exclaimed I; “you are not awake yet.”

“Awake!”roared Toby, in a rage; “awake! You mean to insinuate I’ve beenasleep, do you? It is an insult to a man to suppose he could sleep insuch a place as this.”

Bythe time I had apologized to my friend for having misconstrued hissilence, it had become somewhat more light, and we crawled out of ourlair. The rain had ceased, but everything around us was dripping withmoisture. We stripped off our saturated garments, and wrung them asdry as we could. We contrived to make the blood circulate in ourbenumbed limbs by rubbing them vigorously with our hands; and afterperforming our ablutions in the stream, and putting on our still wetclothes, we began to think it advisable to break our long fast, itbeing now twenty-four hours since we had tasted food.

Accordingly,our day’s ration was brought out, and seating ourselves on adetached fragment of rock, we proceeded to discuss it. First wedivided it into equal portions, and carefully rolling one of them upfor our evening’s repast, divided the remainder again as equally aspossible, and then drew lots for the first choice. I could haveplaced the morsel that fell to my share upon the tip of my finger;but notwithstanding this, I took care that it should be full tenminutes before I had swallowed the last crumb. What a true saying itis that “appetite furnishes the best sauce”! There was a flavourand a relish to this small particle of food that, under othercircumstances, it would have been impossible for the most delicateviands to have imparted. A copious draught of the pure water whichflowed at our feet served to complete the meal, and after it we rosesensibly refreshed, and prepared for whatever might befall us.

Wenow carefully examined the chasm in which we had passed the night. Wecrossed the stream, and gaining the farther side of the pool I havementioned, discovered proofs that the spot must have been visited bysome one but a short time previous to our arrival. Furtherobservation convinced us that it had been regularly frequented, and,as we afterwards conjectured from particular indications, for thepurpose of obtaining a certain root, from which the natives obtaineda kind of ointment.

Thesediscoveries immediately determined us to abandon a place which hadpresented no inducement for us to remain, except the promise ofsecurity; and as we looked about us for the means of ascending againinto the upper regions, we at last found a practicable part of therock, and half-an-hour’s toil carried us to the summit of the samecliff from which the preceding evening we had descended.

Inow proposed to Toby that instead of rambling about the island,exposing ourselves to discovery at every turn, we should select someplace as our fixed abode for as long a period as our food should holdout, build ourselves a comfortable hut, and be as prudent andcircumspect as possible. To all this my companion assented, and we atonce set about carrying the plan into execution.

Withthis view, after exploring without success a little glen near us, wecrossed several of the ridges of which I have before spoken; andabout noon found ourselves ascending a long and gradually risingslope, but still without having discovered any place adapted to ourpurpose. Low and heavy clouds betokened an approaching storm, and wehurried on to gain a covert in a clump of thick bushes, whichappeared to terminate the long ascent. We threw ourselves under thelee of these bushes, and pulling up the long grass that grew around,covered ourselves completely with it, and awaited the shower.

Butit did not come as soon as we had expected, and before many minutesmy companion was fast asleep, and I was rapidly falling into the samestate of happy forgetfulness. Just at this juncture, however, downcame the rain with a violence that put all thoughts of slumber toflight. Although in some measure sheltered, our clothes soon becameas wet as ever; this, after all the trouble we had taken to dry them,was provoking enough: but there was no help for it; and I recommendall adventurous youths who abandon vessels in romantic islands duringthe rainy season, to provide themselves with umbrellas.

Afteran hour or so the shower passed away. My companion slept through itall, or at least appeared so to do; and now that it was over I hadnot the heart to awaken him. As I lay on my back completely shroudedwith verdure, the leafy branches drooping over me, and my limbsburied in grass, I could not avoid comparing our situation with thatof the interesting babes in the wood. Poor little sufferers!—nowonder their constitutions broke down under the hardships to whichthey were exposed.

Duringthe hour or two spent under the shelter of these bushes, I began tofeel symptoms which I at once attributed to the exposure of thepreceding night. Cold shiverings and a burning fever succeeded oneanother at intervals, while one of my legs was swelled to such adegree, and pained me so acutely, that I half suspected I had beenbitten by some venomous reptile, the congenial inhabitant of thechasm from which we had lately emerged. I may here remark by theway—what I subsequently learned—that all the islands of Polynesiaenjoy the reputation, in common with the Hibernian isle, of beingfree from the presence of any vipers; though whether Saint Patrickever visited them, is a question I shall not attempt to decide.

Asthe feverish sensation increased upon me I tossed about, stillunwilling to disturb my slumbering companion, from whose side Iremoved two or three yards. I chanced to push aside a branch, and byso doing suddenly disclosed to my view a scene which even now I canrecall with all the vividness of the first impression. Had a glimpseof the gardens of Paradise been revealed to me, I could scarcely havebeen more ravished with the sight.

Fromthe spot where I lay tranfixed with surprise and delight, I lookedstraight down into the bosom of a valley, which swept away in longwavy undulations to the blue waters in the distance. Midway towardsthe sea, and peering here and there amidst the foliage, might be seenthe palmetto-thatched houses of its inhabitants, glistening in thesun that had bleached them to a dazzling whiteness. The vale was morethan three leagues in length, and about a mile across at its greatestwidth.

Oneither side it appeared hemmed in by steep and green acclivities,which, uniting near the spot where I lay, formed an abrupt andsemi-circular termination of grassy cliffs and precipices hundreds offeet in height, over which flowed numberless small cascades. But thecrowning beauty of the prospect was its universal verdure; and inthis indeed consists, I believe, the peculiar charm of everyPolynesian landscape. Everywhere below me, from the base of theprecipice upon whose very verge I had been unconsciously reposing,the surface of the vale presented a mass of foliage, spread with suchrich profusion that it was impossible to determine of whatdescription of trees it consisted.

Butperhaps there was nothing about the scenery I beheld more impressivethan those silent cascades, whose slender threads of water, afterleaping down the steep cliffs, were lost amidst the rich herbage ofthe valley.

Overall the landscape there reigned the most hushed repose, which Ialmost feared to break, lest, like the enchanted gardens in the fairytale, a single syllable might dissolve the spell. For a long time,forgetful alike of my own situation, and the vicinity of my stillslumbering companion, I remained gazing around me, hardly able tocomprehend by what means I had thus suddenly been made a spectator ofsuch a scene.

Theimportant question, Typee or Happar?—A wild-goose chase—Mysufferings—Disheartening situation—A night in the ravine—Morningmeal—Happy idea of Toby—Journey towards the valley.

Recoveringfrom my astonishment at the beautiful scene before me, I quicklyawakened Toby, and informed him of the discovery I had made. Togetherwe now repaired to the border of the precipice, and my companion’sadmiration was equal to my own. A little reflection, however, abatedour surprise at coming so unexpectedly upon this valley, since thelarge vales of Happar and Typee, lying upon this side of Nukuheva,and extending a considerable distance from the sea towards theinterior, must necessarily terminate somewhere about this point.

Thequestion now was as to which of those two places we were looking downupon. Toby insisted that it was the abode of the Happars, and I thatit was tenanted by their enemies, the ferocious Typees. To be sure Iwas not entirely convinced by my own arguments, but Toby’sproposition to descend at once into the valley, and partake of thehospitality of its inmates, seemed to me to be risking so much uponthe strength of a mere supposition, that I resolved to oppose ituntil we had more evidence to proceed upon.

Thepoint was one of vital importance, as the natives of Happar were notonly at peace with Nukuheva, but cultivated with its inhabitants themost friendly relations, and enjoyed beside a reputation forgentleness and humanity which led us to expect from them, if not acordial reception, at least a shelter during the short period weshould remain in their territory.

Onthe other hand, the very name of Typee struck a panic into my heartwhich I did not attempt to disguise. The thought of voluntarilythrowing ourselves into the hands of these cruel savages, seemed tome an act of mere madness; and almost equally so the idea ofventuring into the valley, uncertain by which of these two tribes itwas inhabited. That the vale at our feet was tenanted by one of them,was a point that appeared to us past all doubt, since we knew thatthey resided in this quarter, although our information did notenlighten us further.

Mycompanion, however, incapable of resisting the tempting prospectwhich the place held out of an abundant supply of food and othermeans of enjoyment, still clung to his own inconsiderate view of thesubject, nor could all my reasoning shake it. When I reminded himthat it was impossible for either of us to know anything withcertainty, and when I dealt upon the horrible fate we shouldencounter were we rashly to descend into the valley, and discover toolate the error we had committed, he replied by detailing all theevils of our present condition, and the sufferings we must undergoshould we continue to remain where we then were.

Anxiousto draw him away from the subject, if possible—for I saw that itwould be in vain to attempt changing his mind—I directed hisattention to a long bright unwooded tract of land which, sweepingdown from the elevations in the interior, descended into the valleybefore us. I then suggested to him that beyond this ridge might lie acapacious and untenanted valley, abounding with all manner ofdelicious fruits; for I had heard that there were several such uponthe island, and proposed that we should endeavour to reach it, and ifwe found our expectations realized we should at once take refuge init and remain there as long as we pleased.

Heacquiesced in the suggestion; and we immediately, therefore, begansurveying the country lying before us, with a view of determiningupon the best route for us to pursue; but it presented little choice,the whole interval being broken into steep ridges, divided by darkravines, extending in parallel lines at right angles to our directcourse. All these we would be obliged to cross before we could hopeto arrive at our destination.

Aweary journey! But we decided to undertake it, though, for my ownpart, I felt little prepared to encounter its fatigues, shivering andburning by turns with the ague and fever; for I know not how else todescribe the alternate sensations I experienced, and suffering not alittle from the lameness which afflicted me. Added to this was thefaintness consequent on our meagre diet—a calamity in which Tobyparticipated to the same extent as myself.

Thesecircumstances, however, only augmented my anxiety to reach a placewhich promised us plenty and repose, before I should be reduced to astate which would render me altogether unable to perform the journey.Accordingly we now commenced it by descending the almostperpendicular side of a steep and narrow gorge, bristling with athick growth of reeds. Here there was but one mode for us to adopt.We seated ourselves upon the ground, and guided our descent bycatching at the canes in our path. The velocity with which we thusslid down the side of the ravine soon brought us to a point where wecould use our feet, and in a short time we arrived at the edge of thetorrent, which rolled impetuously along the bed of the chasm.

Aftertaking a refreshing draught from the water of the stream, weaddressed ourselves to a much more difficult undertaking than thelast. Every foot of our late descent had to be regained in ascendingthe opposite side of the gorge—an operation rendered the lessagreeable from the consideration that in these perpendicular episodeswe did not progress a hundred yards on our journey. But, ungratefulas the task was, we set about it with exemplary patience, and after asnail-like progress of an hour or more, had scaled perhaps one halfof the distance, when the fever which had left me for awhile returnedwith such violence, and accompanied by so raging a thirst, that itrequired all the entreaties of Toby to prevent me from losing all thefruits of my late exertion, by precipitating myself madly down thecliffs we had just climbed, in quest of the water which flowed sotemptingly at their base. At the moment all my hopes and fearsappeared to be merged in this one desire, careless of theconsequences that might result from its gratification. I am aware ofno feeling, either of pleasure or of pain, that so completelydeprives one of all power to resist its impulses, as this same ragingthirst.

Tobyearnestly conjured me to continue the ascent, assuring me that alittle more exertion would bring us to the summit, and that then inless than five minutes we should find ourselves at the brink of thestream, which must necessarily flow on the other side of the ridge.

“Donot,” he exclaimed, “turn back, now that we have proceeded thusfar; for I tell you that neither of us will have the courage torepeat the attempt, if once more we find ourselves looking up towhere we now are from the bottom of these rocks!”

Iwas not yet so perfectly beside myself as to be heedless of theserepresentations, and therefore toiled on, ineffectually endeavouringto appease the thirst which consumed me, by thinking that in a shorttime I should be able to gratify it to my heart’s content.

Atlast we gained the top of the second elevation, the loftiest of thoseI have described as extending in parallel lines between us and thevalley we desired to reach. It commanded a view of the wholeintervening distance; and, discouraged as I was by othercircumstances, this prospect plunged me into the very depths ofdespair. Nothing but dark and fearful chasms, separated by sharpcrested and perpendicular ridges as far as the eye could reach. Couldwe have stepped from summit to summit of these steep but narrowelevations we could easily have accomplished the distance; but wemust penetrate to the bottom of every yawning gulf, and scale insuccession every one of the eminences before us. Even Toby, althoughnot suffering as I did, was not proof against the dishearteninginfluences of the sight.

Butwe did not long stand to contemplate it, impatient as I was to reachthe waters of the torrent which flowed beneath us. With aninsensibility to danger which I cannot call to mind withoutshuddering, we threw ourselves down the depths of the ravine,startling its savage solitudes with the echoes produced by thefalling fragments of rock we every moment dislodged from theirplaces, careless of the insecurity of our footing, and recklesswhether the slight roots and twigs we clutched at sustained us forthe while, or treacherously yielded to our grasp. For my own part, Iscarcely knew whether I was helplessly falling from the heightsabove, or whether the fearful rapidity with which I descended was anact of my own volition.

Ina few minutes we reached the foot of the gorge, and kneeling upon asmall ledge of dripping rocks, I bent over to the stream. What adelicious sensation was I now to experience! I paused for a second toconcentrate all my capabilities of enjoyment, and then immerged mylips in the clear element before me. Had the apples of Sodom turnedto ashes in my mouth, I could not have felt a more startlingrevulsion. A single drop of the cold fluid seemed to freeze everydrop of blood in my body; the fever that had been burning in my veinsgave place on the instant to death-like chills, which shook me oneafter another like so many shocks of electricity, while theperspiration produced by my late violent exertions congealed in icybeads upon my forehead. My thirst was gone, and I fairly loathed thewater. Starting to my feet, the sight of those dank rocks, oozingforth moisture at every crevice, and the dark stream shooting alongits dismal channel, sent fresh chills through my shivering frame, andI felt as uncontrollable a desire to climb up towards the genialsunlight as I before had to descend the ravine.

Aftertwo hours’ perilous exertions we stood upon the summit of anotherridge, and it was with difficulty I could bring myself to believethat we had ever penetrated the black and yawning chasm which thengaped at our feet. Again we gazed upon the prospect which the heightcommanded, but it was just as depressing as the one which had beforemet our eyes. I now felt that in our present situation it was in vainfor us to think of ever overcoming the obstacles in our way, and Igave up all thoughts of reaching the vale which lay beyond thisseries of impediments; while at the same time I could not devise anyscheme to extricate ourselves from the difficulties in which we wereinvolved.

Theremotest idea of returning to Nukuheva unless assured of our vessel’sdeparture, never once entered my mind, and indeed it was questionablewhether we could have succeeded in reaching it, divided as we werefrom the bay by a distance we could not compute, and perplexed too inour remembrance of localities by our recent wanderings. Besides, itwas unendurable the thought of retracing our steps and rendering allour painful exertions of no avail.

Thereis scarcely anything when a man is in difficulties that he is moredisposed to look upon with abhorrence than a right-about retrogrademovement—a systematic going over of the already trodden ground: andespecially if he has a love of adventure, such a course appearsindescribably repulsive, so long as there remains the least hope tobe derived from braving untried difficulties.

Itwas this feeling that prompted us to descend the opposite side of theelevation we had just scaled, although with what definite object inview it would have been impossible for either of us to tell.

Withoutexchanging a syllable upon the subject, Toby and myselfsimultaneously renounced the design which had lured us thusfar—perceiving in each other’s countenances that despondingexpression which speaks more eloquently than words.

Togetherwe stood towards the close of this weary day in the cavity of thethird gorge we had entered, wholly incapacitated for any furtherexertion, until restored to some degree of strength by food andrepose.

Weseated ourselves upon the least uncomfortable spot we could select,and Toby produced from the bosom of his frock the sacred package. Insilence we partook of the small morsel of refreshment that had beenleft from the morning’s repast, and without once proposing toviolate the sanctity of our engagement with respect to the remainder,we rose to our feet, and proceeded to construct some sort of shelterunder which we might obtain the sleep we so greatly needed.

Fortunatelythe spot was better adapted to our purpose than the one in which wehad passed the last wretched night. We cleared away the tall reedsfrom a small but almost level bit of ground, and twisted them into alow basket-like hut, which we covered with a profusion of long thickleaves, gathered from a tree near at hand. We disposed them thicklyall around, reserving only a slight opening that barely permitted usto crawl under the shelter we had thus obtained.

Thesedeep recesses, though protected from the winds that assail thesummits of their lofty sides, are damp and chill to a degree that onewould hardly anticipate in such a climate; and being unprovided withanything but our woollen frocks and thin duck trousers to resist thecold of the place, we were the more solicitous to render ourhabitation for the night as comfortable as we could. Accordingly, inaddition to what we had already done, we plucked down all the leaveswithin our reach and threw them in a heap over our little hut, intowhich we now crept, raking after us a reserved supply to form ourcouch.

Thatnight nothing but the pain I suffered prevented me from sleeping mostrefreshingly. As it was, I caught two or three naps, while Toby sleptaway at my side as soundly as though he had been sandwiched betweentwo Holland sheets. Luckily it did not rain, and we were preservedfrom the misery which a heavy shower would have occasioned us.

Inthe morning I was awakened by the sonorous voice of my companionringing in my ears and bidding me rise. I crawled out from our heapof leaves, and was astonished at the change which a good night’srest had wrought in his appearance. He was as blithe and joyous as ayoung bird, and was staying the keenness of his morning’s appetiteby chewing the soft bark of a delicate branch he held in his hand,and he recommended the like to me, as an admirable antidote againstthe gnawings of hunger.

Formy own part, though feeling materially better than I had done thepreceding evening, I could not look at the limb that had pained me soviolently at intervals during the last twenty-four hours, withoutexperiencing a sense of alarm that I strove in vain to shake off.Unwilling to disturb the flow of my comrade’s spirits, I managed tostifle the complaints to which I might otherwise have given vent, andcalling upon him good-humouredly to speed our banquet, I preparedmyself for it by washing in the stream. This operation concluded, weswallowed, or rather absorbed, by a peculiar kind of slow suckingprocess, our respective morsels of nourishment, and then entered intoa discussion as to the steps it was necessary for us to pursue.

“What’sto be done now?” inquired I, rather dolefully.

“Descendinto that same valley we descried yesterday,” rejoined Toby, with arapidity and loudness of utterance that almost led me to suspect hehad been slyly devouring the broadside of an ox in some of theadjoining thickets. “What else,” he continued, “remains for usto do but that, to be sure? Why, we shall both starve, to acertainty, if we remain here; and as to your fears of thoseTypees—depend upon it, it is all nonsense. It is impossible thatthe inhabitants of such a lovely place as we saw can be anything elsebut good fellows; and if you choose rather to perish with hunger inone of these soppy caverns, I for one prefer to chance a bold descentinto the valley, and risk the consequences.”

“Andwho is to pilot us thither,” I asked, “even if we should decideupon the measure you propose? Are we to go again up and down thoseprecipices that we crossed yesterday, until we reach the place westarted from, and then take a flying leap from the cliffs to thevalley?”

“’Faith,I didn’t think of that,” said Toby; “sure enough, both sides ofthe valley appeared to be hemmed in by precipices, didn’t they?”

“Yes,”answered I; “as steep as the sides of a line-of-battle ship, andabout a hundred times as high.” My companion sank his head upon hisbreast, and remained for awhile in deep thought. Suddenly he sprangto his feet, while his eyes lighted up with that gleam ofintelligence that marks the presence of some bright idea.

“Yes,yes,” he exclaimed; “the streams all run in the same direction,and must necessarily flow into the valley before they reach the sea;all we have to do is just to follow this stream, and sooner or later,it will lead us into the vale.”

“Youare right, Toby,” I exclaimed, “you are right; it must conduct usthither, and quickly too; for, see with what a steep inclination thewater descends.”

“Itdoes, indeed,” burst forth my companion, overjoyed at myverification of his theory, “it does, indeed; why, it is as plainas a pike-staff. Let us proceed at once; come, throw away all thosestupid ideas about the Typees, and hurrah for the lovely valley ofthe Happars!”

“Youwill have it to be Happar, I see, my dear fellow; pray Heaven, youmay not find yourself deceived,” observed I, with a shake of myhead.

“Amento all that, and much more,” shouted Toby, rushing forward; “butHappar it is, for nothing else than Happar can it be. So glorious avalley—such forests of bread-fruit trees—such groves ofcocoa-nut—such wildernesses of guava-bushes! Ah, shipmate! don’tlinger behind: in the name of all delightful fruits, I am dying to beat them. Come on, come on; shove ahead, there’s a lively lad; nevermind the rocks; kick them out of the way, as I do; and to-morrow, oldfellow, take my word for it, we shall be in clover. Come on”; andso saying, he dashed along the ravine like a madman, forgetting myinability to keep up with him. In a few minutes, however, theexuberance of his spirits abated, and, pausing for awhile, hepermitted me to overtake him.

