University of Virginia Library

CHAPTER XXII.

From the time that my lameness had decreased, I had made a
daily practice of visiting Mehevi at the Ti, who invariably gave
me a most cordial reception. I was always accompanied in
these excursions by Fayaway and the ever-present Kory-Kory.
The former, as soon as we reached the vicinity of the Ti—which
was rigorously tabooed to the whole female sex—withdrew to a
neighbouring hut, as if her feminine delicacy restrained her from
approaching a habitation which might be regarded as a sort of
Bachelor's Hall.

And in good truth it might well have been so considered. Although
it was the permanent residence of several distinguished
chiefs, and of the noble Mehevi in particular, it was still at certain
seasons the favourite haunt of all the jolly, talkative, and elderly
savages of the vale, who resorted thither in the same way that
similar characters frequent a tavern in civilized countries. There
they would remain hour after hour, chatting, smoking, eating
poee-poee, or busily engaged in sleeping for the good of their
constitutions.

This building appeared to be the head-quarters of the valley,
where all flying rumours concentrated; and to have seen it filled
with a crowd of the natives, all males, conversing in animated
clusters, while multitudes were continually coming and going,
one would have thought it a kind of savage Exchange, where
the rise and fall of Polynesian Stock was discussed.

Mehevi acted as supreme lord over the place, spending the
greater portion of his time there: and often when, at particular
hours of the day, it was deserted by nearly every one else except
the verd-antique looking centenarians, who were fixtures in the

building, the chief himself was sure to be found enjoying his
"otium cum dignitate" upon the luxurious mats which covered
the floor. Whenever I made my appearance he invariably rose,
and, like a gentleman doing the honours of his mansion, invited
me to repose myself wherever I pleased, and calling out "tammaree!"
(boy), a little fellow would appear, and then retiring
for an instant, return with some savoury mess, from which the
chief would press me to regale myself. To tell the truth, Mehevi
was indebted to the excellence of his viands for the honour
of my repeated visits,—a matter which cannot appear singular,
when it is borne in mind that bachelors, all the world over, are
famous for serving up unexceptionable repasts.

One day, on drawing near to the Ti, I observed that extensive
preparations were going forward, plainly betokening some approaching
festival. Some of the symptoms reminded me of the
stir produced among the scullions of a large hotel, where a grand
jubilee dinner is about to be given. The natives were hurrying
about hither and thither, engaged in various duties; some lugging
off to the stream enormous hollow bamboos, for the purpose of
filling them with water; others chasing furious-looking hogs
through the bushes, in their endeavours to capture them; and
numbers employed in kneading great mountains of poee-poee
heaped up in huge wooden vessels.

After observing these lively indications for a while, I was
attracted to a neighbouring grove by a prodigious squeaking
which I heard there. On reaching the spot I found it proceeded
from a large hog which a number of natives were forcibly holding
to the earth, while a muscular fellow, armed with a bludgeon,
was ineffectually aiming murderous blows at the skull of the
unfortunate porker. Again and again he missed his writhing
and struggling victim, but though puffing and panting with his
exertions, he still continued them; and after striking a sufficient
number of blows to have demolished an entire drove of oxen,
with one crashing stroke he laid him dead at his feet.

Without letting any blood from the body, it was immediately
carried to a fire which had been kindled near at hand, and four
savages taking hold of the carcass by its legs, passed it rapidly
to and fro in the flames. In a moment the smell of burning
bristles betrayed the object of this procedure. Having got thus

far in the matter, the body was removed to a little distance;
and, being disembowelled, the entrails were laid aside as choice
parts, and the whole carcass thoroughly washed with water. An
ample thick green cloth, composed of the long thick leaves of a
species of palm-tree, ingeniously tacked together with little pins
of bamboo, was now spread upon the ground, in which the body
being carefully rolled, it was borne to an oven previously prepared
to receive it. Here it was at once laid upon the heated
stones at the bottom, and covered with thick layers of leaves, the
whole being quickly hidden from sight by a mound of earth
raised over it.

Such is the summary style in which the Typees convert perverse-minded
and rebellious hogs into the most docile and amiable
pork; a morsel of which placed on the tongue melts like a soft
smile from the lips of Beauty.

I commend their peculiar mode of proceeding to the consideration
of all butchers, cooks, and housewives. The hapless porker
whose fate I have just rehearsed, was not the only one who
suffered on that memorable day. Many a dismal grunt, many
an imploring squeak, proclaimed what was going on throughout
the whole extent of the valley; and I verily believe the firstborn
of every litter perished before the setting of that fatal sun.

The scene around the Ti was now most animated. Hogs and
poee-poee were baking in numerous ovens, which, heaped up with
fresh earth into slight elevations, looked like so many ant-hills.
Scores of the savages were vigorously plying their stone pestles
in preparing masses of poee-poee, and numbers were gathering
green bread-fruit and young cocoa-nuts in the surrounding groves;
while an exceeding great multitude, with a view of encouraging
the rest in their labours, stood still, and kept shouting most
lustily without intermission.

It is a peculiarity among these people, that when engaged in
any employment they always make a prodigious fuss about it. So
seldom do they ever exert themselves, that when they do work
they seem determined that so meritorious an action shall not
escape the observation of those around. If, for example, they
have occasion to remove a stone to a little distance, which perhaps
might be carried by two able-bodied men, a whole swarm
gather about it, and, after a vast deal of palavering, lift it up

among them, every one struggling to get hold of it, and bear it
off yelling and panting as if accomplishing some mighty achievement.
Seeing them on these occasions, one is reminded of an
infinity of black ants clustering about and dragging away to
some hole the leg of a deceased fly.

