Welookedaboutusuncertainwhithertodirectoursteps,sincethepathwehadsofarfollowedappearedtobelostintheopenspacearoundus。Atlastweresolvedtoenteragrovenearathand,andhadadvancedafewrods,when,justuponitsskirts,Ipickedupaslenderbread-fruitshootperfectlygreen,andwiththetenderbarkfreshlystriptfromit。Itwasslipperywithmoisture,andappearedasifithadbeenbutthatmomentthrownaside。Isaidnothing,butmerelyheldituptoToby,whostartedatthisundeniableevidenceofthevicinityofthesavages。
Theplotwasnowthickening-Ashortdistancefartherlayalittlefaggotofthesameshootsboundtogetherwithastripofbark。Couldithavebeenthrowndownbysomesolitarynative,who,alarmedatseeingus,hadhurriedforwardtocarrythetidingsofourapproachtohiscountrymen?-TypeeorHappar?-Butitwastoolatetorecede,sowemovedonslowly,mycompanioninadvancecastingeagerglancesunderthetreesoneitherside,untilallatonceI
sawhimrecoilasifstungbyanadder。Sinkingonhisknee,hewavedmeoffwithonehand,whilewiththeotherheheldasidesomeinterveningleaves,andgazedintentlyatsomeobject。
Disregardinghisinjunction,Iquicklyapproachedhimandcaughtaglimpseoftwofigurespartlyhiddenbythedensefoliage;theywerestandingclosetogether,andwereperfectlymotionless。Theymusthavepreviouslyperceivedus,andwithdrawnintothedepthsofthewoodtoeludeourobservation。
Mymindwasatoncemadeup。Droppingmystaff,andtearingopenthepackageofthingswehadbroughtfromtheship,Iunrolledthecottoncloth,andholdingitinonehand,pluckedwiththeotheratwigfromthebushesbesideme,andtellingTobytofollowmyexample,Ibrokethroughthecovertandadvanced,wavingthebranchintokenofpeacetowardstheshrinkingformsbeforeme。
Theywereaboyandagirl,slenderandgraceful,andcompletelynaked,withtheexceptionofaslightgirdleofbark,fromwhichdependedatoppositepointstwooftherussetleavesofthebread-fruittree。Anarmoftheboy,halfscreenedfromsightbyherwildtresses,wasthrownabouttheneckofthegirl,whilewiththeotherheheldoneofherhandsinhis;andthustheystoodtogether,theirheadsinclinedforward,catchingthefaintnoisewemadeinourprogress,andwithonefootinadvance,asifhalfinclinedtoflyfromourpresence。
Aswedrewnear,theiralarmevidentlyincreased。Apprehensivethattheymightflyfromusaltogether,IstoppedshortandmotionedthemtoadvanceandreceivethegiftIextendedtowardsthem,buttheywouldnot;IthenutteredafewwordsoftheirlanguagewithwhichI
wasacquainted,scarcelyexpectingthattheywouldunderstandme,buttoshowthatwehadnotdroppedfromthecloudsuponthem。Thisappearedtogivethemalittleconfidence,soIapproachednearer,presentingtheclothwithonehand,andholdingtheboughwiththeother,whiletheyslowlyretreated。Atlasttheysufferedustoapproachsoneartothemthatwewereenabledtothrowthecottonclothacrosstheirshoulders,givingthemtounderstandthatitwastheirs,andbyavarietyofgesturesendeavouringtomakethemunderstandthatweentertainedthehighestpossibleregardforthem。
Thefrightenedpairnowstoodstill,whilstweendeavouredtomakethemcomprehendthenatureofourwants。IndoingthisTobywentthroughwithacompleteseriesofpantomimicillustrations-openinghismouthfromeartoear,andthrustinghisfingersdownhisthroat,gnashinghisteethandrollinghiseyesabout,tillIverilybelievethepoorcreaturestookusforacoupleofwhitecannibalswhowereabouttomakeamealofthem。When,however,theyunderstoodus,theyshowednoinclinationtorelieveourwants。Atthisjunctureitbegantorainviolently,andwemotionedthemtoleadustosomeplaceofshelter。Withthisrequesttheyappearedwillingtocomply,butnothingcouldevincemorestronglytheapprehensionwithwhichtheyregardedus,thanthewayinwhich,whilstwalkingbeforeus,theykepttheireyesconstantlyturnedbacktowatcheverymovementwemade,andevenourverylooks。
