第18章

AstonishedasIwasatthisexhibition，Icouldnotavoidsmilingatitsgrotesqueappearance，andtheassociationsitnaturallycalledup。Mehevi，itseemed，wasbentonreplenishingoldMarheyo’slarder，fearful，perhaps，thatwithoutthisprecautionhisguestsmightnotfareaswellastheycoulddesire。

AssoonasIdescendedfromthepi-pi，theprocessionformedanew，enclosingusinitscentre；whereIremainedpartofthetime，carriedbyKory-Kory，andoccasionallyrelievinghimfromhisburdenbylimpingalongwithaspear。Whenwemovedoffinthisorder，thenativesstruckupamusicalrecitative，which，withvariousalternations，theycontinueduntilwearrivedattheplaceofourdestination。

Asweproceededonourway，bandsofyounggirls，dartingfromthesurroundinggroves，hunguponourskirts，andaccompanieduswithshoutsofmerrimentanddelight，whichalmostdrownedthedeepnotesoftherecitative。OnapproachingoldMarheyo’sdomicile，itsinmatesrushedouttoreceiveus；andwhilethegiftsofMeheviwerebeingdisposedof，thesuperannuatedwarriordidthehonoursofhismansionwithallthewarmthofhospitalityevincedbyanEnglishsquire，whenheregaleshisfriendsatsomefineoldpatrimonialmansion。

AMIDSTthesenovelscenesaweekpassedawayalmostimperceptibly。

Thenatives，actuatedbysomemysteriousimpulse，dayafterdayredoubledtheirattentionstous。Theirmannertowardsuswasunaccountable。Surely，thoughtI，theywouldnotactthusiftheymeantusanyharm。Butwhythisexcessofdeferentialkindness，orwhatequivalentcantheyimagineuscapableofrenderingthemforit？

Wewerefairlypuzzled。But，despitetheapprehensionsIcouldnotdispel，thehorriblecharacterimputedtotheseTypeesappearedtobewhollyundeserved。

“Why，theyarecannibals！“saidToby，ononeoccasionwhenI

eulogizedthetribe。“Granted，“Ireplied，“butamorehumane，gentlemanly，andamiablesetofepicuresdonotprobablyexistinthePacific。“

But，notwithstandingthekindtreatmentwereceived，Iwastoofamiliarwiththefickledispositionofsavagesnottofeelanxioustowithdrawfromthevalley，andputmyselfbeyondthereachofthatfearfuldeathwhich，underallthesesmilingappearances，mightyetmenaceus。Butheretherewasanobstacleinthewayofdoingso。ItwasidleformetothinkofmovingfromtheplaceuntilIshouldhaverecoveredfromtheseverelamenessthatafflictedme；indeedmymaladybeganseriouslytoalarmme；for，despitetheherbalremediesofthenatives，itcontinuedtogrowworseandworse。Theirmildapplications，thoughtheysoothedthepain，didnotremovethedisorder，andIfeltconvincedthat，withoutbetteraid，Imightanticipatelongandacutesuffering。

Buthowwasthisaidtobeprocured？FromthesurgeonsoftheFrenchfleet，whichprobablystilllayinthebayofNukuheva，itmighteasilyhavebeenobtained，couldIhavemademycaseknowntothem。Buthowcouldthatbeeffected？

Atlast，intheexigencytowhichIwasreduced，IproposedtoTobythatheshouldendeavourtogoroundtoNukuheva，andifhecouldnotsucceedinreturningtothevalleybywaterinoneoftheboatsofthesquadron，andtakingmeoff，hemightatleastprocuremesomepropermedicines，andeffecthisreturnoverland。

Mycompanionlistenedtomeinsilence，andatfirstdidnotappeartorelishtheidea。Thetruthwas，hefeltimpatienttoescapefromtheplace，andwishedtoavailhimselfofourpresenthighfavourwiththenativestomakegoodourretreat，beforeweshouldexperiencesomesuddenalterationintheirbehaviour。Ashecouldnotthinkofleavingmeinmyhelplesscondition，heimploredmetobeofgoodcheer；assuredmethatIshouldsoonbebetter，andenabledinafewdaystoreturnwithhimtoNukuheva。

