第17章
Thisholiestofspotswasdefendedfromprofanationbythestrictestedictsoftheall-pervading“taboo，“condemnedtoinstantdeaththesacrilegiousfemalewhoshouldenterortouchitssacredprecincts，orevensomuchaspresswithherfeetthegroundmadeholybytheshadowsthatitcast。
Accesswashadtotheenclosurethroughanemboweredentranceononeside，facinganumberoftoweringcocoa-nuttrees，plantedatintervalsalongalevelareaofahundredyards。Atthefartherextremityofthisspacewastobeseenabuildingofconsiderablesize，reservedforthehabitationofthepriestsandreligiousattendantsofthegrove。
Initsvicinitywasanotherremarkableedifice，builtasusualuponthesummitofapi-pi，andatleasttwohundredfeetinlength，thoughnotmorethantwentyinbreadth。Thewholefrontofthislatterstructurewascompletelyopen，andfromoneendtotheotherrananarrowverandah，fencedinontheedgeofthepi-piwithapicketofcanes。Itsinteriorpresentedtheappearanceofanimmenselounging-place，theentirefloorbeingstrewnwithsuccessivelayersofmats，lyingbetweenparalleltrunksofcocoa-nuttrees，selectedforthepurposefromthestraightestandmostsymmetricalthevaleafforded。
Tothisbuilding，denominatedinthelanguageofthenatives，the“Ti，“Mehevinowconductedus。Thusfarwehadbeenaccompaniedbyatroopofthenativesofbothsexes；butassoonasweapproacheditsvicinity，thefemalesgraduallyseparatedthemselvesfromthecrowd，andstandingaloof，permittedustopasson。Themercilessprohibitionsofthetabooextendedlikewisetothisedifice，andwereenforcedbythesamedreadfulpenaltythatsecuredthehoolahhoolahgroundfromtheimaginarypollutionofawoman’spresence。
Onenteringthehouse，Iwassurprisedtoseesixmusketsrangedagainstthebambooononeside，fromthebarrelsofwhichdependedasmanysmallcanvaspouches，partlyfilledwithpowder。Disposedaboutthesemuskets，likethecutlassesthatdecoratethebulkheadofaman-of-war’scabin，wereagreatvarietyofrudespearsandpaddles，javelins，andwar-clubs。Thisthen，saidItoToby，mustbethearmouryofthetribe。
Asweadvancedfartheralongthebuilding，wewerestruckwiththeaspectoffourorfivehideousoldwretches，onwhosedecrepitformstimeandtattooingseemedtohaveobliteratedeverytraceofhumanity。
Owingtothecontinuedoperationofthislatterprocess，whichonlyterminatesamongthewarriorsoftheislandafterallthefiguresstretchedupontheirlimbsinyouthhavebeenblendedtogether-aneffect，however，producedonlyincasesofextremelongevity-thebodiesofthesemenwereofauniformdullgreencolour-thehuewhichthetattooinggraduallyassumesastheindividualadvancesinage。
Theirskinhadafrightfulscalyappearance，which，unitedwithitssingularcolour，madetheirlimbsnotalittleresembledustyspecimensofverde-antique。Theirflesh，inparts，hungupontheminhugefolds，liketheoverlappingplaitsontheflankofarhinoceros。Theirheadswerecompletelybald，whilsttheirfaceswerepuckeredintoathousandwrinkles，andtheypresentednovestigeofabeard。Butthemostremarkablepeculiarityaboutthemwastheappearanceoftheirfeet；thetoes，liketheradiatinglinesofthemariner’scompass，pointedtoeveryquarterofthehorizon。Thiswasdoubtlessattributabletothefact，thatduringnearlyahundredyearsofexistencethesaidtoesneverhadbeensubjectedtoanyartificialconfinement，andintheiroldage，beingaversetocloseneighbourhood，bidoneanotherkeepopenorder。
