towards the edge of the pi-pi with Kory-Kory clinging to one arm
in his efforts to restrain me when the natives around me started to their
feet, ranged themselves along the open front of the building, while Mehevi
looked at me scowlingly, and reiterated his commands still more sternly.

It was at this moment, when fifty savage countenances were glaring upon
me, that I first truly experienced I was indeed a captive in the valley.
The conviction rushed upon me with staggering force, and I was overwhelmed
by this confirmation of my worst fears. I saw at once that it was useless
for me to resist, and sick at heart, I reseated myself upon the mats, and
for the moment abandoned myself to despair.

I now perceived the natives one after the other hurrying past the Ti and
pursuing the route that conducted to the sea. These savages, thought I,
will soon be holding communication with some of my own countrymen perhaps,
who with ease could restore me to liberty did they know of the situation I
was in. No language can describe the wretchedness which I felt; and in the
bitterness of my soul I imprecated a thousand curses on the perfidious
Toby, who had thus abandoned me to destruction. It was in vain that
Kory-Kory tempted me with food, or lighted my pipe, or sought to attract
my attention by performing the uncouth antics that had sometimes diverted
me. I was fairly knocked down by this last misfortune, which, much as I
had feared it, I had never before had the courage calmly to contemplate.

Regardless of everything but my own sorrow, I remained in the Ti for
several hours, until shouts proceeding at intervals from the groves beyond
the house proclaimed the return of the natives from the beach.

Whether any boats visited the bay that morning or not, I never could
ascertain. The savages assured me that there had not--but I was inclined to
believe that by deceiving me in this particular they sought to allay the
violence of my grief. However that might be, this incident showed plainly
that the Typees intended to hold me a prisoner. As they still treated me
with the same sedulous attention as before, I was utterly at a loss how to
account for their singular conduct. Had I been in a situation to instruct
them in any of the rudiments of the mechanic arts, or had I manifested a
disposition to render myself in any way useful among them, their conduct
might have been attributed to some adequate motive, but as it was, the
matter seemed to me