the Happah valley to obtain an altitude of the sun by the artificial
horizon He was shy of the natives, as we all were at first, and
apprehending that some of them might approach him with a hostile
intention, while his back was turned towards them, and having heard
that they held in great reverence a place said to be Tabooed, or
consecrated, he made a circle round his place observation, and told
the natives, who had followed him in great numbers, that the space
within the circle was Tabooed. They stared at him in silence and
stood back from it; but by and by, when he was intently engaged in
getting his altitude, one of the natives, supposing that he was
employed in some plan (to him incomprehensible) to destroy the
Typees, as he turned the face of his sextant in that direction,
crawled up gently behind the sailing-master, without being perceived
by him, and suddenly tapping him two or three times on the shoulder,
exclaimed with great energy, "Mattee, mattee, Typee!" It may readily
be supposed that his imagination, which was very much excited before,
was not soothed by this salutation. He turned upon the native,
expressing in look and manner his consternation and displeasure,
which was only met by the delighted Indian with a repetition of
"Mattee, mattee, Typee!"
On the morning of the 25th, I went on shore, in company with several
of the officers, to indulge our curiosity and ramble about the
valley. We were soon surrounded by a group of natives, who followed
us wherever we went. Our first object was to visit the chief of the
valley, whose residence we found at the distance of two or three
hundred yards from the shore. It was a plain, oblong hut, thirty by
twenty feet. Its simple structure was such as is first suggested to
the untutored mind--a few poles laid over crotches, upon which was
framed a triangular roof, and the whole thatched with palm or
cocoa-nut leaves. When we entered this regal hut we found the chief
seated near one end of it, who barely condescended to notice us as we
approached to make our salutations. We were not prepared for so rude
a reception and felt somewhat mortified to find a chief of his
distinguished rank so totally destitute of courtesy. We thought at
least that he would have risen from his sitting posture, and expected
more from him than our after experience taught us we had a right to
look for from people in a state of nature. The only furniture in the
hut was a few coarse mats. At one side of it five muskets, highly
polished, were arranged one above the other, over which hung two kegs
of powder sewed up in canvass, and near them a few long spears and a
war conch, ornamented with human hair. We made ourselves as much at
home as if we had received a more cordial welcome, and indulged our
curiosity in examining whatever we saw, when suddenly the chief rose
and his silence and gravity were at once explained. We had remarked
that he had an uncommonly large black robe thrown over him, but
without the least suspicion that it covered any one else than
himself. He suddenly threw it aside as we came near him and there
stood his wife, a girl about eighteen years of age, who had just
finished making her toilet. He pointed to her with a look of
satisfaction, and uttered "Motake," a word we afterwards learned,
signified very good, or very well. Although she was naturally a
pretty girl, she had made herself a hideous looking object. She had
smeared her face all over with a coarse yellow paint, upon which was
drawn streaks of black and green, than which nothing could have
appeared more disgusting. She assumed a manner and look of
affectation, such as may often have been observed in some
self-approving beauty, who, conscious of her charms, feels that she
is an object of admiration to all around her. When I expressed my
disapprobation of her style of ornament, she stared at me with a look
of surprise, which seemed to ask what I was saying. I soon gave both
her and the chief to understand, by signs; after which they seemed
not so well pleased with themselves or each other; and when I saw her
again in the evening she was without any ornament, and looked all the
better for it. While here, two grotesque figures came in and walked
up to me with an austere look. They had a profusion of cock's
feathers bound circularly round their brows, broad gorgets of wood
ornamented with red berries round their necks, shell bracelets and
ornaments of polished shell or bone tied above their ancles. Each
held in his hand a fan of palmetto. After standing a few moments,
keeping their eyes fixed upon me, they began jumping up and down and
fanning themselves, applying both hands to the fan. My first feeling
was surprise, mingled with curiosity, to know the cause of their
strange appearance; but when they had several times repeated their
exercise, the scene was altogether so ridiculous that I could not
refrain from laughing. They soon afterwards, without even noticing
the chief, turned and walked off. After leaving the hut of the
chief, I visited a number of others, all of which were nearly alike.
