way, bands of young girls, darting from the
surrounding groves, hung upon our skirts, and accompanied us with shouts
of merriment and delight, which almost drowned the deep notes of the
recitative. On approaching old Marheyo's domicile, its inmates rushed
out to receive us; and while the gifts of Mehevi were being disposed of,
the superannuated warrior did the honours of his mansion with all the
warmth of hospitality evinced by an English squire when he regales his
friends at some fine old patrimonial mansion.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

ATTEMPT TO PROCURE RELIEF FROM NUKUHEVA--PERILOUS ADVENTURE OF TOBY IN
THE HAPPAR MOUNTAINS--ELOQUENCE OF KORY-KORY

AMIDST these novel scenes a week passed away almost imperceptibly. The
natives, actuated by some mysterious impulse, day after day redoubled
their attentions to us. Their manner towards us was unaccountable.
Surely, thought I, they would not act thus if they meant us any harm.
But why this excess of deferential kindness, or what equivalent can they
imagine us capable of rendering them for it?

We were fairly puzzled. But despite the apprehensions I could not
dispel, the horrible character imputed to these Typees appeared to be
wholly undeserved.

'Why, they are cannibals!' said Toby on one occasion when I eulogized
the tribe. 'Granted,' I replied, 'but a more humane, gentlemanly and
amiable set of epicures do not probably exist in the Pacific.'

But, notwithstanding the kind treatment we received, I was too familiar
with the fickle disposition of savages not to feel anxious to withdraw
from the valley, and put myself beyond the reach of that fearful death
which, under all these smiling appearances, might yet menace us. But
here there was an obstacle in the way of doing so. It was idle for me
to think of moving from the place until I should have recovered from the
severe lameness that afflicted me; indeed my malady began seriously to
alarm me; for, despite the herbal remedies of the natives, it continued
to grow worse and worse. Their mild applications, though they soothed
the pain, did not remove the disorder, and I felt convinced that without
better aid I might anticipate long and acute suffering.

But how was this aid to be procured? From the surgeons of the French
fleet, which probably still lay in the bay of Nukuheva, it might easily
have been obtained, could I have made my case known to them. But how
could that be effected?

At last, in the exigency to which I w