Perilouspassage of the ravine—Descent into the valley

Thefearless confidence of Toby was contagious, and I began to adopt theHappar side of the question. I could not, however, overcome a certainfeeling of trepidation, as we made our way along these gloomysolitudes. Our progress, at first comparatively easy, became more andmore difficult. The bed of the watercourse was covered with fragmentsof broken rocks, which had fallen from above, offering so manyobstructions to the course of the rapid stream, which vexed andfretted about them,—forming at intervals small waterfalls, pouringover into deep basins, or splashing wildly upon heaps of stones.

Fromthe narrowness of the gorge, and the steepness of its sides, therewas no mode of advancing but by wading through the water; stumblingevery moment over the impediments which lay hidden under its surface,or tripping against the huge roots of trees. But the most annoyinghindrance we encountered was from a multitude of crooked boughs,which, shooting out almost horizontally from the sides of the chasm,twisted themselves together in fantastic masses almost to the surfaceof the stream, affording us no passage except under the low archeswhich they formed. Under these we were obliged to crawl on our handsand feet, sliding along the oozy surface of the rocks, or slippinginto the deep pools, and with scarce light enough to guide us.Occasionally we would strike our heads against some projecting limbof a tree; and while imprudently engaged in rubbing the injured part,would fall sprawling amongst flinty fragments, cutting and bruisingourselves, whilst the unpitying waters flowed over our prostratebodies. Belzoni, worming himself through the subterranean passages ofthe Egyptian catacombs, could not have met with greater impedimentsthan those we here encountered. But we struggled against themmanfully, well knowing our only hope lay in advancing.

Towardssunset we halted at a spot where we made preparations for passing thenight. Here we constructed a hut, in much the same way as before, andcrawling into it, endeavoured to forget our sufferings. My companion,I believe, slept pretty soundly; but at daybreak, when we rolled outof our dwelling, I felt nearly disqualified for any further efforts.Toby prescribed as a remedy for my illness the contents of one of ourlittle silk packages, to be taken at once in a single dose. To thisspecies of medical treatment, however, I would by no means accede,much as he insisted upon it; and so we partook of our usual morsel,and silently resumed our journey. It was the fourth day since we leftNukuheva, and the gnawings of hunger became painfully acute. We werefain to pacify them by chewing the tender bark of roots and twigs,which, if they did not afford us nourishment, were at least sweet andpleasant to the taste.

Ourprogress along the steep watercourse was necessarily slow, and bynoon we had not advanced more than a mile. It was somewhere near thispart of the day that the noise of falling waters, which we hadfaintly caught in the early morning, became more distinct; and it wasnot long before we were arrested by a rocky precipice of nearly ahundred feet in depth, that extended all across the channel, and overwhich the wild stream poured in an unbroken leap. On either hand thewalls of the ravine presented their overhanging sides both above andbelow the fall, affording no means whatever of avoiding the cataractby taking a circuit round it.

“What’sto be done now, Toby?” said I.

“Why,”rejoined he, “as we cannot retreat, I suppose we must keep shovingalong.”

“Verytrue, my dear Toby; but how do you purpose accomplishing thatdesirable object?”

“Byjumping from the top of the fall, if there be no other way,”unhesitatingly replied my companion; “it will be much the quickestway of descent; but as you are not quite as active as I am, we willtry some other way.”

Andso saying, he crept cautiously along and peered over into the abyss,while I remained wondering by what possible means we could overcomethis apparently insuperable obstruction. As soon as my companion hadcompleted his survey, I eagerly inquired the result.

“Theresult of my observations you wish to know, do you?” began Toby,deliberately, with one of his odd looks: “well, my lad, the resultof my observation is very quickly imparted. It is at presentuncertain which of our two necks will have the honour to be brokenfirst; but about a hundred to one would be a fair bet in favour ofthe man who takes the first jump.”

“Thenit is an impossible thing, is it?” inquired I, gloomily.

“No,shipmate; on the contrary, it is the easiest thing in life: the onlyawkward point is the sort of usage which our unhappy limbs mayreceive when we arrive at the bottom, and what sort of travellingtrim we shall be in afterwards. But follow me now, and I will showyou the only chance we have.”

Withthis he conducted me to the verge of the cataract, and pointed alongthe side of the ravine to a number of curious-looking roots, somethree or four inches in thickness, and several feet long, which,after twisting among the fissures of the rock, shot perpendicularlyfrom it, and ran tapering to a point in the air, hanging over thegulf like so many dark icicles. They covered nearly the entiresurface of one side of the gorge, the lowest of them reaching even tothe water. Many were moss-grown and decayed, with their extremitiessnapped short off, and those in the immediate vicinity of the fallwere slippery with moisture.

Toby’sscheme, and it was a desperate one, was to entrust ourselves to thesetreacherous-looking roots, and by slipping down from one to anotherto gain the bottom.

“Areyou ready to venture it?” asked Toby, looking at me earnestly, butwithout saying a word as to the practicability of the plan.

“Iam,” was my reply; for I saw it was our only resource if we wishedto advance, and as for retreating, all thoughts of that sort had beenlong abandoned.

AfterI had signified my assent, Toby, without uttering a single word,crawled along the dripping ledge until he gained a point from whencehe could just reach one of the largest of the pendant roots; he shookit—it quivered in his grasp, and when he let it go, it twanged inthe air like a strong wire sharply struck. Satisfied by his scrutiny,my light-limbed companion swung himself nimbly upon it, and twistinghis legs round it in sailor fashion, slipped down eight or ten feet,where his weight gave it a motion not unlike that of a pendulum. Hecould not venture to descend any farther; so holding on with onehand, he with the other shook one by one all the slender roots aroundhim, and at last, finding one which he thought trustworthy, shiftedhimself to it and continued his downward progress.

Sofar so well; but I could not avoid comparing my heavier frame anddisabled condition with his light figure and remarkable activity: butthere was no help for it, and in less than a minute’s time I wasswinging directly over his head. As soon as his upturned eyes caughta glimpse of me, he exclaimed in his usual dry tone, for the dangerdid not seem to daunt him in the least, “Mate, do me the kindnessnot to fall until I get out of your way”; and then swinging himselfmore on one side, he continued his descent. In the meantime, Icautiously transferred myself from the limb down which I had beenslipping to a couple of others that were near it, deeming two stringsto my bow better than one, and taking care to test their strengthbefore I trusted my weight to them.

Onarriving towards the end of the second stage in this verticaljourney, and shaking the long roots which were round me, to myconsternation they snapped off one after another like so many pipestems, and fell in fragments against the side of the gulf, splashingat last into the waters beneath.

Asone after another the treacherous roots yielded to my grasp, and fellinto the torrent, my heart sunk within me. The branches on which Iwas suspended over the yawning chasm swang to and fro in the air, andI expected them every moment to snap in twain. Appalled at thedreadful fate that menaced me, I clutched frantically at the onlylarge root which remained near me; but in vain; I could not reach it,though my fingers were within a few inches of it. Again and again Itried to reach it, until at length, maddened with the thought of mysituation, I swayed myself violently by striking my foot against theside of the rock, and at the instant that I approached the large rootcaught desperately at it, and transferred myself to it. It vibratedviolently under the sudden weight, but fortunately did not give way.

Mybrain grew dizzy with the idea of the frightful risk I had just run,and I involuntarily closed my eyes to shut out the view of the depthbeneath me. For the instant I was safe, and I uttered a devoutejaculation of thanksgiving for my escape.

“Prettywell done,” shouted Toby underneath me; “you are nimbler than Ithought you to be—hopping about up there from root to root like anyyoung squirrel. As soon as you have diverted yourself sufficiently, Iwould advise you to proceed.”

“Ay,ay, Toby, all in good time: two or three more such famous roots asthis, and I shall be with you.”

Theresidue of my downward progress was comparatively easy; the rootswere in greater abundance, and in one or two places jutting outpoints of rock assisted me greatly. In a few moments I was standingby the side of my companion.

Substitutinga stout stick for the one I had thrown aside at the top of theprecipice, we now continued our course along the bed of the ravine.Soon we were saluted by a sound in advance, that grew by degreeslouder and louder, as the noise of the cataract we were leavingbehind gradually died on our ears.

“Anotherprecipice for us, Toby.”

“Verygood; we can descend them, you know—come on.”

Nothingindeed appeared to depress or intimidate this intrepid fellow. Typeeor Niagaras, he was as ready to engage one as the other, and I couldnot avoid a thousand times congratulating myself upon having such acompanion in an enterprise like the present.

Afteran hour’s painful progress, we reached the verge of another fall,still loftier than the preceding, and flanked both above and belowwith the same steep masses of rock, presenting, however, here andthere narrow irregular ledges, supporting a shallow soil, on whichgrew a variety of bushes and trees, whose bright verdure contrastedbeautifully with the foamy waters that flowed between them.

Toby,who invariably acted as pioneer, now proceeded to reconnoitre. On hisreturn, he reported that the shelves of rock on our right wouldenable us to gain with little risk the bottom of the cataract.Accordingly, leaving the bed of the stream at the very point where itthundered down, we began crawling along one of these sloping ledgesuntil it carried us to within a few feet of another that inclineddownward at a still sharper angle, and upon which, by assisting eachother, we managed to alight in safety. We warily crept along this,steadying ourselves by the naked roots of the shrubs that clung toevery fissure. As we proceeded, the narrow path became still morecontracted, rendering it difficult for us to maintain our footing,until suddenly, as we reached an angle of the wall of rock where wehad expected it to widen, we perceived to our consternation, that ayard or two farther on it abruptly terminated at a place we could notpossibly hope to pass.

Toby,as usual, led the van, and in silence I waited to learn from him howhe proposed to extricate us from this new difficulty.

“Well,my boy,” I exclaimed, after the expiration of several minutes,during which time my companion had not uttered a word: “what’s tobe done now?”

Hereplied in a tranquil tone that probably the best thing we could doin the present strait was to get out of it as soon as possible.

“Yes,my dear Toby, but tell me how weare to get out of it.”

“Somethingin this sort of style,” he replied; and at the same moment, to myhorror, he slipped sideways off the rock, and, as I then thought, bygood fortune merely, alighted among the spreading branches of aspecies of palm tree, that shooting its hardy roots along a ledgebelow, curved its trunk upwards into the air, and presented a thickmass of foliage about twenty feet below the spot where we had thussuddenly been brought to a stand-still. I voluntarily held my breath,expecting to see the form of my companion, after being sustained fora moment by the branches of the tree, sink through their frailsupport, and fall headlong to the bottom. To my surprise and joy,however, he recovered himself, and disentangling his limbs from thefractured branches, he peered out from his leafy bed, and shoutedlustily, “Come on, my hearty, there is no other alternative!” andwith this he ducked beneath the foliage, and slipping down the trunk,stood in a moment at least fifty feet beneath me, upon the broadshelf of rock from which sprung the tree he had descended.

Whatwould I not have given at that moment to have been by his side? Thefeat he had just accomplished seemed little less than miraculous, andI could hardly credit the evidence of my senses when I saw the widedistance that a single daring act had so suddenly placed between us.

Toby’sanimating “come on!” again sounded in my ears, and dreading tolose all confidence in myself if I remained meditating upon the step,I once more gazed down to assure myself of the relative bearing ofthe tree and my own position, and then closing my eyes and utteringone comprehensive ejaculation of prayer, I inclined myself overtowards the abyss, and after one breathless instant fell with a crashinto the tree, the branches snapping and crackling with my weight, asI sunk lower and lower among them until I was stopped by coming incontact with a sturdy limb.

Ina few moments I was standing at the foot of the tree, manipulatingmyself all over with a view of ascertaining the extent of theinjuries I had received. To my surprise the only effects of my featwere a few slight contusions too trifling to care about. The rest ofour descent was easily accomplished, and in half an hour afterregaining the ravine, we had partaken of our evening morsel, builtour hut as usual, and crawled under its shelter.

Thenext morning, in spite of our debility and the agony of hunger underwhich we were now suffering, though neither of us confessed to thefact, we struggled along our dismal and still difficult and dangerouspath, cheered by the hope of soon catching a glimpse of the valleybefore us, and towards evening the voice of a cataract which had forsome time sounded like a low deep bass to the music of the smallerwaterfalls, broke upon our ears in still louder tones, and assured usthat we were approaching its vicinity.

Thatevening we stood on the brink of a precipice, over which the darkstream bounded in one final leap of full 300 feet. The sheer descentterminated in the region we so long had sought. On either side of thefall, two lofty and perpendicular bluffs buttressed the sides of theenormous cliff, and projected into the sea of verdure with which thevalley waved, and a range of similar projecting eminences stooddisposed in a half circle about the head of the vale. A thick canopyof trees hung over the very verge of the fall, leaving an archedaperture for the passage of the waters, which imparted a strangepicturesqueness to the scene.

Thevalley was now before us; but instead of being conducted into itssmiling bosom by the gradual descent of the deep watercourse we hadthus far pursued, all our labours now appeared to have been renderedfutile by its abrupt termination. But, bitterly disappointed, we didnot entirely despair.

Asit was now near sunset we determined to pass the night where we wereand on the morrow, refreshed by sleep, and by eating at one meal allour stock of food, to accomplish a descent into the valley, or perishin the attempt.

Welaid ourselves down that night on a spot, the recollection of whichstill makes me shudder. A small table of rock which projected overthe precipice on one side of the stream, and was drenched by thespray of the fall, sustained a huge trunk of a tree which must havebeen deposited there by some heavy freshet. It lay obliquely, withone end resting on the rock and the other supported by the side ofthe ravine. Against it we placed in a sloping direction a number ofthe half-decayed boughs that were strewn about, and covering thewhole with twigs and leaves, awaited the morning’s light beneathsuch shelter as it afforded.

Duringthe whole of this night the continual roaring of the cataract—thedismal moaning of the gale through the trees—the pattering of therain, and the profound darkness, affected my spirits to a degreewhich nothing had ever before produced. Wet, half-famished, andchilled to the heart with the dampness of the place, and nearly wildwith the pain I endured, I fairly cowered down to the earth underthis multiplication of hardships, and abandoned myself to frightfulanticipations of evil; and my companion, whose spirit at last was agood deal broken, scarcely uttered a word during the whole night.

Atlength the day dawned upon us, and rising from our miserable pallet,we stretched our stiffened joints, and after eating all that remainedof our bread, prepared for the last stage of our journey.

Iwill not recount every hairbreadth escape, and every fearfuldifficulty that occurred before we succeeded in reaching the bosom ofthe valley. As I have already described similar scenes, it will besufficient to say that at length, after great toil and great dangers,we both stood with no limbs broken at the head of that magnificentvale which five days before had so suddenly burst upon my sight, andalmost beneath the shadow of those very cliffs from whose summits wehad gazed upon the prospect.

Thehead of the valley—Cautious advance—A path—Fruit—Discovery oftwo of the natives—Their singular conduct—Approach towards theinhabited parts of the vale—Sensation produced by ourappearance—Reception at the house of one of the natives.

Howto obtain the fruit which we felt convinced must grow near at handwas our first thought.

Typeeor Happar? A frightful death at the hands of the fiercest ofcannibals, or a kindly reception from a gentler race of savages?Which? But it was too late now to discuss a question which would sosoon be answered.

Thepart of the valley in which we found ourselves appeared to bealtogether uninhabited. An almost impenetrable thicket extended fromside to side, without presenting a single plant affording thenourishment we had confidently calculated upon; and with this object,we followed the course of the stream, casting quick glances as weproceeded into the thick jungles on either hand.

Mycompanion—to whose solicitations I had yielded in descending intothe valley—now that the step was taken, began to manifest a degreeof caution I had little expected from him. He proposed that in theevent of our finding an adequate supply of fruit, we should remain inthis unfrequented portion of the valley—where we should run littlechance of being surprised by its occupants, whoever they mightbe—until sufficiently recruited to resume our journey; when layingin a store of food equal to our wants, we might easily regain the bayof Nukuheva, after the lapse of a sufficient interval to ensure thedeparture of our vessel.

Iobjected strongly to this proposition, plausible as it was, as thedifficulties of the route would almost be insurmountable,unacquainted as we were with the general bearings of the country, andI reminded my companion of the hardships which we had alreadyencountered in our uncertain wanderings; in a word, I said that sincewe had deemed it advisable to enter the valley, we ought manfully toface the consequences, whatever they might be; the more especially asI was convinced there was no alternative left us but to fall in withthe natives at once, and boldly risk the reception they might giveus: and that as to myself, I felt the necessity of rest and shelter,and that until I had obtained them, I should be wholly unable toencounter such sufferings as we had lately passed through. To thejustice of these observations Toby somewhat reluctantly assented.

Wewere surprised that, after moving as far as we had along the valley,we would still meet with the same impervious thickets; and thinkingthat although the borders of the stream might be lined for somedistance with them, yet beyond there might be more open ground, Irequested Toby to keep a bright look-out upon one side, while I didthe same on the other, in order to discover some opening in thebushes, and especially to watch for the slightest appearance of apath or anything else that might indicate the vicinity of theislanders.

Whatfurtive and anxious glances we cast into those dim-looking shades!With what apprehensions we proceeded, ignorant at what moment wemight be greeted by the javelin of some ambushed savage! At last mycompanion paused, and directed my attention to a narrow opening inthe foliage. We struck into it, and it soon brought us by anindistinctly traced path to a comparatively clear space, at thefarther end of which we descried a number of the trees, the nativename of which is “annuee,” and which bear a most delicious fruit.

Whata race! I hobbling over the ground like some decrepid wretch, andToby leaping forward like a greyhound. He quickly cleared one of thetrees on which there were two or three of the fruit, but to ourchagrin they proved to be much decayed; the rinds partly opened bythe birds, and their hearts half devoured. However, we quicklydespatched them, and no ambrosia could have been more delicious.

Welooked about us uncertain whither to direct our steps, since the pathwe had so far followed appeared to be lost in the open space aroundus. At last we resolved to enter a grove near at hand, and hadadvanced a few rods, when, just upon its skirts, I picked up aslender bread-fruit shoot perfectly green, and with the tender barkfreshly stript from it. It was slippery with moisture, and appearedas if it had been but that moment thrown aside. I said nothing, butmerely held it up to Toby, who started at this undeniable evidence ofthe vicinity of the savages.

Theplot was now thickening.—A short distance farther lay a littlefaggot of the same shoots bound together with a strip of bark. Couldit have been thrown down by some solitary native, who, alarmed atseeing us, had hurried forward to carry the tidings of our approachto his countrymen?—Typee or Happar?—But it was too late torecede, so we moved on slowly, my companion in advance casting eagerglances under the trees on either side, until all at once I saw himrecoil as if stung by an adder. Sinking on his knee, he waved me offwith one hand, while with the other he held aside some interveningleaves, and gazed intently at some object.

Disregardinghis injunction, I quickly approached him and caught a glimpse of twofigures partly hidden by the dense foliage; they were standing closetogether, and were perfectly motionless. They must have previouslyperceived us, and withdrawn into the depths of the wood to elude ourobservation.

Mymind was at once made up. Dropping my staff, and tearing open thepackage of things we had brought from the ship, I unrolled the cottoncloth, and holding it in one hand, plucked with the other a twig fromthe bushes beside me, and telling Toby to follow my example, I brokethrough the covert and advanced, waving the branch in token of peacetowards the shrinking forms before me.

Theywere a boy and a girl, slender and graceful, and completely naked,with the exception of a slight girdle of bark, from which depended atopposite points two of the russet leaves of the bread-fruit tree. Anarm of the boy, half screened from sight by her wild tresses, wasthrown about the neck of the girl, while with the other he held oneof her hands in his; and thus they stood together, their headsinclined forward, catching the faint noise we made in our progress,and with one foot in advance, as if half inclined to fly from ourpresence.

Aswe drew near, their alarm evidently increased. Apprehensive that theymight fly from us altogether, I stopped short and motioned them toadvance and receive the gift I extended towards them, but they wouldnot; I then uttered a few words of their language with which I wasacquainted, scarcely expecting that they would understand me, but toshow that we had not dropped from the clouds upon them. This appearedto give them a little confidence, so I approached nearer, presentingthe cloth with one hand, and holding the bough with the other, whilethey slowly retreated. At last they suffered us to approach so nearto them that we were enabled to throw the cotton cloth across theirshoulders, giving them to understand that it was theirs, and by avariety of gestures endeavouring to make them understand that weentertained the highest possible regard for them.

