Theislandersunderstandtheartofembalming，andpractiseitwithsuchsuccess，thatthebodiesoftheirgreatchiefsarefrequentlypreservedformanyyearsintheveryhouseswheretheydied。IsawthreeoftheseinmyvisittothebayofTior。Onewasenvelopedinimmensefoldsoftappa，withonlythefaceexposed，andhungerectagainstthesideofthedwelling。Theotherswerestretchedoutuponbiersofbamboo，inopen，elevatedtemples，whichseemedconsecratedtotheirmemory。Theheadsofenemieskilledinbattleareinvariablypreserved，andhungupastrophiesinthehouseoftheconqueror。Iamnotacquaintedwiththeprocesswhichisinuse，butbelievethatfumigationistheprincipalagencyemployed。AlltheremainswhichIsawpresentedtheappearanceofahamafterbeingsuspendedforsometimeinasmokychimney。
　　Buttoreturnfromthedeadtotheliving。Thelatefestivalhaddrawntogether，asIhadeveryreasontobelieve，thewholepopulationofthevale，andconsequentlyIwasenabledtomakesomeestimatewithregardtoitsnumbers。IshouldimaginethattherewereabouttwothousandinhabitantsinTypee；andnonumbercouldhavebeenbetteradaptedtotheextentofthevalley。Thevalleyissomeninemilesinlength，andmayaverageoneinbreadth，thehousesbeingdistributedatwideintervalsthroughoutitswholeextent，principally，however，towardstheheadofthevale。Therearenovillages。Thehousesstandhereandthereintheshadowofthegroves，orarescatteredalongthebanksofthewindingstream；theirgolden-huedbamboosidesandgleamingwhitethatch，formingabeautifulcontrasttotheperpetualverdureinwhichtheyareembowered。Therearenoroadsofanykindinthevalley。Nothingbutalabyrinthoffoot-paths，twistingandturningamongthethicketswithoutend。
　　THEREseemedtobenoroguesofanykindinTypee。Inthedarkestnightsthenativessleptsecurely，withalltheirworldlywealtharoundthem，inhousesthedoorsofwhichwereneverfastened。Thedisquietingideasoftheftorassassinationneverdisturbedthem。Eachislanderreposedbeneathhisownpalmetto-thatching，orsatunderhisownbread-fruittree，withnonetomolestoralarmhim。Therewasnotapadlockinthevalley，noranythingthatansweredthepurposeofone:stilltherewasnocommunityofgoods。Thislongspear，soelegentlycarvedandhighlypolished，belongstoWarmoonoo-itisfarhandsomerthantheonewhicholdMarheyosogreatlyprizes-itisthemostvaluablearticlebelongingtoitsowner。AndyetIhaveseenitleaningagainstacocoa-nuttreeinthegrove，andthereitwasfoundwhensoughtfor。
　　Hereisasperm-whaletooth，gravenalloverwithcunningdevices-
　　itisthepropertyofKarluna。Itisthemostpreciousofthedamsel’sornaments。Inherestimation，itspriceisfaraboverubies；andyettherehangsthedentaljewel，byitscordofbraidedbark，inthegirl’shouse，whichisfarbackinthevalley；thedoorisleftopen，andalltheinmateshavegoneofftobatheinthestream。*
　　*ThestricthonestywhichtheinhabitantsofnearlyallthePolynesianIslandsmanifesttowardseachother，isinstrikingcontrastwiththethievingpropensitiessomeofthemevinceintheirintercoursewithforeigners。Itwouldalmostseemthat，accordingtotheirpeculiarcodeofmorals，thepilferingofahatchetorawroughtnailfromaEuropeanislookeduponasapraiseworthyaction。
　　Orrather，itmaybepresumed，thatbearinginmindthewholesaleforaysmadeuponthembytheirnauticalvisitors，theyconsiderthepropertyofthelatterasafairobjectofreprisal。Thisconsideration，whileitservestoreconcileanapparentcontradictioninthemoralcharacteroftheislanders，shouldinsomemeasurealterthatlowopinionofitwhichthereaderofSouthSeavoyagesistooapttoform。
　　SomuchfortherespectinwhichsuchmattersareheldinTypee。
　　Astothelandofthevalley，whetheritwasthejointpropertyofitsinhabitants，orwhetheritwasparcelledoutamongacertainnumberoflandedproprietors，whoallowedeverybodytoroamoveritasmuchastheypleased，Inevercouldascertain。Atanyrate，mustyparchmentsandtide-deedstherewerenoneintheisland；andIamhalfinclinedtobelievethatitsinhabitantsholdtheirbroadvalleysinfeesimplefromnatureherself。