Theserepulsive-lookingcreaturesappearedtohavelosttheuseoftheirlowerlimbsaltogether；sittinguponthefloorcross-legged，inastateoftorpor。Theyneverheededusintheleast，scarcelylookingconsciousofourpresence，whileMeheviseatedusuponthemats，andKory-Korygaveutterancetosomeunintelligiblegibberish。
Inafewmoments，aboyenteredwithawoodentrencherofpoee-poee；andinregalingmyselfwithitscontents，Iwasobligedagaintosubmittotheofficiousinterventionofmyindefatigableservitor。Variousotherdishesfollowed，thechiefmanifestingthemosthospitableimportunityinpressingustopartake，andtoremoveallbashfulnessonourpart，setusnodespicableexampleinhisownperson。
Therepastconcluded，apipewaslighted，whichpassedfrommouthtomouth，andyieldingtoitssoporificinfluence，thequietoftheplace，andthedeepeningshadowsofapproachingnight，mycompanionandIsankintoakindofdrowsyrepose，whilethechiefandKory-Koryseemedtobeslumberingbesideus。
Iawokefromanuneasynap，aboutmidnight，asIsupposed；and，raisingmyselfpartlyfromthemat，becamesensiblethatwewereenvelopedinutterdarkness。Tobylaystillasleep，butourlatecompanionshaddisappeared。TheonlysoundthatinterruptedthesilenceoftheplacewastheasthmaticbreathingoftheoldmenIhavementioned，whoreposedatalittledistancefromus。Besidesthem，aswellasIcouldjudge，therewasnooneelseinthehouse。
Apprehensiveofsomeevil，Irousedmycomrade，andwewereengagedinawhisperedconferenceconcerningtheunexpectedwithdrawalofthenatives，whenallatonce，fromthedepthsofthegrove，infullviewofuswherewelay，shootsofflamewereseentorise，andinafewmomentsilluminatedthesurroundingtrees，casting，bycontrast，intostilldeepergloomthedarknessaroundus。
Whilewecontinuedgazingatthissight，darkfiguresappearedmovingtoandfrobeforetheflames；whileothers，dancingandcaperingabout，lookedlikesomanydemons。
Regardingthisnewphenomenonwithnosmalldegreeoftrepidation，Isaidtomycompanion，“Whatcanallthismean，Toby？“
“Oh，nothing，“repliedhe；“gettingthefireready，Isuppose。“
“Fire！“exclaimedI，whilemyhearttooktobeatinglikeatrip-hammer，“whatfire？“
“Why，thefiretocookus，tobesure；whatelsewouldthecannibalsbekickingupsucharowabout，ifitwerenotforthat？“
“Oh，Toby！havedonewithyourjokes；thisisnotimeforthem:
somethingisabouttohappen，Ifeelconfident。“
“Jokes，indeed！“exclaimedToby，indignantly。“Didyoueverhearmejoke？Why，forwhatdoyousupposethedevilshavebeenfeedingusupinthiskindofstyleduringthelastthreedays，unlessitwereforsomethingthatyouaretoomuchfrightenedattotalkabout？
LookatthatKory-Korythere！-hashenotbeenstuffingyouwithhisconfoundedmushes，justinthewaytheytreatswinebeforetheykillthem？Dependuponit，wewillbeeatenthisblessednight，andthereisthefireweshallberoastedby。“
Thisviewofthematterwasnotatallcalculatedtoallaymyapprehensions，andIshudderedwhenIreflectedthatwewereindeedatthemercyofatribeofcannibals，andthatthedreadfulcontingencytowhichTobyhadalludedwasbynomeansremovedbeyondtheboundsofpossibility。
“There！Itoldyouso！theyarecomingforus！“exclaimedmycompanionthenextmoment，astheformsoffouroftheislanderswereseeninboldreliefagainsttheilluminatedbackground，mountingthepi-pi，andapproachingtowardsus。
Theycameonnoiselessly，nay，stealthily，andglidedalongthroughthegloomthatsurroundedus，asifabouttospringuponsomeobjecttheywerefearfulofdisturbingbeforetheyshouldmakesureofit。GraciousHeaven！thehorriblereflectionswhichcrowdeduponmethatmoment！Acoldsweatstooduponmybrow，andspell-boundwithterror，Iawaitedmyfate。
