bywhichtimeIhavenodoubtthatthegreaterpartoftheinhabitantsofthevalleyhadbathedthemselvesinthelightofourbenignantcountenances。
Atlast，whentheirnumbersbegantodiminish，asuperb-lookingwarriorstoopedthetoweringplumesofhishead-dressbeneaththelowportal，andenteredthehouse。Isawatoncethathewassomedistinguishedpersonage，thenativesregardinghimwiththeutmostdeference，andmakingroomforhimasheapproached。Hisaspectwasimposing。Thesplendidlongdroopingtail-feathersofthetropicalbird，thicklyinterspersedwiththegaudyplumageofthecock，weredisposedinanimmenseuprightsemicircleuponhishead，theirlowerextremitiesbeingfixedinacrescentofguinea-beadswhichspannedtheforehead。Aroundhisneckwereseveralenormousnecklacesofboar’stusks，polishedlikeivory，anddisposedinsuchamannerasthatthelongestandlargestwereuponhiscapaciouschest。Thrustforwardthroughthelargeaperturesinhisearsweretwosmallandfinelyshapedsperm-whaleteeth，presentingtheircavitiesinfront，stuffedwithfreshly-pluckedleaves，andcuriouslywroughtattheotherendintostrangelittleimagesanddevices。Thesebarbarictrinkets，garnishedinthismannerattheiropenextremities，andtaperingandcurvingroundtoapointbehindtheear，resemblednotalittleapairofcornucopias。
Theloinsofthewarriorweregirtaboutwithheavyfoldsofadark-colouredtappa，hangingbeforeandbehindinclustersofbraidedtassels，whileankletsandbraceletsofcurlinghumanhaircompletedhisuniquecostume。Inhisrighthandhegraspedabeautifully-carvedpaddle-spear，nearlyfifteenfeetinlength，madeofthebrightkoar-wood，oneendsharplypointed，andtheotherflattenedlikeanoar-blade。Hangingobliquelyfromhisgirdlebyaloopofsinnate，wasarichly-decoratedpipe；theslenderreedformingitsstemwascolouredwitharedpigment，androundit，aswellastheidol-bowl，flutteredlittlestreamersofthethinnesttappa。
Butthatwhichwasmostremarkableintheappearanceofthissplendidislander，wastheelaboratetattooingdisplayedoneverynoblelimb。Allimaginablelinesandcurvesandfiguresweredelineatedoverhiswholebody，andintheirgrotesquevarietyandinfiniteprofusion，Icouldonlycomparethemtothecrowdedgroupingsofquaintpatternswesometimesseeincostlypiecesoflace-work。Themostsimpleandremarkableofalltheseornamentswasthatwhichdecoratedthecountenanceofthechief。Twobroadstripesoftattooing，divergingfromthecentreofhisshavencrown，obliquelycrossedbotheyes-stainingthelids-toalittlebeloweitherear，wheretheyunitedwithanotherstripe，whichsweptinastraightlinealongthelips，andformedthebaseofthetriangle。Thewarrior，fromtheexcellenceofhisphysicalproportions，mightcertainlyhavebeenregardedasoneofnature’snoblemen，andthelinesdrawnuponhisfacemaypossiblyhavedenotedhisexaltedrank。
Thiswarlikepersonage，uponenteringthehouse，seatedhimselfatsomedistancefromthespotwhereTobyandmyselfreposed，whiletherestofthesavageslookedalternatelyfromustohim，asifinexpectationofsomethingtheyweredisappointedinnotperceiving。
Regardingthechiefattentively，Ithoughthislineamentsappearedfamiliartome。Assoonashisfullfacewasturneduponme，andI
againbehelditsextraordinaryembellishment，andmetthestrangegazetowhichIhadbeensubjectedtheprecedingnight，Iimmediately，inspiteofthealterationinhisappearance，recognisedthenobleMehevi。Onaddressinghim，headvancedatonceinthemostcordialmanner，andgreetingmewarmly，seemedtoenjoynotalittletheeffecthisbarbariccostumehadproduceduponme。
