andthen,incompliancewiththeorderofthedeterminedchief,butnotbeforeithadagainbeenangrilyrepeated,hewithdrewtoadistance。
Inowperceived,withnosmalldegreeofapprehension,thesamesavageexpressioninthecountenancesofthenativeswhichhadstartledmeduringthesceneattheTi。TheyglancedtheireyessuspiciouslyfromMarnootome,asifdistrustingthenatureofanintercoursecarriedon,asitwas,inalanguagetheycouldnotunderstand,andtheyseemedtoharbourthebeliefthatalreadywehadconcertedmeasurescalculatedtoeludetheirvigilance。
Thelivelycountenancesofthesepeoplearewonderfullyindicativeoftheemotionsofthesoul,andtheimperfectionsoftheirorallanguagearemorethancompensatedforbythenervouseloquenceoftheirlooksandgestures。Icouldplainlytrace,ineveryvaryingexpressionoftheirfaces,allthosepassionswhichhadbeenthusunexpectedlyarousedintheirbosoms。
Itrequirednoreflectiontoconvinceme,fromwhatwasgoingon,thattheinjunctionofMarnoowasnottoberashlyslighted;andaccordingly,greataswastheefforttosuppressmyfeelings,I
accostedMeheviinagood-humouredtone,withaviewofdissipatinganyillimpressionhemighthavereceived。Buttheireful,angrychiefwasnotsoeasilymollified。HerejectedmyadvanceswiththatpeculiarlysternexpressionIhavebeforedescribed,andtookcarebythewholeofhisbehaviourtowardsmetoshowthedispleasureandresentmentwhichhefelt。
Marnoo,attheotherextremityofthehouse,apparentlydesirousofmakingadiversioninmyfavour,exertedhimselftoamusewithhispleasantriesthecrowdabouthim;buthislivelyattemptswerenotsosuccessfulastheyhadpreviouslybeen,and,foiledinhisefforts,herosegravelytodepart。Nooneexpressedanyregretatthismovement,soseizinghisrolloftappa,andgraspinghisspear,headvancedtothefrontofthepi-pi,andwavinghishandinadieutothenowsilentthrong,castuponmeaglanceofmingledpityandreproach,andflunghimselfintothepathwhichledfromthehouse。
Iwatchedhisrecedingfigureuntilitwaslostintheobscurityofthegrove,andthengavemyselfuptothemostdespondingreflections。
THEknowledgeIhadnowobtainedastotheintentionofthesavagesdeeplyaffectedme。
Marnoo,Iperceived,wasamanwho,byreasonofhissuperioracquirements,andtheknowledgehepossessedoftheeventswhichweretakingplaceinthedifferentbaysoftheisland,washeldinnolittleestimationbytheinhabitantsofthevalley。Hehadbeenreceivedwiththemostcordialwelcomeandrespect。Thenativeshadhungupontheaccentsofhisvoice,andhadmanifestedthehighestgratificationatbeingindividuallynoticedbyhim。Andyet,despiteallthis,afewwordsurgedinmybehalf,withtheintentofobtainingmyreleasefromcaptivity,hadsufficednotonlytobanishallharmonyandgood-will,but,ifIcouldbelievewhathetoldme,hadgonenightoendangerhisownpersonalsafety。
Howstronglyrooted,then,mustbethedeterminationoftheTypeeswithregardtome,andhowsuddenlycouldtheydisplaythestrangestpassions!Themeresuggestionofmydeparturehadestrangedfromme,forthetimeatleast,Mehevi,whowasthemostinfluentialofallthechiefs,andwhohadpreviouslyexhibitedsomanyinstancesofhisfriendlysentiments。Therestofthenativeshadlikewiseevincedtheirstrongrepugnancetomywishes,andevenKory-Koryhimselfseemedtoshareinthegeneraldisapprobationbestoweduponme。
InvainIrackedmyinventiontofindoutsomemotiveforthestrangedesirethesepeoplemanifestedtoretainmeamongthem;butIcoulddiscovernone。