In one of them I saw two drums, the only instruments of music that I
met with. The largest of them was a hollow log, from three to four
feet long, and about a foot and a half in diameter, covered at both
ends with shark skin. I asked the owner to play upon it, to which he
readily consented, seeming highly flattered with the invitation. He
accompanied his voice by thumping his hands and elbows on the
drum-head; but the music that he made was intolerable. He beat,
however, in very good time, and had evidently a high opinion of his
performance.
In the course of our ramble, one of the officers told an Indian, who
had joined us, by signs, that he wanted some cocoa-nuts. The
good-natured fellow acquiesced without the least hesitation, and to
our great astonishment, ran up a tree standing near us, with the
activity of a squirrel. The tree was forty or fifty feet high,
having but a slight inclination, yet the climbing seemed to occasion
him scarcely any exertion. They do not press their bodies against
the tree and hitch themselves up as is customary with us, which, in
their naked condition, they could not do without injury. They press
the bottoms of their feet against the tree, and clinging to it with
their hands one above the other, ascend upon all-fours. It did not
strike us with less surprise when he had thrown the cocoa-nuts down,
to see with what facility he stripped off the hard husks without the
aid of any thing but his teeth. For such a thing to have been
accomplished by one of us would be found impossible. We afterwards
remarked the same practise in other places, and at other islands. It
was general except with the old men, who, unless they were very
robust, used a sharp-pointed stick of hard wood to remove the husk.
They could not understand our practice of shaking hands. When we
extended a hand to one of them as a mark of friendly salutation, they
looked as though they would question what was meant by it; and from
their manner seemed to think that our object was to feel their skin,
which they would always reciprocate by raising up our sleeves and
examining very minutely.
On the morning of the 29th of September, which was the last of our
remaining in Comptroller's Bay, I made another excursion to the Typee
Bay, taking with me the chief of the Happahs, who was very anxious to
go. I wondered at this, as the tribes evinced so much dislike to
each other; but afterwards saw, in my intercourse with the natives of
the South Sea Islands, that uncivilized men are capable of as much
duplicity towards each other as the educated and refined. When we
had arrived within a hundred yards of the shore we were met by the
chief with whom I had formed an acquaintance on the preceding day.
He saluted the chief of the Happahs in a way that indicated a former
acquaintance, but with a look and manner somewhat formal. The Typee
chief immediately spoke to some one near him, who ran off and in a
few minutes returned with a calabash filled with a preparation of the
bread-fruit, upon which was poured a quantity of milk expressed from
a cocoa-nut. This was offered by the Typee to the Happah chief, and
I was also invited to partake of it. I tasted and found it very
palatable. The two chiefs seated themselves in the stern of the
boat, and made a hearty breakfast, using their fingers instead of
spoons. Neither of them seemed very communicative, as only a few
words passed between them at this interview. There was also in the
boat a young woman belonging to the chief's family, for whom
breakfast was brought in the shell of a cocoa-nut, and which was a
preparation of the cocoa-nut and bread-fruit, sour and disagreeable
to the taste. This, I was informed, is the food upon which the women
almost entirely subsist, they being Tabooed from eating whatever is
held in high estimation by the men. When the chiefs had finished
their repast, the Typee pointed to his hogs, which he had again
caused to be brought down upon the beach, saying that he wanted
powder or guns for them, but unfortunately I had neither of these
valuable articles with which to make an exchange with him, and he
would consider nothing else as an equivalent. He sent for several
old muskets that were very much out of order, and proposed to go on
board with me and have them repaired, making me understand by signs,
that he would in return present me with hogs. His anxiety was so
great upon this subject, that I found it difficult to put a stop to
his solicitations. In the mean time, however, I saw the schooner
underway, and dismissing my Typee friends, pulled away for the Happah
Bay. When I had approached within half a mile of the Happah village,
the schooner was almost out of the harbour, and the chief observing
that I was anxious to get on board, proposed jumping into the water
and swimming home, to which I readily consented. He then stripped
himself of his neck and ear ornaments, which consisted of two white
pieces of polished shell and a carved image of bone, and presenting
them to me as a token of his regard, plunged into the water, leaving
me free to pursue my way to the vessel without the trouble of landing
him. Most of the ornaments worn by these people, are of bone or
shells, finely polished or rudely carved. They attach a number of
them to a piece of cocoa-nut twine, and wear them around their necks,
or wrists, or ancles, as may be most agreeable to the taste and fancy
of the individuals. A more expensive and difficult ornament to
obtain is a gorget. It is a piece of wood, semi-circular, about
three inches wide, carved to fit the neck, covered with a beautiful
red and black berry, and stuck on with a gum that oozes from the tree
of the bread-fruit. On the hill that rises to the left of the
valley, we planted a variety of seeds of fruit, vegetables and grain,
but the natives of the valley are so totally ignorant of every thing
that relates to agriculture, that it is not probable they will ever
derive any advantage from them. Whilst we were in Happah Bay, the
weather was clear and delightful. The temperature so regular that no
change was felt in the transition from day to night.