Iforthwithdeterminedtosecure，ifpossible，thegoodwillofthisindividual，asIeasilyperceivedhewasamanofgreatauthorityinhistribe，andonewhomightexertapowerfulinfluenceuponoursubsequentfate。IntheendeavourIwasnotrepulsed；fornothingcouldsurpassthefriendlinesshemanifestedtowardsbothmycompanionandmyself。Heextendedhissturdylimbsbyourside，andendeavouredtomakeuscomprehendthefullextentofthekindlyfeelingsbywhichhewasactuated。Thealmostinsuperabledifficultyincommunicatingtooneanotherourideas，affectedthechiefwithnolittlemortification。Heevincedagreatdesiretobeenlightenedwithregardtothecustomsandpeculiaritiesofthefar-offcountrywehadleftbehindus，andtowhich，underthenameofManeeka，hefrequentlyalluded。
Butthatwhichmorethananyothersubjectengagedhisattention，wasthelateproceedingsofthe“Franee，“ashecalledtheFrench，intheneighbouringbayofNukuheva。Thisseemedanever-endingthemewithhim，andoneconcerningwhichhewasneverwearyofinterrogatingus。Alltheinformationwesucceededinimpartingtohimonthissubjectwaslittlemorethanthatwehadseensixmen-of-warlyinginthehostilebayatthetimewehadleftit。
Whenhereceivedthisintelligence，Mehevi，bytheaidofhisfingers，wentthroughalongnumericalcalculation，asifestimatingthenumberofFrenchmenthesquadronmightcontain。
Itwasjustafteremployinghisfacultiesinthiswaythathehappenedtonoticetheswellinginmylimb。Heimmediatelyexamineditwiththeutmostattention，andafterdoingso，despatchedaboy，whohappenedtobestandingby，withsomemessage。
Afterthelapseofafewmomentsthestriplingre-enteredthehousewithanagedislander，whomighthavebeentakenforoldHippocrateshimself。Hisheadwasasbaldasthepolishedsurfaceofacocoa-nutshell，whicharticleitpreciselyresembledinsmoothnessandcolour，whilealongsilverybeardsweptalmosttohisgirdleofbark。EncirclinghistempleswasabandeauofthetwistedleavesoftheOmootree，pressedcloselyoverthebrowstoshieldhisfeeblevisionfromtheglareofthesun。Histotteringstepsweresupportedbyalongslimstaff，resemblingthewandwithwhichatheatricalmagicianappearsonthestage，andinonehandhecarriedafreshly-plaitedfanofthegreenleafletsofthecocoa-nuttree。A
flowingrobeoftappa，knottedovertheshoulder，hunglooselyroundhisstoopingform，andheightenedthevenerablenessofhisaspect。
Mehevi，salutingthisoldgentleman，motionedhimtoaseatbetweenus，andthenuncoveringmylimb，desiredhimtoexamineit。
TheleechgazedintentlyfrommetoToby，andthenproceededtobusiness。Afterdiligentlyobservingtheailingmember，hecommencedmanipulatingit；andonthesuppositionprobablythatthecomplainthaddeprivedthelegofallsensation，begantopinchandhammeritinsuchamannerthatIabsolutelyroaredwiththepain。ThinkingthatIwasascapableofmakinganapplicationofthumpsandpinchestothepartasanyoneelse，Iendeavouredtoresistthisspeciesofmedicaltreatment。Butitwasnotsoeasyamattertogetoutoftheclutchesoftheoldwizard；hefastenedontheunfortunatelimbasifitweresomethingforwhichhehadbeenlongseeking，andmutteringsomekindofincantationcontinuedhisdiscipline，poundingitafterafashionthatsetmewell-nighcrazy；whileMehevi，uponthesameprinciplewhichpromptsanaffectionatemothertoholdastrugglingchildinadentist’schair，restrainedmeinhispowerfulgrasp，andactuallyencouragedthewretchinthisinflictionoftorture。
Almostfranticwithrageandpain，Iyelledlikeabedlamite；
whileToby，throwinghimselfintoalltheattitudesofaposture-master，vainlyendeavouredtoexpostulatewiththenativesbysignsandgestures。Tohavelookedatmycompanion，as，sympathizingwithmysufferings，hestrovetoputanendtothem，onewouldhavethoughtthathewasthedeafanddumbalphabetincarnated。WhethermytormentoryieldedtoToby’sentreaties，orpausedfromsheerexhaustion，Idonotknow；butallatonceheceasedhisoperations，andatthesametimethechiefrelinquishinghisholduponme，Ifellback，faintandbreathlesswiththeagonyIhadendured。
