for it by
washing in the stream. This operation concluded, we swallowed, or rather
absorbed, by a peculiar kind of slow sucking process, our respective
morsels of nourishment, and then entered into a discussion as to the steps
it was necessary for us to pursue.

"What's to be done now?" inquired I, rather dolefully.

"Descend into that same valley we descried yesterday," rejoined Toby, with
a rapidity and loudness of utterance that almost led me to suspect he had
been slyly devouring the broadside of an ox in some of the adjoining
thickets. "What else," he continued, "remains for us to do but that, to be
sure? Why, we shall both starve, to a certainty, if we remain here; and as
to your fears of those Typees--depend upon it, it is all nonsense. It is
impossible that the inhabitants of such a lovely place as we saw can be
anything else but good fellows; and if you choose rather to perish with
hunger in one of these soppy caverns, I for one prefer to chance a bold
descent into the valley, and risk the consequences."

"And who is to pilot us thither," I asked, "even if we should decide upon
the measure you propose? Are we to go again up and down those precipices
that we crossed yesterday, until we reach the place we started from, and
then take a flying leap from the cliffs to the valley?"

"'Faith, I didn't think of that," said Toby; "sure enough, both sides of
the valley appeared to be hemmed in by precipices, didn't they?"

"Yes," answered I; "as steep as the sides of a line-of-battle ship, and
about a hundred times as high." My companion sank his head upon his
breast, and remained for awhile in deep thought. Suddenly he sprang to his
feet, while his eyes lighted up with that gleam of intelligence that marks
the presence of some bright idea.

"Yes, yes," he exclaimed; "the streams all run in the same direction, and
must necessarily flow into the valley before they reach the sea; all we
have to do is just to follow this stream, and sooner or later, it will
lead us into the vale."

"You are right, Toby," I exclaimed, "you are right; it must conduct us
thither, and quickly too; for, see with what a steep inclination the water
descends."

"It does, indeed," burst forth my companion, overjoyed at my verification
of his theory, "it does, indeed; why, it is as plain as a pike-staff. Let
us proceed at once; come, throw away all those stupid ideas about the
Typees, and hurrah for the lovely valley of the Happars!"

"You