Narrative of a Four Months' Residence Among the Natives of a Valley of the Marquesas Islands
NARRATIVE
OF A
FOUR MONTHS’ RESIDENCE
AMONG THE NATIVES OF A VALLEY OF
THE MARQUESAS ISLANDS;
OR,
A PEEP AT POLYNESIAN LIFE.
By HERMAN MELVILLE.
LONDON:
JOHN MURRAY, ALBEMARLE STREET.
1846.
London: Printed by William Clowes and Sons. Stamford Street.
TO
CHIEF JUSTICE OF THE COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS,
THIS LITTLE WORK IS AFFECTIONATELY INSCRIBED
BY THE AUTHOR.
PREFACE.
More than three years have elapsed since the occurrence of the events recorded in this volume. The interval, with the exception of the last few months, has been chiefly spent by the author tossing about on the wide ocean. Sailors are the only class of men who now-a-days see anything like stirring adventure; and many things which to fire-side people appear strange and romantic, to them seem as common-place as a jacket out at elbows. Yet, notwithstanding the familiarity of sailors with all sorts of curious adventure, the incidents recorded in the following pages have often served, when "spun as a yarn," not only to relieve the weariness of many a night-watch at sea, but to excite the warmest sympathies of the author's shipmates. He has been therefore led to think that his story could scarcely fail to interest those who are less familiar than the sailor with a life of adventure.
In his account of the singular and interesting people among whom he was thrown, it will be observed that he chiefly treats of their more obvious peculiarities; and, in describing their customs, refrains in most cases from entering into explanations concerning their origin and purposes. As writers of travels among barbarous communities are generally very diffuse on these subjects, he deems it right to advert to what may be considered a culpable omission. No one can be more sensible than the author of his deficiencies in this and many other respects; but when the very peculiar circumstances in which he was placed are understood, he feels assured that all these omissions will be excused.
In very many published narratives no little degree of attention is bestowed upon dates; but as the author lost all knowledge of the days of the week, during the occurrence of the scenes herein related, he hopes that the reader will charitably pass over his shortcomings in this particular.
In the Polynesian words used in this volume-except in those cases where the spelling has been previously determined by others that form of orthography has been employed, which might be supposed most easily to convey their sound to a stranger. In several works descriptive of the islands in the Pacific, many of the most beautiful combinations of vocal sounds have been altogether lost to the ear of the reader by an over-attention to the ordinary rules of spelling.
There are a few passages in the ensuing chapters which may be thought to bear rather hard upon a reverend order of men, the account of whose proceedings in different quarters of the globe—transmitted to us through their own hands—very generally, and often very deservedly, receives high commendation. Such passages will be found, however, to be based upon facts admitting of no contradiction, and which have come immediately under the writer's cognizance. The conclusions deduced from these facts are unavoidable, and in stating them the author has been influenced by no feeling of animosity, either to the individuals themselves or to that glorious cause which has not always been served by the proceedings of some of its advocates. The great interest with which the important events lately occurring at the Sandwich, Marquesas, and Society Islands, have been regarded in America and England, and indeed throughout the world, will, he trusts, justify a few otherwise unwarrantable digressions.
There are some things related in the narrative which will be sure to appear strange, or perhaps entirely incomprehensible, to the reader; but they cannot appear more so to him than they did to the author at the time. He has stated such matters just as they occurred, and leaves every one to form his own opinion concerning them; trusting that his anxious desire to speak the unvarnished truth will gain for him the confidence of his readers.
CONTENTS.
The Sea—Longings for Shore—A Land-sick Ship—Destination of the Voyagers—The Marquesas—Adventure of a Missionary’s Wife among the Savages—Characteristic Anecdote of the Queen of Nukuheva |
Page 1 |
Passage from the Cruising Ground to the Marquesas—Sleepy times abroad Ship—South Sea Scenery—Land ho!—The French Squadron discovered at Anchor in the Bay of Nukuheva—Strange Pilot—Escort of Canoes—A Flotilla of Cocoa-nuts—Swimming Visitors—The Dolly boarded by them—State of affairs that ensue |
8 |
Some Account of the late operations of the French at the Marquesas—Prudent Conduct of the Admiral—Sensation produced by the Arrival of the Strangers—The first Horse seen by the Islanders—Reflections—Miserable Subterfuge of the French—Digression concerning Tahiti—Seizure of the Island by the Admiral—Spirited Conduct of an English Lady |
16 |
State of Affairs abroad the Ship—Contents of her Larder—Length of South Seamen’s Voyages—Account of a Flying Whaleman—Determination to Leave the Vessel—The Bay of Nukuheva—The Typees—Invasion of their Valley by Porter—Reflections—Glen of Tior—Interview between the old King and the French Admiral |
20 |
Thoughts previous to attempting an Escape—Toby, a Fellow Sailor, agrees to share the Adventure—Last Night abroad the Ship |
31 |
A Specimen of Nautical Oratory—Criticisms of the Sailors—The Starboard Watch are given a Holiday—The Escape to the Mountains |
36 |