Thefrightened pair now stood still, whilst we endeavoured to make themcomprehend the nature of our wants. In doing this Toby went throughwith a complete series of pantomimic illustrations—opening hismouth from ear to ear, and thrusting his fingers down his throat,gnashing his teeth and rolling his eyes about, till I verily believethe poor creatures took us for a couple of white cannibals who wereabout to make a meal of them. When, however, they understood us, theyshowed no inclination to relieve our wants. At this juncture it beganto rain violently, and we motioned them to lead us to some place ofshelter. With this request they appeared willing to comply, butnothing could evince more strongly the apprehension with which theyregarded us, than the way in which, whilst walking before us, theykept their eyes constantly turned back to watch every movement wemade, and even our very looks.

“Typeeor Happar, Toby?” asked I, as we walked after them.

“Ofcourse, Happar,” he replied, with a show of confidence which wasintended to disguise his doubts.

“Weshall soon know,” I exclaimed; and at the same moment I steppedforward towards our guides, and pronouncing the two namesinterrogatively, and pointing to the lowest part of the valley,endeavoured to come to the point at once. They repeated the wordsafter me again and again, but without giving any peculiar emphasis toeither, so that I was completely at a loss to understand them; for acouple of wilier young things than we afterwards found them to havebeen on this particular occasion never probably fell in anytraveller’s way.

Moreand more curious to ascertain our fate, I now threw together in theform of a question the words “Happar” and “Mortarkee,” thelatter being equivalent to the word “good.” The two nativesinterchanged glances of peculiar meaning with one another at this,and manifested no little surprise; but on the repetition of thequestion, after some consultation together, to the great joy of Toby,they answered in the affirmative. Toby was now in ecstasies,especially as the young savages continued to reiterate their answerwith great energy, as though desirous of impressing us with the ideathat being among the Happars, we ought to consider ourselvesperfectly secure.

AlthoughI had some lingering doubts, I feigned great delight with Toby atthis announcement, while my companion broke out into a pantomimicabhorrence of Typee, and immeasurable love for the particular valleyin which we were; our guides all the while gazing uneasily at oneanother, as if at a loss to account for our conduct.

Theyhurried on, and we followed them; until suddenly they set up astrange halloo, which was answered from beyond the grove throughwhich we were passing, and the next moment we entered upon some openground, at the extremity of which we descried a long, low hut, and infront of it were several young girls. As soon as they perceived usthey fled with wild screams into the adjoining thickets, like so manystartled fawns. A few moments after the whole valley resounded withsavage outcries, and the natives came running towards us from everydirection.

Hadan army of invaders made an irruption into their territory, theycould not have evinced greater excitement. We were soon completelyencircled by a dense throng, and in their eager desire to behold us,they almost arrested our progress; an equal number surrounding ouryouthful guides, who, with amazing volubility, appeared to bedetailing the circumstances which had attended their meeting with us.Every item of intelligence appeared to redouble the astonishment ofthe islanders, and they gazed at us with inquiring looks.

Atlast we reached a large and handsome building of bamboos, and were bysigns told to enter it, the natives opening a lane for us throughwhich to pass; on entering, without ceremony we threw our exhaustedframes upon the mats that covered the floor. In a moment the slighttenement was completely full of people, whilst those who were unableto gain admittance gazed at us through its open cane-work.

Itwas now evening, and by the dim light we could just discern thesavage countenances around us, gleaming with wild curiosity andwonder; the naked forms and tattooed limbs of brawny warriors, withhere and there the slighter figures of young girls, all engaged in aperfect storm of conversation, of which we were of course the oneonly theme; whilst our recent guides were fully occupied in answeringthe innumerable questions which every one put to them. Nothing canexceed the fierce gesticulation of these people when animated inconversation, and on this occasion they gave loose to all theirnatural vivacity, shouting and dancing about in a manner thatwell-nigh intimidated us.

Closeto where we lay, squatting upon their haunches, were some eight orten noble-looking chiefs—for such they subsequently proved tobe—who, more reserved than the rest, regarded us with a fixed andstern attention, which not a little discomposed our equanimity. Oneof them in particular, who appeared to be the highest in rank, placedhimself directly facing me, looking at me with a rigidity of aspectunder which I absolutely quailed. He never once opened his lips, butmaintained his severe expression of countenance, without turning hisface aside for a single moment. Never before had I been subjected toso strange and steady a glance; it revealed nothing of the mind ofthe savage, but it appeared to be reading my own.

Afterundergoing this scrutiny till I grew absolutely nervous, with a viewof diverting it if possible, and conciliating the good opinion of thewarrior, I took some tobacco from the bosom of my frock, and offeredit to him. He quietly rejected the proffered gift, and, withoutspeaking, motioned me to return it to its place.

Inmy previous intercourse with the natives of Nukuheva and Tior, I hadfound that the present of a small piece of tobacco would haverendered any of them devoted to my service. Was this act of the chiefa token of his enmity? Typee or Happar? I asked within myself. Istarted, for at the same moment this identical question was asked bythe strange being before me. I turned to Toby; the flickering lightof a native taper showed me his countenance pale with trepidation atthis fatal question. I paused for a second, and I know not by whatimpulse it was that I answered, “Typee.” The piece of duskystatuary nodded in approval, and then murmured, “Mortarkee?”“Mortarkee,” said I, without further hesitation—“Typeemortarkee.”

Whata transition! The dark figures around us leaped to their feet,clapped their hands in transport, and shouted again and again thetalismanic syllables, the utterance of which appeared to have settledeverything.

Whenthis commotion had a little subsided, the principal chief squattedonce more before me, and throwing himself into a sudden rage, pouredforth a string of philippics, which I was at no loss to understand,from the frequent recurrence of the word Happar, as being directedagainst the natives of the adjoining valley. In all thesedenunciations my companion and I acquiesced, while we extolled thecharacter of the warlike Typees. To be sure our panegyrics weresomewhat laconic, consisting in the repetition of that name, unitedwith the potent adjective, “Mortarkee.” But this was sufficient,and served to conciliate the good-will of the natives, with whom ourcongeniality of sentiment on this point did more towards inspiring afriendly feeling than anything else that could have happened.

Atlast the wrath of the chief evaporated, and in a few moments he wasas placid as ever. Laying his hand upon his breast, he gave me tounderstand that his name was “Mehevi,” and that, in return, hewished me to communicate my appellation. I hesitated for an instant,thinking that it might be difficult for him to pronounce my realname, and then, with the most praiseworthy intentions, intimated thatI was known as “Tom.” But I could not have made a worseselection; the chief could not master it: “Tommo,” “Tomma,”“Tommee,” everything but plain “Tom.” As he persisted ingarnishing the word with an additional syllable, I compromised thematter with him at the word “Tommo”; and by that name I wentduring the entire period of my stay in the valley. The sameproceeding was gone through with Toby, whose mellifluous appellationwas more easily caught.

Anexchange of names is equivalent to a ratification of good-will andamity among these simple people; and as we were aware of this fact,we were delighted that it had taken place on the present occasion.

Recliningupon our mats, we now held a kind of levee, giving audience tosuccessive troops of the natives, who introduced themselves to us bypronouncing their respective names, and retired in high good humouron receiving ours in return. During the ceremony the greatestmerriment prevailed, nearly every announcement on the part of theislanders being followed by a fresh sally of gaiety, which induced meto believe that some of them at least were innocently diverting thecompany at our expense, by bestowing upon themselves a string ofabsurd titles, of the honour of which we were, of course, entirelyignorant.

Allthis occupied about an hour, when the throng having a littlediminished, I turned to Mehevi, and gave him to understand that wewere in need of food and sleep. Immediately the attentive chiefaddressed a few words to one of the crowd, who disappeared, andreturned in a few moments with a calabash of “poee-poee,” and twoor three young cocoa-nuts stripped of their husks, and with theirshells partly broken. We both of us forthwith placed one of thosenatural goblets to our lips, and drained it in a moment of therefreshing draught it contained. The poee-poee was then placed beforeus, and even famished as I was, I paused to consider in what mannerto convey it to my mouth.

Thisstaple article of food among the Marquese islanders is manufacturedfrom the produce of the bread-fruit tree. It somewhat resembles inits plastic nature our bookbinders’ paste, is of a yellow colour,and somewhat tart to the taste.

Suchwas the dish, the merits of which I was now eager to discuss. I eyedit wistfully for a moment, and then, unable any longer to stand onceremony, plunged my hand into the yielding mass, and to theboisterous mirth of the natives drew it forth laden with thepoee-poee, which adhered in lengthening strings to every finger. Sostubborn was its consistency, that in conveying my heavily-freightedhand to my mouth, the connecting links almost raised the calabashfrom the mats on which it had been placed. This display ofawkwardness—in which, by the bye, Toby kept me company—convulsedthe bystanders with uncontrollable laughter.

Assoon as their merriment had somewhat subsided, Mehevi, motioning usto be attentive, dipped the fore-finger of his right hand in thedish, and giving it a rapid and scientific twirl, drew it out coatedsmoothly with the preparation. With a second peculiar flourish heprevented the poee-poee from dropping to the ground as he raised itto his mouth, into which the finger was inserted, and was drawn forthperfectly free of any adhesive matter. This performance was evidentlyintended for our instruction; so I again essayed the feat on theprinciples inculcated, but with very ill success.

Astarving man, however, little heeds conventional proprieties,especially on a South Sea island, and accordingly Toby and I partookof the dish after our own clumsy fashion, beplastering our faces allover with the glutinous compound, and daubing our hands nearly to thewrist. This kind of food is by no means disagreeable to the palate ofa European, though at first the mode of eating it may be. For my ownpart, after the lapse of a few days I became accustomed to itssingular flavour, and grew remarkably fond of it.

Somuch for the first course; several other dishes followed it, some ofwhich were positively delicious. We concluded our banquet by tossingoff the contents of two more young cocoa-nuts, after which we regaledourselves with the soothing fumes of tobacco, inhaled from a quaintlycarved pipe which passed round the circle.

Duringthe repast, the natives eyed us with intense curiosity, observing ourminutest motions, and appearing to discover abundant matter forcomment in the most trifling occurrence. Their surprise mounted thehighest, when we began to remove our uncomfortable garments, whichwere saturated with rain. They scanned the whiteness of our limbs,and seemed utterly unable to account for the contrast they presentedto the swarthy hue of our faces, embrowned from a six months’exposure to the scorching sun of the Line. They felt our skin, muchin the same way that a silk mercer would handle a remarkably finepiece of satin; and some of them went so far in their investigationas to apply the olfactory organ.

Theirsingular behaviour almost led me to imagine that they never beforehad beheld a white man; but a few moments’ reflection convinced methat this could not have been the case; and a more satisfactoryreason for their conduct has since suggested itself to my mind.

Deterredby the frightful stories related of its inhabitants, ships neverenter this bay, while their hostile relations with the tribes in theadjoining valleys prevent the Typees from visiting that section ofthe island where vessels occasionally lie. At long intervals,however, some intrepid captain will touch on the skirts of the bay,with two or three armed boats’ crews, and accompanied by aninterpreter. The natives who live near the sea descry the strangerslong before they reach their waters, and aware of the purpose forwhich they come, proclaim loudly the news of their approach. By aspecies of vocal telegraph the intelligence reaches the inmostrecesses of the vale in an inconceivably short space of time, drawingnearly its whole population down to the beach laden with everyvariety of fruit. The interpreter, who is invariably a “tabooedKannaka,”[1] leapsashore with the goods intended for barter, while the boats, withtheir oars shipped, and every man on his thwart, lie just outside thesurf, heading off from the shore, in readiness at the first untowardevent to escape to the open sea. As soon as the traffic is concluded,one of the boats pulls in under cover of the muskets of the others,the fruit is quickly thrown into her, and the transient visitorsprecipitately retire from what they justly consider so dangerous avicinity.

Theintercourse occurring with Europeans being so restricted, no wonderthat the inhabitants of the valley manifested so much curiosity withregard to us, appearing as we did among them under such singularcircumstances. I have no doubt that we were the first white men whoever penetrated thus far back into their territories, or at least thefirst who had ever descended from the head of the vale. What hadbrought us thither must have appeared a complete mystery to them, andfrom our ignorance of the language it was impossible for us toenlighten them. In answer to inquiries which the eloquence of theirgestures enabled us to comprehend, all that we could reply was, thatwe had come from Nukuheva, a place, be it remembered, with which theywere at open war. This intelligence appeared to affect them with themost lively emotions. “Nukuheva mortarkee?” they asked. Of coursewe replied most energetically in the negative.

Theythen plied us with a thousand questions, of which we could understandnothing more than that they had reference to the recent movements ofthe French, against whom they seemed to cherish the most fiercehatred. So eager were they to obtain information on this point, thatthey still continued to propound their queries long after we hadshown that we were utterly unable to answer them. Occasionally wecaught some indistinct idea of their meaning, when we would endeavourby every method in our power to communicate the desired intelligence.At such times their gratification was boundless, and they wouldredouble their efforts to make us comprehend them more perfectly. Butall in vain; and in the end they looked at us despairingly, as if wewere the receptacles of invaluable information, but how to come at itthey knew not.

Afterawhile the group around us gradually dispersed, and we were leftabout midnight (as we conjectured) with those who appeared to bepermanent residents of the house. These individuals now provided uswith fresh mats to lie upon, covered us with several folds of tappa,and then extinguishing the tapers that had been burning, threwthemselves down beside us, and after a little desultory conversationwere soon sound asleep.

Midnightreflections—Morning visitors—A warrior in costume—A savageÆsculapius—Practice of the healing art—Body-servant—Adwelling-house of the valley described—Portraits of its inmates.

Variousand conflicting were the thoughts which oppressed me during thesilent hours that followed the events related in the precedingchapter. Toby, wearied with the fatigues of the day, slumberedheavily by my side; but the pain under which I was sufferingeffectually prevented my sleeping, and I remained distressingly aliveto all the fearful circumstances of our present situation. Was itpossible that, after all our vicissitudes, we were really in theterrible valley of Typee, and at the mercy of its inmates, a fierceand unrelenting tribe of savages?

Typeeor Happar? I shuddered when I reflected that there was no longer anyroom for doubt; and that, beyond all hope of escape, we were nowplaced in those very circumstances from the bare thought of which Ihad recoiled with such abhorrence but a few days before. What mightnot be our fearful destiny? To be sure, as yet, we had been treatedwith no violence; nay, had been even kindly and hospitablyentertained. But what dependence could be placed upon the ficklepassions which sway the bosom of a savage? His inconstancy andtreachery are proverbial. Might if not be that, beneath these fairappearances, the islanders covered some perfidious design, and thattheir friendly reception of us might only precede some horriblecatastrophe? How strongly did these forebodings spring up in my mind,as I lay restlessly upon a couch of mats, surrounded by thedimly-revealed forms of those whom I so greatly dreaded.

Fromthe excitement of these fearful thoughts, I sank, towards morning,into an uneasy slumber; and on awaking, with a start, in the midst ofan appalling dream, looked up into the eager countenances of a numberof the natives, who were bending over me.

Itwas broad day; and the house was nearly filled with young females,fancifully decorated with flowers, who gazed upon me as I rose withfaces in which childish delight and curiosity were vividly portrayed.After waking Toby, they seated themselves round us on the mats, andgave full play to that prying inquisitiveness which, time out ofmind, has been attributed to the adorable sex.

Asthese unsophisticated young creatures were attended by no jealousduennas, their proceedings were altogether informal, and void ofartificial restraint. Long and minute was the investigation withwhich they honoured us, and so uproarious their mirth, that I feltinfinitely sheepish; and Toby was immeasurably outraged at theirfamiliarity.

Theselively young ladies were at the same time wonderfully polite andhumane; fanning aside the insects that occasionally lighted on ourbrows; presenting us with food; and compassionately regarding me inthe midst of my afflictions. But in spite of all their blandishments,my feelings of propriety were exceedingly shocked, for I could notbut consider them as having overstepped the due limits of femaledecorum.

Havingdiverted themselves to their hearts’ content, our young visitantsnow withdrew, and gave place to successive troops of the other sex,who continued flocking towards the house until near noon; by whichtime I have no doubt that the greater part of the inhabitants of thevalley had bathed themselves in the light of our benignantcountenances.

Aslast, when their numbers began to diminish, a superb-looking warriorstooped the towering plumes of his head-dress beneath the low portal,and entered the house. I saw at once that he was some distinguishedpersonage, the natives regarding him with the utmost deference, andmaking room for him as he approached. His aspect was imposing. Thesplendid long drooping tail-feathers of the tropical bird, thicklyinterspersed with the gaudy plumage of the cock, were disposed in animmense upright semicircle upon his head, their lower extremitiesbeing fixed in a crescent of guinea-beads which spanned the forehead.Around his neck were several enormous necklaces of boar’s tusks,polished like ivory, and disposed in such a manner as that thelongest and largest were upon his capacious chest. Thrust forwardthrough the large apertures in his ears were two small and finelyshaped sperm-whale teeth, presenting their cavities in front, stuffedwith freshly-plucked leaves, and curiously wrought at the other endinto strange little images and devices. These barbaric trinkets,garnished in this manner at their open extremities, and tapering andcurving round to a point behind the ear, resembled not a little apair of cornucopias.

Theloins of the warrior were girt about with heavy folds of adark-coloured tappa, hanging before and behind in clusters of braidedtassels, while anklets and bracelets of curling human hair completedhis unique costume. In his right hand he grasped a beautifully-carvedpaddle-spear, nearly fifteen feet in length, made of the brightkoar-wood, one end sharply pointed, and the other flattened like anoar-blade. Hanging obliquely from his girdle by a loop of sinnate,was a richly-decorated pipe; the slender reed forming its stem wascoloured with a red pigment, and round it, as well as the idol-bowl,fluttered little streamers of the thinnest tappa.

Butthat which was most remarkable in the appearance of this splendidislander, was the elaborate tattooing displayed on every noble limb.All imaginable lines and curves and figures were delineated over hiswhole body, and in their grotesque variety and infinite profusion, Icould only compare them to the crowded groupings of quaint patternswe sometimes see in costly pieces of lacework. The most simple andremarkable of all these ornaments was that which decorated thecountenance of the chief. Two broad stripes of tattooing, divergingfrom the centre of his shaven crown, obliquely crossed botheyes—staining the lids—to a little below either ear, where theyunited with another stripe, which swept in a straight line along thelips, and formed the base of the triangle. The warrior, from theexcellence of his physical proportions, might certainly have beenregarded as one of nature’s noblemen, and the lines drawn upon hisface may possibly have denoted his exalted rank.

Thiswarlike personage, upon entering the house, seated himself at somedistance from the spot where Toby and myself reposed, while the restof the savages looked alternately from us to him, as if inexpectation of something they were disappointed in not perceiving.Regarding the chief attentively, I thought his lineaments appearedfamiliar to me. As soon as his full face was turned upon me, and Iagain beheld its extraordinary embellishment, and met the strangegaze to which I had been subjected the preceding night, Iimmediately, in spite of the alteration in his appearance, recognisedthe noble Mehevi. On addressing him, he advanced at once in the mostcordial manner, and greeting me warmly, seemed to enjoy not a littlethe effect his barbaric costume had produced upon me.

Iforthwith determined to secure, if possible, the goodwill of thisindividual, as I easily perceived he was a man of great authority inhis tribe, and one who might exert a powerful influence upon oursubsequent fate. In the endeavour I was not repulsed; for nothingcould surpass the friendliness he manifested towards both mycompanion and myself. He extended his sturdy limbs by our side, andendeavoured to make us comprehend the full extent of the kindlyfeelings by which he was actuated. The almost insuperable difficultyin communicating to one another our ideas, affected the chief with nolittle mortification. He evinced a great desire to be enlightenedwith regard to the customs and peculiarities of the far-off countrywe had left behind us, and to which, under the name of Maneeka, hefrequently alluded.

Butthat which more than any other subject engaged his attention, was thelate proceedings of the “Franee,” as he called the French, in theneighbouring bay of Nukuheva. This seemed a never-ending theme withhim, and one concerning which he was never weary of interrogating us.All the information we succeeded in imparting to him on this subjectwas little more than that we had seen six men-of-war lying in thehostile bay at the time we had left it. When he received thisintelligence, Mehevi, by the aid of his fingers, went through a longnumerical calculation, as if estimating the number of Frenchmen thesquadron might contain.

Itwas just after employing his faculties in this way that he happenedto notice the swelling in my limb. He immediately examined it withthe utmost attention, and after doing so, despatched a boy, whohappened to be standing by, with some message.

Afterthe lapse of a few moments the stripling re-entered the house with anaged islander, who might have been taken for old Hippocrates himself.His head was as bald as the polished surface of a cocoa-nut shell,which article it precisely resembled in smoothness and colour, whilea long silvery beard swept almost to his girdle of bark. Encirclinghis temples was a bandeau of the twisted leaves of the Omoo tree,pressed closely over the brows to shield his feeble vision from theglare of the sun. His tottering steps were supported by a long slimstaff, resembling the wand with which a theatrical magician appearson the stage, and in one hand he carried a freshly-plaited fan of thegreen leaflets of the cocoa-nut tree. A flowing robe of tappa,knotted over the shoulder, hung loosely round his stooping form, andheightened the venerableness of his aspect.

