oon appeared that Marnoo's powers were as versatile as they
were extraordinary. As soon as he had finished his vehement harangue, he
threw himself again upon the mats, and, singling out individuals in the
crowd, addressed them by name, in a sort of bantering style, the humour
of which, though nearly hidden from me filled the whole assembly with
uproarious delight.

He had a word for everybody; and, turning rapidly from one to another,
gave utterance to some hasty witticism, which was sure to be followed
by peals of laughter. To the females as well as to the men, he addressed
his discourse. Heaven only knows what he said to them, but he caused
smiles and blushes to mantle their ingenuous faces. I am, indeed, very
much inclined to believe that Marnoo, with his handsome person and
captivating manners, was a sad deceiver among the simple maidens of the
island.

During all this time he had never, for one moment, deigned to regard me.
He appeared, indeed, to be altogether unconscious of my presence. I
was utterly at a loss how to account for this extraordinary conduct. I
easily perceived that he was a man of no little consequence among the
islanders; that he possessed uncommon talents; and was gifted with a
higher degree of knowledge than the inmates of the valley. For these
reasons, I therefore greatly feared lest having, from some cause or
other, unfriendly feelings towards me, he might exert his powerful
influence to do me mischief.

It seemed evident that he was not a permanent resident of the vale, and
yet, whence could he have come? On all sides the Typees were girt in by
hostile tribes, and how could he possibly, if belonging to any of these,
be received with so much cordiality?

The personal appearance of the enigmatical stranger suggested additional
perplexities. The face, free from tattooing, and the unshaven crown,
were peculiarities I had never before remarked in any part of the
island, and I had always heard that the contrary were considered the
indispensable distinction of a Marquesan warrior. Altogether the matter
was perfectly incomprehensible to me, and I awaited its solution with no
small degree of anxiety.

At length, from certain indications, I suspected that he was making me
the subject of his remarks, although he appeared cautiously to avoid
either pronouncing my name, or looking in the direction where I lay. All
at once he rose from the mats where he had been reclining, and, still
conversing, move