Typee

by Herman Melville

  CHAPTER XXII

  The Feast of Calabashes.

  The whole population of the valley seemed to be gathered within theprecincts of the grove. In the distance could be seen the long front ofthe Ti, its immense piazza swarming with men, arrayed in every variety offantastic costume, and all vociferating with animated gestures; while thewhole interval between it and the place where I stood was enlivened bygroups of females fancifully decorated, dancing, capering, and utteringwild exclamations. As soon as they descried me they set up a shout ofwelcome; and a band of them came dancing towards me, chanting as theyapproached some wild recitative. The change in my garb seemed to transportthem with delight, and clustering about me on all sides, they accompaniedme towards the Ti. When, however, we drew near it, these joyous nymphspaused in their career, and parting on either side, permitted me to passon to the now densely thronged building.

  So soon as I mounted to the pi-pi I saw at a glance that the revels werefairly under way.

  What lavish plenty reigned around!--Warwick feasting his retainers withbeef and ale, was a niggard to the noble Mehevi!--All along the piazza ofthe Ti were arranged elaborately-carved canoe-shaped vessels, some twentyfeet in length, filled with newly-made poee-poee, and sheltered from thesun by the broad leaves of the banana. At intervals were heaps of greenbread-fruit, raised in pyramidical stacks, resembling the regular piles ofheavy shot to be seen in the yard of an arsenal. Inserted into theinterstices of the huge stones which formed the pi-pi were large boughs oftrees; hanging from the branches of which, and screened from the sun bytheir foliage, were innumerable little packages with leafy coveringscontaining the meat of the numerous hogs which had been slain, done up inthis manner to make it more accessible to the crowd. Leaning against therailing of the piazza were an immense number of long, heavy bamboos,plugged at the lower end, and with their projecting muzzles stuffed with awad of leaves. These were filled with water from the stream, and each ofthem might hold from four to five gallons.

  The banquet being thus spread, nought remained but for every one to helphimself at his pleasure. Accordingly, not a moment passed but thetransplanted boughs I have mentioned were rifled by the throng of thefruit they certainly had never borne before. Calabashes of poee-poee werecontinually being replenished from the extensive receptacle in which thatarticle was stored, and multitudes of little fires were kindled about theTi for the purpose of roasting the bread-fruit.

  Within the building itself was presented a most extraordinary scene. Theimmense lounge of mats lying between the parallel rows of the trunks ofcocoa-nut trees, and extending the entire length of the house, at leasttwo hundred feet, was covered by the reclining forms of a host of chiefsand warriors, who were eating at a great rate, or soothing the cares ofPolynesian life in the sedative fumes of tobacco. The smoke was inhaledfrom large pipes, the bowls of which, made out of small cocoa-nut shells,were curiously carved in strange heathenish devices. These were passedfrom mouth to mouth by the recumbent smokers, each of whom, taking two orthree prodigious whiffs, handed the pipe to his neighbour; sometimes forthat purpose stretching indolently across the body of some dozingindividual whose exertions at the dinner-table had already induced sleep.

  The tobacco used among the Typees was of a very mild and pleasing flavour,and as I always saw it in leaves, and the natives appeared pretty wellsupplied with it, I was led to believe that it must have been the growthof the valley. Indeed Kory-Kory gave me to understand that this was thecase; but I never saw a single plant growing on the island. At Nukuheva,and I believe, in all the other valleys, the weed is very scarce, beingonly obtained in small quantities from foreigners, and smoking isconsequently with the inhabitants of these places a very great luxury. Howit was that the Typees were so well furnished with it I cannot divine. Ishould think them too indolent to devote any attention to its culture;and, indeed, as far as my observation extended not a single atom of thesoil was under any other cultivation than that of shower and sunshine. Thetobacco-plant, however, like the sugar-cane, may grow wild in some remotepart of the vale.

