er. With this request they appeared
willing to comply, but nothing could evince more strongly the apprehension
with which they regarded us, than the way in which, whilst walking before
us, they kept their eyes constantly turned back to watch every movement we
made, and even our very looks.

"Typee or Happar, Toby?" asked I, as we walked after them.

"Of course, Happar," he replied, with a show of confidence which was
intended to disguise his doubts.

"We shall soon know," I exclaimed; and at the same moment I stepped
forward towards our guides, and pronouncing the two names interrogatively,
and pointing to the lowest part of the valley, endeavoured to come to the
point at once. They repeated the words after me again and again, but
without giving any peculiar emphasis to either, so that I was completely
at a loss to understand them; for a couple of wilier young things than we
afterwards found them to have been on this particular occasion never
probably fell in any traveller's way.

More and more curious to ascertain our fate, I now threw together in the
form of a question the words "Happar" and "Mortarkee," the latter being
equivalent to the word "good." The two natives interchanged glances of
peculiar meaning with one another at this, and manifested no little
surprise; but on the repetition of the question, after some consultation
together, to the great joy of Toby, they answered in the affirmative. Toby
was now in ecstasies, especially as the young savages continued to
reiterate their answer with great energy, as though desirous of impressing
us with the idea that being among the Happars, we ought to consider
ourselves perfectly secure.

Although I had some lingering doubts, I feigned great delight with Toby at
this announcement, while my companion broke out into a pantomimic
abhorrence of Typee, and immeasurable love for the particular valley in
which we were; our guides all the while gazing uneasily at one another, as
if at a loss to account for our conduct.

They hurried on, and we followed them; until suddenly they set up a
strange halloo, which was answered from beyond the grove through which we
were passing, and the next moment we entered upon some open ground, at the
extremity of which we descried a long, low hut, and in front of it were
several young girls. As soon as they perceived us they fled with wild
screams into the adjoining thickets, like so many startled fawns. A few
moments after the whole valle