Suddenlythesilencewasbrokenbythewell-rememberedtonesofMehevi，andatthekindlyaccentsofhisvoice，myfearswereimmediatelydissipated。“Tommo，Toby，kiki！“(eat)。Hehadwaitedtoaddressus，untilhehadassuredhimselfthatwewerebothawake，atwhichheseemedsomewhatsurprised。
“Kiki！isit？“saidToby，inhisgrufftones；“well，cookusfirst，willyou-butwhat’sthis？“headded，asanothersavageappeared，bearingbeforehimalargetrencherofwood，containingsomekindofsteamingmeat，asappearedfromtheodoursitdiffused，andwhichhedepositedatthefeetofMehevi。“Abakedbaby，Idaresay！
butIwillhavenoneofit，nevermindwhatitis。AprettyfoolI
shouldmakeofmyself，indeed，wakeduphereinthemiddleofthenight，stuffingandguzzling，andalltomakeafatmealforaparcelofbloody-mindedcannibalsoneofthesemornings！No；Iseewhattheyareatveryplainly，soIamresolvedtostarvemyselfintoabunchofbonesandgristle，andthen，iftheyservemeup，theyarewelcome！But，Isay，Tommo，youarenotgoingtoeatanyofthatmessthere，inthedark，areyou？Why，howcanyoutellwhatitis？“
“Bytastingit，tobesure，“saidI，masticatingamorselthatKory-Koryhadjustputinmymouth；“andexcellentlygooditis，too，verymuchlikeveal。“
“Abakedbaby，bythesoulofCaptainCook！“burstforthToby，withamazingvehemence。“Veal？why，thereneverwasacalfontheislandtillyoulanded。Itellyou，youareboltingdownmouthfulsfromadeadHappar’scarcass，assureasyoulive，andnomistake！“
Emeticsandlukewarmwater！Whatasensationintheabdominalregions！Sureenough，wherecouldthefiendsincarnatehaveobtainedmeat？ButIresolvedtosatisfymyselfatallhazards；andturningtoMehevi，IsoonmadethereadychiefunderstandthatIwishedalighttobebrought。Whenthetapercame，Igazedeagerlyintothevessel，andrecognisedthemutilatedremainsofajuvenileporker！
“Puarkee！“exclaimedKory-Kory，lookingcomplacentlyatthedish；
andfromthatdaytothisIhaveneverforgottenthatsuchisthedesignationofapigintheTypeelingo。
Thenextmorning，afterbeingagainabundantlyfeastedbythehospitableMehevi，Tobyandmyselfarosetodepart。Butthechiefrequestedustopostponeourintention。“Abo，abo“(Wait，wait)，hesaid，andaccordinglyweresumedourseats，while，assistedbythezealousKory-Kory，heappearedtobeengagedingivingdirectionstoanumberofthenativesoutside，whowerebusilyemployedinmakingarrangements，thenatureofwhichwecouldnotcomprehend。Butwewerenotleftlonginourignorance，forafewmomentsonlyhadelapsed，whenthechiefbeckonedustoapproach，andweperceivedthathehadbeenmarshallingakindofguardofhonourtoescortusonourreturntothehouseofMarheyo。
Theprocessionwasledoffbytwovenerable-lookingsavages，eachprovidedwithaspear，fromtheendofwhichstreamedapennonofmilk-whitetappa。Afterthemwentseveralyouths，bearingaloftcalabashesofpoee-poee；andfollowedintheirturnbyfourstalwartfellows，sustaininglongbamboos，fromthetopsofwhichhungsuspended，atleasttwentyfeetfromtheground，largebasketsofgreenbread-fruit。Thencameatroopofboys，carryingbunchesofripebananas，andbasketsmadeofthewovenleafletsofcocoa-nutboughs，filledwiththeyoungfruitofthetree，thenakedshells，strippedoftheirhusks，peepingforthfromtheverdantwicker-workthatsurroundedthem。Lastofallcameaburlyislander，holdingoverhisheadawoodentrencher，inwhichlaydisposedtheremnantsofourmidnightfeast，hiddenfromview，however，byacoveringofbread-fruitleaves。