Buttoturntosomethingalittlemoreimportant。Althoughthewholeexistenceoftheinhabitantsofthevalleyseemedtopassawayexemptfromtoil,yetthereweresomelightemploymentswhich,althoughamusingratherthanlaboriousasoccupations,contributedtotheircomfortandluxury。Amongthese,themostimportantwasthemanufactureofthenativecloth-“tappa“-sowellknown,undervariousmodifications,throughoutthewholePolynesianArchipelago。Asisgenerallyunderstood,thisusefulandsometimeselegantarticleisfabricatedfromthebarkofdifferenttrees。But,asIbelievethatnodescriptionofitsmanufacturehaseverbeengiven,IshallstatewhatIknowregardingit。
InthemanufactureofthebeautifulwhitetappagenerallywornontheMarquesanIslands,thepreliminaryoperationconsistsingatheringacertainquantityoftheyoungbranchesofthecloth-tree。Theexteriorgreenbarkbeingpulledoffasworthless,thereremainsaslenderfibroussubstance,whichiscarefullystrippedfromthestick,towhichitcloselyadheres。Whenasufficientquantityofithasbeencollected,thevariousstripsareenvelopedinacoveringoflargeleaves,whichthenativesusepreciselyaswedowrapping-paper,andwhicharesecuredbyafewturnsofalinepassedroundthem。Thepackageisthenlaidinthebedofsomerunningstream,withaheavystoneplacedoverit,topreventitsbeingsweptaway。Afterithasremainedfortwoorthreedaysinthisstate,itisdrawnout,andexposedforashorttimetotheactionoftheair,everydistinctpiecebeingattentivelyinspected,withaviewofascertainingwhetherithasyetbeensufficientlyaffectedbytheoperation。Thisisrepeatedagainandagain,untilthedesiredresultisobtained。
Whenthesubstanceisinaproperstateforthenextprocess,itbetraysevidencesofincipientdecomposition;thefibresarerelaxedandsoftened,andrenderedperfectlymalleable。Thedifferentstripsarenowextended,onebyone,insuccessivelayers,uponsomesmoothsurface-generallytheprostratetrunkofacocoa-nuttree-andtheheapthusformedissubjected,ateverynewincrease,toamoderatebeating,withasortofwoodenmallet,leisurelyapplied。Themalletismadeofahardheavywoodresemblingebony,isabouttwelveinchesinlength,andperhapstwoinbreadth,witharoundedhandleatoneend,andinshapeistheexactcounterpartofoneofourfour-sidedrazor-strops。Theflatsurfacesoftheimplementaremarkedwithshallowparallelindentations,varyingindepthonthedifferentsides,soastobeadaptedtotheseveralstagesoftheoperation。Thesemarksproducethecorduroysortofstripesdiscernibleinthetappainitsfinishedstate。AfterbeingbeateninthemannerIhavedescribed,thematerialsoonbecomesblendedinonemass,which,moistenedoccasionallywithwater,isatintervalshammeredout,byakindofgold-beatingprocess,toanydegreeofthinnessrequired。Inthiswaytheclothiseasilymadetovaryinstrengthandthickness,soastosuitthenumerouspurposestowhichitisapplied。
Whentheoperationlastdescribedhasbeenconcluded,thenew-madetappaisspreadoutonthegrasstobleachanddry,andsoonbecomesofadazzlingwhiteness。Sometimes,inthefirststagesofthemanufacture,thesubstanceisimpregnatedwithavegetablejuice,whichgivesitapermanentcolour。Arichbrownandabrightyellowareoccasionallyseen,butthesimpletasteoftheTypeepeopleinclinesthemtopreferthenaturaltint。
ThenotablewifeofKammahammaha,therenownedconquerorandkingoftheSandwichIslands,usedtoprideherselfintheskillshedisplayedindyeinghertappawithcontrastingcoloursdisposedinregularfigures;and,inthemidstoftheinnovationsofthetimes,wasregarded,towardsthedeclineofherlife,asaladyoftheoldschool,clingingasshedidtothenationalcloth,inpreferencetothefripperyoftheEuropeancalicoes。ButtheartofprintingthetappaisunknownupontheMarquesanIslands。
