Preparations 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.
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 headquarters 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
unexceptional 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 awhile, 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 first-born 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
himself. 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 everything 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.”
[Illustration: THUS ARRAYED, I WOULD HAVE MATCHED THE CHARMING FAYAWAY
AGAINST ANY BEAUTY IN THE WORLD]
The following morning, awakening 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 girls, 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 handy-work 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 a slow and
dignified step of a full-dressed beau I ascended the rock.