On the 30th of September, we stood out of Comptroller's Bay, and ran
down for Massachusetts' Bay, a place made familiar to our countrymen
by Commodore Porter's long and interesting visit. The two points
that form the harbours of Comptroller's and Massachusetts' Bays, are
about seven miles distant from each other. At one, P.M., we were
clear of the projecting southern point of Comptroller's Bay, and at
three, P.M., anchored in eight fathoms water, within half a mile of
the hill at the bottom of the bay, called Porter's Monument. Before
we came to anchor, the water was covered with canoes, and people of
both sexes and all ages swimming towards us, and as soon as the
vessel lost her head way, they were crawling up on all sides like so
many rats. They were not less delighted with our arrival than were
the Happahs. Hundreds were collected on the shore, and all
expressing their satisfaction by songs and dances. Amongst our first
visitors, were two English sailors who had deserted from whale ships,
and been long enough resident on the island to converse in the
language of the natives. With them came also a native of Nooaheeva,
and a native of Otaheite, both of whom had served a considerable time
in whale ships, and could converse in broken English. We were
therefore in no want of interpreters, and it seemed at once to
introduce us to the confidence and friendship of our new
acquaintances.
The harbour of Massachusetts' Bay is spacious and affords good
anchorage for ships of the largest class. The only part of it,
however, where landing is not attended with difficulty and some
danger, is the east side, where there is a fine sand beach from a
quarter to half a mile long, at one extremity of which empties a
small rivulet of pure and excellent water into the bay. Landing may
be effected at the watering-place beyond Porter's Monument, where
there is a more considerable stream of fresh water, but it is always
difficult, and when the surf is high, cannot fail to be dangerous.
At this place we watered the Dolphin; but had to swim the casks to
and from the shore, and altogether, it was a laborious undertaking.
Along the east and north part of the bay there is a long reef that
makes at a short distance from the shore, upon which a heavy surf is
always breaking. In entering the bay, the whole habitable part of
this section of the island is presented at one view, and forms a most
grand and beautiful landscape. It is nearly semi-circular, and rises
like an amphitheatre, in fruitful and populous circular ranges of
hills, until at the distance of several miles, it terminates in a
circumference of high and gloomy mountains, the tops of which
resemble a massive wall. This rude and barren circle of mountain
contrasts finely with the fertile ranges below, covered with their
forests of cocoa-nut and bread-fruit trees, and huts and villages
every where scattered about through hill and dale. Nor is the
extreme elevation without its interest and beauty. A number of
little cataracts reflecting the rays of the sun and looking like
sheets of liquid silver, break in upon the gloom of the sterile rock,
adding brilliancy as they descend to the lively prospect below.