Addedtothis，hecouldnotbeartheideaofagainreturningtothisdangerousplace；andasfortheexpectationofpersuadingtheFrenchmentodetachaboat’screwforthepurposeofrescuingmefromtheTypees，helookeduponitasidle；and，withargumentsthatI

couldnotanswer，urgedtheimprobabilityoftheirprovokingthehostilitiesoftheclanbyanysuchmeasure；especiallyas，forthepurposeofquietingitsapprehensions，theyhadasyetrefrainedfrommakinganyvisittothebay。“Andevenshouldtheyconsent，“saidToby，“theywouldonlyproduceacommotioninthevalley，inwhichwemightbothbesacrificedbytheseferociousislanders。“Thiswasunanswerable；butstillIclungtothebeliefthathemightsucceedinaccomplishingtheotherpartofmyplan；andatlastIovercamehisscruples，andheagreedtomaketheattempt。

Assoonaswesucceededinmakingthenativesunderstandourintention，theybrokeoutintothemostvehementoppositiontothemeasure，and，forawhile，Ialmostdespairedofobtainingtheirconsent。Atthebarethoughtofoneofusleavingthem，theymanifestedthemostlivelyconcern。ThegriefandconsternationofKory-Kory，inparticular，wasunbounded；hethrewhimselfintoaperfectparoxysmofgestures，whichwereintendedtoconveytous，notonlyhisabhorrenceofNukuhevaanditsuncivilizedinhabitants，butalsohisastonishmentthat，afterbecomingacquaintedwiththeenlightenedTypees，weshouldevincetheleastdesiretowithdraw，evenforatime，fromtheiragreeablesociety。

However，Ioverborehisobjectionsbyappealingtomylameness；

fromwhichIassuredthenativesIshouldspeedilyrecover，TobywerepermittedtoobtainthesuppliesIrecover，ifTobywerepermittedtoobtainthesuppliesneeded。

Itwasagreedthatonthefollowingmorningmycompanionshoulddepart，accompaniedbysomeoneortwoofthehousehold，whoshouldpointouttohimaneasyroute，bywhichthebaymightbereachedbeforesunset。

Atearlydawnofthenextday，ourhabitationwasastir。Oneoftheyoungmenmountedintoanadjoiningcocoa-nuttree，andthrewdownanumberofyoungfruit，whicholdMarheyoquicklystrippedofthegreenhusks，andstrungtogetheruponashortpole。ThesewereintendedtorefreshTobyonhisroute。

Thepreparationsbeingcompleted，withnolittleemotionIbademycompanionadieu。Hepromisedtoreturninthreedaysatfarthest；and，biddingmekeepupmyspiritsintheinterval，turnedroundthecornerofthepi-pi，and，undertheguidanceofthevenerableMarheyo，wassoonoutofsight。Hisdepartureoppressedmewithmelancholy，and，re-enteringthedwelling，Ithrewmyselfalmostindespairuponthemattingofthefloor。

Intwohours’timetheoldwarriorreturned，andgavemetounderstand，thatafteraccompanyingmycompanionalittledistance，andshowinghimtheroute，hehadlefthimjourneyingonhisway。

Itwasaboutnoonofthissameday，aseasonwhichthesepeoplearewonttopassinsleep，thatIlayinthehouse，surroundedbyitsslumberinginmates，andpainfullyaffectedbythestrangesilencewhichprevailed。AllatonceIthoughtIheardafaintshout，asifproceedingfromsomepersonsinthedepthofthegrovewhichextendedinfrontofourhabitation。

Thesoundsgrewlouderandnearer，andgraduallythewholevalleyrangwithwildoutcries。Thesleepersaroundmestartedtotheirfeetinalarm，andhurriedoutsidetodiscoverthecauseofthecommotion。Kory-Kory，whohadbeenthefirsttospringup，soonreturnedalmostbreathless，andnearlyfranticwiththeexcitementunderwhichheseemedtobelabouring。AllthatIcouldunderstandfromhimwas，thatsomeaccidenthadhappenedtoToby。Apprehensiveofsomedreadfulcalamity，Irushedoutofthehouse，andcaughtsightofatumultuouscrowd，who，withshrieksandlamentations，werejustemergingfromthegrove，bearingintheirarmssomeobject，thesightofwhichproducedallthistransportofsorrow。Astheydrewnear，themenredoubledtheircries，whilethegirls，tossingtheirbarearmsintheair，exclaimedplaintively，“Awha！awha！Tobymuckeemoee！“-Alas！alas！Tobyiskilled！