　　YesterdayIsawKory-Koryhiehimaway，armedwithalongpole，withwhich，standingontheground，heknockeddownthefruitfromthetopmostboughsofthetrees，andbroughtthemhomeinhisbasketofcocoa-nutleaves。To-dayIseeanislander，whomIknowtoresideinadistantpartofthevalley，doingtheself-samething。Ontheslopingbankofthestreamwereanumberofbananatrees。Ihaveoftenseenascoreortwoofyoungpeoplemakingamerryforayonthegreatgoldenclusters，andbearingthemoff，oneafteranother，todifferentpartsofthevale，shoutingandtrampingastheywent。Nochurlisholdcurmudgeoncouldhavebeentheownerofthatgroveofbread-fruittrees，orofthesegloriouslyyellowbunchesofbananas。
　　FromwhatIhavesaid，itwillbeperceivedthatthereisavastdifferencebetween“personalproperty“and“realestate“inthevalleyofTypee。Someindividuals，ofcourse，aremorewealthythanothers。
　　Forexample:theridge-poleofMarheyo’shousebendsundertheweightofmanyahugepacketoftappa；hislongcouchislaidwithmatsplacedoneupontheothersevendeep。Outside，Tinorhasrangedalonginherbamboocupboard-orwhatevertheplacemaybecalled-agoodlyarrayofcalabashesandwoodentrenchers。Now，thehousejustbeyondthegrove，andnexttoMarheyo’s，occupiedbyRuaruga，isnotquitesowellfurnished。Thereareonlythreemoderate-sizedpackagesswingingoverhead；thereareonlytwolayersofmatsbeneath；
　　andthecalabashesandtrenchersarenotsonumerous，norsotastefullystainedandcarved。Butthen，Ruarugahasahouse-notsoprettyaone，tobesure-butjustascommodiousasMarheyo’s；and，Isuppose，ifhewishedtoviewithhisneighbour’sestablishment，hecoulddosowithverylittletrouble。These，inshort，constitutethechiefdifferencesperceivableintherelativewealthofthepeopleinTypee。
　　Theylivedingreatharmonywitheachother。Iwillgiveaninstanceoftheirfraternalfeeling。
　　Oneday，inreturningwithKory-KoryfrommyaccustomedvisittotheTi，wepassedbyalittleopeninginthegrove；ononesideofwhich，myattendantinformedme，wasthatafternoontobebuiltadwellingofbamboo。Atleastahundredofthenativeswerebringingmaterialstotheground，somecarryingintheirhandsoneortwoofthecaneswhichweretoformthesides，othersslenderrodsoftheHabiscus，strungwithpalmettoleaves，fortheroof。Everyonecontributedsomethingtothework；andbytheunited，buteasy，andevenindolent，laboursofall，theentireworkwascompletedbeforesunset。Theislanders，whileemployedinerectingthistenement，remindedmeofacolonyofbeaversatwork。Tobesure，theywerehardlyassilentanddemureasthosewonderfulcreatures，norweretheybyanymeansasdiligent。Totellthetruth，theyweresomewhatinclinedtobelazy，butaperfecttumultofhilarityandtheyworkedtogethersounitedly，andseemedactuatedbysuchaninstinctoffriendliness，thatitwastrulybeautifultobehold。
　　Notasinglefemaletookpartinthisemployment；andifthedegreeofconsiderationinwhichtheever-adorablesexisheldbythemenbe-asthephilosophersaffirm-ajustcriterionofthedegreeofrefinementamongapeople，thenImaytrulypronouncetheTypeestobeaspolishedacommunityaseverthesunshoneupon。Thereligiousrestrictionsofthetabooaloneexcepted，thewomenofthevalleywereallowedeverypossibleindulgence。Nowherearetheladiesmoreassiduouslycourted；nowherearetheybetterappreciatedasthecontributorstoourhighestenjoyments；andnowherearetheymoresensibleoftheirpower。Fardifferentfromtheirconditionamongmanyrudenations，wherethewomanaremadetoperformallthework，whiletheirungallantlordsandmasterslieburiedinsloth，thegentlesexinthevalleyofTypeewereexemptfromtoil-iftoilitmightbecalled-that，eveninthattropicalclimate，neverdistilledonedropofperspiration。Theirlighthouseholdoccupations，togetherwiththemanufactureoftappa，theplattingofmats，andthepolishingofdrinking-vessels，weretheonlyemploymentspertainingtothewomen。Andeventheseresembledthosepleasantavocationswhichfilluptheelegantmorningleisureofourfashionableladiesathome。Butintheseoccupations，slightandagreeablethoughtheywere，thegiddyyounggirlsveryseldomengaged。