Mehevi,saluting this old gentleman, motioned him to a seat between us, andthen uncovering my limb, desired him to examine it. The leech gazedintently from me to Toby, and then proceeded to business. Afterdiligently observing the ailing member, he commenced manipulating it;and on the supposition probably that the complaint had deprived theleg of all sensation, began to pinch and hammer it in such a mannerthat I absolutely roared with the pain. Thinking that I was ascapable of making an application of thumps and pinches to the part asany one else, I endeavoured to resist this species of medicaltreatment. But it was not so easy a matter to get out of the clutchesof the old wizard; he fastened on the unfortunate limb as if it weresomething for which he had been long seeking, and muttering some kindof incantation continued his discipline, pounding it after a fashionthat set me well-nigh crazy; while Mehevi, upon the same principlewhich prompts an affectionate mother to hold a struggling child in adentist’s chair, restrained me in his powerful grasp, and actuallyencouraged the wretch in this infliction of torture.

Almostfrantic with rage and pain, I yelled like a bedlamite; while Toby,throwing himself into all the attitudes of a posture-master, vainlyendeavoured to expostulate with the natives by signs and gestures. Tohave looked at my companion, as, sympathizing with my sufferings, hestrove to put an end to them, one would have thought that he was thedeaf and dumb alphabet incarnated. Whether my tormentor yielded toToby’s entreaties, or paused from sheer exhaustion, I do not know;but all at once he ceased his operations, and at the same time thechief relinquishing his hold upon me, I fell back, faint andbreathless with the agony I had endured.

Myunfortunate limb was now left much in the same condition as arump-steak after undergoing the castigating process which precedescooking. My physician, having recovered from the fatigues of hisexertions, as if anxious to make amends for the pain to which he hadsubjected me, now took some herbs out of a little wallet that wassuspended from his waist, and moistening them in water, applied themto the inflamed part, stooping over it at the same time, and eitherwhispering a spell, or having a little confidential chat with someimaginary demon located in the calf of my leg. My limb was nowswathed in leafy bandages, and grateful to Providence for thecessation of hostilities, I was suffered to rest.

Mehevishortly after rose to depart; but before he went he spokeauthoritatively to one of the natives, whom he addressed asKory-Kory; and from the little I could understand of what took place,pointed him out to me as a man whose peculiar business henceforthwould be to attend upon my person. I am not certain that Icomprehended as much as this at the time, but the subsequent conductof my trusty body-servant fully assured me that such must have beenthe case.

Icould not but be amused at the manner in which the chief addressed meupon this occasion, talking to me for at least fifteen or twentyminutes as calmly as if I could understand every word that he said. Iremarked this peculiarity very often afterwards in many other of theislanders.

Mehevihaving now departed, and the family physician having likewise madehis exit, we were left about sunset with the ten or twelve natives,who by this time I had ascertained composed the household of whichToby and I were members. As the dwelling to which we had been firstintroduced was the place of my permanent abode while I remained inthe valley, and as I was necessarily placed upon the most intimatefooting with its occupants, I may as well here enter into a littledescription of it and its inhabitants. This description will applyalso to nearly all the other dwelling-places in the vale, and willfurnish some idea of the generality of the natives.

Nearone side of the valley, and about midway up the ascent of a ratherabrupt rise of ground waving with the richest verdure, a number oflarge stones were laid in successive courses, to the height of nearlyeight feet, and disposed in such a manner that their level surfacecorresponded in shape with the habitation which was perched upon it.A narrow space, however, was reserved in front of the dwelling, uponthe summit of this pile of stones (called by the natives a “pi-pi”),which, being enclosed by a little picket of canes, gave it somewhatthe appearance of a verandah. The frame of the house was constructedof large bamboos planted uprightly, and secured together at intervalsby transverse stalks of the light wood of the Habiscus, lashed withthongs of bark. The rear of the tenement—built up with successiveranges of cocoa-nut boughs bound one upon another, with theirleaflets cunningly woven together—inclined a little from thevertical, and extended from the extreme edge of the “pi-pi” toabout twenty feet from its surface; whence the shelving roof—thatchedwith the long tapering leaves of the palmetto—sloped steeply off towithin about five feet of the floor; leaving the eaves drooping withtassel-like appendages over the front of the habitation. This wasconstructed of light and elegant canes, in a kind of openscreen-work, tastefully adorned with bindings of variegated sinnate,which served to hold together its various parts. The sides of thehouse were similarly built; thus presenting three-quarters for thecirculation of the air, while the whole was impervious to the rain.

Inlength this picturesque building was perhaps twelve yards, while inbreadth it could not have exceeded as many feet. So much for theexterior; which, with its wire-like reed-twisted sides, not a littlereminded me of an immense aviary.

Stoopinga little, you passed through a narrow aperture in its front; andfacing you, on entering, lay two long, perfectly straight, andwell-polished trunks of the cocoa-nut tree, extending the full lengthof the dwelling; one of them placed closely against the rear, and theother lying parallel with it some two yards distant, the intervalbetween them being spread with a multitude of gaily-worked mats,nearly all of a different pattern. This space formed the common couchand lounging-place of the natives, answering the purpose of a divanin Oriental countries. Here would they slumber through the hours ofthe night, and recline luxuriously during the greater part of theday. The remainder of the floor presented only the cool shiningsurfaces of the large stones of which the “pi-pi” was composed.

Fromthe ridge-pole of the house hung suspended a number of large packagesenveloped in coarse tappa; some of which contained festival dresses,and various other matters of the wardrobe, held in high estimation.These were easily accessible by means of a line, which, passing overthe ridge-pole, had one end attached to a bundle, while with theother, which led to the side of the dwelling and was there secured,the package could be lowered or elevated at pleasure.

Againstthe farther wall of the house were arranged in tasteful figures avariety of spears and javelins, and other implements of savagewarfare. Outside of the habitation, and built upon the piazza-likearea in its front, was a little shed used as a sort of larder orpantry, and in which were stored various articles of domestic use andconvenience. A few yards from the pi-pi was a large shed built ofcocoa-nut boughs, where the process of preparing the “poee-poee”was carried on, and all culinary operations attended to.

Thusmuch for the house, and its appurtenances; and it will be readilyacknowledged that a more commodious and appropriate dwelling for theclimate and the people could not possibly be devised. It was cool,free to admit the air, scrupulously clean, and elevated above thedampness and impurities of the ground.

Butnow to sketch the inmates; and here I claim for my tried servitor andfaithful valet Kory-Kory the precedence of a first description. Ashis character will be gradually unfolded in the course of mynarrative, I shall for the present content myself with delineatinghis personal appearance. Kory-Kory, though the most devoted andbest-natured serving-man in the world, was, alas! a hideous object tolook upon. He was some twenty-five years of age, and about six feetin height, robust and well made, and of the most extraordinaryaspect. His head was carefully shaven with the exception of twocircular spots, about the size of a dollar, near the top of thecranium, where the hair, permitted to grow of an amazing length, wastwisted up in two prominent knots, that gave him the appearance ofbeing decorated with a pair of horns. His beard, plucked out by theroot from every other part of his face, was suffered to droop inhairy pendants, two of which garnished his upper lip, and an equalnumber hung from the extremity of his chin.

Kory-Kory,with the view of improving the handiwork of nature, and perhapsprompted by a desire to add to the engaging expression of hiscountenance, had seen fit to embellish his face with three broadlongitudinal stripes of tattooing, which, like those country roadsthat go straight forward in defiance of all obstacles, crossed hisnasal organ, descended into the hollow of his eyes, and even skirtedthe borders of his mouth. Each completely spanned his physiognomy;one extending in a line with his eyes, another crossing the face inthe vicinity of the nose, and the third sweeping along his lips fromear to ear. His countenance thus triply hooped, as it were, withtattooing, always reminded me of those unhappy wretches whom I havesometimes observed gazing out sentimentally from behind the gratedbars of a prison window; whilst the entire body of my savage valet,covered all over with representations of birds and fishes, and avariety of most unaccountable-looking creatures, suggested to me theidea of a pictorial museum of natural history, or an illustrated copyof Goldsmith’s Animated Nature.

Butit seems really heartless in me to write thus of the poor islander,when I owe perhaps to his unremitting attentions the very existence Inow enjoy. Kory-Kory, I mean thee no harm in what I say in regard tothy outward adornings; but they were a little curious to myunaccustomed sight, and therefore I dilate upon them. But tounderrate or forget thy faithful services is something I could neverbe guilty of, even in the giddiest moment of my life.

Thefather of my attached follower was a native of gigantic frame, andhad once possessed prodigious physical powers; but the lofty form wasnow yielding to the inroads of time, though the hand of diseaseseemed never to have been laid upon the aged warrior. Marheyo—forsuch was his name—appeared to have retired from all activeparticipation in the affairs of the valley, seldom or neveraccompanying the natives in their various expeditions; and employingthe greater part of his time in throwing up a little shed justoutside the house, upon which he was engaged to my certain knowledgefor four months, without appearing to make any sensible advance. Isuppose the old gentleman was in his dotage, for he manifested invarious ways the characteristics which mark this particular stage oflife.

Iremember in particular his having a choice pair of ear-ornaments,fabricated from the teeth of some sea-monster. These he wouldalternately wear and take off at least fifty times in the course ofthe day, going and coming from his little hut on each occasion withall the tranquillity imaginable. Sometimes slipping them through theslits in his ears, he would seize his spear—which in length andslightness resembled a fishing-pole—and go stalking beneath theshadows of the neighbouring groves, as if about to give a hostilemeeting to some cannibal knight. But he would soon return again, andhiding his weapon under the protecting eaves of the house, androlling his clumsy trinkets carefully in a piece of tappa, wouldresume his more pacific operations as quietly as if he had neverinterrupted them.

Butdespite his eccentricities, Marheyo was a most paternal andwarm-hearted old fellow, and in this particular not a littleresembled his son Kory-Kory. The mother of the latter was themistress of the family, and a notable housewife, and a mostindustrious old lady she was. If she did not understand the art ofmaking jellies, jams, custards, tea-cakes, and such like trashyaffairs, she was profoundly skilled in the mysteries of preparing“amar,” “poee-poee,” and “kokoo,” with other substantialmatters. She was a genuine busy-body; bustling about the house like acountry landlady at an unexpected arrival; for ever giving the younggirls tasks to perform, which the little hussies as often neglected;poking into every corner, and rummaging over bundles of old tappa, ormaking a prodigious clatter among the calabashes. Sometimes she mighthave been seen squatting upon her haunches in front of a huge woodenbasin, and kneading poee-poee with terrific vehemence, dashing thestone pestle about as if she would shiver the vessel into fragments:on other occasions, galloping about the valley in search of aparticular kind of leaf, used in some of her recondite operations,and returning home, toiling and sweating, with a bundle, under whichmost women would have sunk.

Totell the truth, Kory-Kory’s mother was the only industrious personin all the valley of Typee; and she could not have employed herselfmore actively had she been left an exceedingly muscular and destitutewidow, with an inordinate supply of young children, in the bleakestpart of the civilized world. There was not the slightest necessityfor the greater portion of the labour performed by the old lady: butshe deemed to work from some irresistible impulse; her limbscontinually swaying to and fro, as if there were some indefatigableengine concealed within her body which kept her in perpetual motion.

Neversuppose that she was a termagant or a shrew for all this: she had thekindliest heart in the world, and acted towards me in particular in atruly maternal manner, occasionally putting some little morsel ofchoice food into my hand, some outlandish kind of savage sweetmeat orpastry, like a doting mother petting a sickly urchin with tarts andsugar-plums. Warm indeed are my remembrances of the dear, good,affectionate old Tinor!

Besidesthe individuals I have mentioned, there belong to the household threeyoung men, dissipated, good-for-nothing, roystering blades ofsavages, who were either employed in prosecuting love affairs withthe maidens of the tribe, or grew boozy on “arva” and tobacco inthe company of congenial spirits, the scapegraces of the valley.

Amongthe permanent inmates of the house were likewise several lovelydamsels, who instead of thrumming pianos and reading novels, likemore enlightened young ladies, substituted for these employments themanufacture of a fine species of tappa; but for the greater portionof the time were skipping from house to house, gadding and gossipingwith their acquaintances.

Fromthe rest of these, however, I must except the beauteous nymphFayaway, who was my peculiar favourite. Her free pliant figure wasthe very perfection of female grace and beauty. Her complexion was arich and mantling olive, and when watching the glow upon her cheeks Icould almost swear that beneath the transparent medium there lurkedthe blushes of a faint vermilion. The face of this girl was a roundedoval, and each feature as perfectly formed as the heart orimagination of man could desire. Her full lips, when parted with asmile, disclosed teeth of a dazzling whiteness; and when her rosymouth opened with a burst of merriment, they looked like themilk-white seeds of the “arta,” a fruit of the valley, which,when cleft in twain, shows them reposing in rows on either side,embedded in the red and juicy pulp. Her hair of the deepest brown,parted irregularly in the middle, flowed in natural ringlets over hershoulders, and whenever she chanced to stoop, fell over and hid fromview her lovely bosom. Gazing into the depths of her strange blueeyes, when she was in a contemplative mood, they seemed most placidyet unfathomable; but when illuminated by some lively emotion, theybeamed upon the beholder like stars. The hands of Fayaway were assoft and delicate as those of any countess; for an entire exemptionfrom rude labour marks the girlhood and even prime of a Typee woman’slife. Her feet, though wholly exposed, were as diminutive and fairlyshaped as those which peep from beneath the skirts of a Lima lady’sdress. The skin of this young creature, from continual ablutions andthe use of mollifying ointments, was inconceivably smooth and soft.

Imay succeed, perhaps, in particularizing some of the individualfeatures of Fayaway’s beauty, but that general loveliness ofappearance which they all contributed to produce I will not attemptto describe. The easy unstudied graces of a child of nature likethis, breathing from infancy an atmosphere of perpetual summer, andnurtured by the simple fruits of the earth; enjoying a perfectfreedom from care and anxiety, and removed effectually from allinjurious tendencies, strike the eye in a manner which cannot beportrayed. This picture is no fancy sketch; it is drawn from the mostvivid recollections of the person delineated.

WereI asked if the beauteous form of Fayaway was altogether free from thehideous blemish of tattooing, I should be constrained to answer thatit was not. But the practitioners of this barbarous art, soremorseless in their inflictions upon the brawny limbs of thewarriors of the tribe, seem to be conscious that it needs not theresources of their profession to augment the charms of the maidens ofthe vale.

Thefemales are very little embellished in this way, and Fayaway, and allthe other young girls of her age, were even less so than those oftheir sex more advanced in years. The reason of this peculiarity willbe alluded to hereafter. All the tattooing that the nymph in questionexhibited upon her person may be easily described. Three minute dots,no bigger than pinheads, decorated either lip, and at a littledistance were not at all discernible. Just upon the fall of theshoulder were drawn two parallel lines half an inch apart, andperhaps three inches in length, the interval being filled withdelicately executed figures. These narrow bands of tattooing, thusplaced, always reminded me of those stripes of gold lace worn byofficers in undress, and which are in lieu of epaulettes to denotetheir rank.

Thusmuch was Fayaway tattooed. The audacious hand which had gone so farin its desecrating work stopping short, apparently wanting the heartto proceed.

ButI have neglected to describe the dress worn by this nymph of thevalley.

Fayaway—Imust avow the fact—for the most part clung to the primitive andsummer garb of Eden. But how becoming the costume! It showed her finefigure to the best possible advantage; and nothing could have beenbetter adapted to her peculiar style of beauty. On ordinary occasionsshe was habited precisely as I have described the two youthfulsavages whom we had met on first entering the valley. At other times,when rambling among the groves, or visiting at the houses of heracquaintances, she wore a tunic of white tappa, reaching from herwaist to a little below the knees; and when exposed for any length oftime to the sun, she invariably protected herself from its rays by afloating mantle of the same material, loosely gathered about theperson. Her gala dress will be described hereafter.

Asthe beauties of our own land delight in bedecking themselves withfanciful articles of jewelry, suspending them from their ears,hanging them about their necks, and clasping them around theirwrists; so Fayaway and her companions were in the habit ofornamenting themselves with similar appendages.

Florawas their jeweller. Sometimes they wore necklaces of small carnationflowers, strung like rubies upon a fibre of tappa, or displayed intheir ears a single white bud, the stem thrust backward through theaperture, and showing in front the delicate petals folded together ina beautiful sphere, and looking like a drop of the purest pearl.Chaplets, too, resembling in their arrangement the strawberry coronalworn by an English peeress, and composed of intertwined leaves andblossoms, often crowned their temples; and bracelets and anklets ofthe same tasteful pattern were frequently to be seen. Indeed, themaidens of the island were passionately fond of flowers, and neverwearied of decorating their persons with them; a lovely trait ofcharacter, and one that ere long will be more fully alluded to.

Thoughin my eyes, at least, Fayaway was indisputably the loveliest female Isaw in Typee, yet the description I have given of her will in somemeasure apply to nearly all the youthful portion of her sex in thevalley. Judge ye then, reader, what beautiful creatures they musthave been.

Officiousnessof Kory-Kory—His devotion—A bath in the stream—Want ofrefinement of the Typee damsels—Stroll with Mehevi—A Typeehighway—The Taboo groves—The hoolah hoolah ground—TheTi—Timeworn savages—Hospitality of Mehevi—Midnightmusings—Adventure in the dark—Distinguished honours paid to thevisitors—Strange procession, and return to the house of Marheyo.

WhenMehevi had departed from the house, as related in the precedingchapter, Kory-Kory commenced the functions of the post assigned him.He brought us various kinds of food; and, as if I were an infant,insisted upon feeding me with his own hands. To this procedure I, ofcourse, most earnestly objected, but in vain; and having laid acalabash of kokoo before me, he washed his fingers in a vessel ofwater, and then putting his hand into the dish, and rolling the foodinto little balls, put them one after another into my mouth. All myremonstrances against this measure only provoked so great a clamor onhis part, that I was obliged to acquiesce; and the operation offeeding being thus facilitated, the meal was quickly despatched. Asfor Toby, he was allowed to help himself after his own fashion.

Therepast over, my attendant arranged the mats for repose, and, biddingme lie down, covered me with a large robe of tappa, at the same timelooking approvingly upon me, and exclaiming, “Ki-Ki, muee muee, ah!moee moee mortarkee,” (eat plenty, ah! sleep very good.) Thephilosophy of this sentiment I did not pretend to question; fordeprived of sleep for several preceding nights, and the pain in mylimb having much abated, I now felt inclined to avail myself of theopportunity afforded me.

Thenext morning, on waking, I found Kory-Kory stretched out on one sideof me, while my companion lay upon the other. I felt sensiblyrefreshed after a night of sound repose, and immediately agreed tothe proposition of my valet that I should repair to the water andwash, although dreading the suffering that the exertion mightproduce. From this apprehension, however, I was quickly relieved; forKory-Kory, leaping from the pi-pi, and then backing himself upagainst it, like a porter in readiness to shoulder a trunk, with loudvociferations, and a superabundance of gestures gave me to understandthat I was to mount upon his back, and be thus transported to thestream, which flowed perhaps two hundred yards from the house.

Ourappearance upon the verandah in front of the habitation drew togetherquite a crowd, who stood looking on, and conversing with one anotherin the most animated manner. They reminded one of a group of idlersgathered about the door of a village tavern, when the equipage ofsome distinguished traveller is brought round previous to hisdeparture. As soon as I clasped my arms about the neck of the devotedfellow, and he jogged off with me, the crowd—composed chiefly ofyoung girls and boys—followed after, shouting and capering withinfinite glee, and accompanied us to the banks of the stream.

Ongaining it, Kory-Kory, wading up to his hips in the water, carried mehalf-way across, and deposited me on a smooth black stone, which rosea few inches above the surface. The amphibious rabble at our heelsplunged in after us; and, climbing to the summit of the grass-grownrocks, with which the bed of the brook was here and there broken,waited curiously to witness our morning ablutions. I felt somewhatembarrassed by the presence of the female portion of the company,but, nevertheless, removed my frock, and washed myself down to mywaist in the stream. As soon as Kory-Kory comprehended from mymotions that this was to be the extent of my performance, he appearedperfectly aghast with astonishment, and rushing toward me, poured outa torrent of words in eager deprecation of so limited an operation,enjoining me by unmistakable signs to immerse my whole body. To thisI was forced to consent; and the honest fellow regarding me as afroward, inexperienced child, whom it was his duty to serve at therisk of offending, lifted me from, the rock, and tenderly bathed mylimbs. This over, and resuming my seat, I could not avoid burstinginto admiration of the scene around me.

