as reduced, I proposed to Toby that
he should endeavour to go round to Nukuheva, and if he could not
succeed in returning to the valley by water, in one of the boats of the
squadron, and taking me off, he might at least procure me some proper
medicines, and effect his return overland.

My companion listened to me in silence, and at first did not appear to
relish the idea. The truth was, he felt impatient to escape from the
place, and wished to avail himself of our present high favour with
the natives to make good our retreat, before we should experience some
sudden alteration in their behaviour. As he could not think of leaving
me in my helpless condition, he implored me to be of good cheer; assured
me that I should soon be better, and enabled in a few days to return
with him to Nukuheva.

Added to this, he could not bear the idea of again returning to this
dangerous place; and as for the expectation of persuading the Frenchmen
to detach a boat's crew for the purpose of rescuing me from the Typees,
he looked upon it as idle; and with arguments that I could not answer,
urged the improbability of their provoking the hostilities of the clan
by any such measure; especially, as for the purpose of quieting its
apprehensions, they had as yet refrained from making any visit to the
bay. 'And even should they consent,' said Toby, 'they would only produce
a commotion in the valley, in which we might both be sacrificed by these
ferocious islanders.' This was unanswerable; but still I clung to the
belief that he might succeed in accomplishing the other part of my plan;
and at last I overcame his scruples, and he agreed to make the attempt.

As soon as we succeeded in making the natives understand our intention,
they broke out into the most vehement opposition to the measure, and
for a while I almost despaired of obtaining their consent. At the bare
thought of one of us leaving them, they manifested the most lively
concern. The grief and consternation of Kory-Kory, in particular, was
unbounded; he threw himself into a perfect paroxysm of gestures which
were intended to convey to us not only his abhorrence of Nukuheva
and its uncivilized inhabitants, but also his astonishment that after
becoming acquainted with the enlightened Typees, we should evince the
least desire to withdraw, even for a time, from their agreeable society.

However, I overbore his objections by appealing to my lameness; from
which I assured the natives I should