Inpassingalongthevalley,Iwasoftenattractedbythenoiseofthemallet,which,whenemployedinthemanufactureofthecloth,producesateverystrokeofitshard,heavywood,aclear,ringing,andmusicalsound,capableofbeingheardatagreatdistance。Whenseveraloftheseimplementshappentobeinoperationatthesametime,andnearoneanother,theeffectupontheearofaperson,atalittledistance,isreallycharming。
NOTHINGcanbemoreuniformandundiversifiedthanthelifeoftheTypees;onetranquildayofeaseandhappinessfollowsanotherinquietsuccession;andwiththeseunsophisticatedsavagesthehistoryofadayisthehistoryofalife。Iwill,therefore,asbrieflyasIcan,describeoneofourdaysinthevalley。
Tobeginwiththemorning。Wewerenotveryearlyrisers-thesunwouldbeshootinghisgoldenspikesabovetheHapparmountain,ereIthrewasidemytapparobe,andgirdingmylongtunicaboutmywaist,salliedoutwithFayawayandKory-Kory,andtherestofthehousehold,andbentmystepstowardsthestream。Herewefoundcongregatedallthosewhodweltinoursectionofthevalley;andherewebathedwiththem。Thefreshmorningairandthecoolflowingwatersputbothsoulandbodyinaglow,andafterahalf-houremployedinthisrecreation,wesaunteredbacktothehouse-TinorandMarheyogatheringdrysticksbythewayforfirewood;someoftheyoungmenlayingthecocoa-nuttreesundercontributionastheypassedbeneaththem;whileKory-Koryplayedhisoutlandishpranksformyparticulardiversion,andFayawayandI,notarminarmtobesure,butsometimeshandinhand,strolledalong,withfeelingsofperfectcharityforalltheworld,andespecialgood-willtowardseachother。
Ourmorningmealwassoonprepared。Theislandersaresomewhatabstemiousatthisrepast;reservingthemorepowerfuleffortsoftheirappetitetoalaterperiodoftheday。Formyownpart,withtheassistanceofmyvalet,who,asIhavebeforestated,alwaysofficiatedasspoonontheseoccasions,IatesparinglyfromoneofTinor’strenchersofpoee-poee;whichwasdevotedexclusivelyformyownuse,beingmixedwiththemilkymeatofripecocoa-nut。A
sectionofaroastedbread-fruit,asmallcakeof“Amar,“oramessof“Kokoo,“twoorthreebananas,oramammeeapple;anannuee,orsomeotheragreeableandnutritiousfruit,servedfromdaytodaytodiversifythemeal,whichwasfinishedbytossingofftheliquidcontentsofayoungcocoa-nutortwo。
Whilepartakingofthissimplerepast,theinmatesofMarheyo’shouse,afterthestyleoftheancientRomans,reclinedinsociablegroupsuponthedivanofmats,anddigestionwaspromotedbycheerfulconversation。
Afterthemorningmealwasconcluded,pipeswerelighted;andamongthemmyownespecialpipe,apresentfromthenobleMehevi。
Theislanders,whoonlysmokeawhiffortwoatatime,andatlongintervals,andwhokeeptheirpipesgoingfromhandtohandcontinually,regardedmysystematicsmokingoffourorfivepipefulsoftobaccoinsuccessionassomethingquitewonderful。Whentwoorthreepipeshadcirculatedfreely,thecompanygraduallybrokeup。
Marheyowenttothelittlehuthewasforeverbuilding。Tinorbegantoinspectherrollsoftappa,oremployedherbusyfingersinplaitinggrass-mats。Thegirlsanointedthemselveswiththeirfragrantoils,dressedtheirhair,orlookedovertheircuriousfinery,andcomparedtogethertheirivorytrinkets,fashionedoutofboar’stusksorwhale’steeth。Theyoungmenandwarriorsproducedtheirspears,paddles,canoe-gear,battle-clubs,andwar-conchs,andoccupiedthemselvesincarvingallsortsoffiguresuponthemwithpointedbitsofshellorflint,andadorningthem,especiallythewar-conchs,withtasselsofbraidedbarkandtuftsofhumanhair。
Some,immediatelyaftereating,threwthemselvesoncemoreupontheinvitingmats,andresumedtheemploymentofthepreviousnight,sleepingassoundlyastheyhadnotclosedtheireyesforaweek。