Inamomentthecrowdopened，anddisclosedtheapparentlylifelessbodyofmycompanionbornebetweentwomen，theheadhangingheavilyagainstthebreastoftheforemost。Thewholeface，neck，andbosomwerecoveredwithblood，whichstilltrickledslowlyfromawoundbehindthetemple。Inthemidstofthegreatestuproarandconfusion，thebodywascarriedintothehouseandlaidonamat。Wavingthenativesofftogiveroomandair，IbenteagerlyoverToby，and，layingmyhanduponthebreast，ascertainedthattheheartstillbeat。Overjoyedatthis，Iseizedacalabashofwater，anddasheditscontentsuponhisface，then，wipingawaytheblood，anxiouslyexaminedthewound。Itwasaboutthreeincheslong，and，onremovingtheclottedhairfromaboutit，showedtheskulllaidcompletelybare。ImmediatelywithmyknifeIcutawaytheheavylocks，andbathedthepartrepeatedlyinwater。

InafewmomentsTobyrevived，andopeninghiseyesforasecond，closedthemagain，withoutspeaking。Kory-Kory，whohadbeenkneelingbesideme，nowchafedhislimbsgentlywiththepalmsofhishands，whileayounggirlathisheadkeptfanninghim，andI

stillcontinuedtomoistenhislipsandbrow。Soonmypoorcomradeshowedsignsofanimation，andIsucceededinmakinghimswallowfromacocoa-nutshellafewmouthfulsofwater。

OldTinornowappeared，holdinginherhandsomesimplesshehadgathered，thejuiceofwhichshebysignsbesoughtmetosqueezeintothewound。Havingdoneso，IthoughtitbesttoleaveTobyundisturbeduntilheshouldhavehadtimetorallyhisfaculties。

Severaltimesheopenedhislips，but，fearfulforhissafety，I

enjoinedsilence。Inthecourseoftwoorthreehours，however，hesatup，andwassufficientlyrecoveredtotellmewhathadoccurred。

“AfterleavingthehousewithMarheyo，“saidToby，“westruckacrossthevalley，andascendedtheoppositeheights。Justbeyondthem，myguideinformedme，laythevalleyofHappar，whilealongtheirsummits，andskirtingtheheadofthevale，wasmyroutetoNukuheva。Aftermountingalittlewayuptheelevationmyguidepaused，andgavemetounderstandthathecouldnotaccompanymeanyfarther，andbyvarioussignsintimatedthathewasafraidtoapproachanynearertheterritoriesoftheenemiesofhistribe。He，however，pointedoutmypath，whichnowlayclearlybeforeme，and，biddingmefarewell，hastilydescendedthemountain。

“QuiteelatedatbeingsoneartheHappars，Ipusheduptheacclivity，andsoongaineditssummit。Ittapereduptoasharpridge，fromwhenceIbeheldboththehostilevalleys。HereIsatdownandrestedforamoment，refreshingmyselfwithmycocoa-nuts。Iwassoonagainpursuingmywayalongtheheight，whensuddenlyIsawthreeoftheislanders，whomusthavejustcomeoutofHapparvalley，standinginthepathaheadofme。Theywereeacharmedwithaheavyspear，andone，fromhisappearance，betooktobeachief。Theysungoutsomething，Icouldnotunderstandwhat，andbeckonedmetocomeon。

“WithouttheleasthesitationIadvancedtowardsthem，andhadapproachedwithinaboutayardoftheforemost，when，pointingangrilyintotheTypeevalley，andutteringsomesavageexclamation，hewheeledroundhisweaponlikelightning，andstruckmeinamomenttotheground。Theblowinflictedthiswound，andtookawaymysenses。