The other side of the Mountain—Disappointment—Inventory of Articles brought from the Ship—Division of the Stock of Bread—Appearance of the Interior of the Island—A Discovery—A Ravine and Waterfalls—A sleepless Night—Further Discoveries—My Illness—A Marquesan Landscape |
44 |
The Important Question, Typee or Happar?—A Wild-Goose Chace—My Sufferings—Disheartening Situation—A Night in a Ravine—Morning Meal—Happy Idea of Toby—Journey towards the Valley |
54 |
Perilous Passage of the Ravine—Descent into the Valley |
63 |
The Head of the Valley—Cautious Advance—A Path—Fruit—Discovery of Two of the Natives—Their singular Conduct—Approach towards the inhabited parts of the Vale—Sensation produced by our Appearance—Reception at the House of one of the Natives |
72 |
Midnight Reflections—Morning Visitors—A Warrior in Costume—A Savage Æsculapius—Practice of the Healing Art—Body Servant—A Dwelling-house of the Valley described—Portraits of its Inmates |
83 |
Officiousness of Kory-Kory—His Devotion—A Bath in the Stream—Want of Refinement of the Typee Damsels—Stroll with Mehevi—A Typee Highway—The Taboo Groves—The Hoolah-Hoolah Ground—The Ti—Time-worn Savages—Hospitality of Mehevi—Midnight Misgivings—Adventure in the Dark—Distinguished Honours paid to the Visitors—Strange Procession and Return to the House of Marheyo |
97 |
Attempt to procure Relief from Nukuheva—Perilous Adventure of Toby in the Happar Mountain—Eloquence of Kory-Kory |
107 |
A great Event happens in the Valley—The Island Telegraph—Something befalls Toby—Fayaway displays a tender Heart—Melancholy Reflections—Mysterious Conduct of the Islands—Devotion of Kory-Kory—A rural Couch—A Luxury—Kory-Kory strikes a Light à la Typee |
115 |
Kindness of Marheyo and the rest of the Islanders—A full Description of the Bread-fruit Tree—Different Modes of preparing the Fruit |
125 |
Melancholy condition—Occurrence at the Ti—Anecdote of Marheyo—Shaving the Head of a Warrior |
130 |
Improvement in Health and Spirits—Felicity of the Typees—Their enjoyments compared with those of more enlightened Communities—Comparative Wickedness of civilized and unenlightened People—A Skirmish in the Mountain with the Warriors of Happar |
136 |
Swimming in company with the Girls of the Valley—A Canoe—Effects of the Taboo—A pleasure Excursion on the Pond—Beautiful freak of Fayaway—Mantua-making—A Stranger arrives in the Valley—His mysterious conduct—Native Oratory—The Interview—Its Results—Departure of the Stranger |
145 |
Reflections after Marnoo’s Departure—Battle of the Pop-guns—Strange conceit of Marheyo—Process of making Tappa |
159 |
History of a day as usually spent in the Typee Valley—Danees of the Marquesan Girls |
166 |
The Spring of Arva Wai—Remarkable Monumental Remains—Some ideas with regard to the History of the Pi-Pis found in the Valley |
171 |
Preparation for a Grand Festival in the Valley—Strange doings in the Taboo Groves—Monument of Calabashes—Gala costume of the Typee damsels—Departure for the Festival |
175 |
The Feat of Calabashes |
181 |
Ideas suggested by the Feast of Calabashes—Inaccuracy of certain published Accounts of the Islands—A Reason—Neglected State of Heathenism in the Valley—Effigy of a dead Warrior—A singular Superstition—The Priest Kolory and the God Moa Artua—Amazing Religious Observance—A dilapidated Shrine—Kory-Kory and the Idol—An Inference |
188 |
General Information gathered at the Festival—Personal Beauty of the Typees—Their Superiority over the Inhabitants of the other Islands—Diversity of Complexion—A Vegetable Cosmetic and Ointment—Testimony of Voyagers to the uncommon Beauty of the Marquesas—Few Evidences of Intercourse with Civilized Beings—Dilapidated Musket—Primitive Simplicity of Government—Regal Dignity of Mehevi |
200 |
King Mehevi—Allusion to his Hawiian Majesty—Conduct of Marheyo and Mehevi in certain delicate matters—Peculiar system of Marriage—Number of Population—Uniformity—Embalming—Places of Sepulchre—Funeral obsequies at Nukuheva—Numbers of Inhabitants in Typee—Location of the Dwellings—Happiness enjoyed in the Valley—A Warning—Some ides with regard to the Civilization of the Islands—Reference to the Present of the Hawiians—Story of a Missionary’s Wife—Fashionable Equipages at Oahu—Reflections |
209 |
The Social Condition and General Character of the Typees |
222 |
Fishing Parties—Mode of distributing the Fish—Midnight Banquet—Time-keeping Tapers—Unceremonious style of eating the Fish |
229 |
Natural History of the Valley—Golden Lizards—Tameness of the Birds—Mosquitos—Flies—Dogs—A solitary Cat—The Climate—The Cocoa-nut Tree—Singular modes of climbing it—An agile young Chief—Fearlessness of the Children—Too-Too and the Cocoa-nut Tree—The Birds of the Valley |
233 |
A Professor of the Fine Arts—His Persecutions—Something about Tattooing and Tabooing—Two Anecdotes in illustration of the latter—A few thoughts on the Typee Dialect |
240 |
Strange custom of the Islanders—Their Chanting, and the peculiarity of their Voice—Rapture of the King at first hearing a Song—A new Dignity conferred on the Author—Musical Instruments in the Valley—Admiration of the Savages at beholding a Pugilistic Performance—Swimming Infant—Beautiful Tresses of the Girls—Ointment for the Hair |
249 |
Apprehensions of Evil—Frightful Discovery—Some remarks on Cannibalism—Second Battle with the Happars—Savage Spectacle—Mysterious Feast—Subsequent Disclosures |
254 |
The Stranger again arrives in the Valley—Singular Interview with him—Attempt to Escape—Failure—Melancholy Situation—Sympathy of Marheyo |
264 |
The Escape |
269 |
Provisional cession to Lord George Paulet of the Sandwich Islands |
279 |
This work was published before January 1, 1929, and is in the public domain worldwide because the author died at least 100 years ago.
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