　　Indeed，thesewilful，care-killingdamselswereaversetoallusefulemployment。Likesomanyspoiledbeauties，theyrangedthroughthegroves-bathedinthestream-danced-flirted-playedallmannerofmischievouspranks，andpassedtheirdaysinonemerryroundofthoughtlesshappiness。
　　DuringmywholestayontheislandIneverwitnessedasinglequarrel，noranythingthatintheslightestdegreeapproachedeventoadispute。Thenativesappearedtoformonehousehold，whosememberswereboundtogetherbythetiesofstrongaffection。TheloveofkindredIdidnotsomuchperceive，foritseemedblendedinthegenerallove；andwhereallweretreatedasbrothersandsisters，itwashardtotellwhowereactuallyrelatedtoeachotherbyblood。
　　LetitnotbesupposedthatIhaveoverdrawnthispicture。I
　　havenotdoneso。Norletitbeurged，thatthehostilityofthistribetoforeigners，andthehereditaryfeudstheycarryonagainsttheirfellow-islandersbeyondthemountains，arefactswhichcontradictme。Notso；theseapparentdiscrepanciesareeasilyreconciled。Bymanyalegendarytaleofviolenceandwrong，aswellasbyeventswhichhavepassedbeforetheireyes，thesepeoplehavebeentaughttolookuponwhitemenwithabhorrence。ThecruelinvasionoftheircountrybyPorterhasalonefurnishedthemwithampleprovocation；andIcansympathizeinthespiritwhichpromptstheTypeewarriortoguardallthepassestohisvalleywiththepointofhislevelledspear，and，standinguponthebeach，withhisbackturneduponhisgreenhome，toholdatbaytheintrudingEuropean。
　　Astotheoriginoftheenmityofthisparticularclantowardstheneighbouringtribes，Icannotsoconfidentlyspeak。Iwillnotsaythattheirfoesaretheaggressors，norwillIendeavourtopalliatetheirconduct。Butsurely，ifourevilpassionsmustfindvent，itisfarbettertoexpendthemonstrangersandaliens，thaninthebosomofthecommunityinwhichwedwell。Inmanypolishedcountriescivilcontentions，aswellasdomesticenmities，areprevalent，atthesametimethatthemostatrociousforeignwarsarewaged。Howmuchlessguilty，then，areourislanders，whoofthesethreesinsareonlychargeablewithone，andthattheleastcriminal！
　　Thereaderwill，erelong，havereasontosuspectthattheTypeesarenotfreefromtheguiltofcannibalism；andhewillthen，perhaps，chargemewithadmiringapeopleagainstwhomsoodiousacrimeischargeable。Butthisonlyenormityintheircharacterisnothalfsohorribleasitisusuallydescribed。Accordingtothepopularfictions，thecrewsofvessels，shipwreckedonsomebarbarouscoast，areeatenalivelikesomanydaintyjointsbytheuncivilinhabitants；andunfortunatevoyagersareluredintosmilingandtreacherousbays；knockedontheheadwithoutlandishwarclubs；
　　andservedupwithoutanypreliminarydressing。Intruth，sohorrificandimprobablearetheseaccounts，thatmanysensibleandwell-informedpeoplewillnotbelievethatanycannibalsexist；andplaceeverybookofvoyageswhichpurportstogiveanyaccountofthem，onthesameshelfwithBlueBeardandJacktheGiant-killer。
　　Whileothers，implicitlycreditingthemostextravagantfictions，firmlybelievethattherearepeopleintheworldwithtastessodepraved，thattheywouldinfinitelypreferasinglemouthfulofmaterialhumanitytoagooddinnerofroastbeefandplumpudding。Buthere，Truth，wholovestobecentrallylocated，isagainfoundbetweenthetwoextremes；forcannibalismtoacertainmoderateextentispractisedamongseveraloftheprimitivetribesinthePacific，butitisuponthebodiesofslainenemiesalone；andhorribleandfearfulasthecustomis，immeasurablyasitistobeabhorredandcondemned，stillIassertthatthosewhoindulgeinitareinotherrespectshumaneandvirtuous。