After a shower, not less than fifty of these splendid falls of water
may be seen, some of which are but just perceptible through the
intervening space between hills and trees, producing an effect
peculiarly agreeable. What is called Porter's Monument, is a round
hill from fifty to an hundred feet high, situated at the east
extremity of the bay. It was here that Commodore Porter had his
Fort, not a vestige of which is now remaining. It is overrun with a
wild luxuriant growth of vines and grass, and no trace of a footstep
can be found. On one side of the hill, near its base, was stretched
a bark line, which was attended by a man who calls himself Opotee,
and who declares the hill beyond it to be tabooed. Upon one
occasion, as I was approaching it, some natives called out "Taboo,
Taboo!" but Opotee immediately expressed his willingness that I
should pass, as I was a countryman of his namesake, Opotee. To the
north of Porter's Monument, and back from the sand beach, where was
the navy-yard, all is now overgrown with bushes and trees, some of
which have attained to a considerable size. Like the monument, there
is no indication of its ever having been occupied for any human
purpose,
On the first of October, the day after our arrival, I went on shore,
taking with me a great variety of seeds, for the purpose of planting
them where it was most probable they would be taken care of and come
to maturity. The natives flocked round me in great numbers. There
was not less than a hundred boys with the crowd of men and women that
followed me. They were highly delighted when they discovered my
object, which was explained to them by John Luxon, the native of
Nooaheeva, who spoke English. Whenever we came to a rough or muddy
place, which was frequently the case, the boys and men,
notwithstanding my remonstrances, would mount me on their shoulders
and carry me over, with loud shouting. I could easily perceive that
this was a frolic with those who engaged in it, and done out of
levity and the caprice of the moment; but I could not but feel that
they had been first stimulated to it by the favourable impression
they had conceived of my design. I planted some things in
unfrequented places where I found a clear spot, but most of the seeds
and fruit-pits, in the enclosures of the natives. John Luxon was a
man of some rank as a chief, and possessed considerable property. To
one of his enclosures that was large and seemed to have been attended
with unusual care, I devoted most of my attention. There, aided by
several of the natives, who laboured with great assiduity, I prepared
the ground and made quite an extensive plantation of orange, lemon,
cheromaya, peach, apricot, water-melons, pumpkins, potatoes, onions,
beans, corn, and a variety of other fruits and grain, from Peru. He
expressed himself in terms of the warmest gratitude, and I have no
doubt that the natives have already experienced the most important
benefits from the memento I left them of the Dolphin's visit to their
Island.
In the course of my days' occupation, I was several times driven into
Luxon's house by the frequent showers that came over. I no sooner
entered, than the natives flocked after me, and in a few minutes the
hut would be crowded. The little boys and girls here shewed me the
same officious attention that I received in making my way to the
village, but expressed in a different manner. As many as could
approach would surround me with their fans, keeping them going until
the rain ceased, and I was again enabled to resume my work. This was
a kind of civility, peculiarly agreeable, as the weather was
oppressively warm; but I could not fail to discover that my little
attendants were all candidates for my friendly notice and bestowed
their civility with the expectation of some reward. I had a few
trifles about me, but not enough to give to all, and felt at a loss
in what way I should make my presents, fearing that the least
favoured would be mortified and displeased. It seemed however to
make no difference. It was all "motake"[5] with them. All seemed
satisfied. On my return to the beach, I found it thronged with men,
women, and children. All the beauty and fashion of Massachusetts'
Bay had assembled in honour of our arrival, decked out in their
finest tappas, and gayest colours. The females were dressed in the
best style of their island, with neat turbans of tappa-cloth, white,
or ornamented with colours, a white robe of the same material thrown
loosely over them, tastefully knotted on one shoulder, concealing
half the bosom, and a wrapper round the waist that reached below the
knee. They were arranged in groups of a dozen each, singing merrily
and clapping their hands in time to the music of their voices. A
little way from them the men were seated in the same manner and
similarly occupied. The ladies, to improve their charms, had used an
abundant quantity of cocoa-nut oil, which filled the air with its
nauseous perfumes for an hundred yards round. Many of them had more
highly anointed themselves with yellow paint, which, with the
cocoa-nut oil, was running from them in streams. Some had decorated
themselves with necklaces of a golden yellow fruit which bears a
strong resemblance to a pine-apple, and emits a powerful offensive
smell. At a distance, with their variegated robes flying in the
wind, their appearance was altogether agreeable, and upon a near
approach the scene was animated beyond description. The dusk of
evening was the signal for their dispersion, when some went one way
and some another. On the second of October, I wandered back upon the
hills, and had all the boys with me that followed me on the preceding
day.
