- end_line
- 3107
- extracted_at
- 2026-01-30T20:48:09.927Z
- extracted_by
- structure-extraction-lambda
- start_line
- 3037
- text
- CHAPTER XXIII.
What Manner Of Men The Tapparians Were
The canoes sailed on. But we leave them awhile. For our visit to Jiji,
the last visit we made, suggests some further revelations concerning
the dental money of Mardi.
Ere this, it should have been mentioned, that throughout the
Archipelago, there was a restriction concerning incisors and molars, as
ornaments for the person; none but great chiefs, brave warriors, and
men distinguished by rare intellectual endowments, orators, romancers,
philosophers, and poets, being permitted to sport them as jewels.
Though, as it happened, among the poets there were many who had never a
tooth, save those employed at their repasts; which, coming but seldom,
their teeth almost corroded in their mouths. Hence, in commerce, poets’
teeth were at a discount.
For these reasons, then, many mortals blent with the promiscuous mob of
Mardians, who, by any means, accumulated teeth, were fain to assert
their dental claims to distinction, by clumsily carrying their
treasures in pelican pouches slung over their shoulders; which pouches
were a huge burden to carry about, and defend. Though, in good truth,
from any of these porters, it was harder to wrench his pouches, than
his limbs. It was also a curious circumstance that at the slightest
casual touch, these bags seemed to convey a simultaneous thrill to the
owners.
Besides these porters, there were others, who exchanged their teeth for
richly stained calabashes, elaborately carved canoes, and more
especially, for costly robes, and turbans; in which last, many outshone
the noblest-born nobles. Nevertheless, this answered not the end they
had in view; some of the crowd only admiring what they wore, and not
them; breaking out into laudation of the inimitable handiwork of the
artisans of Mardi.
And strange to relate, these artisans themselves often came to be men
of teeth and turbans, sporting their bravery with the best. A
circumstance, which accounted for the fact, that many of the class
above alluded to, were considered capital judges of tappa and
tailoring.
Hence, as a general designation, the whole tribe went by the name of
Tapparians; otherwise, Men of Tappa.
Now, many moons ago, according to Braid-Beard, the Tapparians of a
certain cluster of islands, seeing themselves hopelessly confounded
with the plebeian race of mortals; such as artificers, honest men,
bread-fruit bakers, and the like; seeing, in short, that nature had
denied them every inborn mark of distinction; and furthermore, that
their external assumptions were derided by so many in Mardi, these
selfsame Tapparians, poor devils, resolved to secede from the rabble;
form themselves into a community of their own; and conventionally pay
that homage to each other, which universal Mardi could not be prevailed
upon to render to them.
Jointly, they purchased an island, called Pimminee, toward the extreme
west of the lagoon; and thither they went; and framing a code of laws-
-amazingly arbitrary, considering they themselves were the framers—
solemnly took the oath of allegiance to the commonwealth thus
established. Regarded section by section, this code of laws seemed
exceedingly trivial; but taken together, made a somewhat imposing
aggregation of particles.
By this code, the minutest things in life were all ordered after a
specific fashion. More especially one’s dress was legislated upon, to
the last warp and woof. All girdles must be so many inches in length,
and with such a number of tassels in front. For a violation of this
ordinance, before the face of all Mardi, the most dutiful of sons would
cut the most affectionate of fathers.
- title
- Chunk 1