  There were many in the Ti for whom the tobacco did not furnish asufficient stimulus, and who accordingly had recourse to "arva," as a morepowerful agent in producing the desired effect.

  "Arva" is a root very generally dispersed over the South Seas, and from itis extracted a juice, the effects of which upon the system are at firststimulating in a moderate degree; but it soon relaxes the muscles, and,exerting a narcotic influence, produces a luxurious sleep. In the valleythis beverage was universally prepared in the following way:--Somehalf-dozen young boys seated themselves in a circle around an empty woodenvessel, each one of them being supplied with a certain quantity of theroots of the "arva," broken into small bits and laid by his side. Acocoa-nut goblet of water was passed around the juvenile company, whorinsing their mouth with its contents, proceeded to the business beforethem. This merely consisted in thoroughly masticating the "arva," andthrowing it mouthful after mouthful into the receptacle provided. When asufficient quantity had been thus obtained, water was poured upon themass, and being stirred about with the forefinger of the right hand, thepreparation was soon in readiness for use. The "arva" has medicinalqualities.

  Upon the Sandwich Islands it has been employed with no small success inthe treatment of scrofulous affections, and in combating the ravages of adisease which for so many years has been gradually depopulating those fineand interesting islands. But the tenants of the Typee valley, as yetexempt from these inflictions, generally employ the "arva" as a ministerto social enjoyment, and a calabash of the liquid circulates among them asthe bottle with us.

  Mehevi, who was greatly delighted with the change in my costume, gave me acordial welcome. He had reserved for me a most delectable mess of"cockoo," well knowing my partiality for that dish; and had likewiseselected three or four young cocoa-nuts, several roasted bread-fruit, anda magnificent bunch of bananas, for my especial comfort and gratification.These various matters were at once placed before me; but Kory-Kory deemedthe banquet entirely insufficient for my wants until he had supplied mewith one of the leafy packages of pork, which, notwithstanding thesomewhat hasty manner in which it had been prepared, possessed a mostexcellent flavour, and was surprisingly sweet and tender.

  Pork is not a staple article of food among the people of the Marquesas,consequently they pay little attention to the breeding of the swine. Thehogs are permitted to roam at large in the groves, where they obtain nosmall portion of their nourishment from the cocoa-nuts which continuallyfall from the trees. But it is only after infinite labour and difficulty,that the hungry animal can pierce the husk and shell so as to get at themeat. I have frequently been amused at seeing one of them, after crunchingthe obstinate nut with his teeth for a long time unsuccessfully, get intoa violent passion with it. He would then root furiously under thecocoa-nut, and, with a fling of his snout, toss it before him on theground. Following it up, he would crunch at it again savagely for amoment, and the next knock it on one side, pausing immediately after, asif wondering how it could so suddenly have disappeared. In this way thepersecuted cocoa-nuts were often chased half across the valley.

  The second day of the Feast of Calabashes was ushered in by still moreuproarious noises than the first. The skins of innumerable sheep seemed tobe resounding to the blows of an army of drummers. Startled from myslumbers by the din, I leaped up, and found the whole household engaged inmaking preparations for immediate departure. Curious to discover of whatstrange events these novel sounds might be the precursors, and not alittle desirous to catch a sight of the instruments which produced theterrific noise, I accompanied the natives as soon as they were inreadiness to depart for the Taboo Groves.

  The comparatively open space that extended from the Ti toward the rock, towhich I have before alluded as forming the ascent to the place, was, withthe building itself, now altogether deserted by the men; the wholedistance being filled by bands of females, shouting a
nd dancing under theinfluence of some strange excitement.

  I was amused at the appearance of four or five old women, who in a stateof utter nudity, with their arms extended flatly down their side, andholding themselves perfectly erect, were leaping stiffly into the air,like so many sticks bobbing to the surface, after being pressedperpendicularly into the water. They preserved the utmost gravity ofcountenance, and continued their extraordinary movements without a singlemoment's cessation. They did not appear to attract the observation of thecrowd around them, but I must candidly confess that, for my own part, Istared at them most pertinaciously.