OtherssalliedasIoutintothegroves,forthepurposeofgatheringfruitorfibresofbarkandleaves;thelasttwobeinginconstantrequisition,andappliedtoahundreduses。Afew,perhaps,amongthegirls,wouldslipintothewoodsafterflowers,orrepairtothestreamwithsmallcalabashesandcocoa-nutshells,inordertopolishthembyfrictionwithasmoothstoneinthewater。Intruththeseinnocentpeopleseemedtobeatnolossforsomethingtooccupytheirtime;anditwouldbenolighttasktoenumeratealltheiremployments,orratherpleasures。
MyownmorningsIspentinavarietyofways。SometimesI
rambledaboutfromhousetohouse,sureofreceivingacordialwelcomewhereverIwent;or,fromgrovetogrove,andfromoneshadyplacetoanother,incompanywithKory-KoryandFayaway,andarabbleroutofmerryyoungidlers。SometimesIwastooindolentforexercise,and,acceptingoneofthemanyinvitationsIwascontinuallyreceiving,stretchedmyselfoutonthematsofsomehospitabledwelling,andoccupiedmyselfpleasantlyeitherinwatchingtheproceedingsofthosearoundme,ortakingpartinthemmyself。WheneverIchosetodothelatter,thedelightoftheislanderswasboundless;andtherewasalwaysathrongofcompetitorsforthehonourofinstructingmeinanyparticularcraft。Isoonbecamequiteanaccomplishedhandatmakingtappa-couldbraidagrassslingaswellasthebestofthem-andonce,withmyknife,carvedthehandleofajavelinsoexquisitely,thatIhavenodoubt,tothisday,Karnoonoo,itsowner,preservesitasasurprisingspecimenofmyskill。Asnoonapproached,allthosewhohadwanderedforthfromourhabitationbegantoreturn;andwhenmiddaywasfairlycome,scarcelyasoundwastobeheardinthevalley-adeepsleepfelluponall。Theluxurioussiestawashardlyeveromitted,exceptbyoldMarheyo,whowassoeccentricacharacter,thatheseemedtobegovernedbynofixedprincipleswhatever;butactingjustaccordingtothehumourofthemoment,slept,eat,ortinkeredawayathislittlehut,withoutregardtotheproprietiesoftimeorplace。Frequentlyhemighthavebeenseentakinganapinthesunatnoonday,orabathinthestreamatmidnight。OnceIbeheldhimperchedeightyfeetfromtheground,inthetuftofacocoa-nuttree,smoking;andoftenIsawhimstandinguptothewaistinwater,engagedinpluckingoutthestrayhairsofhisbeard,usingapieceofmuscle-shellfortweezers。
Thenoontideslumberlastedgenerallyanhourandahalf,veryoftenlonger;andafterthesleepershadarisenfromtheirmatstheyagainhadrecoursetotheirpipes,andthenmadepreparationsforthemostimportantmealoftheday。I,however,likethosegentlemenofleisurewhobreakfastathomeanddineattheirclub,almostinvariably,duringmyintervalsofhealth,enjoyedtheafternoonrepastwiththebachelorchiefsoftheTi,whowerealwaysrejoicedtoseeme,andlavishlyspreadbeforemeallthegoodthingswhichtheirlarderafforded。Mehevigenerallyproduced,amongotherdainties,abakedpig,anarticlewhich,Ihaveeveryreasontosuppose,wasprovidedformysolegratification。
TheTiwasarightjovialplace。Itdidmyheart,aswellasmybody,goodtovisitit。Securefromfemaleintrusion,therewasnorestraintuponthehilarityofthewarriors,who,likethegentlemenofEuropeaftertheclothisdrawn,andtheladiesretire,freelyindulgedtheirmirth。
AfterspendingaconsiderableportionoftheafternoonattheTi,Iusuallyfoundmyself,asthecooloftheeveningcameon,eithersailingonthelittlelakewithFayaway,orbathinginthewatersofthestreamwithanumberofthesavages,who,atthishour,alwaysrepairedthither。Astheshadowsofnightapproached,Marheyo’shouseholdwereoncemoreassembledunderhisroof;taperswerelit,longandcuriouschantswereraised,interminablestoriesweretoldforwhichonepresentwaslittlethewiser,andallsortsofsocialfestivitiesservedtowhileawaythetime。
Theyounggirlsveryoftendancedbymoonlightinfrontoftheirdwellings。Thereareagreatvarietyofthesedances,inwhich,however,Ineversawthementakepart。Theyallconsistofactive,romping,mischievousevolutions,inwhicheverylimbisbroughtintorequisition。Indeed,theMarquesangirlsdanceallover,asitwere;
第28章