e tribes, who never cross them, save on some expedition of
war or plunder. Immediately adjacent to Nukuheva, and only separated from
it by the mountains seen from the harbour, lies the lovely valley of
Happar, whose inmates cherish the most friendly relations with the
inhabitants of Nukuheva. On the other side of Happar, and closely
adjoining it, is the magnificent valley of the dreaded Typees, the
unappeasable enemies of both these tribes.

These celebrated warriors appear to inspire the other islanders with
unspeakable terrors. Their very name is a frightful one; for the word
"Typee" in the Marquesan dialect signifies a lover of human flesh. It is
rather singular that the title should have been bestowed upon them
exclusively, inasmuch as the natives of all this group are irreclaimable
cannibals. The name may, perhaps, have been given to denote the peculiar
ferocity of this clan, and to convey a special stigma along with it.

These same Typees enjoy a prodigious notoriety all over the islands. The
natives of Nukuheva would frequently recount in pantomime to our ship's
company their terrible feats, and would show the marks of wounds they had
received in desperate encounters with them. When ashore they would, try to
frighten us by pointing to one of their own number, and calling him a
Typee, manifesting no little surprise that we did not take to our heels at
so terrible an announcement. It was quite amusing, too, to see with what
earnestness they disclaimed all cannibal propensities on their own part,
while they denounced their enemies--the Typees--as inveterate gormandizers
of human flesh; but this is a peculiarity to which I shall hereafter have
occasion to allude.

Although I was convinced that the inhabitants of our bay were as arrant
cannibals as any of the other tribes on the island, still I could not but
feel a particular and most unqualified repugnance to the aforesaid Typees.
Even before visiting the Marquesas, I had heard from men who had touched
at the group on former voyages some revolting stories in connection with
these savages; and fresh in my remembrance was the adventure of the master
of the _Katherine_, who only a few months previous, imprudently venturing
into this bay in an armed boat for the purpose of barter, was seized by
the natives, carried back a little distance into their valley, and was
only saved from a cruel death by the intervention of a young girl, who
facilitated his escape by night alon