They renewed their frolic of carrying me, and whenever I seated
myself, came round me as many as could approach, each with a green
leaf for a fan. I entered unceremoniously a number of the huts,
where I almost always found one or more men, in nearly every
instance, extended on their backs, their heads resting on a log laid
along on one side of the hut, and their heels on another, about four
feet from the first. They would never rise to receive me, but utter
"motake," when I was perceived by them, and make motions for me to do
as they did, offering me at the same time a fan, one of which they
were using almost constantly. In the course of my ramble, I met with
a little girl, twelve or fourteen years old, who was very pretty,
attended by a servant, the only instance in which I remarked such a
thing on the island. She was evidently walking out to make a visit,
and had just arrived at the house of her destination when I met her.
I put some beads round her neck, which seemed to delight her very
much; but an old man present, whose hut she was about to visit,
assumed an angry look, and seemed to threaten by his manner. He
changed his conduct, however, when I made him a trifling present, and
the little girl, taking my hand, led me to her father's hut. He was
a chief of some consequence, as was indicated by the possession of
two or three casks of powder, and six muskets. These he took down,
and displayed very ostentatiously, and wanted to know if I had not
others to dispose of. His conduct was altogether kind and
hospitable, in acknowledgment for which I made him a present at my
departure. Whenever I wanted cocoa-nuts to quench my thirst, I had
only to signify it to one of the men that was following me about, and
he would supply me from the nearest tree. With one fellow I was very
much amused. He carried his arms full of cocoa-nuts following me
about nearly all day, and when I returned to the vessel I presented
him with a musket ball, with which he was perfectly satisfied, said
it was "motake," and went away. When I returned to the beach in the
evening, I found the natives, male and female, assembled in as great
numbers as on the day previous, and amusing themselves in the same
way. The females were again in their finest attire, and at a
distance might any where else have been mistaken for an assemblage of
fashionable belles. We were apprehensive that our men, a number of
whom were at work on shore, would have been very much annoyed by the
intrusion of the natives. This, however, was not the case. When
they commenced their work in the morning a circle was made,
comprehending the whole space we wished them to occupy, which we told
the natives was tabooed, and there was not an instance of their
passing it. The next day they held quite a fair on the beach.
Amongst other things, they had for trade large quantities of
cocoa-nuts and bread-fruit. The former they exchanged for small
pieces of tobacco; but a piece of iron hoop, fashioned into a tool or
instrument of husbandry, was demanded for the latter. They were all
day on the beach, cooking and eating their bread-fruit and
cocoa-nuts. In the evening, the boys and men amused us with playing
soldiers, by ranging themselves in a line with sticks for muskets.
One of our officers took a particular pleasure in making grimaces,
and talking a gibberish to the natives in imitation of their manner
of speaking. It was very offensive to them; but they respected us
too much to betray their displeasure. Upon one occasion, however, he
amused himself in this way with the boys, about a hundred of whom
were assembled, when I encouraged them to retaliate on him, by
clucking like a hen. They soon discovered that it was disagreeable
to him, and assembled round him like so many little furies, clucking
with all their might. It seemed to delight them to have an
opportunity of revenging themselves upon him, which they did most
amply, for they did not let him rest a moment until he went on board,
which was soon afterwards, highly displeased with me for conspiring
with the Indians against him. We were often amused with the strange
and ridiculous taste of the natives in the article of dress.
They were all desirous of obtaining clothes, and a number of old
garments were given them, or exchanged for curiosities by the
officers and crew. When obtained, whether they fitted or not, the
Indians immediately put them on, and scarcely ever more than one
garment at a time. Thus, half naked and half attired, a native would
walk about with exceeding gravity, admiring himself, and believing
that every one else was equally pleased with his genteel appearance.