Fromthe verdant surfaces of the large stones that lay scattered about,the natives were now sliding off into the water, diving and duckingbeneath the surface in all directions; the young girls springingbuoyantly into the air, with their long tresses dancing about theirshoulders, their eyes sparkling like drops of dew in the sun, andtheir gay laughter pealing forth at every frolicsome incident.

Onthe afternoon of the day that I took my first bath in the valley, wereceived another visit from Mehevi. The noble savage seemed to be inthe same pleasant mood, and was quite as cordial in his manner asbefore. After remaining about an hour, he rose from the mats, andmotioning to leave the house, invited Toby and myself to accompanyhim. I pointed to my leg; but Mehevi in his turn pointed toKory-Kory, and removed that objection; so, mounting upon the faithfulfellow’s shoulders again—like the old man of the sea astride ofSinbad—I followed after the chief.

Thenature of the route we now pursued struck me more forcibly thananything I had yet seen, as illustrating the indolent disposition ofthe islanders. The path was obviously the most beaten one in thevalley, several others leading from either side into it, and perhapsfor successive generations it had formed the principal avenue of theplace. And yet, until I grew more familiar with its impediments, itseemed as difficult to travel as the recesses of a wilderness. Partof it swept around an abrupt rise of ground, the surface of which wasbroken by frequent inequalities, and thickly strewn with projectingmasses of rocks, whose summits were often hidden from view by thedrooping foliage of the luxurious vegetation. Sometimes directlyover, sometimes evading these obstacles with a wide circuit, the pathwound along—one moment climbing over a sudden eminence, smooth withcontinued wear, then descending on the other side into a steep glen,and crossing the flinty channel of a brook. Here it pursued thedepths of a glade, occasionally obliging you to stoop beneath vasthorizontal branches; and now you stepped over huge trunks and boughsthat lay rotting across the track.

Suchwas the grand thoroughfare of Typee. After proceeding a littledistance along it—Kory-Kory panting and blowing with the weight ofhis burden—I dismounted from his back, and grasping the long spearof Mehevi in my hand, assisted my steps over the numerous obstaclesof the road; preferring this mode of advance to one which, from thedifficulties of the way, was equally painful to myself and my weariedservitor.

Ourjourney was soon at an end; for, scaling a sudden height, we cameabruptly upon the place of our destination. I wish that it werepossible to sketch in words this spot as vividly as I recollect it.

Herewere situated the Taboo groves of the valley—the scene of many aprolonged feast, of many a horrid rite. Beneath the dark shadows ofthe consecrated bread-fruit trees there reigned a solemn twilight—acathedral-like gloom. The frightful genius of pagan worship seemed tobrood in silence over the place, breathing its spell upon everyobject around. Here and there, in the depths of these awful shades,half screened from sight by masses of overhanging foliage, rose theidolatrous altars of the savages, built of enormous blocks of blackand polished stone, placed one upon another, without cement, to theheight of twelve or fifteen feet, and surmounted by a rustic opentemple, enclosed with a low picket of canes, within which might beseen, in various stages of decay, offerings of bread-fruit andcocoa-nuts, and the putrefying relics of some recent sacrifice.

Inthe midst of the wood was the hallowed “hoolah hoolah” ground—setapart for the celebration of the fantastical religious ritual ofthese people—comprising an extensive oblong pi-pi, terminating ateither end in a lofty terraced altar, guarded by ranks of hideouswooden idols, and with the two remaining sides flanked by ranges ofbamboo sheds, opening towards the interior of the quadrangle thusformed. Vast trees, standing in the middle of this space, andthrowing over it an umbrageous shade, had their massive trunks builtround with slight stages, elevated a few feet above the ground, andrailed in with canes, forming so many rustic pulpits, from which thepriests harangued their devotees.

Thisholiest of spots was defended from profanation by the strictestedicts of the all-pervading “taboo,” which condemned to instantdeath the sacrilegious female who should enter or touch its sacredprecincts, or even so much as press with her feet the ground madeholy by the shadows that it cast.

Accesswas had to the enclosure through an embowered entrance on one side,facing a number of towering cocoa-nut trees, planted at intervalsalong a level area of a hundred yards. At the farther extremity ofthis space was to be seen a building of considerable size, reservedfor the habitation of the priests and religious attendants of thegrove.

Inits vicinity was another remarkable edifice, built as usual upon thesummit of a pi-pi, and at least two hundred feet in length, thoughnot more than twenty in breadth. The whole front of this latterstructure was completely open, and from one end to the other ran anarrow verandah, fenced in on the edge of the pi-pi with a picket ofcanes. Its interior presented the appearance of an immenselounging-place, the entire floor being strewn with successive layersof mats, lying between parallel trunks of cocoa-nut trees, selectedfor the purpose from the straightest and most symmetrical the valeafforded.

Tothis building, denominated in the language of the natives, the “Ti,”Mehevi now conducted us. Thus far we had been accompanied by a troopof the natives of both sexes; but as soon as we approached itsvicinity, the females gradually separated themselves from the crowd,and standing aloof, permitted us to pass on. The mercilessprohibitions of the taboo extended likewise to this edifice, and wereenforced by the same dreadful penalty that secured the hoolah hoolahground from the imaginary pollution of a woman’s presence.

Onentering the house, I was surprised to see six muskets ranged againstthe bamboo on one side, from the barrels of which depended as manysmall canvas pouches, partly filled with powder. Disposed about thesemuskets, like the cutlasses that decorate the bulkhead of aman-of-war’s cabin, were a great variety of rude spears andpaddles, javelins, and war-clubs. This then, said I to Toby, must bethe armoury of the tribe.

Aswe advanced farther along the building, we were struck with theaspect of four or five hideous old wretches, on whose decrepid formstime and tattooing seemed to have obliterated every trace ofhumanity. Owing to the continued operation of this latter process,which only terminates among the warriors of the island after all thefigures stretched upon their limbs in youth have been blendedtogether—an effect, however, produced only in cases of extremelongevity—the bodies of these men were of a uniform dull greencolour—the hue which the tattooing gradually assumes as theindividual advances in age. Their skin had a frightful scalyappearance, which, united with its singular colour, made their limbsnot a little resemble dusty specimens of verde-antique. Their flesh,in parts, hung upon them in huge folds, like the overlapping plaitson the flank of a rhinoceros. Their heads were completely bald,whilst their faces were puckered into a thousand wrinkles, and theypresented no vestige of a beard. But the most remarkable peculiarityabout them was the appearance of their feet; the toes, like theradiating lines of the mariner’s compass, pointed to every quarterof the horizon. This was doubtless attributable to the fact, thatduring nearly a hundred years of existence the said toes never hadbeen subjected to any artificial confinement, and in their old age,being averse to close neighbourhood, bid one another keep open order.

Theserepulsive-looking creatures appeared to have lost the use of theirlower limbs altogether; sitting upon the floor cross-legged, in astate of torpor. They never heeded us in the least, scarcely lookingconscious of our presence, while Mehevi seated us upon the mats, andKory-Kory gave utterance to some unintelligible gibberish.

Ina few moments, a boy entered with a wooden trencher of poee-poee; andin regaling myself with its contents, I was obliged again to submitto the officious intervention of my indefatigable servitor. Variousother dishes followed, the chief manifesting the most hospitableimportunity in pressing us to partake, and to remove all bashfulnesson our part, set us no despicable example in his own person.

Therepast concluded, a pipe was lighted, which passed from mouth tomouth, and yielding to its soporific influence, the quiet of theplace, and the deepening shadows of approaching night, my companionand I sank into a kind of drowsy repose, while the chief andKory-Kory seemed to be slumbering beside us.

Iawoke from an uneasy nap, about midnight, as I supposed; and, raisingmyself partly from the mat, became sensible that we were enveloped inutter darkness. Toby lay still asleep, but our late companions haddisappeared. The only sound that interrupted the silence of the placewas the asthmatic breathing of the old men I have mentioned, whoreposed at a little distance from us. Besides them, as well as Icould judge, there was no one else in the house.

Apprehensiveof some evil, I roused my comrade, and we were engaged in a whisperedconference concerning the unexpected withdrawal of the natives, whenall at once, from the depths of the grove, in full view of us wherewe lay, shoots of flame were seen to rise, and in a few momentsilluminated the surrounding trees, casting, by contrast, into stilldeeper gloom the darkness around us.

Whilewe continued gazing at this sight, dark figures appeared moving toand fro before the flames; while others, dancing and capering about,looked like so many demons.

Regardingthis new phenomenon with no small degree of trepidation, I said to mycompanion, “What can all this mean, Toby?”

“Oh,nothing,” replied he; “getting the fire ready, I suppose.”

“Fire!”exclaimed I, while my heart took to beating like a trip-hammer, “whatfire?”

“Why,the fire to cook us, to be sure; what else would the cannibals bekicking up such a row about, if it were not for that?”

“Oh,Toby! have done with your jokes; this is no time for them: somethingis about to happen, I feel confident.”

“Jokes,indeed!” exclaimed Toby, indignantly. “Did you ever hear me joke?Why, for what do you suppose the devils have been feeding us up inthis kind of style for during the last three days, unless it were forsomething that you are too much frightened at to talk about? Look atthat Kory-Kory there!—has he not been stuffing you with hisconfounded mushes, just in the way they treat swine before they killthem? Depend upon it, we will be eaten this blessed night, and thereis the fire we shall be roasted by.”

Thisview of the matter was not at all calculated to allay myapprehensions, and I shuddered when I reflected that we were indeedat the mercy of a tribe of cannibals, and that the dreadfulcontingency to which Toby had alluded was by no means removed beyondthe bounds of possibility.

“There!I told you so! they are coming for us!” exclaimed my companion thenext moment, as the forms of four of the islanders were seen in boldrelief against the illuminated background, mounting the pi-pi, andapproaching us.

Theycame on noiselessly, nay, stealthily, and glided along through thegloom that surrounded us, as if about to spring upon some object theywere fearful of disturbing before they should make sure of it.Gracious Heaven! the horrible reflections which crowded upon me thatmoment! A cold sweat stood upon my brow, and spell-bound with terror,I awaited my fate.

Suddenlythe silence was broken by the well-remembered tones of Mehevi, and atthe kindly accents of his voice, my fears were immediatelydissipated. “Tommo, Toby, ki ki!” (eat). He had waited to addressus, until he had assured himself that we were both awake, at which heseemed somewhat surprised.

“Kiki! is it?” said Toby, in his gruff tones; “well, cook us first,will you—but what’s this?” he added, as another savageappeared, bearing before him a large trencher of wood, containingsome kind of steaming meat, as appeared from the odours it diffused,and which he deposited at the feet of Mehevi. “A baked baby, I daresay! but I will have none of it, never mind what it is. A pretty foolI should make of myself, indeed, waked up here in the middle of thenight, stuffing and guzzling, and all to make a fat meal for a parcelof bloody-minded cannibals one of these mornings! No; I see what theyare at very plainly, so I am resolved to starve myself into a bunchof bones and gristle, and then, if they serve me up, they arewelcome! But, I say, Tommo, you are not going to eat any of that messthere, in the dark, are you? Why, how can you tell what it is?”

“Bytasting it, to be sure,” said I, masticating a morsel thatKory-Kory had just put in my mouth; “and excellently good it is,too, very much like veal.”

“Abaked baby, by the soul of Captain Cook!” burst forth Toby, withamazing vehemence. “Veal? why, there never was a calf on the islandtill you landed. I tell you, you are bolting down mouthfuls from adead Happar’s carcass, as sure as you live, and no mistake!”

Emeticsand lukewarm water! What a sensation in the abdominal regions! Sureenough, where could the fiends incarnate have obtained meat? But Iresolved to satisfy myself at all hazards; and turning to Mehevi, Isoon made the ready chief understand that I wished a light to bebrought. When the taper came, I gazed eagerly into the vessel, andrecognized the mutilated remains of a juvenile porker! “Puarkee!”exclaimed Kory-Kory, looking complacently at the dish; and from thatday to this I have never forgotten that such is the designation of apig in the Typee lingo.

Thenext morning, after being again abundantly feasted by the hospitableMehevi, Toby and myself arose to depart. But the chief requested usto postpone our intention. “Abo, abo” (Wait, wait), he said, andaccordingly we resumed our seats, while, assisted by the zealousKory-Kory, he appeared to be engaged in giving directions to a numberof the natives outside, who were busily employed in makingarrangements, the nature of which we could not comprehend. But wewere not left long in our ignorance, for a few moments only hadelapsed, when the chief beckoned us to approach, and we perceivedthat he had been marshalling a kind of guard of honour to escort uson our return to the house of Marheyo.

Theprocession was led off by two venerable-looking savages, eachprovided with a spear, from the end of which streamed a pennon ofmilk-white tappa. After them went several youths, bearing aloftcalabashes of poee-poee; and followed in their turn by four stalwartfellows, sustaining long bamboos, from the tops of which hungsuspended, at least twenty feet from the ground, large baskets ofgreen bread-fruit. Then came a troop of boys, carrying bunches ofripe bananas, and baskets made of woven leaflets of cocoa-nut boughs,filled with the young fruit of the tree, the naked shells, strippedof their husks, peeping forth from the verdant wicker-work thatsurrounded them. Last of all came a burly islander, holding over hishead a wooden trencher, in which lay disposed the remnants of ourmidnight feast, hidden from view, however, by a covering ofbread-fruit leaves.

Astonishedas I was at this exhibition, I could not avoid smiling at itsgrotesque appearance, and the associations it naturally called up.Mehevi, it seemed, was bent on replenishing old Marheyo’s larder,fearful, perhaps, that without this precaution his guests might notfare as well as they could desire.

Assoon as I descended from the pi-pi, the procession formed anew,enclosing us in its centre; where I remained, part of the timecarried by Kory-Kory, and occasionally relieving him from his burdenby limping along with a spear. When we moved off in this order, thenatives struck up a musical recitative, which, with variousalternations, they continued until we arrived at the place of ourdestination.

Aswe proceeded on our way, bands of young girls, darting from thesurrounding groves, hung upon our skirts, and accompanied us withshouts of merriment and delight, which almost drowned the deep notesof the recitative. On approaching old Marheyo’s domicile, itsinmates rushed out to receive us; and while the gifts of Mehevi werebeing disposed of, the superannuated warrior did the honours of hismansion with all the warmth of hospitality evinced by an Englishsquire, when he regales his friends at some fine old patrimonialmansion.

Attemptto procure relief from Nukuheva—Perilous adventure of Toby in theHappar Mountains—Eloquence of Kory-Kory.

Amidstthese novel scenes a week passed away almost imperceptibly. Thenatives, actuated by some mysterious impulse, day after day redoubledtheir attention to us. Their manner towards us was unaccountable.Surely, thought I, they would not act thus if they meant us any harm.But why this excess of deferential kindness, or what equivalent canthey imagine us capable of rendering them for it?

Wewere fairly puzzled. But, despite the apprehensions I could notdispel, the horrible character imputed to these Typees appeared to bewholly undeserved.

“Why,they are cannibals!” said Toby, on one occasion when I eulogizedthe tribe.

“Granted,”I replied, “but a more humane, gentlemanly, and amiable set ofepicures do not probably exist in the Pacific.”

But,notwithstanding the kind treatment we received, I was too familiarwith the fickle disposition of savages not to feel anxious towithdraw from the valley, and put myself beyond the reach of thatfearful death which, under all these smiling appearances, might yetmenace us. But here there was an obstacle in the way of doing so. Itwas idle for me to think of moving from the place until I should haverecovered from the severe lameness that afflicted me; indeed mymalady began seriously to alarm me; for, despite the herbal remediesof the natives, it continued to grow worse and worse. Their mildapplications, though they soothed the pain, did not remove thedisorder, and I felt convinced that, without better aid, I mightanticipate long and acute suffering.

Buthow was this aid to be procured? From the surgeons of the Frenchfleet, which probably still lay in the bay of Nukuheva, it mighteasily have been obtained, could I have made my case known to them.But how could that be effected?

Atlast, in the exigency to which I was reduced, I proposed to Toby thathe should endeavour to go round to Nukuheva, and if he could notsucceed in returning to the valley by water in one of the boats ofthe squadron, and taking me off, he might at least procure me someproper medicines, and effect his return overland.

Mycompanion listened to me in silence, and at first did not appear torelish the idea. The truth was, he felt impatient to escape from theplace, and wished to avail himself of our present high favour withthe natives to make good our retreat, before we should experiencesome sudden alterations in their behaviour. As he could not think ofleaving me in my helpless condition, he implored me to be of goodcheer; assured me that I should soon be better, and enabled in a fewdays to return with him to Nukuheva.

Addedto this, he could not bear the idea of again returning to thisdangerous place; and as for the expectation of persuading theFrenchmen to detach a boat’s crew for the purpose of rescuing mefrom the Typees, he looked upon it as idle; and, with arguments thatI could not answer, urged the improbability of their provoking thehostilities of the clan by any such measure; especially as, for thepurpose of quieting its apprehensions, they had as yet refrained frommaking any visit to the bay. “And even should they consent,” saidToby, “they would only produce a commotion in the valley, in whichwe might both be sacrificed by these ferocious islanders.” This wasunanswerable; but still I clung to the belief that he might succeedin accomplishing the other part of my plan; and at last I overcamehis scruples, and he agreed to make the attempt.

Assoon as we succeeded in making the natives understand our intention,they broke out into the most vehement opposition to the measure, and,for a while, I almost despaired of obtaining their consent. At thebare thought of one of us leaving them, they manifested the mostlively concern. The grief and consternation of Kory-Kory, inparticular, was unbounded; he threw himself into a perfect paroxysmof gestures, which were intended to convey to us, not only hisabhorrence of Nukuheva and its uncivilized inhabitants, but also hisastonishment that, after becoming acquainted with the enlightenedTypees, we should evince the least desire to withdraw, even for atime, from their agreeable society.

However,I overbore his objections by appealing to my lameness; from which Iassured the natives I should speedily recover, if Toby were permittedto obtain the supplies I needed.

Itwas agreed that on the following morning my companion should depart,accompanied by some one or two of the household, who should point outto him an easy route, by which the bay might be reached beforesunset.

Atearly dawn of the next day, our habitation was astir. One of theyoung men mounted into an adjoining cocoa-nut tree, and threw down anumber of the young fruit, which old Marheyo quickly stripped of thegreen husks, and strung together upon a short pole. These wereintended to refresh Toby on his route.

Thepreparations being completed, with no little emotion I bade mycompanion adieu. He promised to return in three days at farthest;and, bidding me keep up my spirits in the interval, turned around thecorner of the pi-pi, and, under the guidance of the venerableMarheyo, was soon out of sight. His departure oppressed me withmelancholy, and, re-entering the dwelling, I threw myself almost indespair upon the matting of the floor.

Intwo hours’ time the old warrior returned, and gave me tounderstand, that after accompanying my companion a little distance,and showing him the route, he had left him journeying on his way.

Itwas about noon of this same day, a season which these people are wontto pass in sleep, that I lay in the house, surrounded by itsslumbering inmates, and painfully affected by the strange silencewhich prevailed. All at once I thought I heard a faint shout, as ifproceeding from some persons in the depth of the grove which extendedin front of our habitation.

Thesounds grew louder and nearer, and gradually the whole valley rangwith wild outcries. The sleepers around me started to their feet inalarm, and hurried outside to discover the cause of the commotion.Kory-Kory, who had been the first to spring up, soon returned almostbreathless, and nearly frantic with the excitement under which heseemed to be labouring. All that I could understand from him was,that some accident had happened to Toby. Apprehensive of somedreadful calamity, I rushed out of the house, and caught sight of atumultuous crowd, who, with shrieks and lamentations, were justemerging from the grove, bearing in their arms some object, the sightof which produced all this transport of sorrow. As they drew near,the men redoubled their cries, while the girls, tossing their barearms in the air, exclaimed plaintively, “Awha! awha! Toby muckeemoee!”—Alas! alas! Toby is killed!

Ina moment the crowd opened, and disclosed the apparently lifeless bodyof my companion borne between two men, the head hanging heavilyagainst the breast of the foremost. The whole face, neck, and bosomwere covered with blood, which still trickled slowly from a woundbehind the temple. In the midst of the greatest uproar and confusion,the body was carried into the house and laid on a mat. Waving thenatives off to give room and air, I bent eagerly over Toby, and,laying my hand upon the breast, ascertained that the heart stillbeat. Overjoyed at this, I seized a calabash of water, and dashed itscontents upon his face, then, wiping away the blood, anxiouslyexamined the wound. It was about three inches long, and, on removingthe clotted hair from about it, showed the skull laid completelybare. Immediately with my knife I cut away the heavy locks, andbathed the part repeatedly in water.

Ina few moments Toby revived, and opening his eyes for a second, closedthem again, without speaking. Kory-Kory, who had been kneeling besideme, now chafed his limbs gently with the palms of his hands, while ayoung girl at his head kept fanning him, and I still continued tomoisten his lips and brow. Soon my poor comrade showed signs ofanimation, and I succeeded in making him swallow from a cocoa-nutshell a few mouthfuls of water.

