PREFACE.
[figure description] Preface vii.[end figure description]
More than three years have elapsed since the occurrence
of the events recorded in this volume. The interval, with
the exception of the last few months, has been chiefly spent
by the author tossing about on the wide ocean. Sailors are
the only class of men who now-a-days see anything like
stirring adventure; and many things which to fire-side
people appear strange and romantic, to them seem as common-place
as a jacket out at elbows. Yet, notwithstanding
the familiarity of sailors with all sorts of curious adventure,
the incidents recorded in the following pages have often
served, when “spun as a yarn,” not only to relieve the
weariness of many a night-watch at sea, but to excite the
warmest sympathies of the author's shipmates. He has
been therefore led to think that his story could scarcely
fail to interest those who are less familiar than the sailor
with a life of adventure.
In his account of the singular and interesting people
among whom he was thrown, it will be observed that he
chiefly treats of their more obvious peculiarities; and, in
describing their customs, refrains in most cases from entering
into explanations concerning their origin and purposes.
As writers of travels among barbarous communities are
generally very diffuse on these subjects, he deems it right
to advert to what may be considered a culpable omission.
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No one can be more sensible than the author of his deficiencies
in this and many other respects; but when the very
peculiar circumstances in which he was placed are understood,
he feels assured that all these omissions will be excused.
In very many published narratives no little degree of
attention is bestowed upon dates; but as the author lost
all knowledge of the days of the week, during the occurrence
of the scenes herein related, he hopes that the reader
will charitably pass over his shortcomings in this particular.
In the Polynesian words used in this volume—except in
those cases where the spelling has been previously determined
by others—that form of orthography has been employed,
which might be supposed most easily to convey
their sound to a stranger. In several works descriptive of
the islands in the Pacific, many of the most beautiful combinations
of vocal sounds have been altogether lost to the
ear of the reader by an over-attention to the ordinary rules
of spelling.
There are a few passages in the ensuing chapters, which
may be thought to bear rather hard upon a reverend order
of men, the account of whose proceedings in different quarters
of the globe—transmitted to us through their own
hands—very generally, and often very deservedly, receives
high commendation. Such passages will be found, however,
to be based upon facts admitting of no contradiction,
and which have come immediately under the writer's cognisance.
The conclusions deduced from these facts are
unavoidable, and in stating them the author has been influenced
by no feeling of animosity, either to the individuals
themselves or to that glorious cause which has not
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always been served by the proceedings of some of its advocates.
The great interest with which the important events
lately occurring at the Sandwich, Marquesas, and Society
Islands, has been regarded in America and England, and
indeed throughout the world, will, he trusts, justify a few
otherwise unwarrantable digressions.
There are some things related in the narrative which
will be sure to appear strange, or perhaps entirely incomprehensible,
to the reader; but they cannot appear more
so to him than they did to the author at the time. He has
stated such matters just as they occurred, and leaves every
one to form his own opinion concerning them; trusting
that his anxious desire to speak the unvarnished truth will
gain for him the confidence of his readers.
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CONTENTS.
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CHAPTER I.
The Sea—Longings for Shore—A Land-sick Ship—Destination of the
Voyagers—The Marquesas—Adventures of a Missionary's Wife
among the Savages—Characteristic anecdote of the Queen of Nukuheva
1
CHAPTER II.
Passage from the Cruising Ground to the Marquesas—Sleepy times
aboard Ship—South Sea Scenery—Land ho!—The French Squadron
discovered at anchor in the Bay of Nukuheva—Strange Pilot—
Escort of Canoes—A Flotilla of Cocoa-nuts—Swimming Visitors—
The Dolly boarded by them—State of affairs that ensue 9
CHAPTER III.
Some account of the late operations of the French at the Marquesas—
Prudent conduct of the Admiral—Sensation produced by the arrival
of the Strangers—The first horse seen by the Islanders—Reflections—
Miserable subterfuge of the French—Digression concerning
Tahiti—Seizure of the island by the Admiral—Spirited conduct of
an English Lady 18
CHAPTER IV.