Buthoweverthismightbe,thescenewhichhadjustoccurredadmonishedmeofthedangeroftriflingwiththewaywardandpassionatespiritsagainstwhomitwasvaintostruggle,andmightevenbefataltodoso。MyonlyhopewastoinducethenativestobelievethatIwasreconciledtomydetentioninthevalley,andbyassumingatranquilandcheerfuldemeanour,toallaythesuspicionswhichIhadsounfortunatelyaroused。Theirconfidencerevived,theymightinashorttimeremitinsomedegreetheirwatchfulnessovermymovements,andIshouldthenbethebetterenabledtoavailmyselfofanyopportunitywhichpresenteditselfforescape。I
determined,therefore,tomakethebestofabadbargain,andtobearupmanfullyagainstwhatevermightbetide。InthisendeavourI
succeededbeyondmyownexpectations。AttheperiodofMarnoo’svisit,Ihadbeeninthevalley,asnearlyasIcouldconjecture,sometwomonths。Althoughnotcompletelyrecoveredfrommystrangeillness,whichstilllingeredaboutme,Iwasfreefrompainandabletotakeexercise。Inshort,Ihadeveryreasontoanticipateaperfectrecovery。Freedfromapprehensionsonthispoint,andresolvedtoregardthefuturewithoutflinching-,Iflungmyselfanewintoallthesocialpleasuresofthevalley,andsoughttoburyallregrets,andallremembrancesofmypreviousexistence,inthewildenjoymentsitafforded。
Inmyvariouswanderingsthroughthevale,andasIbecamebetteracquaintedwiththecharacterofitsinhabitants,Iwasmoreandmorestruckwiththelight-heartedjoyousnessthateverywhereprevailed。Themindsofthesesimplesavages,unoccupiedbymattersofgravermoment,werecapableofderivingtheutmostdelightfromcircumstanceswhichwouldhavepassedunnoticedinmoreintelligentcommunities。Alltheirenjoyment,indeed,seemedtobemadeupofthelittletriflingincidentsofthepassinghour;butthesediminutiveitemsswelledaltogethertoanamountofhappinessseldomexperiencedbymoreenlightenedindividuals,whosepleasuresaredrawnfrommoreelevatedbutrarersources。
Whatcommunity,forinstance,ofrefinedandintellectualmortalswouldderivetheleastsatisfactionfromshootingpop-guns?
Themeresuppositionofsuchathingbeingpossiblewouldexcitetheirindignation,andyetthewholepopulationofTypeedidlittleelsefortendaysbutoccupythemselveswiththatchildishamusement,fairlyscreaming,too,withthedelightitaffordedthem。
OnedayIwasfrolickingwithalittlespiritedurchin,somesixyearsold,whochasedmewithapieceofbambooaboutthreefeetlong,withwhichheoccasionallybelabouredme。Seizingthestickfromhim,theideahappenedtosuggestitself,thatImightmakefortheyoungster,outoftheslendertube,oneofthosenurserymusketswithwhichIhadsometimesseenchildrenplaying。Accordingly,withmyknife,Imadetwoparallelslitsinthecaneseveralinchesinlength,andcuttinglooseatoneendtheelasticstripbetweenthem,bentitbackandslippedthepointintoalittlenotchmadeforthepurpose。
Anysmallsubstanceplacedagainstthiswouldbeprojectedwithconsiderableforcethroughthetube,bymerelyspringingthebentstripoutofthenotch。
HadIpossessedtheremotestideaofthesensationthispieceofordnancewasdestinedtoproduce,Ishouldcertainlyhavetakenoutapatentfortheinvention。Theboyscamperedawaywithit,halfdeliriouswithecstasy,andintwentyminutesafterwardsImighthavebeenseensurroundedbyanoisycrowd-venerableoldgreybeards-responsiblefathersoffamilies-valiantwarriors-
matrons-youngmen-girlsandchildren,allholdingintheirhandsbitsofbamboo,andeachclamouringtobeservedfirst。
ForthreeorfourhoursIwasengagedinmanufacturingpop-guns,butatlastmadeovermygood-willandinterestintheconcerntoaladofremarkablyquickparts,whomIsooninitiatedintotheartandmystery。