Having for some time attentively observed these demonstrations
of good cheer, I entered the Ti, where Mehevi sat complacently
looking out upon the busy scene, and occasionally issuing his
orders. The chief appeared to be in an extraordinary flow of
spirits, and gave me to understand that on the morrow there
would be grand doings in the Groves generally, and at the Ti
in particular; and urged me by no means to absent myself. In
commemoration of what event, however, or in honour of what
distinguished personage, the feast was to be given, altogether
passed my comprehension. Mehevi sought to enlighten my
ignorance, but he failed as signally as when he had endeavoured
to initiate me into the perplexing arcana of the taboo.

On leaving the Ti, Kory-Kory, who had as a matter of course
accompanied me, observing that my curiosity remained unabated,
resolved to make every thing plain and satisfactory. With
this intent, he escorted me through the Taboo Groves, pointing
out to my notice a variety of objects, and endeavoured to explain
them in such an indescribable jargon of words, that it almost
put me in bodily pain to listen to him. In particular, he led
me to a remarkable pyramidical structure some three yards
square at the base, and perhaps ten feet in height, which had
lately been thrown up, and occupied a very conspicuous position.
It was composed principally of large empty calabashes, with a
few polished cocoa-nut shells, and looked not unlike a cenotaph
of skulls. My cicerone perceived the astonishment with which
I gazed at this monument of savage crockery, and immediately
addressed himself to the task of enlightening me: but all in vain;
and to this hour the nature of the monument remains a complete
mystery to me. As, however, it formed so prominent a feature
in the approaching revels, I bestowed upon the latter, in my own
mind, the title of the "Feast of Calabashes."

The following morning, awaking rather late, I perceived the
whole of Marheyo's family busily engaged in preparing for the
festival. The old warrior himself was arranging in round balls

the two grey locks of hair that were suffered to grow from the
crown of his head; his earrings and spear, both well polished,
lay beside him, while the highly decorative pair of shoes hung
suspended from a projecting cane against the side of the house.
The young men were similarly employed; and the fair damsels,
including Fayaway, were anointing themselves with "aka," arranging
their long tresses, and performing other matters connected
with the duties of the toilet.

Having completed their preparations, the girls now exhibited
themselves in gala costume; the most conspicuous feature of
which was a necklace of beautiful white flowers, with the stems
removed, and strung closely together upon a single fibre of tappa.
Corresponding ornaments were inserted in their ears, and woven
garlands upon their heads. About their waist they wore a short
tunic of spotless white tappa, and some of them superadded to
this a mantle of the same material, tied in an elaborate bow upon
the left shoulder, and falling about the figure in picturesque folds.

Thus arrayed, I would have matched the charming Fayaway
against any beauty in the world.

People may say what they will about the taste evinced by our
fashionable ladies in dress. Their jewels, their feathers, their
silks, and their furbelows would have sunk into utter insignificance
beside the exquisite simplicity of attire adopted by the
nymphs of the vale on this festive occasion. I should like to
have seen a gallery of coronation beauties, at Westminster Abbey,
confronted for a moment by this band of Island girls; their stiffness,
formality, and affectation contrasted with the artless vivacity
and unconcealed natural graces of these savage maidens. It
would be the Venus de' Medici placed beside a milliner's doll.

It was not long before Kory-Kory and myself were left alone
in the house, the rest of its inmates having departed for the
Taboo Groves. My valet was all impatience to follow them;
and was as fidgety about my dilatory movements as a diner out
waiting hat in hand at the bottom of the stairs for some lagging
companion. At last, yielding to his importunities, I set out for
the Ti. As we passed the houses peeping out from the groves
through which our route lay, I noticed that they were entirely
deserted by their inhabitants.

When we reached the rock that abruptly terminated the path,

and concealed from us the festive scene, wild shouts and a confused
blending of voices assured me that the occasion, whatever
it might be, had drawn together a great multitude. Kory-Kory,
previous to mounting the elevation, paused for a moment, like a
dandy at a ball-room door, to put a hasty finish to his toilet.
During this short interval, the thought struck me that I ought
myself perhaps to be taking some little pains with my appearance.
But as I had no holiday raiment, I was not a little puzzled to
devise some means of decorating myself. However, as I felt
desirous to create a sensation, I determined to do all that lay in
my power; and knowing that I could not delight the savages
more than by conforming to their style of dress, I removed from
my person the large robe of tappa which I was accustomed to
wear over my shoulders whenever I sallied into the open air,
and remained merely girt about with a short tunic descending
from my waist to my knees.

My quick-witted attendant fully appreciated the compliment
I was paying to the costume of his race, and began more sedulously
to arrange the folds of the one only garment which
remained to me. Whilst he was doing this, I caught sight of a
knot of young lasses, who were sitting near us on the grass surrounded
by heaps of flowers which they were forming into garlands.
I motioned to them to bring some of their handywork
to me; and in an instant a dozen wreaths were at my disposal.
One of them I put round the apology for a hat which I had been
forced to construct for myself out of palmetto-leaves, and some
of the others I converted into a splendid girdle. These operations
finished, with the slow and dignified step of a full-dressed
beau I ascended the rock.