State of affairs aboard the Ship—Contents of her Larder—Length of
South Seaman's Voyages—Account of a Flying Whale-man—Determination
to leave the Vessel—The Bay of Nukuheva—The Typees—
Invasion of their Valley by Porter—Reflections—Glen of Tior—
Interview between the old King and the French Admiral 23
CHAPTER V.
Thoughts previous to attempting an Escape—Toby, a Fellow Sailor,
agrees to share the Adventure—Last Night aboard the Ship 36
CHAPTER VI.
A Specimen of Nautical Oratory—Criticisms of the Sailors—The Starboard
Watch are given a Holiday—The Escape to the Mountains 41
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CHAPTER VII.
The other side of the Mountain—Disappointment—Inventory of Articles
brought from the Ship—Division of the Stock of Bread—Appearance
of the Interior of the Island—A Discovery—A Ravine and
Waterfalls—A sleepless Night—Further Discoveries—My Illness—
A Marquesan Landscape 50
CHAPTER VIII.
The Important Question, Typee or Happar?—A Wild Goose Chase—
My Sufferings—Disheartening Situation—A Night in a Ravine—
Morning Meal—Happy Idea of Toby—Journey towards the Valley 62
CHAPTER IX.
Perilous Passage of the Ravine—Descent into the Valley 72
CHAPTER X.
The Head of the Valley—Cautious Advance—A Path—Fruit—Discovery
of two of the Natives—Their Singular Conduct—Approach
towards the Inhabited Parts of the Vale—Sensation produced by
our Appearance—Reception at the House of one of the Natives 82
CHAPTER XI.
Midnight Reflections—Morning Visitors—A Warrior in Costume—A
Savage Æsculapius—Practice of the Healing Art—Body Servant—
A Dwelling-house of the Valley described—Portraits of its Inmates 95
CHAPTER XII.
Officiousness of Kory-Kory—His Devotion—A Bath in the Stream—
Want of Refinement of the Typee Damsels—Stroll with Mehevi—
A Typee Highway—The Taboo Groves—The Hoolah Hoolah
Ground—The Ti—Time-worn Savages—Hospitality of Mehevi—
Midnight Misgivings—Adventure in the Dark—Distinguished Honors
paid to the Visitors—Strange Procession and Return to the House
of Marheyo 111
CHAPTER XIII.
Attempt to procure relief from Nukuheva—Perilous Adventure of
Toby in the Happar Mountains—Eloquence of Kory-Kory 123
CHAPTER XIV.
A great Event happens in the Valley—The Island Telegraph—Something
befalls Toby—Fayaway displays a tender Heart—Melancholy
Reflections—Mysterious conduct of the Islanders—Devotion of
Kory-Kory—A rural couch—A Luxury—Kory-Kory strikes a Light
a la Typee 132
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CHAPTER XV
Kindness of Marheyo and the rest of the Islanders—A full Description
of the Bread-fruit Tree—Different Modes of preparing the
Fruit 143
CHAPTER XVI.
Melancholy condition—Occurrence at the Ti—Anecdote of Marheyo—
Shaving the Head of a Warrior 149
CHAPTER XVII.
Improvement in Health and Spirits—Felicity of the Typees—Their
enjoyments compared with those of more enlightened Communities—
Comparative Wickedness of civilized and unenlightened People—A
Skirmish in the Mountain with the Warriors of Happar 156
CHAPTER XVIII.
Swimming in company with the Girls of the Valley—A Canoe—Effects
of the Taboo—A pleasure Excursion on the Pond—Beautiful freak
of Fayaway—Mantua-making—A Stranger arrives in the Valley—His
mysterious conduct—Native Oratory—The Interview—Its Results—
Departure of the Stranger 167
CHAPTER XIX.
Reflections after Marnoo's Departure—Battle of the Pop-guns—Strange
conceit of Marheyo—Process of making Tappa 183
CHAPTER XX.
