TYPEE

第36章

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第36章

TYPEE Herman Melville

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  Theislandersunderstandtheartofembalming,andpractiseitwithsuchsuccess,thatthebodiesoftheirgreatchiefsarefrequentlypreservedformanyyearsintheveryhouseswheretheydied。IsawthreeoftheseinmyvisittothebayofTior。Onewasenvelopedinimmensefoldsoftappa,withonlythefaceexposed,andhungerectagainstthesideofthedwelling。Theotherswerestretchedoutuponbiersofbamboo,inopen,elevatedtemples,whichseemedconsecratedtotheirmemory。Theheadsofenemieskilledinbattleareinvariablypreserved,andhungupastrophiesinthehouseoftheconqueror。Iamnotacquaintedwiththeprocesswhichisinuse,butbelievethatfumigationistheprincipalagencyemployed。AlltheremainswhichIsawpresentedtheappearanceofahamafterbeingsuspendedforsometimeinasmokychimney。

  Buttoreturnfromthedeadtotheliving。Thelatefestivalhaddrawntogether,asIhadeveryreasontobelieve,thewholepopulationofthevale,andconsequentlyIwasenabledtomakesomeestimatewithregardtoitsnumbers。IshouldimaginethattherewereabouttwothousandinhabitantsinTypee;andnonumbercouldhavebeenbetteradaptedtotheextentofthevalley。Thevalleyissomeninemilesinlength,andmayaverageoneinbreadth,thehousesbeingdistributedatwideintervalsthroughoutitswholeextent,principally,however,towardstheheadofthevale。Therearenovillages。Thehousesstandhereandthereintheshadowofthegroves,orarescatteredalongthebanksofthewindingstream;theirgolden-huedbamboosidesandgleamingwhitethatch,formingabeautifulcontrasttotheperpetualverdureinwhichtheyareembowered。Therearenoroadsofanykindinthevalley。Nothingbutalabyrinthoffoot-paths,twistingandturningamongthethicketswithoutend。

  THEREseemedtobenoroguesofanykindinTypee。Inthedarkestnightsthenativessleptsecurely,withalltheirworldlywealtharoundthem,inhousesthedoorsofwhichwereneverfastened。Thedisquietingideasoftheftorassassinationneverdisturbedthem。Eachislanderreposedbeneathhisownpalmetto-thatching,orsatunderhisownbread-fruittree,withnonetomolestoralarmhim。Therewasnotapadlockinthevalley,noranythingthatansweredthepurposeofone:stilltherewasnocommunityofgoods。Thislongspear,soelegentlycarvedandhighlypolished,belongstoWarmoonoo-itisfarhandsomerthantheonewhicholdMarheyosogreatlyprizes-itisthemostvaluablearticlebelongingtoitsowner。AndyetIhaveseenitleaningagainstacocoa-nuttreeinthegrove,andthereitwasfoundwhensoughtfor。

  Hereisasperm-whaletooth,gravenalloverwithcunningdevices-

  itisthepropertyofKarluna。Itisthemostpreciousofthedamsel’sornaments。Inherestimation,itspriceisfaraboverubies;andyettherehangsthedentaljewel,byitscordofbraidedbark,inthegirl’shouse,whichisfarbackinthevalley;thedoorisleftopen,andalltheinmateshavegoneofftobatheinthestream。*

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