Typee: A Romance of the South Seas
Page 26
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
PREPARATIONS FOR A GRAND FESTIVAL IN THE VALLEY--STRANGE DOINGS INTHE TABOO GROVES--MONUMENT OF CALABASHES--GALA COSTUME OF THE TYPEEDAMSELS--DEPARTURE FOR THE FESTIVAL
FROM the time that my lameness had decreased I had made a daily practiceof visiting Mehevi at the Ti, who invariably gave me a most cordialreception. I was always accompanied in these excursions by Fayawayand the ever-present Kory-Kory. The former, as soon as we reached thevicinity of the Ti--which was rigorously tabooed to the whole femalesex--withdrew to a neighbouring hut, as if her feminine delicacy'restricted' her from approaching a habitation which might be regardedas a sort of Bachelor's Hall.
And in good truth it might well have been so considered. Although itwas the permanent residence of several distinguished chiefs, and ofthe noble Mehevi in particular, it was still at certain seasons thefavourite haunt of all the jolly, talkative, and elderly savages ofthe vale, who resorted thither in the same way that similar charactersfrequent a tavern in civilized countries. There they would remain hourafter hour, chatting, smoking, eating poee-poee, or busily engaged insleeping for the good of their constitutions.
This building appeared to be the head-quarters of the valley, where allflying rumours concentrated; and to have seen it filled with a crowdof the natives, all males, conversing in animated clusters, whilemultitudes were continually coming and going, one would have thought ita kind of savage Exchange, where the rise and fall of Polynesian Stockwas discussed.
Mehevi acted as supreme lord over the place, spending the greaterportion of his time there: and often when, at particular hours of theday, it was deserted by nearly every one else except the verd-antiquelooking centenarians, who were fixtures in the building, the chiefhimself was sure to be found enjoying his 'otium cum dignitate'--uponthe luxurious mats which covered the floor. Whenever I made myappearance he invariably rose, and like a gentleman doing the honours ofhis mansion, invited me to repose myself wherever I pleased, and callingout 'tamaree!' (boy), a little fellow would appear, and then retiringfor an instant, return with some savoury mess, from which the chiefwould press me to regale myself. To tell the truth, Mehevi was indebtedto the excellence of his viands for the honour of my repeated visits--amatter which cannot appear singular, when it is borne in mind thatbachelors, all the world over, are famous for serving up unexceptionablerepasts.
One day, on drawing near to the Ti, I observed that extensivepreparations were going forward, plainly betokening some approachingfestival. Some of the symptoms reminded me of the stir produced amongthe scullions of a large hotel, where a grand jubilee dinner is about tobe given. The natives were hurrying about hither and thither, engaged invarious duties, some lugging off to the stream enormous hollowbamboos, for the purpose of filling them with water; others chasingfurious-looking hogs through the bushes, in their endeavours to capturethem; and numbers employed in kneading great mountains of poee-poeeheaped up in huge wooden vessels.
After observing these lively indications for a while, I was attracted toa neighbouring grove by a prodigious squeaking which I heard there. Onreaching the spot I found it proceeded from a large hog which a numberof natives were forcibly holding to the earth, while a muscular fellow,armed with a bludgeon, was ineffectually aiming murderous blows at theskull of the unfortunate porker. Again and again he missed hiswrithing and struggling victim, but though puffing and panting withhis exertions, he still continued them; and after striking a sufficientnumber of blows to have demolished an entire drove of oxen, with onecrashing stroke he laid him dead at his feet.
Without letting any blood from the body, it was immediately carried to afire which had been kindled near at hand and four savages taking hold ofthe 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 thisprocedure. Having got thus far in the matter, the body was removed to alittle distance and, being disembowelled, the entrails were laid asideas choice parts, and the whole carcass thoroughly washed with water. Anample thick green cloth, composed of the long thick leaves of a speciesof palm-tree, ingeniously tacked together with little pins of bamboo,was now spread upon the ground, in which the body being carefullyrolled, it was borne to an oven previously prepared to receive it. Hereit was at once laid upon the heated stones at the bottom, and coveredwith thick layers of leaves, the whole being quickly hidden from sightby a mound of earth raised over it.
Such is the summary style in which the Typees convert perverse-mindedand rebellious hogs into the most docile and amiable pork; a morselof which placed on the tongue melts like a soft smile from the lips ofBeauty.
I commend their peculiar mode of proceeding to the consideration of allbutchers, cooks, and housewives. The hapless porker whose fate I havejust rehearsed, was not the only one who suffered in that memorable day.Many a dismal grunt, many an imploring squeak, proclaimed what was goingon throughout the whole extent of the valley; and I verily believe thefirst-born of every litter perished before the setting of that fatalsun.
The scene around the Ti was now most animated. Hogs and poee-poee werebaking in numerous ovens, which, heaped up with fresh earth into slightelevations, looked like so many ant-hills. Scores of the savages werevigorously plying their stone pestles in preparing masses of poee-poee,and numbers were gathering green bread-fruit and young cocoanuts in thesurrounding groves; when an exceeding great multitude, with a view ofencouraging the rest in their labours, stood still, and kept shoutingmost lustily without intermission.