History of a day as usually spent in the Typee Valley—Dances of the
Marquesan Girls 191
CHAPTER XXI.
The Spring of Arva Wai—Remarkable Monumental Remains—Some
ideas with regard to the History of the Pi-Pis found in the Valley 196
CHAPTER XXII.
Preparation for a Grand Festival in the Valley—Strange doings in the
Taboo Groves—Monument of Calabashes—Gala costume of the Typee
damsels—Departure for the Festival 201
CHAPTER XXIII.
The Feast of Calabashes 208
CHAPTER XXIV.
Ideas suggested by the Feast of Calabashes—Inaccuracy of certain published
Accounts of the Islands—A Reason— Neglected State of Heathenism
in the Valley—Effigy of a Dead Warrior—A singular
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Superstition—The Priest Kolory and the God Moa Artua—Amazing Religious
Observance—A dilapidated Shrine—Kory-Kory and the Idol—
An Inference 216
CHAPTER XXV.
General Information gathered at the Festival—Personal Beauty of the
Typees—Their Superiority over the Inhabitants of the other Islands—
Diversity of Complexion—A Vegetable Cosmetic and Ointment—
Testimony of Voyagers to the uncommon Beauty of the Marquesas—
Few Evidences of Intercourse with Civilized Beings—Dilapidated
Musket—Primitive Simplicity of Government—Regal Dignity of Mehevi
230
CHAPTER XXVI.
King Mehevi—Allusion to his Hawiian Majesty—Conduct of Marheyo
and Mehevi in certain delicate matters—Peculiar system of Marriage—
Number of Population—Uniformity—Embalming—Places of
Sepulture—Funeral obsequies at Nukuheva—Number of Inhabitants
in Typee—Location of the Dwellings—Happiness enjoyed in the
Valley—A Warning—Some ideas with regard to the Civilisation of
the Islands—Reference to the present state of the Hawiians—Story
of a Missionary's Wife—Fashionable Equipages at Oahu—Reflections
240
CHAPTER XXVII.
The Social Condition and General Character of the Typees 255
CHAPTER XXVIII.
Fishing Parties—Mode of distributing the Fish—Midnight Banquet—
Time-keeping Tapers—Unceremonious style of eating the Fish 263
CHAPTER XXIX.
Natural History of the Valley—Golden Lizards—Tameness of the Birds—
Mosquitos—Flies—Dogs—A solitary Cat—The Climate—The Cocoa-nut
Tree—Singular mode of climbing it—An agile young Chief—
Fearlessness of the Children—Too-Too and the Cocoa-nut Tree—
The Birds of the Valley 268
CHAPTER XXX.
A Professor of the Fine Arts—His Persecutions—Something about
Tattooing and Tabooing—Two Anecdotes in illustration of the latter—
A few thoughts on the Typee Dialect 276
CHAPTER XXXI.
Strange custom of the Islanders—Their Chanting, and the peculiarity
of their Voice—Rapture of the King at first hearing a Song—A
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new Dignity conferred on the Author—Musical Instruments in the
Valley—Admiration of the Savages at beholding a Pugilistic Performance—
Swimming Infant—Beautiful Tresses of the Girls—Ointment
for the Hair 287
CHAPTER XXXII.
Apprehensions of Evil—Frightful Discovery—Some remarks on Cannibalism—
Second Battle with the Happars—Savage Spectacle—
Mysterious Feast—Subsequent Disclosures 293
CHAPTER XXXIII.
The Stranger again arrives in the Valley—Singular Interview with
him—Attempt to Escape—Failure—Melancholy Situation—Sympathy
of Marheyo 304
CHAPTER XXXIV.
The Escape 310
APPENDIX.
Provisional cession of the Sandwich Islands to Lord Geo. Paulet. 321
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Melville, Herman, 1819-1891 [1846], A peep at Polynesian life, volume 1 (Wiley & Putnam, New York) [word count] [eaf273v1].