“TypeeorHappar,Toby?“askedI,aswewalkedafterthem。
“Ofcourse,Happar,“hereplied,withashowofconfidencewhichwasintendedtodisguisehisdoubts。
“Weshallsoonknow,“Iexclaimed;andatthesamemomentI
steppedforwardtowardsourguides,andpronouncingthetwonamesinterrogatively,andpointingtothelowestpartofthevalley,endeavouredtocometothepointatonce。Theyrepeatedthewordsaftermeagainandagain,butwithoutgivinganypeculiaremphasistoeither,sothatIwascompletelyatalosstounderstandthem;
foracoupleofwilieryoungthingsthanweafterwardsfoundthemtohavebeenonthisparticularoccasionneverprobablyfellinanytraveller’sway。
Moreandmorecurioustoascertainourfate,Inowthrewtogetherintheformofaquestionthewords“Happar“and“Mortarkee,“
thelatterbeingequivalenttotheword“good。“Thetwonativesinterchangedglancesofpeculiarmeaningwithoneanotheratthis,andmanifestednolittlesurprise;butontherepetitionofthequestion,aftersomeconsultationtogether,tothegreatjoyofToby,theyansweredintheaffirmative。Tobywasnowinecstasies,especiallyastheyoungsavagescontinuedtoreiteratetheiranswerwithgreatenergy,asthoughdesirousofimpressinguswiththeideathatbeingamongtheHappars,weoughtconsiderourselvesperfectlysecure。
AlthoughIhadsomelingeringdoubts,IfeignedgreatdelightwithTobyatthisannouncement,whilemycompanionbrokeoutintoapantomimicabhorrenceofTypee,andimmeasurablelovefortheparticularvalleyinwhichwewere;ourguidesallthewhilegazinguneasilyatoneanother,asifatalosstoaccountforourconduct。
Theyhurriedon,andwefollowedthem;untilsuddenlytheysetupastrangehalloo,whichwasansweredfrombeyondthegrovethroughwhichwewerepassing,andthenextmomentweentereduponsomeopenground,attheextremityofwhichwedescriedalong,lowhut,andinfrontofitwereseveralyounggirls。Assoonastheyperceivedustheyfledwithwildscreamsintotheadjoiningthickets,somanystartledfawns。Afewmomentsafterthewholevalleyresoundedwithsavageoutcries,andthenativescamerunningtowardsusfromeverydirection。
Hadanarmyofinvadersmadeanirruptionintotheirterritory,theycouldnothaveevincedgreaterexcitement。Weweresooncompletelyencircledbyadensethrong,andintheireagerdesiretobeholdus,theyalmostarrestedourprogress;anequalnumbersurroundingouryouthfulguides,who,withamazingvolubility,appearedtobedetailingthecircumstanceswhichhadattendedtheirmeetingwithus。Everyitemofintelligenceappearedtoredoubletheastonishmentoftheislanders,andtheygazedatuswithinquiringlooks。
Atlastwereachedalargeandhandsomebuildingofbamboos,andwerebysignstoldtoenterit,thenativesopeningalaneforusthroughwhichtopass;onentering,withoutceremonywethrewourexhaustedframesuponthematsthatcoveredthefloor。Inamomenttheslighttenementwascompletelyfullofpeople,whilstthosewhowereunabletoobtainadmittancegazedatusthroughitsopencane-work。
Itwasnowevening,andbythedimlightwecouldjustdiscernthesavagecountenancesaroundus,gleamingwithwildcuriosityandwonder;thenakedformsandtattooedlimbsofbrawnywarriors,withhereandtheretheslighterfiguresofyounggirls,allengagedinaperfectstormofconversation,ofwhichwewereofcoursetheoneonlytheme;whilstourrecentguideswerefullyoccupiedinansweringtheinnumerablequestionswhicheveryoneputtothem。Nothingcanexceedthefiercegesticulationofthesepeoplewhenanimatedinconversation,andonthisoccasiontheygaveloosetoalltheirnaturalvivacity,shoutinganddancingaboutinamannerthatwell-nighintimidatedus。