It is a peculiarity among these people, that, when engaged in anemployment, they always make a prodigious fuss about it. So seldom dothey ever exert themselves, that when they do work they seem determinedthat so meritorious an action shall not escape the observation of thosearound if, for example, they have occasion to remove a stone to a littledistance, which perhaps might be carried by two able-bodied men, a wholeswarm gather about it, and, after a vast deal of palavering, lift itup among them, every one struggling to get hold of it, and bear it offyelling and panting as if accomplishing some mighty achievement. Seeingthem on these occasions, one is reminded of an infinity of black antsclustering about and dragging away to some hole the leg of a deceasedfly.
Having for some time attentively observed these demonstrations of goodcheer, I entered the Ti, where Mehevi sat complacently looking out uponthe busy scene, and occasionally issuing his orders. The chief appearedto be in an extraordinary flow of spirits and gave me to understand thaton the morrow there would be grand doings in the Groves generally, andat the Ti in particular; and urged me by no means to absent myself. Incommemoration of what event, however, or in honour of whatdistinguished personage, the feast was to be given, altogether passed mycomprehension. Mehevi sought to enlighten my ignorance, but he failed assignally as when he had endeavoured to initiate me into the perplexingarcana of the taboo.
On leaving the Ti, Kory-Kory, who had as a matter of course accompaniedme, observing that my curiosity remained unabated, resolved to makeeverything plain and satisfactory. With this intent, he escortedme through the Taboo Groves, pointing out to my notice a variety ofobjects, and endeavoured to explain them in such an indescribable jargonof words, that it almost put me in bodily pain to listen to him. Inparticular, he led me to a remarkable pyramidical structure some threeyards square at the base, and perhaps ten feet in height, which hadlately been thrown up, and occupied a very conspicuous position. Itwas composed principally of large empty calabashes, with a few polishedcocoanut shells, and looked not unlike a cenotaph of skulls. My ciceroneperceived the astonishment with which I gazed at this monument of savagecrockery, and immediately addressed himself in the task of enlighteningme: but all in vain; and to this hour the nature of the monument remainsa complete mystery to me. As, however, it formed so prominent a featurein 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 ofMarheyo's family busi
ly engaged in preparing for the festival.
The old warrior himself was arranging in round balls the two grey locksof hair that were suffered to grow from the crown of his head; hisearrings and spear, both well polished, lay beside him, while the highlydecorative pair of shoes hung suspended from a projecting cane againstthe side of the house. The young men were similarly employed; and thefair damsels, including Fayaway, were anointing themselves with 'aka',arranging their long tresses, and performing other matters connectedwith the duties of the toilet.
Having completed their preparations, the girls now exhibited themselvesin gala costume; the most conspicuous feature of which was a necklaceof beautiful white flowers, with the stems removed, and strung closelytogether upon a single fibre of tappa. Corresponding ornaments wereinserted in their ears, and woven garlands upon their heads. About theirwaist they wore a short tunic of spotless white tappa, and some of themsuper-added to this a mantle of the same material, tied in an elaboratebow upon the left shoulder, and falling about the figure in picturesquefolds.
Thus arrayed, I would have matched the charming Fayaway against anybeauty in the world.
People may say what they will about the taste evinced by our fashionableladies in dress. Their jewels, their feathers, their silks, andtheir furbelows, would have sunk into utter insignificance beside theexquisite simplicity of attire adopted by the nymphs of the vale on thisfestive occasion. I should like to have seen a gallery of coronationbeauties, at Westminster Abbey, confronted for a moment by this band ofisland girls; their stiffness, formality, and affectation, contrastedwith the artless vivacity and unconcealed natural graces of these savagemaidens. It would be the Venus de' Medici placed beside a milliner'sdoll. It was not long before Kory-Kory and myself were left alone in thehouse, the rest of its inmates having departed for the Taboo Groves.My valet was all impatience to follow them; and was as fidgety about mydilatory movements as a diner out waiting hat in hand at the bottomof the stairs for some lagging companion. At last, yielding to hisimportunities, I set out for the Ti. As we passed the houses peeping outfrom the groves through which our route lay, I noticed that they wereentirely deserted by their inhabitants.
When we reached the rock that abruptly terminated the path, andconcealed from us the festive scene, wild shouts and a confused blendingof voices assured me that the occasion, whatever it might be, haddrawn together a great multitude. Kory-Kory, previous to mounting theelevation, paused for a moment, like a dandy at a ball-room door, to puta hasty finish to his toilet. During this short interval, the thoughtstruck me that I ought myself perhaps to be taking some little painswith my appearance.
But as I had no holiday raiment, I was not a little puzzled to devisesome means of decorating myself. However, as I felt desirous to create asensation, I determined to do all that lay in my power; and knowing thatI could not delight the savages more than by conforming to their styleof dress, I removed from my person the large robe of tappa which I wasaccustomed to wear over my shoulders whenever I sallied into the openair, and remained merely girt about with a short tunic descending frommy waist to my knees.
My quick-witted attendant fully appreciated the compliment I was payingto the costume of his race, and began more sedulously to arrange thefolds of the one only garment which remained to me. Whilst he was doingthis, I caught sight of a knot of young lasses, who were sitting near uson the grass surrounded by heaps of flowers which they were forming intogarlands. 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 Iput round the apology for a hat which I had been forced to construct formyself out of palmetto-leaves, and some of the others I converted into asplendid girdle. These operations finished, with the slow and dignifiedstep of a full-dressed beau I ascended the rock.