OldTinor now appeared, holding in her hand some simples she hadgathered, the juice of which she by signs besought me to squeeze intothe wound. Having done so, I thought it best to leave Tobyundisturbed until he should have had time to rally his faculties.Several times he opened his lips, but, fearful for his safety, Ienjoined silence. In the course of two or three hours however, he satup, and was sufficiently recovered to tell me what had occurred.

“Afterleaving the house with Marheyo,” said Toby, “we struck across thevalley, and ascended the opposite heights. Just beyond them, my guideinformed me, lay the valley of Happar, while along their summits, andskirting the head of the vale, was my route to Nukuheva. Aftermounting a little way up the elevation my guide paused, and gave meto understand that he could not accompany me any farther, and byvarious signs intimated that he was afraid to approach any nearer theterritories of the enemies of his tribe. He, however, pointed out mypath, which now lay clearly before me, and, bidding me farewell,hastily descended the mountain.

“Quiteelated at being so near the Happars, I pushed up the acclivity, andsoon gained its summit. It tapered up to a sharp ridge, from whence Ibeheld both the hostile valleys. Here I sat down and rested for amoment, refreshing myself with my cocoa-nuts. I was soon againpursuing my way along the height, when suddenly I saw three of theislanders, who must have just come out of Happar valley, standing inthe path ahead of me. They were each armed with a heavy spear, andone, from his appearance, I took to be a chief. They sung outsomething, I could not understand what, and beckoned me to come on.

“Withoutthe least hesitation I advanced towards them, and had approachedwithin about a yard of the foremost, when, pointing angrily into theTypee valley, and uttering some savage exclamation, he wheeled roundhis weapon like lightning, and struck me in a moment to the ground.The blow inflicted this wound, and took away my senses. As soon as Icame to myself, I perceived the three islanders standing a littledistance off, and apparently engaged in some violent altercationrespecting me.

“Myfirst impulse was to run for it; but, in endeavouring to rise, I fellback, and rolled down a little grassy precipice. The shock seemed torally my faculties; so, starting to my feet, I fled down the path Ihad just ascended. I had no need to look behind me, for, from theyells I heard, I knew that my enemies were in full pursuit. Urged onby their fearful outcries, and heedless of the injury I hadreceived—though the blood flowing from the wound trickled over intomy eyes and almost blinded me—I rushed down the mountain side withthe speed of the wind. In a short time I had descended nearly a thirdof the distance, and the savages had ceased their cries, whensuddenly a terrific howl burst upon my ear, and at the same moment aheavy javelin darted past me as I fled, and stuck quivering in a treeclose to me. Another yell followed, and a second spear and a thirdshot through the air within a few feet of my body, both of thempiercing the ground obliquely in advance of me. The fellows gave aroar of rage and disappointment; but they were afraid, I suppose, ofcoming down farther into the Typee valley, and so abandoned thechase. I saw them recover their weapons and turn back; and Icontinued my descent as fast as I could.

“Whatcould have caused this ferocious attack on the part of these HapparsI could not imagine, unless it were that they had seen me ascendingthe mountain with Marheyo, and that the mere fact of coming from theTypee valley was sufficient to provoke them.

“Aslong as I was in danger I scarcely felt the wound I had received; butwhen the chase was over I began to suffer from it. I had lost my hatin the flight, and the sun scorched my bare head. I felt faint andgiddy; but, fearful of falling to the ground beyond the reach ofassistance, I staggered on as well as I could, and at last gained thelevel of the valley, and then down I sunk; and I knew nothing moreuntil I found myself lying upon these mats, and you stooping over mewith the calabash of water.”

Suchwas Toby’s account of this sad affair. I afterwards learned thatfortunately he had fallen close to a spot where the natives go forfuel. A party of them caught sight of him as he fell, and, soundingthe alarm, had lifted him up; and after ineffectually endeavouring torestore him at the brook, had hurried forward with him to the house.

Thisincident threw a dark cloud over our prospects. It reminded us thatwe were hemmed in by hostile tribes, whose territories we could nothope to pass, on our route to Nukuheva, without encountering theeffects of their savage resentment. There appeared to be no avenueopened to our escape but the sea, which washed the lower extremity ofthe vale.

OurTypee friends availed themselves of the recent disaster of Toby toexhort us to a due appreciation of the blessings we enjoyed amongthem; contrasting their own generous reception of us with theanimosity of their neighbours. They likewise dwelt upon the cannibalpropensities of the Happars, a subject which they were perfectlyaware could not fail to alarm us; while at the same time theyearnestly disclaimed all participation in so horrid a custom. Nor didthey omit to call upon us to admire the natural loveliness of theirown abode, and the lavish abundance with which it produced all mannerof luxuriant fruits; exalting it in this particular above any of thesurrounding valleys.

Kory-Koryseemed to experience so heartfelt a desire to infuse into our mindsproper views on these subjects, that, assisted in his endeavours bythe little knowledge of the language we had acquired, he actuallymade us comprehend a considerable part of what he said. To facilitateour correct apprehension of his meaning, he at first condensed hisideas into the smallest possible compass.

“Happarkeekeeno nuee,” he exclaimed; “nuee, nuee, ki ki kannaka!—ah!owle motarkee!” which signifies, “Terrible fellows thoseHappars!—devour an amazing quantity of men!—ah, shocking bad!”Thus far he explained himself by a variety of gestures, during theperformance of which he would dart out of the house, and pointabhorrently towards the Happar valley; running in to us again withthe rapidity that showed he was fearful we would lose one part of hismeaning before he could complete the other; and continuing hisillustrations by seizing the fleshy part of my arm in his teeth,intimating, by the operation, that the people who lived over in thatdirection would like nothing better than to treat me in that manner.

Havingassured himself that we were fully enlightened on this point, heproceeded to another branch of the subject. “Ah! Typee me!arkee!—nuee, nuee mioree—nuee, nuee wai nuee, nuee poeepoee—nuee, nuee kokoo—ah! nuee, nuee kiki—ah! nuee, nuee,nuee!” Which, liberally interpreted as before, would imply, “Ah,Typee! isn’t it a fine place though!—no danger of starving here,I tell you!—plenty of bread-fruit—plenty of water—plenty ofpudding—ah! plenty of everything, ah! heaps, heaps, heaps!” Allthis was accompanied by a running commentary of signs and gestureswhich it was impossible not to comprehend.

Ashe continued his harangue, however, Kory-Kory, in emulation of ourmore polished orators, began to launch out rather diffusely intoother branches of his subject, enlarging probably upon the moralreflections it suggested; and proceeded in such a strain ofunintelligible and stunning gibberish, that he actually gave me theheadache for the rest of the day.

Agreat event happens in the valley—The island telegraph—Somethingbefalls Toby—Fayaway displays a tender heart—Melancholyreflections—Mysterious conduct of the islanders—Devotion ofKory-Kory—A rural couch—A luxury—Kory-Kory strikes a light àla Typee.

Inthe course of a few days Toby had recovered from the effects of hisadventure with the Happar warriors; the wound on his head rapidlyhealing under the vegetable treatment of the good Tinor. Lessfortunate than my companion, however, I still continued to languishunder a complaint, the origin and nature of which was still amystery. Cut off as I was from all intercourse with the civilizedworld, and feeling the inefficacy of anything the natives could do torelieve me; knowing, too, that so long as I remained in my presentcondition it would be impossible for me to leave the valley, whateveropportunity might present itself; and apprehensive that ere long wemight be exposed to some caprice on the part of the islanders, I nowgave up all hopes of recovery, and became a prey to the most gloomythoughts. A deep dejection fell upon me, which neither the friendlyremonstrances of my companion, the devoted attentions of Kory-Kory,nor all the soothing influences of Fayaway, could remove.

Onemorning, as I lay on the mats in the house plunged in melancholyreverie, and regardless of everything around me, Toby, who had leftme about an hour, returned in haste, and with great glee told me tocheer up and be of good heart, for he believed, from what was goingon among the natives, that there were boats approaching the bay.

Thesetidings operated upon me like magic. The hour of our deliverance wasat hand, and, starting up, I was soon convinced that somethingunusual was about to occur. The word “botee! botee!” wasvociferated in all directions; and shouts were heard in the distance,at first feebly and faintly, but growing louder and nearer at eachsuccessive repetition, until they were caught up by a fellow in acocoa-nut tree a few yards off, who, sounding them in turn, they werereiterated from a neighbouring grove, and so died away gradually frompoint to point, as the intelligence penetrated into the farthestrecesses of the valley. This was the vocal telegraph of theislanders; by means of which, condensed items of information could becarried in a very few minutes from the sea to their remotesthabitation, a distance of at least eight or nine miles. On thepresent occasion it was in active operation, one piece of informationfollowing another with inconceivable rapidity.

Thegreatest commotion now appeared to prevail. At every fresh item ofintelligence the natives betrayed the liveliest interest, andredoubled the energy with which they employed themselves incollecting fruit to sell to the expected visitors. Some were tearingoff the husks from cocoa-nuts; some, perched in the trees, werethrowing down bread-fruit to their companions, who gathered them inheaps as they fell; while others were plying their fingers rapidly inweaving leafen baskets in which to carry the fruit.

Therewere other matters, too, going on at the same time. Here you wouldsee a stout warrior polishing his spear with a bit of old tappa, oradjusting the folds of the girdle about his waist; and there youmight descry a young damsel decorating herself with flowers, as ifhaving in her eye some maidenly conquest; while, as in all cases ofhurry and confusion in every part of the world, a number ofindividuals kept hurrying to and fro with amazing vigour andperseverance, doing nothing themselves, and hindering others.

Neverbefore had we seen the islanders in such a state of bustle andexcitement; and the scene furnished abundant evidence of thefact—that it was only at long intervals any such events occur.

WhenI thought of the length of time that might intervene before a similarchance of escape would be presented, I bitterly lamented that I hadnot the power of availing myself effectually of the presentopportunity.

Fromall that we could gather, it appeared that the natives were fearfulof arriving too late upon the beach, unless they made extraordinaryexertions. Sick and lame as I was, I would have started with Toby atonce, had not Kory-Kory not only refused to carry me, but manifestedthe most invincible repugnance to our leaving the neighbourhood ofthe house. The rest of the savages were equally opposed to ourwishes, and seemed grieved and astonished at the earnestness of mysolicitations. I clearly perceived that, while my attendant avoidedall appearance of constraining my movements, he was neverthelessdetermined to thwart my wishes. He seemed to me on this particularoccasion, as well as often afterwards, to be executing the orders ofsome other person with regard to me, though at the same time feelingtowards me the most lively affection.

Toby,who had made up his mind to accompany the islanders if possible assoon as they were in readiness to depart, and who for that reason hadrefrained from showing the same anxiety that I had done, nowrepresented to me that it was idle for me to entertain the hope ofreaching the beach in time to profit by any opportunity that mightthen be presented.

“Doyou not see,” said he, “the savages themselves are fearful ofbeing too late, and I should hurry forward myself at once, did I notthink that, if I showed too much eagerness, I should destroy all ourhopes of reaping any benefit from this fortunate event. If you willonly endeavour to appear tranquil or unconcerned, you will quiettheir suspicions, and I have no doubt they will then let me go withthem to the beach, supposing that I merely go out of curiosity.Should I succeed in getting down to the boats, I will make known thecondition in which I have left you, and measures may then be taken tosecure our escape.”

Inthe expediency of this I could not but acquiesce; and as the nativeshad now completed their preparations, I watched with the liveliestinterest the reception that Toby’s application might meet with. Assoon as they understood from my companion that I intended to remain,they appeared to make no objection to this proposition, and evenhailed it with pleasure. Their singular conduct on this occasion nota little puzzled me at the time, and imparted to subsequent events anadditional mystery.

Theislanders were now to be seen hurrying along the path which led tothe sea. I shook Toby warmly by the hand, and gave him my Payta hatto shield his wounded head from the sun, as he had lost his own. Hecordially returned the pressure of my hand, and, solemnly promisingto return as soon as the boats should leave the shore, sprang from myside, and the next minute disappeared in a turn of the grove.

Inspite of the unpleasant reflections that crowded upon my mind, Icould not but be entertained by the novel and animated sight whichnow met my view. One after another, the natives crowded along thenarrow path, laden with every variety of fruit. Here, you might haveseen one, who, after ineffectually endeavouring to persuade a surlyporker to be conducted in leading-strings, was obliged at last toseize the perverse animal in his arms, and carry him struggling againhis naked breast, and squealing without intermission. There went two,who at a little distance might have been taken for the Hebrew spies,on their return to Moses with the goodly bunch of grapes. One trottedbefore the other at a distance of a couple of yards, while betweenthem, from a pole resting on their shoulders, was suspended a hugecluster of bananas, which swayed to and fro with the rocking gait atwhich they proceeded. Here ran another, perspiring with hisexertions, and bearing before him a quantity of cocoa-nuts, who,fearful of being too late, heeded not the fruit that dropped from hisbasket, and appeared solely intent upon reaching his destination,careless how many of his cocoa-nuts kept company with him.

Ina short time the last straggler was seen hurrying on his way, and thefaint shouts of those in advance died insensibly upon the ear. Ourpart of the valley now appeared nearly deserted by its inhabitants,Kory-Kory, his aged father, and a few decrepid old people being allthat were left.

Towardssunset, the islanders in small parties began to return from thebeach, and among them, as they drew near to the house, I sought todescry the form of my companion. But one after another they passedthe dwelling, and I caught no glimpse of him. Supposing, however,that he would soon appear with some of the members of the household,I quieted my apprehensions, and waited patiently to see himadvancing, in company with the beautiful Fayaway. At last I perceivedTinor coming forward, followed by the girls and young men who usuallyresided in the house of Marheyo; but with them came not my comrade,and, filled with a thousand alarms, I eagerly sought to discover thecause of his delay.

Myearnest questions appeared to embarrass the natives greatly. Alltheir accounts were contradictory: one giving me to understand thatToby would be with me in a very short time; another, that he did notknow where he was; while a third, violently inveighing against him,assured me that he had stolen away, and would never come back. Itappeared to me, at the time, that in making these various statementsthey endeavoured to conceal from me some terrible disaster, lest theknowledge of it should overpower me.

Fearfullest some fatal calamity had overtaken him, I sought out youngFayaway, and endeavoured to learn from her, if possible, the truth.

Thisgentle being had early attracted my regard, not only from herextraordinary beauty, but from the attractive cast of hercountenance, singularly expressive of intelligence and humanity. Ofall the natives, she alone seemed to appreciate the effect which thepeculiarity of the circumstances in which we were placed had producedupon the minds of my companion and myself. In addressingme—especially when I lay reclining upon the mats suffering frompain—there was a tenderness in her manner which it was impossibleto misunderstand or resist. Whenever she entered the house, theexpression of her face indicated the liveliest sympathy for me; andmoving towards the place where I lay, with one arm slightly elevatedin a gesture of pity, and her large glistening eyes gazing intentlyinto mine, she would murmur plaintively, “Awha! awha! Tommo,” andseat herself mournfully beside me.

Hermanner convinced me that she deeply compassionated my situation, asbeing removed from my country and friends, and placed beyond thereach of all relief. Indeed, at times I was almost led to believethat her mind was swayed by gentle impulses hardly to be anticipatedfrom one in her condition; that she appeared to be conscious therewere ties rudely severed, which had once bound us to our homes; thatthere were sisters and brothers anxiously looking forward to ourreturn, who were perhaps never more to behold us.

Inthis amiable light did Fayaway appear in my eyes; and, reposing fullconfidence in her candour and intelligence, I now had recourse toher, in the midst of my alarm with regard to my companion.

Myquestions evidently distressed her. She looked round from one toanother of the bystanders, as if hardly knowing what answer to giveme. At last, yielding to my importunities, she overcame her scruples,and gave me to understand that Toby had gone away with the boatswhich had visited the bay, but had promised to return at theexpiration of three days. At first I accused him of perfidiouslydeserting me; but as I grew more composed, I upbraided myself forimputing so cowardly an action to him, and tranquillized myself withthe belief that he had availed himself of the opportunity to go roundto Nukuheva, in order to make some arrangement by which I could beremoved from the valley. At any rate, thought I, he will return withthe medicines I require, and then, as soon as I recover, there willbe no difficulty in the way of our departure.

Consolingmyself with these reflections, I lay down that night in a happierframe of mind than I had done for some time. The next day passedwithout any allusion to Toby on the part of the natives, who seemeddesirous of avoiding all reference to the subject. This raised someapprehensions in my breast; but, when night came, I congratulatedmyself that the second day had now gone by, and that on the morrowToby would again be with me. But the morrow came and went, and mycompanion did not appear. Ah! thought I, he reckons three days fromthe morning of his departure—to-morrow he will arrive. But thatweary day also closed upon me without his return. Even yet I wouldnot despair. I thought that something detained him—that he waswaiting for the sailing of a boat at Nukuheva, and that in a day ortwo, at farthest, I should see him again. But day after day ofrenewed disappointment passed by; at last hope deserted me, and Ifell a victim to despair.

Yes,thought I, gloomily, he has secured his own escape, and cares notwhat calamity may befall his unfortunate comrade. Fool that I was, tosuppose that any one would willingly encounter the perils of thisvalley, after having once got beyond its limits! He has gone, and hasleft me to combat alone all the dangers by which I am surrounded.Thus would I sometimes seek to derive a desperate consolation fromdwelling upon the perfidy of Toby; whilst, at other times, I sunkunder the bitter remorse which I felt at having, by my ownimprudence, brought upon myself the fate which I was sure awaited me.

Atother times I thought that perhaps, after all, these treacheroussavages had made away with him, and thence the confusion into whichthey were thrown by my questions, and their contradictory answers; orhe might be a captive in some other part of the valley; or, moredreadful still, might have met with that fate at which my very soulshuddered. But all these speculations were vain; no tidings of Tobyever reached me—he had gone never to return.

Theconduct of the islanders appeared inexplicable. All reference to mylost comrade was carefully evaded, and if at any time they wereforced to make some reply to my frequent inquiries on the subject,they would uniformly denounce him as an ungrateful runaway, who haddeserted his friend, and taken himself off to that vile anddetestable place Nukuheva.

Butwhatever might have been his fate, now that he was gone the nativesmultiplied their acts of kindness and attention towards myself,treating me with a degree of deference which could hardly have beensurpassed had I been some celestial visitant. Kory-Kory never for onemoment left my side, unless it were to execute my wishes. Thefaithful fellow, twice every day, in the cool of the morning and inthe evening, insisted upon carrying me to the stream, and bathing mein its refreshing water.

Frequently,in the afternoon, he would carry me to a particular part of thestream, where the beauty of the scene produced a soothing influenceupon my mind. At this place the waters flowed between grassy banks,planted with enormous bread-fruit trees, whose vast branches,interlacing overhead, formed a leafy canopy; near the stream wereseveral smooth black rocks. One of these, projecting several feetabove the surface of the water, had upon its summit a shallow cavity,which, filled with freshly-gathered leaves, formed a delightfulcouch.

HereI often laid for hours, covered with a gauze-like veil of tappa,while Fayaway, seated beside me, and holding in her hand a fan wovenfrom the leaflets of a young cocoa-nut bough, brushed aside theinsects that occasionally lighted on my face, and Kory-Kory, with aview of chasing away my melancholy, performed a thousand antics inthe water before us.

Asmy eye wandered along this romantic stream, it would fall upon thehalf-immersed figure of a beautiful girl, standing in the transparentwater, and catching in a little net a species of diminutiveshell-fish, of which these people are extravagantly fond. Sometimes achattering group would be seated upon the edge of a low rock in themidst of the brook, busily engaged in thinning and polishing theshells of cocoa-nuts, by rubbing them briskly with a small stone inthe water, an operation which soon converts them into a light andelegant drinking-vessel, somewhat resembling goblets made oftortoise-shell.

Butthe tranquillizing influences of beautiful scenery, and theexhibition of human life under so novel and charming an aspect, werenot my only sources of consolation.

Everyevening the girls of the house gathered about me on the mats, and,after chasing away Kory-Kory from my side—who, nevertheless,retired only to a little distance, and watched their proceedings withthe most jealous attention—would anoint my body with a fragrantoil, squeezed from a yellow root, previously pounded between a coupleof stones, and which in their language is denominated “aka.” Iused to hail with delight the daily recurrence of this luxuriousoperation, in which I forgot all my troubles, and buried for the timeevery feeling of sorrow.

Sometimes,in the cool of the evening, my devoted servitor would lead me outupon the pi-pi in front of the house, and, seating me near its edge,protect my body from the annoyance of the insects which occasionallyhovered in the air, by wrapping me round with a large roll of tappa.He then bustled about, and employed himself at least twenty minutesin adjusting everything to secure my personal comfort.

