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Having fully resolved to leave the vessel clandestinely, and
having acquired all the knowledge concerning the bay that I
could obtain under the circumstances in which I was placed, I
now deliberately turned over in my mind every plan of escape
that suggested itself, being determined to act with all possible
prudence in an attempt where failure would be attended with so
many disagreeable consequences. The idea of being taken and
brought back ignominiously to the ship was so inexpressibly repulsive
to me, that I was determined by no hasty and imprudent
measures to render such an event probable.

I knew that our worthy captain, who felt such a paternal solicitude
for the welfare of his crew, would not willingly consent
that one of his best hands should encounter the perils of a sojourn
among the natives of a barbarous island; and I was certain that
in the event of my disappearance, his fatherly anxiety would
prompt him to offer, by way of a reward, yard upon yard of gaily
printed calico for my apprehension. He might even have appreciated
my services at the value of a musket, in which case I felt
perfectly certain that the whole population of the bay would be
immediately upon my track, incited by the prospect of so magnificent
a bounty.

Having ascertained the fact before alluded to, that the islanders,
from motives of precaution, dwelt together in the depths of the
valleys, and avoided wandering about the more elevated portions

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of the shore, unless bound on some expedition of war or plunder,
I concluded that if I could effect unperceived a passage to the
mountains, I might easily remain among them, supporting myself
by such fruits as came in my way until the sailing of the ship,
an event of which I could not fail to be immediately apprised, as
from my lofty position I should command a view of the entire
harbor.

The idea pleased me greatly. It seemed to combine a great
deal of practicability with no inconsiderable enjoyment in a quiet
way; for how delightful it would be to look down upon the detested
old vessel from the height of some thousand feet, and contrast
the verdant scenery about me with the recollection of her
narrow decks and gloomy forecastle! Why, it was really refreshing
even to think of it; and so I straightway fell to picturing
myself seated beneath a cocoa-nut tree on the brow of the mountain,
with a cluster of plantains within easy reach, criticising
her nautical evolutions as she was working her way out of the
harbor.

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

Just to think of a party of these unnatural gourmands taking it
into their heads to make a convivial meal of a poor devil, who
would have no means of escape or defence: however, there was
no help for it. I was willing to encounter some risks in order to
accomplish my object, and counted much upon my ability to
elude these prowling cannibals amongst the many coverts which
the mountains afforded. Besides, the chances were ten to one
in my favor that they would none of them quit their own fastnesses.

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I had determined not to communicate my design of withdrawing
from the vessel to any of my shipmates, and least of all to
solicit any one to accompany me in my flight. But it so happened
one night, that being upon deck, revolving over in my
mind various plans of escape, I perceived one of the ship's company
leaning over the bulwarks, apparently plunged in a profound
reverie. He was a young fellow about my own age, for
whom I had all along entertained a great regard; and Toby, such
was the name by which he went among us, for his real name
he would never tell us, was every way worthy of it. He was
active, ready, and obliging, of dauntless courage, and singularly
open and fearless in the expression of his feelings. I had on
more than one occasion got him out of scrapes into which this
had led him; and I know not whether it was from this cause, or
a certain congeniality of sentiment between us, that he had
always shown a partiality for my society. We had battled out
many a long watch together, beguiling the weary hours with
chat, song, and story, mingled with a good many imprecations
upon the hard destiny it seemed our common fortune to encounter.

Toby, like myself, had evidently moved in a different sphere
of life, and his conversation at times betrayed this, although he
was anxious to conceal it. He was one of that class of rovers
you sometimes meet at sea, who never reveal their origin, never
allude to home, and go rambling over the world as if pursued by
some mysterious fate they cannot possibly elude.

There was much even in the appearance of Toby calculated to
draw me towards him, for while the greater part of the crew were
as coarse in person as in mind, Toby was endowed with a remarkably
prepossessing exterior. Arrayed in his blue frock and
duck trowsers, he was as smart a looking sailor as ever stepped
upon a deck; he was singularly small and slightly made, with
great flexibility of limb. His naturally dark complexion had

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been deepened by exposure to the tropical sun, and a mass of jetty
locks clustered about his temples, and threw a darker shade into
his large black eyes. He was a strange wayward being, moody,
fitful, and melancholy—at times almost morose. He had a quick
and fiery temper too, which, when thoroughly roused, transported
him into a state bordering on delirium.

It is strange the power that a mind of deep passion has over
feebler natures. I have seen a brawny fellow, with no lack of
ordinary courage, fairly quail before this slender stripling, when
in one of his furious fits. But these paroxysms seldom occurred,
and in them my big-hearted shipmate vented the bile which more
calm-tempered individuals get rid of by a continual pettishness at
trivial annoyances.

No one ever saw Toby laugh. I mean in the hearty abandon
ment of broad-mouthed mirth. He did smile sometimes, it is true;
and there was a good deal of dry, sarcastic humor about him,
which told the more from the imperturbable gravity of his tone
and manner.

Latterly I had observed that Toby's melancholy had greatly
increased, and I had frequently seen him since our arrival at the
island gazing wistfully upon the shore, when the remainder of the
crew would be rioting below. I was aware that he entertained a
cordial detestation of the ship, and believed that should a fair
chance of escape present itself, he would embrace it willingly.
But the attempt was so perilous in the place where we then lay,
that I supposed myself the only individual on board the ship who
was sufficiently reckless to think of it. In this, however, I was
mistaken.

When I perceived Toby leaning, as I have mentioned, against
the bulwarks and buried in thought, it struck me at once that the
subject of his meditations 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 for the partner of my adventure? and why

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should I not have some comrade with me to divide its dangers and
alleviate its hardships? Perhaps I might be obliged to lie concealed
among the mountains for weeks. In such an event what
a solace would a companion be?

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

The next day the starboard watch, to which we both belonged,
was to be sent ashore on liberty; and, availing ourselves of this
opportunity, we determined, as soon after landing as possible, to
separate ourselves from the rest of the men without exciting their
suspicions, and strike back at once for the mountains. Seen from
the ship, the summits appeared inaccessible, but here and there
sloping spurs extended from them almost into the sea, buttressing
the lofty elevations with which they were connected, and forming
those radiating valleys I have before described. One of these
ridges, which appeared 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 the ship, so that when ashore we should run no
chance of missing it.

In all this the leading object we had in view was to seclude
ourselves from sight until the departure of the vessel; then to
take our chance as to the reception the Nukuheva natives might
give us; and after remaining upon the island as long as we found
our stay agreeable, to leave it the first favorable opportunity that
offered.

p273-066

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