rememberedthatmywanderingshadbeenconfinedtoalimitedportionofthevalley，andthattowardstheseaanumberofdistinguishedchiefsresided，someofwhomhadseparatelyvisitedmeatMarheyo’shouse，andwhom，untilthefestival，IhadneverseeninthecompanyofMehevi，Ifeltdisposedtobelievethathisrank，afterall，mightnotbeparticularlyelevated。
Therevels，however，hadbroughttogetherallthewarriorswhomIseenindividuallyandingroupsatdifferenttimesandplaces。AmongthemMehevimovedwithaneasyairofsuperioritywhichwasnottobemistaken；andhewhomIhadonlylookedatasthehospitablehostoftheTi，andoneofthemilitaryleadersofthetribe，nowassumedinmyeyesthedignityofroyalstation。Hisstrikingcostume，nolessthanhisnaturallycommandingfigure，seemedindeedtogivehimpre-eminenceovertherest。Thetoweringhelmetoffeathersthatheworeraisedhiminheightaboveallwhosurroundedhim；andthoughsomeothersweresimilarlyadorned，thelengthandluxurianceoftheirplumeswerefarinferiortohis。
Meheviwasinfactthegreatestofthechiefs-theheadofhisclan-thesovereignofthevalley；andthesimplicityofthesocialinstitutionsofthepeoplecouldnothavebeenmorecompletelyprovedthanbythefact，thatafterhavingbeenseveralweeksinthevalley，andalmostindailyintercoursewithMehevi，Ishouldhaveremaineduntilthetimeofthefestivalignorantofhisregalcharacter。Butanewlighthadnowbrokeninuponme。TheTiwasthepalace-andMehevitheking。Boththeoneandtheotherofamostsimpleandpatriarchalnatureitmustbeallowed，andwhollyunattendedbytheceremoniouspompwhichusuallysurroundsthepurple。
AfterhavingmadethisdiscoveryIcouldnotavoidcongratulatingmyselfthatMehevihadfromthefirsttakenmeasitwereunderhisroyalprotection，andthathestillcontinuedtoentertainformethewarmestregard，asfaratleastasIwasenabledtojudgefromappearances。ForthefutureIdeterminedtopaymostassiduouscourttohim，hopingthateventuallythroughhiskindnessImightobtainmyliberty。
KINGMEHEVI！-Agoodlysoundingtitle！-andwhyshouldInotbestowitupontheforemostmaninthevalley？Allhail，therefore，Mehevi，kingoveralltheTypees！andlonglifeandprosperitytohistropicalmajesty！Buttobesoberagainafterthisloyalburst。
PreviouslytoseeingtheDancingWidowsIhadlittleideathattherewereanymatrimonialrelationssubsistinginTypee，andIshouldassoonhavethoughtofaPlatonicaffectionbeingcultivatedbetweenthesexes，asofthesolemnconnexionofmanandwife。Tobesure，therewereoldMarheyoandTinor，whoseemedtolivetogetherquitesociably；butforallthat，Ihadsometimesobservedacomical-lookingoldgentleman，dressedinasuitofshabbytattooing，whoappearedtobeequallyathome。Thisbehaviour，untilsubsequentdiscoveriesenlightenedme，puzzledmemorethananythingelseIwitnessedinTypee。
AsforMehevi，Ihadsupposedhimaconfirmedbachelor，aswellasmostoftheprincipalchiefs。Atanyrate，iftheyhadwivesandfamilies，theyoughttohavebeenashamedofthemselves；forsureI
am，theynevertroubledthemselvesaboutanydomesticaffairs。Intruth，Meheviseemedtobethepresidentofaclubofheartyfellowswhokept“Bachelor’sHall“infinestyleattheTi。Ihadnodoubtbutthattheyregardedchildrenasodiousincumbrances；andtheirideasofdomesticfelicityweresufficientlyshowninthefact，thattheyallowednomeddlesomehousekeeperstoturntopsy-turvythosesnuglittlearrangementstheyhadmadeintheircomfortabledwelling。I