Myunfortunatelimbwasnowleftmuchinthesameconditionasarump-steakafterundergoingthecastigatingprocesswhichprecedescooking。Myphysician，havingrecoveredfromthefatiguesofhisexertions，asifanxioustomakeamendsforthepaintowhichhehadsubjectedme，nowtooksomeherbsoutofalittlewalletthatwassuspendedfromhiswaist，andmoisteningtheminwater，appliedthemtotheinflamedpart，stoopingoveritatthesametime，andeitherwhisperingaspellorhavingalittleconfidentialchatwithsomeimaginarydemonlocatedinthecalfofmyleg。Mylimbwasnowswathedinleafybandages，andgratefultoProvidenceforthecessationofhostilities，Iwassufferedtorest。
Mehevishortlyafterrosetodepart；butbeforehewenthespokeauthoritativelytooneofthenatives，whomheaddressedasKory-Kory；
andfromthelittleIcouldunderstandofwhattookplace，pointedhimouttomeasamanwhosepeculiarbusinessthenceforthwouldbetoattenduponmyperson。IamnotcertainthatIcomprehendedasmuchasthisatthetime，butthesubsequentconductofmytrustybody-servantfullyassuredmethatsuchmusthavebeenthecase。
Icouldnotbutbeamusedatthemannerinwhichthechiefaddressedmeuponthisoccasion，talkingtomeforatleastfifteenortwentyminutesascalmlyasifIcouldunderstandeverywordthathesaid。Iremarkedthispeculiarityveryoftenafterwardsinmanyotheroftheislanders。
Mehevihavingnowdeparted，andthefamilyphysicianhavinglikewisemadehisexit，wewereleftaboutsunsetwiththetenortwelvenatives，whobythistimeIhadascertainedcomposedthehouseholdofwhichTobyandIweremembers。AsthedwellingtowhichwehadbeenfirstintroducedwastheplaceofmypermanentabodewhileIremainedinthevalley，andasIwasnecessarilyplaceduponthemostintimatefootingwithitsoccupants，Imayaswellhereenterintoalittledescriptionofitanditsinhabitants。Thisdescriptionwillapplyalsotonearlyalltheotherdwelling-placesinthevale，andwillfurnishsomeideaofthegeneralityofthenatives。
Nearonesideofthevalley，andaboutmidwayuptheascentofaratherabruptriseofgroundwavingwiththerichestverdure，anumberoflargestoneswerelaidinsuccessivecourses，totheheightofnearlyeightfeet，anddisposedinsuchamannerthattheirlevelsurfacecorrespondedinshapewiththehabitationwhichwaspercheduponit。Anarrowspace，however，wasreservedinfrontofthedwelling，uponthesummitofthispileofstonescalledbythenativesa“pi-pi“，which，beingenclosedbyalittlepicketofcanes，gaveitsomewhattheappearanceofaverandah。Theframeofthehousewasconstructedoflargebamboosplanteduprightly，andsecuredtogetheratintervalsbytransversestalksofthelightwoodoftheHabiscus，lashedwiththongsofbark。Therearofthetenement-
builtupwithsuccessiverangesofcocoa-nutboughsboundoneuponanother，withtheirleafletscunninglywoventogether-inclinedalittlefromthevertical，andextendedfromtheextremeedgeofthe“pi-pi“toabouttwentyfeetfromitssurface；whencetheshelvingroof-thatchedwiththelongtaperingleavesofthepalmetto-slopedsteeplyofftowithinaboutfivefeetofthefloor；leavingtheeavesdroopingwithtassel-likeappendagesoverthefrontofthehabitation。Thiswasconstructedoflightandelegantcanes，inakindofopenscreen-work，tastefullyadornedwithbindingsofvariegatedsinnate，whichservedtoholdtogetheritsvariousparts。Thesidesofthehouseweresimilarlybuilt；thuspresentingthree-quartersforthecirculationoftheair，whilethewholewasimpervioustotherain。