  Desirous of being enlightened in regard to the meaning of this peculiardiversion, I turned inquiringly to Kory-Kory: that learned Typeeimmediately proceeded to explain the whole matter thoroughly. But all thatI could comprehend from what he said was, that the leaping figures beforeme were bereaved widows, whose partners had been slain in battle manymoons previously; and who, at every festival, gave public evidence in thismanner of their calamities. It was evident that Kory-Kory considered thisan all-sufficient reason for so indecorous a custom; but I must say thatit did not satisfy me as to its propriety.

  Leaving these afflicted females, we passed on to the Hoolah Hoolah ground.Within the spacious quadrangle, the whole population of the valley seemedto be assembled, and the sight presented was truly remarkable. Beneath thesheds of bamboo which opened towards the interior of the square, reclinedthe principal chiefs and warriors, while a miscellaneous throng lay attheir ease under the enormous trees, which spread a majestic canopyoverhead. Upon the terraces of the gigantic altars, at either end, weredeposited green bread-fruit in baskets of cocoa-nut leaves, large rolls oftappa, bunches of white bananas, clusters of mammee-apples, thegolden-hued fruit of the artu tree, and baked hogs, laid out in largewooden trenchers, fancifully decorated with freshly-plucked leaves, whilsta variety of rude implements of war were piled in confused heaps beforethe ranks of hideous idols. Fruits of various kinds were likewisesuspended in leafen baskets, from the tops of poles planted uprightly, andat regular intervals, along the lower terraces of both altars. At theirbase were arranged two parallel rows of cumbersome drums, standing atleast fifteen feet in height, and formed from the hollow trunks of largetrees. Their heads were covered with shark skins, and their barrels wereelaborately carved with various quaint figures and devices. At regularintervals, they were bound round by a species of sinnate of variouscolours, and strips of native cloth flattened upon them here and there.Behind these instruments were built slight platforms, upon which stood anumber of young men, who, beating violently with the palms of their handsupon the drum-heads, produced those outrageous sounds which had awakenedme in the morning. Every few minutes these musical performers hopped downfrom their elevation into the crowd below, and their places wereimmediately supplied by fresh recruits. Thus an incessant din was kept upthat might have startled Pandemonium.

  Precisely in the middle of the quadrangle were placed perpendicularly inthe ground a hundred or more slender, fresh-cut poles, stripped of theirbark, and decorated at the end with a floating pennon of white tappa, thewhole being fenced about with a little picket of canes. For what purposethese singular ornaments were intended, I in vain endeavoured to discover.

  Another most striking feature of the performance was exhibited by a scoreof old men, who sat cross-legged in the little pulpits, which encircledthe trunks of the immense trees growing in the middle of the enclosure.These venerable gentlemen, who I presume were the priests, kept up anuninterrupted monotonous chant, which was nearly drowned in the roar ofdrums. In the right hand they held a finely-woven grass fan, with a heavyblack wooden handle, curiously chased: these fans they kept in continualmotion.

  But no attention whatever seemed to be paid to the drummers or to the oldpriests, the individuals who composed the vast crowd present beingentirely taken up in chatting and laughing with one another, smoking,drinking arva, and eating. For all the observation it attracted, or thegood it achieved, the whole savage orchestra might, with great advantageto its own members and the company in general, have ceased the prodigiousuproar they were making.

  In vain I questioned Kory-Kory and others of the natives, as to themeaning of the strange things that were going on; all their explanationswere conveyed in such a mass of outlandish gibberish and gesticulationthat I gave up the attempt in despair. All that day the drums resounded,the priests chanted, and the multitude feasted and roared till sunset,when the throng dispersed, and the Taboo Groves were again abandoned toquiet and repose. The next day the same scene was repeated until night,when this singular festival terminated.