stronglysuspected，however，thatsomeofthosejollybachelorswerecarryingonloveintrigueswiththemaidensofthetribe，althoughtheydidnotappearpubliclytoacknowledgethem。IhappenedtopopuponMehevithreeorfourtimeswhenhewasromping-inamostundignifiedmannerforawarriorking-withoneoftheprettiestlittlewitchesinthevalley。Shelivedwithanoldwomanandayoungman，inahousenearMarheyo’s；andalthoughinappearanceamerechildherself，hadanobleboyaboutayearold，whoboreamarvellousresemblancetoMehevi，whomIshouldcertainlyhavebelievedtohavebeenthefather，wereitnotthatthelittlefellowhadnotriangleonhisface。Mehevi，however，wasnottheonlypersonuponwhomthedamselMoonoonysmiled-theyoungfellowoffifteen，whopermanentlyresidedinthehousewithher，wasdecidedlyinhergoodgraces。Thistoowasamysterywhich，withothersofthesamekind，wasafterwardssatisfactorilyexplained。
DuringtheseconddayoftheFeastofCalabashes，Kory-Kory-beingdeterminedthatIshouldhavesomeunderstandingonthesematters-
had，inthecourseofhisexplanations，directedmyattentiontoapeculiarityIhadfrequentlymarkedamongmanyofthefemales，-
principallythoseofamatureageandrathermatronlyappearance。Thisconsistedinhavingtherighthandandtheleftfootmostelaboratelytattooed；whiletherestofthebodywaswhollyfreefromtheoperationoftheart，withtheexceptionoftheminutelydottedlipsandslightmarksontheshoulders，towhichIhavepreviouslyreferredascomprisingthesoletattooingexhibitedbyFayaway，incommonwithotheryounggirlsofherage。Thehandandfootthusembellishedwere，accordingtoKory-Kory，thedistinguishingbadgeofwedlock，sofarasthatsocialandhighlycommendableinstitutionisknownamongthesepeople。Itanswers，indeed，thesamepurposeastheplaingoldringwornbyourfairerspouses。
AfterKory-Kory’sexplanationofthesubject，Iwasforsometimestudiouslyrespectfulinthepresenceofallfemalesthusdistinguished，andneverventuredtoindulgeintheslightestapproachtoflirtationwithanyoftheirnumber。
Afurtherinsight，however，intothepeculiardomesticcustomsoftheinmatesofthevalleydidawayinameasurewiththeseverityofmyscruples，andconvincedmethatIwasdeceivedinsomeatleastofmyconclusions。Aregularsystemofpolygamyexistsamongtheislanders，butofamostextraordinarynature，-apluralityofhusbands，insteadofwives；andthissolitaryfactspeaksvolumesforthegentledispositionofthemalepopulation。
Iwasnotabletolearnwhatparticularceremonywasobservedinformingthemarriagecontract，butaminclinedtothinkthatitmusthavebeenofaverysimplenature。Perhapsthemere“poppingthequestion，“asitistermedwithus，mighthavebeenfollowedbyanimmediatenuptialalliance。Atanyrate，tediouscourtshipsareunknowninthevalleyofTypee。
Themalesconsiderablyoutnumberthefemales。ThisholdstrueofmanyoftheislandsofPolynesia，althoughthereverseofwhatisthecaseinmostcivilizedcountries。Thegirlsarefirstwooedandwon，ataverytenderage，bysomestriplinginthehouseholdinwhichtheyreside。This，however，isamerefrolicoftheaffections，andnoformalengagementiscontracted。Bythetimethisfirstlovehasalittlesubsided，asecondsuitorpresentshimself，ofgraveryears，andcarriesbothboyandgirlawaytohisownhabitation。Thisdisinterestedandgenerous-heartedfellownowwedstheyoungcouple-
marryingdamselandloveratthesametime-andallthreethenceforthlivetogetherasharmoniouslyassomanyturtles。Ihaveheardofsomemenwhoincivilizedcountriesrashlymarrylargefamilieswiththeirwives，buthadnoideathattherewasanyplacewherepeoplemarriedsupplementaryhusbandswiththem。Infidelityoneithersideisveryrare。Nomanhasmorethanonewife，andnowifeofmatureyearshaslessthantwohusbands，-sometimesshehasthree，butsuchinstancesarenotfrequent。Themarriagetie，whateveritmaybe，doesnotappeartobeindissoluble；forseparationsoccasionallyhappen。These，however，whentheydotakeplace，producenounhappiness，andareprecededbynobickerings:forthesimplereason，thatanill-usedwifeorahen-peckedhusbandisnotobligedtofileabillinchancerytoobtainadivorce。Asnothingstandsinthewayofaseparation，thematrimonialyokesitseasilyandlightly，andaTypeewifelivesonverypleasantandsociabletermswithherhusbands。Onthewhole，wedlock，asknownamongtheseTypees，seemstobeofamoredistinctandenduringnaturethanisusuallythecasewithbarbarouspeople。
