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- 11171
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- 2026-01-30T20:48:25.206Z
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- 11102
- text
- wound from which he was still suffering. But this fiery gentleman, so
handy with his spear, had the delicacy, it seemed, to keep out of view.
Certainly the sight of him would not have been any added inducement to
making a stay in the valley,--some of the afternoon loungers in Happar
having politely urged Toby to spend a few days with them,--there was a
feast coming on. He, however, declined.
All this while the young Typee stuck to Jimmy like his shadow, and
though as lively a dog as any of his tribe, he was now as meek as
a lamb, never opening his mouth except to eat. Although some of the
Happars looked queerly at him, others were more civil, and seemed
desirous of taking him abroad and showing him the valley. But the Typee
was not to be cajoled in that way. How many yards he would have to
remove from Jimmy before the taboo would be powerless, it would be hard
to tell, but probably he himself knew to a fraction.
On the promise of a red cotton handkerchief, and something else which he
kept secret, this poor fellow had undertaken a rather ticklish journey,
though, as far as Toby could ascertain, it was something that had never
happened before.
The island-punch--arva--was brought in at the conclusion of the repast,
and passed round in a shallow calabash.
Now my comrade, while seated in the Happar house, began to feel more
troubled than ever at leaving me; indeed, so sad did he feel that he
talked about going back to the valley, and wanted Jimmy to escort him
as far as the mountains. But the sailor would not listen to him, and, by
way of diverting his thoughts, pressed him to drink of the arva. Knowing
its narcotic nature, he refused; but Jimmy said he would have something
mixed with it, which would convert it into an innocent beverage that
would inspirit them for the rest of their journey. So at last he was
induced to drink of it, and its effects were just as the sailor had
predicted; his spirits rose at once, and all his gloomy thoughts left
him.
The old rover now began to reveal his true character, though he was
hardly suspected at the time. ‘If I get you off to a ship,’ said he,
‘you will surely give a poor fellow something for saving you.’ In short,
before they left the house, he made Toby promise that he would give him
five Spanish dollars if he succeeded in getting any part of his wages
advanced from the vessel, aboard of which they were going; Toby,
moreover, engaging to reward him still further, as soon as my
deliverance was accomplished.
A little while after this they started again, accompanied by many of the
natives, and going up the valley, took a steep path near its head,
which led to Nukuheva. Here the Happars paused and watched them as they
ascended the mountain, one group of bandit-looking fellows, shaking
their spears and casting threatening glances at the poor Typee, whose
heart as well as heels seemed much the lighter when he came to look down
upon them.
On gaining the heights once more, their way led for a time along several
ridges covered with enormous ferns. At last they entered upon a wooded
tract, and here they overtook a party of Nukuheva natives, well armed,
and carrying bundles of long poles. Jimmy seemed to know them all very
well, and stopped for a while, and had a talk about the ‘Wee-Wees’, as
the people of Nukuheva call the Monsieurs.
The party with the poles were King Mowanna’s men, and by his orders they
had been gathering them in the ravines for his allies the French.
Leaving these fellows to trudge on with their loads, Toby and his
companions now pushed forward again, as the sun was already low in the
west. They came upon the valleys of Nukuheva on one side of the bay,
where the highlands slope off into the sea. The men-of-war were still
lying in the harbour, and as Toby looked down upon them, the strange
events which had happened so recently, seemed all a dream.
- title
- Chunk 7