Havingperfected his arrangements, he would get my pipe, and, lighting it,would hand it to me. Often he was obliged to strike a light for theoccasion; and as the mode he adopted was entirely different from whatI had ever seen or heard of before, I will describe it.

Astraight, dry, and partly-decayed stick of the Habiscus, about sixfeet in length, and half as many inches in diameter, with a smallerbit of wood, not more than a foot long, and scarcely an inch wide, isas invariably to be met with in every house in Typee, as a box oflucifer matches in the corner of a kitchen-cupboard at home.

Theislander, placing the larger stick obliquely against some object,with one end elevated at an angle of forty-five degrees, mountsastride of it, like an urchin about to gallop off upon a cane, andthen, grasping the smaller one firmly in both hands, he rubs itspointed end slowly up and down the extent of a few inches on theprincipal stick, until at last he makes a narrow groove in the wood,with an abrupt termination at the point farthest from him, where allthe dusty particles which the friction creates are accumulated in alittle heap.

Atfirst Kory-Kory goes to work quite leisurely, but gradually quickenshis pace, and, waxing warm in the employment, drives the stickfuriously along the smoking channel, plying his hands to and fro withamazing rapidity, the perspiration starting from every pore. As heapproaches the climax of his effort, he pants and gasps for breath,and his eyes almost start from their sockets with the violence of hisexertions. This is the critical stage of the operation; all hisprevious labours are vain if he cannot sustain the rapidity of themovement until the reluctant spark is produced. Suddenly he stops,becomes perfectly motionless. His hands still retain their hold ofthe smaller stick, which is pressed convulsively against the fartherend of the channel, among the fine powder there accumulated, as if hehad just pierced through and through some little viper that waswriggling and struggling to escape from his clutches. The next momenta delicate wreath of smoke curls spirally into the air, the heap ofdusty particles glows with fire, and Kory-Kory, almost breathless,dismounts from his steed.

Thisoperation appeared to me to be the most laborious species of workperformed in Typee; and had I possessed a sufficient intimacy withthe language to have conveyed my ideas upon the subject, I shouldcertainly have suggested to the most influential of the natives theexpediency of establishing in a college of vestals, to be centrallylocated in the valley, for the purpose of keeping alive theindispensable article of fire, so as to supersede the necessity ofsuch a vast outlay of strength and good temper as were usuallysquandered on these occasions. There might, however, be specialdifficulties in carrying this plan into execution.

Whata striking evidence does this operation furnish of the widedifference between the extreme of savage and civilized life! Agentleman of Typee can bring up a numerous family of children, andgive them all a highly respectable cannibal education, withinfinitely less toil and anxiety than he expends in the simpleprocess of striking a light; whilst a poor European artisan, whothrough the instrumentality of a lucifer performs the same operationin one second, is put to his wit’s end to provide for his starvingoffspring that food, which the children of a Polynesian father,without troubling their parents, pluck from the branches of everytree around them.

Kindnessof Marheyo and the rest of the islanders—A full description of thebread-fruit tree—Different modes of preparing the fruit.

Allthe inhabitants of the valley treated me with great kindness; but asto the household of Marheyo, with whom I was now permanentlydomiciled, nothing could surpass their efforts to minister to mycomfort. To the gratification of my palate they paid the mostunwearied attention. They continually invited me to partake of food,and when after eating heartily I declined the viands they continuedto offer me, they seemed to think that my appetite stood in need ofsome piquant stimulant to excite its activity.

Inpursuance of this idea, old Marheyo himself would hie him away to thesea-shore by the break of day, for the purpose of collecting variousspecies of rare seaweed; some of which, among these people, areconsidered a great luxury. After a whole day spent in thisemployment, he would return about nightfall with several cocoa-nutshells filled with different descriptions of kelp. In preparing thesefor use, he manifested all the ostentation of a professed cook,although the chief mystery of the affair appeared to consist inpouring water in judicious quantities upon the slimy contents of hiscocoa-nut shells.

Thefirst time he submitted one of these saline salads to my criticalattention, I naturally thought that anything collected at such painsmust possess peculiar merits; but one mouthful was a complete dose;and great was the consternation of the old warrior at the rapiditywith which I ejected his epicurean treat.

Howtrue it is, that the rarity of any particular article enhances itsvalue amazingly. In some part of the valley—I know not where, butprobably in the neighbourhood of the sea—the girls were sometimesin the habit of procuring small quantities of salt, a thimble-full orso being the result of the united labours of a party of five or sixemployed for the greater part of the day. This precious commoditythey brought to the house, enveloped in multitudinous folds ofleaves; and as a special mark of the esteem in which they held me,would spread an immense leaf on the ground, and dropping one by one afew minute particles of the salt upon it, invite me to taste them.

Fromthe extravagant value placed upon the article, I verily believe, thatwith a bushel of common Liverpool salt, all the real estate in Typeemight have been purchased. With a small pinch of it in one hand, anda quarter section of a bread-fruit in the other, the greatest chiefin the valley would have laughed at all the luxuries of a Parisiantable.

Thecelebrity of the bread-fruit tree, and the conspicuous place itoccupies in a Typee bill of fare, induces me to give at some length ageneral description of the tree, and the various modes in which thefruit is prepared.

Thebread-fruit tree, in its glorious prime, is a grand and toweringobject, forming the same feature in a Marquesan landscape that thepatriarchal elm does in New England scenery. The latter tree it not alittle resembles in height, in the wide spread of its stalwartbranches, and in its venerable and imposing aspect.

Theleaves of the bread-fruit are of great size, and their edges are cutand scolloped as fantastically as those of a lady’s lace collar. Asthey annually tend towards decay, they almost rival, in the brilliantvariety of their gradually changing hues, the fleeting shades of theexpiring dolphin. The autumnal tints of our American forests,glorious as they are, sink into nothing in comparison with this tree.

Theleaf, in one particular stage, when nearly all the prismatic coloursare blended on its surface, is often converted by the natives into asuperb and striking head-dress. The principal fibre traversing itslength being split open a convenient distance, and the elastic sidesof the aperture pressed apart, the head is inserted between them, theleaf drooping on one side, with its forward half turned jauntily upon the brows, and the remaining part spreading laterally behind theears.

Thefruit somewhat resembles in magnitude and general appearance one ofour citron melons of ordinary size; but, unlike the citron, it has nosectional lines drawn along the outside. Its surface is dotted allover with little conical prominences, looking not unlike the knobs onan antiquated church door. The rind is perhaps an eighth of an inchin thickness; and denuded of this, at the time when it is in thegreatest perfection, the fruit presents a beautiful globe of whitepulp, the whole of which may be eaten, with the exception of aslender core, which is easily removed.

Thebread-fruit, however, is never used, and is indeed altogether unfitto be eaten, until submitted in one form or other to the action offire.

Themost simple manner in which this operation is performed, and, Ithink, the best, consists in placing any number of thefreshly-plucked fruit, when in a particular state of greenness, amongthe embers of a fire, in the same way that you would roast a potato.After a lapse of ten or fifteen minutes, the green rind embrowns andcracks, showing through the fissures in its sides the milk-whiteinterior. As soon as it cools the rind drops off, and you then havethe soft round pulp in its purest and most delicious state. Thuseaten, it has a mild and pleasing flavour.

Sometimesafter having been roasted in the fire, the natives snatch it brisklyfrom the embers, and permitting it to slip out of the yielding rindinto a vessel of cold water, stir up the mixture, which they call“bo-a-sho.” I never could endure this compound, and indeed thepreparation is not greatly in vogue among the more polite Typees.

Thereis one form, however, in which the fruit is occasionally served, thatrenders it a dish fit for a king. As soon as it is taken from thefire the exterior is removed, the core extracted, and the remainingpart is placed in a sort of shallow stone mortar, and briskly workedwith a pestle of the same substance. While one person is performingthis operation, another takes a ripe cocoa-nut, and breaking it inhalf, which they also do very cleverly, proceeds to grate the juicymeat into fine particles. This is done by means of a piece ofmother-of-pearl shell, lashed firmly to the extreme end of a heavystick, with its straight side accurately notched like a saw. Thestick is sometimes a grotesquely-formed limb of a tree, with three orfour branches twisting from its body like so many shapeless legs, andsustaining it two or three feet from the ground.

Thenative, first placing a calabash beneath the nose, as it were, of hiscurious-looking log-steed, for the purpose of receiving the gratedfragments as they fall, mounts astride of it as if it were ahobby-horse, and twirling the inside of one of his hemispheres ofcocoa-nut around the sharp teeth of the mother-of-pearl shell, thepure white meat falls in snowy showers into the receptacle provided.Having obtained a quantity sufficient for his purpose, he places itin a bag made of the net-like fibrous substance attached to allcocoa-nut trees, and compressing it over the bread-fruit, which beingnow sufficiently pounded, is put into a wooden bowl—extracts athick creamy milk. The delicious liquid soon bubbles round the fruit,and leaves it at last just peeping above its surface.

Thispreparation is called “kokoo,” and a most lucious preparation itis. The hobby-horse and the pestle and mortar were in greatrequisition during the time I remained in the house of Marheyo, andKory-Kory had frequent occasion to show his skill in their use.

Butthe great staple articles of food into which the bread-fruit isconverted by these natives are known respectively by the names ofAmar and Poee-Poee.

Ata certain season of the year, when the fruit of the hundred groves ofthe valley has reached its maturity, and hangs in golden spheres fromevery branch, the islanders assemble in harvest groups, and garner inthe abundance which surrounds them. The trees are stripped of theirnodding burdens, which, easily freed from the rind and core, aregathered together in capacious wooden vessels, where the pulpy fruitis soon worked by a stone pestle, vigorously applied, into a blendedmass of a doughy consistency called by the natives “Tutao.” Thisis then divided into separate parcels, which, after being made upinto stout packages, enveloped in successive folds of leaves, andbound round with thongs of bark, are stored away in large receptacleshollowed in the earth, from whence they are drawn as occasion mayrequire.

Inthis condition the Tutao sometimes remains for years, and even isthought to improve by age. Before it is fit to be eaten, however, ithas to undergo an additional process. A primitive oven is scooped inthe ground, and its bottom being loosely covered with stones, a largefire is kindled within it. As soon as the requisite degree of heat isattained, the embers are removed, and the surface of the stones beingcovered with thick layers of leaves, one of the large packages ofTutao is deposited upon them, and overspread with another layer ofleaves. The whole is then quickly heaped up with earth, and forms asloping mound.

TheTutao thus baked is called “Amar”; the action of the oven havingconverted it into an amber-coloured caky substance, a little tart,but not at all disagreeable to the taste.

Byanother and final process the “Amar” is changed into “Poee-Poee.”This transition is rapidly effected. The amar is placed in a vessel,and mixed with water until it gains a proper pudding-likeconsistency, when, without further preparation, it is in readinessfor use. This is the form in which the “Tutao” is generallyconsumed. The singular mode of eating it I have already described.

Wereit not that the bread-fruit is thus capable of being preserved for alength of time, the natives might be reduced to a state ofstarvation; for, owing to some unknown cause, the trees sometimesfail to bear fruit; and on such occasions the islanders chieflydepend upon the supplies they have been enabled to store away.

Thisstately tree, which is rarely met with upon the Sandwich Islands, andthen only of a very inferior quality, and at Tahiti does not aboundto a degree that renders its fruit the principal article of food,attains its greatest excellence in the genial climate of theMarquesan group, where it grows to an enormous magnitude, andflourishes in the utmost abundance.

Melancholycondition—Occurrence at the Ti—Anecdote of Marheyo—Shaving thehead of a warrior.

Inlooking back to this period, and calling to remembrance thenumberless proofs of kindness and respect which I received from thenatives of the valley, I can scarcely understand how it was that, inthe midst of so many consolatory circumstances, my mind should stillhave been consumed by the most dismal forebodings, and have remaineda prey to the profoundest melancholy. It is true that the suspiciouscircumstances which had attended the disappearance of Toby wereenough of themselves to excite distrust with regard to the savages,in whose power I felt myself to be entirely placed, especially whenit was combined with the knowledge that these very men, kind andrespectful as they were to me, were, after all, nothing better than aset of cannibals.

Butmy chief source of anxiety, and that which poisoned every temporaryenjoyment, was the mysterious disease in my leg, which still remainedunabated. All the herbal applications of Tinor, united with theseverer discipline of the old leech, and the affectionate nursing ofKory-Kory, had failed to relieve me. I was almost a cripple, and thepain I endured at intervals was agonizing. The unaccountable maladyshowed no signs of amendment; on the contrary, its violence increasedday by day, and threatened the most fatal results, unless somepowerful means were employed to counteract it. It seemed as if I weredestined to sink under this grievous affliction, or at least that itwould hinder me from availing myself of any opportunity of escapingfrom the valley.

Anincident which occurred as nearly as I can estimate about three weeksafter the disappearance of Toby, convinced me that the natives, fromsome reason or other, would interpose every possible obstacle to myleaving them.

Onemorning there was no little excitement evinced by the people near myabode, and which I soon discovered proceeded from a vague report thatboats had been seen at a great distance approaching the bay.Immediately all was bustle and animation. It so happened that daythat the pain I suffered having somewhat abated, and feeling in muchbetter spirits than usual, I had complied with Kory-Kory’sinvitation to visit the chief Mehevi at the place called the “Ti,”which I have before described as being situated within the precinctsof the Taboo groves. These sacred recesses were at no great distancefrom Marheyo’s habitation, and lay between it and the sea; the paththat conducted to the beach passing directly in front of the Ti, andthence skirting along the border of the groves.

Iwas reposing upon the mats, within the sacred building, in companywith Mehevi and several other chiefs, when the announcement was firstmade. It sent a thrill of joy through my whole frame;—perhaps Tobywas about to return. I rose at once to my feet, and my instinctiveimpulse was to hurry down to the beach, equally regardless of thedistance that separated me from it, and of my disabled condition. Assoon as Mehevi noticed the effect the intelligence had produced uponme, and the impatience I betrayed to reach the sea, his countenanceassumed that inflexible rigidity of expression which had so awed meon the afternoon of our arrival at the house of Marheyo, As I wasproceeding to leave the Ti, he laid his hand upon my shoulder, andsaid gravely, “abo, abo” (wait, wait). Solely intent upon the onethought that occupied my mind, and heedless of his request, I wasbrushing past him, when suddenly he reassumed a tone of authority,and told me to “moee” (sit down). Though struck by the alterationin his demeanour, the excitement under which I laboured was toostrong to permit me to obey the unexpected command, and I was stilllimping towards the edge of the pi-pi with Kory-Kory clinging to onearm in his efforts to restrain me when the natives around me startedto their feet, ranged themselves along the open front of thebuilding, while Mehevi looked at me scowlingly, and reiterated hiscommands still more sternly.

Itwas at this moment, when fifty savage countenances were glaring uponme, that I first truly experienced I was indeed a captive in thevalley. The conviction rushed upon me with staggering force, and Iwas overwhelmed by this confirmation of my worst fears. I saw at oncethat it was useless for me to resist, and sick at heart, I reseatedmyself upon the mats, and for the moment abandoned myself to despair.

Inow perceived the natives one after the other hurrying past the Tiand pursuing the route that conducted to the sea. These savages,thought I, will soon be holding communication with some of my owncountrymen perhaps, who with ease could restore me to liberty didthey know of the situation I was in. No language can describe thewretchedness which I felt; and in the bitterness of my soul Iimprecated a thousand curses on the perfidious Toby, who had thusabandoned me to destruction. It was in vain that Kory-Kory tempted mewith food, or lighted my pipe, or sought to attract my attention byperforming the uncouth antics that had sometimes diverted me. I wasfairly knocked down by this last misfortune, which, much as I hadfeared it, I had never before had the courage calmly to contemplate.

Regardlessof everything but my own sorrow, I remained in the Ti for severalhours, until shouts proceeding at intervals from the groves beyondthe house proclaimed the return of the natives from the beach.

Whetherany boats visited the bay that morning or not, I never couldascertain. The savages assured me that there had not—but I wasinclined to believe that by deceiving me in this particular theysought to allay the violence of my grief. However that might be, thisincident showed plainly that the Typees intended to hold me aprisoner. As they still treated me with the same sedulous attentionas before, I was utterly at a loss how to account for their singularconduct. Had I been in a situation to instruct them in any of therudiments of the mechanic arts, or had I manifested a disposition torender myself in any way useful among them, their conduct might havebeen attributed to some adequate motive, but as it was, the matterseemed to me inexplicable.

Duringmy whole stay on the island there occurred but two or three instanceswhere the natives applied to me with the view of availing themselvesof my superior information; and these now appear so ludicrous that Icannot forbear relating them.

Thefew things we had brought from Nukuheva had been done up into a smallbundle which we had carried with us in our descent to the valley.This bundle, the first night of our arrival, I had used as a pillow,but on the succeeding morning, opening it for the inspection of thenatives, they gazed upon the miscellaneous contents as though I hadjust revealed to them a casket of diamonds, and they insisted that soprecious a treasure should be properly secured. A line wasaccordingly attached to it, and the other end being passed over theridge-pole of the house, it was hoisted up to the apex of the roof,where it hung suspended directly over the mats where I usuallyreclined. When I desired anything from it I merely raised my fingerto a bamboo beside me, and taking hold of the string which was therefastened, lowered the package. This was exceedingly handy, and I tookcare to let the natives understand how much I applauded theinvention. Of this package the chief contents were a razor with itscase, a supply of needles and thread, a pound or two of tobacco, anda few yards of a bright-coloured calico.

Ishould have mentioned, that shortly after Toby’s disappearance,perceiving the uncertainty of the time I might be obliged to remainin the valley,—if, indeed, I ever should escape from it,—andconsidering that my whole wardrobe consisted of a shirt and a pair oftrousers, I resolved to doff these garments at once, in order topreserve them in a suitable condition for wear, should I again appearamong civilized beings. I was consequently obliged to assume theTypee costume, a little altered, however, to suit my own views ofpropriety, and in which I have no doubt I appeared to as muchadvantage as a senator of Rome enveloped in the folds of his toga. Afew folds of yellow tappa, tucked about my waist, descended to myfeet in the style of a lady’s petticoat, only I did not haverecourse to those voluminous paddings in the rear with which ourgentle dames are in the habit of augmenting the sublime rotundity oftheir figures. This usually comprised my in-door dress: whenever Iwalked out, I superadded to it an ample robe of the same material,which completely enveloped my person, and screened it from the raysof the sun.

Onemorning I made a rent in this mantle; and to show the islanders withwhat facility it could be repaired, I lowered my bundle, and takingfrom it a needle and thread, proceeded to stitch up the opening. Theyregarded this wonderful application of science with intenseadmiration; and whilst I was stitching away, old Marheyo, who was oneof the lookers-on, suddenly clapped his hand to his forehead, andrushing to a corner of the house, drew forth a soiled and tatteredstrip of faded calico—which he must have procured some time orother in traffic on the beach—and besought me eagerly to exercise alittle of my art upon it. I willingly complied, though certainly sostumpy a needle as mine never took such gigantic strides over calicobefore. The repairs completed, old Marheyo gave me a paternal hug;and divesting himself of his “maro” (girdle), swathed the calicoabout his loins, and slipping the beloved ornaments into his ears,grasped his spear and sallied out of the house, like a valiantTemplar arrayed in a new and costly suit of armour.

Inever used my razor during my stay in the island, but, although avery subordinate affair, it had been vastly admired by the Typees;and Narmonee, a great hero among them, who was exceedingly precise inthe arrangements of his toilet and the general adjustment of hisperson, being the most accurately tattooed and laboriously horrifiedindividual in all the valley, thought it would be a great advantageto have it applied to the already shaven crown of his head.

Theimplement they usually employ is a shark’s tooth, which is about aswell adapted to the purpose as a one-pronged fork for pitching hay.No wonder, then, that the acute Narmonee perceived the advantage myrazor possessed over the usual implement. Accordingly, one day, herequested as a personal favour, that I would just run over his headwith the razor. In reply, I gave him to understand that it was toodull, and could not be used to any purpose without being previouslysharpened. To assist my meaning, I went through an imaginary honingprocess on the palm of my hand. Narmonee took my meaning in aninstant, and running out of the house, returned the next moment witha huge rough mass of rock as big as a millstone, and indicated to methat that was exactly the thing I wanted. Of course there was nothingleft for me but to proceed to business, and I began scraping away ata great rate. He writhed and wriggled under the infliction, but,fully convinced of my skill, endured the pain like a martyr.

ThoughI never saw Narmonee in battle, I will, from what I then observed,stake my life upon his courage and fortitude. Before commencingoperations, his head had presented a surface of short bristlinghairs, and by the time I had concluded my unskilful operation itresembled not a little a stubble field after being gone over with aharrow. However, as the chief expressed the liveliest satisfaction atthe result, I was too wise to dissent from his opinion.