Pop,Pop,Pop,Pop,nowresoundedalloverthevalley。Duels,skirmishes,pitchedbattles,andgeneralengagementsweretobeseenoneveryside。Here,asyouwalkedalongapathwhichledthroughathicket,youfellintoacunningly-laidambush,andbecameatargetforabodyofmusketeers,whosetattooedlimbsyoucouldjustseepeepingintoviewthroughthefoliage。There,youwereassailedbytheintrepidgarrisonofahouse,wholevelledtheirbambooriflesatyoufrombetweentheuprightcaneswhichcomposeditssides。Fartheron,youwerefireduponbyadetachmentofsharpshooters,mounteduponthetopofapi-pi。
Pop,Pop,Pop,Pop!greenguavas,seeds,andberrieswereflyingaboutineverydirection,andduringthisdangerousstateofaffairs,Iwashalfafraidthat,likethemanandhisbrazenbull,I
shouldfallavictimtomyowningenuity。Likeeverythingelse,however,theexcitementgraduallyworeaway,thougheverafteroccasionallypop-gunsmightbeheardatallhoursoftheday。
Itwastowardsthecloseofthepop-gunwar,thatIwasinfinitelydivertedwithastrangefreakofMarheyo’s。
Ihadworn,whenIquittedtheship,apairofthickpumps,which,fromtheroughusagetheyhadreceivedinscalingprecipicesandslidingdowngorges,weresodilapidatedastobealtogetherunfitforuse-so,atleast,wouldhavethoughtthegeneralityofpeople,andsotheymostcertainlywere,whenconsideredinthelightofshoes。Butthingsunserviceableinoneway,maywithadvantagebeappliedinanother-thatis,ifonehavegeniusenoughforthepurpose。ThisgeniusMarheyopossessedinasuperlativedegree,asheabundantlyevincedbytheusetowhichheputthesesorelybruisedandbatteredoldshoes。
Everyarticle,howevertrivial,whichbelongedtome,thenativesappearedtoregardassacred;andIobservedthatforseveraldaysafterbecominganinmateofthehouse,mypumpsweresufferedtoremain,untouched,whereIhadfirsthappenedtothrowthem。Iremembered,however,thatafterawhileIhadmissedthemfromtheiraccustomedplace;butthemattergavemenoconcern,supposingthatTinor-likeanyothertidyhousewife,havingcomeacrosstheminsomeofherdomesticoccupations-hadpitchedtheuselessthingsoutofthehouse。ButIwassoonundeceived。
OnedayIobservedoldMarheyobustlingaboutmewithunusualactivity,andtosuchadegreeasalmosttosupersedeKory-Koryinthefunctionsofhisoffice。Onemomenthevolunteeredtotrotoffwithmeonhisbacktothestream;andwhenIrefused,nowaysdauntedbytherepulse,hecontinuedtofriskaboutmelikeasuperannuatedhouse-dog。Icouldnotforthelifeofmeconjecturewhatpossessedtheoldgentleman,untilallatonce,availinghimselfofthetemporaryabsenceofthehousehold,hewentthroughavarietyofuncouthgestures,pointingeagerlydowntomyfeet,andthenuptoalittlebundlewhichswungfromtheridge-poleoverhead。AtlastI
caughtafaintideaofhismeaning,andmotionedhimtolowerthepackage。Heexecutedtheorderinthetwinklingofaneye,andunrollingapieceoftappa,displayedtomyastonishedgazetheidenticalpumpswhichIthoughthadbeendestroyedlongbefore。
Iimmediatelycomprehendedhisdesire,andverygenerouslygavehimtheshoes,whichhadbecomequitemouldy,wonderingforwhatearthlypurposehecouldwantthem。
ThesameafternoonIdescriedthevenerablewarriorapproachingthehouse,withaslow,statelygait,ear-ringsinears,andspearinhand,withthishighlyornamentalpairofshoessuspendedfromhisneckbyastripofbark,andswingingbackwardsandforwardsonhiscapaciouschest。InthegalacostumeofthetastefulMarheyo,thesecalf-skinpendantseverafterformedthemoststrikingfeature。