But，notwithstandingitsexistenceamongthem，thescripturalinjunctiontoincreaseandmultiplyseemstobebutindifferentlyattendedto。Ineversawanyofthoselargefamilies，inarithmeticalorstep-ladderprogression，whichoneoftenmeetswithathome。Ineverknewofmorethantwoyoungsterslivingtogetherinthesamehome，andbutseldomeventhatnumber。Asforthewomen，itwasveryplainthattheanxietiesofthenurserybutseldomdisturbedtheserenityoftheirsouls；andtheywereneverseengoingaboutthevalleywithhalfascoreoflittleonestaggingattheirapron-strings，orratheratthebread-fruitleaftheyusuallyworeintherear。
IhavebeforehadoccasiontoremarkthatIneversawanyoftheordinarysignsofaplaceofsepultureinthevalley，acircumstancewhichIattributed，atthetime，tomylivinginaparticularpartofit，andbeingforbiddentoextendmyrambletoanyconsiderabledistancetowardsthesea。Ihavesincethoughtitprobable，however，thattheTypees，eitherdesirousofremovingfromtheirsighttheevidencesofmortality，orpromptedbyatasteforruralbeauty，mayhavesomecharmingcemeterysituatedintheshadowyrecessesalongthebaseofthemountains。AtNukuheva，twoorthreelargequadrangular“pi-pis，“heavilyflagged，enclosedwithregularstonewalls，andshadedoverandalmosthiddenfromviewbytheinterlacingbranchesofenormoustrees，werepointedouttomeasburial-places。Thebodies，I
understood，weredepositedinrudevaultsbeneaththeflagging，andweresufferedtoremaintherewithoutbeingdisinterred。Althoughnothingcouldbemorestrangeandgloomythantheaspectoftheseplaces，wheretheloftytreesthrewtheirdarkshadowsoverrudeblocksofstone，astrangerlookingatthemwouldhavediscernednoneoftheordinaryevidencesofaplaceofsepulture。
Duringmystayinthevalley，asnoneofitsinmatesweresoaccommodatingastodieandbeburiedinordertogratifymycuriositywithregardtotheirfuneralrites，Iwasreluctantlyobligedtoremaininignoranceofthem。AsIhavereasontobelieve，however，thattheobservancesoftheTypeesinthesemattersarethesamewiththoseofalltheothertribesontheisland，IwillhererelateasceneIchancedtowitnessatNukuheva。
Ayoungmanhaddied，aboutdaybreak，inahousenearthebeach。I
hadbeensentashorethatmorning，andsawagooddealofthepreparationstheyweremakingforhisobsequies。Thebody，neatlywrappedinnewwhitetappa，waslaidoutinanopenshedofcocoa-nutboughs，uponabierconstructedofelasticbamboosingeniouslytwistedtogether。Thiswassupported，abouttwofeetfromtheground，bylargecanesplanteduprightlyintheearth。Twofemales，ofadejectedappearance，watchedbyitsside，plaintivelychanting，andbeatingtheairwithlargegrassfanswhitenedwithpipe-clay。Inthedwelling-houseadjoininganumerouscompanywereassembled，andvariousarticlesoffoodwerebeingpreparedforconsumption。Twoorthreeindividuals，distinguishedbyhead-dressesofbeautifultappa，andwearingagreatnumberofornaments，appearedtoofficiateasmastersoftheceremonies。Bynoontheentertainmenthadfairlybegun，andweweretoldthatitwouldlastduringthewholeofthetwofollowingdays。Withtheexceptionofthosewhomournedbythecorpse，everyoneseemeddisposedtodrownthesenseofthelatebereavementinconvivialindulgence。Thegirls，deckedoutintheirsavagefinery，danced；theoldmenchanted；
thewarriorssmokedandchatted；andtheyoungandlusty，ofbothsexes，feastedplentifully，andseemedtoenjoythemselvesaspleasantlyastheycouldhavedonehaditbeenawedding。