Improvementin health and spirits—Felicity of the Typees—A skirmish in themountain with the warriors of Happar.

Dayafter day wore on, and still there was no perceptible change in theconduct of the islanders towards me. Gradually I lost all knowledgeof the regular recurrence of the days of the week, and sunkinsensibly into that kind of apathy which ensues after some violentoutbreak of despair. My limb suddenly healed, the swelling went down,the pain subsided, and I had every reason to suppose I should sooncompletely recover from the affliction that had so long tormented me.

Assoon as I was enabled to ramble about the valley in company with thenatives, troops of whom followed me whenever I sallied out of thehouse, I began to experience an elasticity of mind which placed mebeyond the reach of those dismal forebodings to which I had so latelybeen a prey. Received wherever I went with the most deferentialkindness; regaled perpetually with the most delightful fruits;ministered to by dark-eyed nymphs; and enjoying besides all theservices of the devoted Kory-Kory, I thought that, for a sojournamong cannibals, no man could have well made a more agreeable one.

Tobe sure, there were limits set to my wanderings. Toward the sea, myprogress was barred by an express prohibition of the savages; andafter having made two or three ineffectual attempts to reach it, asmuch to gratify my curiosity as anything else, I gave up the idea. Itwas in vain to think of reaching it by stealth, since the nativesescorted me in numbers wherever I went, and not for one single momentthat I can recall to mind was I ever permitted to be alone.

Thegreen and precipitous elevations that stood ranged around the head ofthe vale where Marheyo’s habitation was situated, effectuallyprecluded all hope of escape in that quarter, even if I could havestolen away from the thousand eyes of the savages.

Butthese reflections now seldom obtruded upon me; I gave myself up tothe passing hour, and if ever disagreeable thoughts arose in my mind,I drove them away. When I looked around the verdant recess in which Iwas buried, and gazed up to the summits of the lofty eminence thathemmed me in, I was well disposed to think that I was in the “HappyValley,” and that beyond those heights there was nought but a worldof care and anxiety.

Inthis frame of mind, every object that presented itself to my noticestruck me in a new light, and the opportunities I now enjoyed ofobserving the manners of the natives, tended to strengthen myfavourable impressions. One peculiarity that fixed my admiration wasthe perpetual hilarity reigning through the whole extent of the vale.There seemed to be no cares, griefs, troubles, or vexations in allTypee. The hours tripped along as gaily as the laughing couples downa country dance.

Therewere none of those thousand sources of irritation that the ingenuityof civilized man has created to mar his own felicity. There were noforeclosures of mortgages, no protested notes, no bills payable, nodebts of honour, in Typee; no unreasonable tailors and shoemakers,perversely bent on being paid; no duns of any description; no assaultand battery attorneys, to foment discord, backing their clients up toa quarrel, and then knocking their heads together; no poor relationseverlastingly occupying the spare bed-chamber, and diminishing theelbow-room at the family table; no destitute widows with theirchildren starving on the cold charities of the world; no beggars; nodebtor’s prisons; no proud and hard-hearted nabobs in Typee; or, tosum up all in one word—no Money! That “root of all evil” wasnot to be found in the valley.

Inthis secluded abode of happiness there were no cross old women, nocruel step-dames, no withered spinsters, no love-sick maidens, nosour old bachelors, no inattentive husbands, no melancholy young men,no blubbering youngsters, and no squalling brats. All was mirth, fun,and high good humour. Blue devils, hypochondria, and doleful dumpswent and hid themselves among the nooks and crannies of the rocks.

Hereyou would see a parcel of children frolicking together the live-longday, and no quarrelling, no contention among them. The same number inour own land could not have played together for the space of an hourwithout biting or scratching one another. There you might have seen athrong of young females, not filled with envyings of each other’scharms, nor displaying the ridiculous affectations of gentility, noryet moving in whalebone corsets, like so many automatons, but free,inartificially happy and unconstrained.

Therewere some spots in that sunny vale where they would frequently resortto decorate themselves with garlands of flowers. To have seen themreclining beneath the shadows of one of the beautiful groves, theground about them strewn with freshly gathered buds and blossoms,employed in weaving chaplets and necklaces, one would have thoughtthat all the train of Flora had gathered together to keep a festivalin honour of their mistress.

Withthe young men there seemed almost always some matter of diversion orbusiness on hand, that afforded a constant variety of enjoyment. Butwhether fishing, or carving canoes, or polishing their ornaments,never was there exhibited the least sign of strife or contentionamong them.

Asfor the warriors, they maintained a tranquil dignity of demeanour,journeying occasionally from house to house, where they were alwayssure to be received with the attention bestowed upon distinguishedguests. The old men, of whom there were many in the vale, seldomstirred from their mats, where they would recline for hours andhours, smoking and talking to one another with all the garrulity ofage.

Butthe continual happiness which, so far as I was able to judge,appeared to prevail in the valley, sprung principally from thatall-pervading sensation which Rousseau has told us he at one timeexperienced, the mere buoyant sense of a healthful physicalexistence. And, indeed, in this particular the Typees had amplereason to felicitate themselves, for sickness was almost unknown.During the whole period of my stay, I saw but one invalid among them;and on their smooth clear skins you observed no blemish or mark ofdisease.

Thegeneral repose, however, upon which I have just been descanting, wasbroken in upon about this time by an event, which proved that theislanders were not entirely exempt from those occurrences whichdisturb the quiet of more civilized communities.

Havingnow been a considerable time in the valley, I began to feel surprisedthat the violent hostility subsisting between its inhabitants andthose of the adjoining bay of Happar, should never have manifesteditself in any warlike encounter. Although the valiant Typees wouldoften, by gesticulations, declare their undying hatred against theirenemies, and the disgust they felt at their cannibal propensities;although they dilated upon the manifold injuries they had received attheir hands, yet, with a forbearance truly commendable, they appearedpatiently to sit down under their grievances, and to refrain frommaking any reprisals. The Happars, entrenched behind their mountains,and never even showing themselves on their summits, did not appear tome to furnish adequate cause for that excess of animosity evincedtowards them by the heroic tenants of our vale, and I was inclined tobelieve that the deeds of blood attributed to them had been greatlyexaggerated.

Onthe other hand, as the clamours of war had not up to this perioddisturbed the serenity of the tribe, I began to distrust the truth ofthose reports which ascribed so fierce and belligerent a character tothe Typee nation. Surely, thought I, all these terrible stories Ihave heard about the inveteracy with which they carried on the feud,their deadly intensity of hatred, and the diabolical malice withwhich they glutted their revenge upon the inanimate forms of theslain, are nothing more than fables, and I must confess that Iexperienced something like a sense of regret at having my hideousanticipations thus disappointed. I felt in some sort like a ’prenticeboy who, going to the play in the expectation of being delighted witha cut-and-thrust tragedy, is almost moved to tears of disappointmentat the exhibition of a genteel comedy.

Icould not avoid thinking that I had fallen in with a greatly traducedpeople, and I moralized not a little upon the disadvantage of havinga bad name, which in this instance had given a tribe of savages, whowere as pacific as so many lambkins, the reputation of a confederacyof giant-killers.

Butsubsequent events proved that I had been a little too premature incoming to this conclusion. One day, about noon, happening to be atthe Ti, I had lain down on the mats with several of the chiefs, andhad gradually sunk into a most luxurious siesta, when I was awakenedby a tremendous outcry, and starting up, beheld the natives, seizingtheir spears and hurrying out, while the most puissant of the chiefs,grasping the six muskets which were ranged against the bamboos,followed after, and soon disappeared in the groves. These movementswere accompanied by wild shouts, in which “Happar, Happar,”greatly predominated. The islanders were now to be seen running pastthe Ti, and striking across the valley to the Happar side. PresentlyI heard the sharp report of a musket from the adjoining hills, andthen a burst of voices in the same direction. At this the women, whohad congregated in the groves, set up the most violent clamours, asthey invariably do here as elsewhere on every occasion of excitementand alarm, with a view of tranquillizing their own minds anddisturbing other people. On this particular occasion they made suchan outrageous noise, and continued it with such perseverance, thatfor awhile, had entire volleys of musketry been fired off in theneighbouring mountains, I should not have been able to have heardthem.

Whenthis female commotion had a little subsided I listened eagerly forfurther information. At last bang went another shot, and then asecond volley of yells from the hills. Again all was quiet, andcontinued so for such a length of time that I began to think thecontending armies had agreed upon a suspension of hostilities; whenpop went a third gun, followed as before with a yell. After this, fornearly two hours nothing occurred worthy of comment, save somestraggling shouts from the hillside, sounding like the halloos of aparcel of truant boys who had lost themselves in the woods.

Duringthis interval I had remained standing on the piazza of the “Ti,”which directly fronted the Happar mountain, and with no one near mebut Kory-Kory and the old superannuated savages I have beforedescribed. These latter never stirred from their mats, and seemedaltogether unconscious that anything unusual was going on.

Asfor Kory-Kory, he appeared to think that we were in the midst ofgreat events, and sought most zealously to impress me with a duesense of their importance. Every sound that reached us conveyed somemomentous item of intelligence to him. At such times, as if he weregifted with second sight, he would go through a variety of pantomimicillustrations, showing me the precise manner in which the redoubtableTypees were at that very moment chastising the insolence of theenemy. “Mehevi hanna pippee nuee Happar,” he exclaimed every fiveminutes, giving me to understand that under that distinguishedcaptain the warriors of his nation were performing prodigies ofvalour.

Havingheard only four reports from the muskets, I was led to believe thatthey were worked by the islanders in the same manner as the SultanSolyman’s ponderous artillery at the siege of Byzantium, one ofthem taking an hour or two to load and train. At last, no soundwhatever proceeding from the mountains, I concluded that the contesthad been determined one way or the other. Such appeared, indeed, tobe the case, for in a little while a courier arrived at the “Ti,”almost breathless with his exertions, and communicated the news of agreat victory having been achieved by his countrymen: “Happar pooarva!—Happar poo arva!” (the cowards had fled). Kory-Kory was inecstasies, and commenced a vehement harangue, which, so far as Iunderstood it, implied that the result exactly agreed with hisexpectations, and which, moreover, was intended to convince me thatit would be a perfectly useless undertaking, even for an army offire-eaters, to offer battle to the irresistible heroes of ourvalley. In all this I of course acquiesced, and looked forward withno little interest to the return of the conquerors, whose victory Ifeared might not have been purchased without cost to themselves.

Buthere I was again mistaken; for Mehevi, in conducting his warlikeoperations, rather inclined to the Fabian than to the Buonaparteantactics, husbanding his resources and exposing his troops to nounnecessary hazards. The total loss of the victors in thisobstinately contested affair was,—in killed, wounded, andmissing—one forefinger and part of a thumb-nail (which the lateproprietor brought along with him in his hand), a severely contusedarm, and a considerable effusion of blood flowing from the thigh of achief who had received an ugly thrust from a Happar spear. What theenemy had suffered I could not discover, but I presume they hadsucceeded in taking off with them the bodies of their slain.

Suchwas the issue of the battle, as far as its results came under myobservation; and as it appeared to be considered an event ofprodigious importance, I reasonably concluded that the wars of thenatives were marked by no very sanguinary traits. I afterwardslearned how the skirmish had originated. A number of the Happars hadbeen discovered prowling for no good purpose on the Typee side of themountain; the alarm sounded, and the invaders, after a protractedresistance, had been chased over the frontier. But why had not theintrepid Mehevi carried the war into Happar? Why had not he made adescent into the hostile vale, and brought away some trophy of hisvictory—some materials for the cannibal entertainment which I hadheard usually terminated every engagement? After all, I was muchinclined to believe that these shocking festivals must occur veryrarely among the islanders, if, indeed, they ever take place.

Fortwo or three days the late event was the theme of general comment;after which the excitement gradually wore away, and the valleyresumed its accustomed tranquillity.

Swimmingin company with the girls of the valley—A canoe—Effects of thetaboo—A pleasure excursion on the pond—Beautiful freak ofFayaway—Mantua-making—A stranger arrives in the valley—Hismysterious conduct—Native oratory—The interview—Itsresults—Departure of the stranger.

Returninghealth and peace of mind gave a new interest to everything around me.I sought to diversify my time by as many enjoyments as lay within myreach. Bathing in company with troops of girls, formed one of mychief amusements. We sometimes enjoyed the recreation in the watersof a miniature lake, into which the central stream of the valleyexpanded. This lovely sheet of water was almost circular in figure,and about three hundred yards across. Its beauty was indescribable.All around its banks waved luxuriant masses of tropical foliage,soaring high above which were seen, here and there, the symmetricalshaft of the cocoa-nut tree, surmounted by its tuft of gracefulbranches, drooping in the air like so many waving ostrich plumes.

Theease and grace with which the maidens of the valley propelledthemselves through the water, and their familiarity with the element,were truly astonishing. Sometimes they might be seen gliding alongjust under the surface, without apparently moving hand or foot; thenthrowing themselves on their sides, they darted through the water,revealing glimpses of their forms, as, in the course of their rapidprogress, they shot for an instant partly into the air; at one momentthey dived deep down into the water, and the next they rose boundingto the surface.

Iremember upon one occasion plunging in among a parcel of theseriver-nymphs, and counting vainly on my superior strength, sought todrag some of them under the water; but I quickly repented mytemerity. The amphibious young creatures swarmed about me like ashoal of dolphins, and seizing hold of my devoted limbs, tumbled meabout and ducked me under the surface, until from the strange noiseswhich rang in my ears, and the supernatural visions dancing before myeyes, I thought I was in the land of spirits. I stood indeed aslittle chance among them as a cumbrous whale attacked on all sides bya legion of sword-fish. When at length they relinquished their holdof me, they swam away in every direction, laughing at my clumsyendeavours to reach them.

Therewas no boat on the lake; but at my solicitation, and for my specialuse, some of the young men attached to Marheyo’s household, underthe direction of the indefatigable Kory-Kory, brought up a light andtastefully carved canoe from the sea. It was launched upon the sheetof water, and floated there as gracefully as a swan. But, melancholyto relate, it produced an effect I had not anticipated. The sweetnymphs, who had sported with me before in the lake, now all fled itsvicinity. The prohibited craft, guarded by the edicts of the “taboo,”extended the prohibition to the waters in which it lay.

Fora few days, Kory-Kory, with one or two other youths, accompanied mein my excursions to the lake and, while I paddled about in my lightcanoe, would swim after me shouting and gambolling in pursuit. Butthis was far from contenting me. Indeed, I soon began to weary of it,and longed more than ever for the pleasant society of the mermaids,in whose absence the amusement was dull and insipid. One morning Iexpressed to my faithful servitor my desire for the return of thenymphs. The honest fellow looked at me, bewildered for a moment, andthen shook his head solemnly, and murmured “taboo! taboo!”giving me to understand that unless the canoe was removed, I couldnot expect to have the young ladies back again. But to this procedureI was averse; I not only wanted the canoe to stay where it was, but Iwanted the beauteous Fayaway to get into it, and paddle with me aboutthe lake. This latter proposition completely horrified Kory-Kory’snotions of propriety. He inveighed against it, as something toomonstrous to be thought of. It not only shocked their establishednotions of propriety, but was at variance with all their religiousordinances.

However,although the “taboo” was a ticklish thing to meddle with, Idetermined to test its capabilities of resisting an attack. Iconsulted the chief Mehevi, who endeavoured to persuade me from myobject: but I was not to be repulsed; and accordingly increased thewarmth of my solicitations. At last he entered into a long, and Ihave no doubt a very learned and eloquent exposition of the historyand nature of the “taboo” as affecting this particular case;employing a variety of most extraordinary words, which, from theiramazing length and sonorousness, I have every reason to believe wereof a theological nature. But all that he said failed to convince me:partly perhaps, because I could not comprehend a word that heuttered; but chiefly, that for the life of me, I could not understandwhy a woman should not have as much right to enter a canoe as a man.At last he became a little more rational, and intimated that, out ofthe abundant love he bore me, he would consult with the priests andsee what could be done.

Howit was that the priesthood of Typee satisfied the affair with theirconsciences, I know not; but so it was, and Fayaway’s dispensationfrom this portion of the taboo was at length procured. Such an event,I believe, never before had occurred in the valley; but it was hightime the islanders should be taught a little gallantry, and I trustthat the example I set them may produce beneficial effects.Ridiculous, indeed, that the lovely creatures should be obliged topaddle about in the water, like so many ducks, while a parcel ofgreat strapping fellows skimmed over its surface in their canoes.

Thefirst day after Fayaway’s emancipation, I had a delightful littleparty on the lake—the damsel, Kory-Kory, and myself. My zealousbody-servant brought from the house a calabash of poee-poee, half adozen young cocoa-nuts—stripped of their husks—three pipes, asmany yams, and me on his back a part of the way. Something of a load;but Kory-Kory was a very strong man for his size, and by no meansbrittle in the spine. We had a very pleasant day; my trusty valetplied the paddle and swept us gently along the margin of the water,beneath the shades of the overhanging thickets. Fayaway and Ireclined in the stern of the canoe, the gentle nymph occasionallyplacing her pipe to her lips, and exhaling the mild fumes of thetobacco, to which her rosy breath added a fresh perfume. Strange asit may seem, there is nothing in which a young and beautiful femaleappears to more advantage than in the act of smoking. How captivatingis a Peruvian lady, swinging in her gaily-woven hammock of grass,extended between two orange-trees, and inhaling the fragrance of achoice cigarro! But Fayaway, holding in her delicately-formed olivehand the long yellow reed of her pipe, with its quaintly carved bowl,and every few moments languishingly giving forth light wreaths ofvapour from her mouth and nostrils, looked still more engaging.

Weboated about thus for several hours, when I looked up to the warm,glowing, tropical sky, and then down into the transparent depthsbelow; and when my eye, wandering from the bewitching scenery around,fell upon the grotesquely-tattooed form of Kory-Kory, and finallyencountered the pensive gaze of Fayaway, I thought I had beentransported to some fairy region, so unreal did everything appear.

Thislovely piece of water was the coolest spot in all the valley, and Inow made it a place of continual resort during the hottest period ofthe day. One side of it lay near the termination of a long graduallyexpanding gorge, which mounted to the heights that environed thevale. The strong trade-wind, met in its course by these elevations,circled and eddied about their summits, and was sometimes driven downthe steep ravine and swept across the valley, ruffling in its passagethe otherwise tranquil surface of the lake.

Oneday, after we had been paddling about for some time, I disembarkedKory-Kory, and paddled the canoe to the windward side of the lake. AsI turned the canoe, Fayaway, who was with me, seemed all at once tobe struck with some happy idea. With a wild exclamation of delight,she disengaged from her person the ample robe of tappa which wasknotted over her shoulder (for the purpose of shielding her from thesun), and spreading it out like a sail, stood erect with up-raisedarms in the head of the canoe. We American sailors pride ourselvesupon our straight clean spars, but a prettier little mast thanFayaway made was never shipped aboard of any craft.

Ina moment the tappa was distended by the breeze—the long browntresses of Fayaway streamed in the air—and the canoe glided rapidlythrough the water, and shot towards the shore. Seated in the stern, Idirected its course with my paddle until it dashed up the softsloping bank, and Fayaway, with a light spring, alighted on theground; whilst Kory-Kory, who had watched our manœuvres withadmiration, now clapped his hands in transport, and shouted like amadman. Many a time afterwards was this feat repeated.

Ifthe reader has not observed ere this that I was the declared admirerof Miss Fayaway, all I can say is, that he is little conversant withaffairs of the heart, and I certainly shall not trouble myself toenlighten him any farther. Out of the calico I had brought from theship a dress was made for this lovely girl. In it she looked, I mustconfess, something like an opera-dancer. The drapery of the latterdamsel generally commences a little above the elbows, but my islandbeauty’s began at the waist, and terminated sufficiently far abovethe ground to reveal the most bewitching ankle in the universe.

Theday that Fayaway first wore this robe was rendered memorable by a newacquaintance being introduced to me. In the afternoon I was lying inthe house, when I heard a great uproar outside; but being by thistime pretty well accustomed to the wild halloos which were almostcontinually ringing through the valley, I paid little attention toit, until old Marheyo, under the influence of some strangeexcitement, rushed into my presence and communicated the astoundingtidings, “Marnoo pemi!” which being interpreted, implied that anindividual by the name of Marnoo was approaching. My worthy oldfriend evidently expected that this intelligence would produce agreat effect upon me, and for a time he stood earnestly regarding me,as if curious to see how I should conduct myself, but as I remainedperfectly unmoved, the old gentleman darted out of the house again,in as great a hurry as he had entered it.

“Marnoo,Marnoo,” cogitated I, “I have never heard that name before. Somedistinguished character, I presume, from the prodigious riot thenatives are making”; the tumultuous noise drawing nearer and nearerevery moment, while “Marnoo!—Marnoo!” was shouted by everytongue.