Closetowherewelay,squattingupontheirhaunches,weresomeeightortennoble-lookingchiefs-forsuchtheysubsequentlyprovedtobe-who,morereservedthantherest,regardeduswithafixedandsternattention,whichnotalittlediscomposedourequanimity。
Oneoftheminparticular,whoappearedtobethehighestinrank,placedhimselfdirectlyfacingme,lookingatmewitharigidityofaspectunderwhichIabsolutelyquailed。Heneveronceopenedhislips,butmaintainedhissevereexpressionofcountenance,withoutturninghisfaceasideforasinglemoment。NeverbeforehadIbeensubjectedtosostrangeandsteadyaglance;itrevealednothingofthemindofthesavage,butitappearedtobereadingmyown。
AfterundergoingthisscrutinytillIgrewabsolutelynervous,withaviewofdivertingitifpossible,andconciliatingthegoodopinionofthewarrior,Itooksometobaccofromthebosomofmyfrock,andofferedittohim。Hequietlyrejectedtheprofferedgift,and,withoutspeaking,motionedmetoreturnittoitsplace。
InmypreviousintercoursewiththenativesofNukuhevaandTior,Ihadfoundthatthepresentofasmallpieceoftobaccowouldhaverenderedanyofthemdevotedtomyservice。Wasthisactofthechiefatokenofhisenmity?TypeeorHappar?Iaskedwithinmyself。I
started,foratthesamemomentthisidenticalquestionwasaskedbythestrangebeingbeforeme。IturnedtoToby;theflickeringlightofanativetapershowedmehiscountenancepalewithtrepidationatthisfatalquestion。Ipausedforasecond,andIknownotbywhatimpulseitwasthatIanswered,“Typee。“Thepieceofduskystatuarynoddedinapproval,andthenmurmured,“Mortarkee?““Mortarkee,“
saidI,withoutfurtherhesitation-“Typeemortarkee。“
Whatatransition!Thedarkfiguresaroundusleapedtotheirfeet,clappedtheirhandsintransport,andshoutedagainandagainthetalismanicsyllables,theutteranceofwhichappearedtohavesettledeverything。
Whenthiscommotionhadalittlesubsided,theprincipalchiefsquattedoncemorebeforeme,andthrowinghimselfintoasuddenrage,pouredforthastringofphilippics,whichIwasatnolosstounderstand,fromthefrequentrecurrenceofthewordHappar,asbeingdirectedagainstthenativesoftheadjoiningvalley。InallthesedenunciationsmycompanionandIacquiesced,whileweextolledthecharacterofthewarlikeTypees。Tobesureourpanegyricsweresomewhatlaconic,consistingintherepetitionofthatname,unitedwiththepotentadjective,“Mortarkee。“Butthiswassufficient,andservedtoconciliatethegood-willofthenatives,withwhomourcongenialityofsentimentonthispointdidmoretowardsinspiringafriendlyfeelingthananythingelsethatcouldhavehappened。
Atlastthewrathofthechiefevaporated,andinafewmomentshewasasplacidasever。Layinghishanduponhisbreast,hegavemetounderstandthathisnamewas“Mehevi,“andthat,inreturn,hewishedmetocommunicatemyappellation。Ihesitatedforaninstant,thinkingthatitmightbedifficultforhimtopronouncemyrealname,andthen,withthemostpraiseworthyintentions,intimatedthatI
wasknownas“Tom。“ButIcouldnothavemadeaworseselection;thechiefcouldnotmasterit:“Tommo,““Tomma,““Tommee,“everythingbutplain“Tom。“Ashepersistedingarnishingthewordwithanadditionalsyllable,Icompromisedthematterwithhimattheword“Tommo“;andbythatnameIwentduringtheentireperiodofmystayinthevalley。ThesameproceedingwasgonethroughwithToby,whosemellifluousappellationwasmoreeasilycaught。
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