looking complacently at the dish; and from that day to this I have never
forgotten that such is the designation of a pig in the Typee lingo.
The next morning, after being again abundantly feasted by the hospitable
Mehevi, Toby and myself arose to depart. But the chief requested us to
postpone our intention. 'Abo, abo' (Wait, wait), he said and accordingly
we resumed our seats, while, assisted by the zealous Kory-Kory, he
appeared to be engaged in giving directions to a number of the natives
outside, who were busily employed in making arrangements, the nature
of which we could not comprehend. But we were not left long in our
ignorance, for a few moments only had elapsed, when the chief beckoned
us to approach, and we perceived that he had been marshalling a kind of
guard of honour to escort us on our return to the house of Marheyo.
The procession was led off by two venerable-looking savages, each
provided with a spear, from the end of which streamed a pennon of
milk-white tappa. After them went several youths, bearing aloft
calabashes of poee-poee, and followed in their turn by four stalwart
fellows, sustaining long bamboos, from the tops of which hung
suspended, at least twenty feet from the ground, large baskets of
green bread-fruits. Then came a troop of boys, carrying bunches of ripe
bananas, and baskets made of the woven leaflets of cocoanut boughs,
filled with the young fruit of the tree, the naked shells stripped of
their husks peeping forth from the verdant wicker-work that surrounded
them. Last of all came a burly islander, holding over his head a wooden
trencher, in which lay disposed the remnants of our midnight feast,
hidden from view, however, by a covering of bread-fruit leaves.
Astonished as I was at this exhibition, I could not avoid smiling at
its grotesque appearance, and the associations it naturally called
up. Mehevi, it seemed, was bent on replenishing old Marheyo's larder,
fearful perhaps that without this precaution his guests might not fare
as well as they could desire.
As soon as I descended from the pi-pi, the procession formed anew,
enclosing us in its centre; where I remained part of the time, carried
by Kory-Kory, and occasionally relieving him from his burden by limping
along with spear. When we moved off in this order, the natives struck
up a musical recitative, which with various alternations, they continued
until we arrived at the place of our destination.
As we proceeded on our
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