THEREwasnoinstanceinwhichthesocialandkindlydispositionsoftheTypeesweremoreforciblyevincedthaninthemannertheyconductedtheirgreatfishingparties。Fourtimesduringmystayinthevalleytheyoungmenassemblednearthefullofthemoon，andwenttogetherontheseexcursions。Astheyweregenerallyabsentaboutforty-eighthours，Iwasledtobelievethattheywentouttowardstheopensea，somedistancefromthebay。ThePolynesiansseldomuseahookandline，almostalwaysemployinglarge，well-madenets，mostingeniouslyfabricatedfromthetwistedfibresofacertainbark。IexaminedseveralofthemwhichhadbeenspreadtodryuponthebeachatNukuheva。Theyresembleverymuchourownseines，andIshouldthinktheywereverynearlyasdurable。
AlltheSouthSeaislandersarepassionatelyfondoffish；butnoneofthemcanbemoresothantheinhabitantsofTypee。Icouldnotcomprehend，therefore，whytheysoseldomsoughtitintheirwaters；
foritwasonlyatstatedtimesthatthefishingpartieswereformed，andtheseoccasionswerealwayslookedforwardtowithnosmalldegreeofinterest。
Duringtheirabsence，thewholepopulationoftheplacewereinaferment，andnothingwastalkedofbut“pehee，pehee“fish，fish。Towardsthetimewhentheywereexpectedtoreturn，thevocaltelegraphwasputintooperation-theinhabitants，whowerescatteredthroughoutthelengthofthevalley，leapeduponrocksandintotrees，shoutingwithdelightatthethoughtsoftheanticipatedtreat。Assoonastheapproachofthepartywasannounced，therewasageneralrushofthementowardsthebeach；someofthemremaining，however，abouttheTi，inordertogetmattersinreadinessforthereceptionofthefish，whichwerebroughttotheTabooGrovesinimmensepackagesofleaves，eachoneofthembeingsuspendedfromapolecarriedontheshouldersoftwomen。
IwaspresentattheTiononeoftheseoccasions，andthesightwasmostinteresting。Afterallthepackageshadarrived，theywerelaidinarowundertheverandahofthebuilding，andopened。Thefishwereallquitesmall，generallyaboutthesizeofaherring，andofeveryvarietyofcolour。Aboutone-eighthofthewholebeingreservedfortheuseoftheTiitself，theremainderwasdividedintonumeroussmallerpackages，whichwereimmediatelydespatchedineverydirectiontotheremotestpartofthevalley。Arrivedattheirdestination，thesewereinturnportionedout，andequallydistributedamongthevarioushousesofeachparticulardistrict。ThefishwereunderastrictTaboo，untilthedistributionwascompleted，whichseemedtobeeffectedinamostimpartialmanner。Bytheoperationofthissystemeveryman，woman，andchildinthevale，wereatoneandthesametimepartakingofthisfavouritearticleoffood。
Once，Iremember，thepartyarrivedatmidnight；buttheunseasonablenessofthehourdidnotrepresstheimpatienceoftheislanders。ThecarriersdespatchedfromtheTiweretobeseenhurryinginalldirectionsthroughthedeepgroves；eachindividualprecededbyaboybearingaflamingtorchofdriedcocoa-nutboughs，whichfromtimetotimewasreplenishedfromthematerialsscatteredalongthepath。Thewildglareoftheseenormousflambeaux，lightingupwithastartlingbrilliancytheinnermostrecessesofthevale，andseenmovingrapidlyalongbeneaththecanopyofleaves，thesavageshoutoftheexcitedmessengerssoundingthenewsoftheirapproach，whichwasansweredonallsides，andthestrangeappearanceoftheirnakedbodies，seenagainstthegloomybackground，producedaltogetheraneffectuponmymindthatIshalllongremember。
ItwasonthissameoccasionthatKory-Koryawakenedmeatthedeadhourofnight，andinasortoftransportcommunicatedtheintelligencecontainedinthewords“peheeperni“fishcome。AsI
happenedtohavebeeninaremarkablysoundandrefreshingslumber，Icouldnotimaginewhytheinformationhadnotbeendeferreduntilmorning；indeed，Ifeltverymuchinclinedtoflyintoapassionandboxmyvalet’sears；butonsecondthoughtsIgotquietlyup，andongoingoutsidethehousewasnotalittleinterestedbythemovingilluminationwhichIbeheld。
WhenoldMarheyoreceivedhisshareofthespoils，immediatepreparationsweremadeforamidnightbanquet；calabashesofpoee-poeewerefilledtothebrim；greenbread-fruitwereroasted；andahugecakeof“amar“wascutupwithasliverofbamboo，andlaidoutonanimmensebananaleaf。
Atthissupperwewerelightedbyseveralofthenativetapers，heldinthehandsofyounggirls。Thesetapersaremostingeniouslymade。Thereisanutaboundinginthevalley，calledbytheTypees“armor，“closelyresemblingourcommonhorse-chestnut。Theshellisbroken，andthecontentsextractedwhole。Anynumberofthesearestrungatpleasureuponthelongelasticfibrethattraversesthebranchesofthecocoa-nuttree。Someofthesetapersareeightortenfeetinlength；butbeingperfectlyflexible，oneendisheldinacoil，whiletheotherislighted。Thenutburnswithafitfulbluishflame，andtheoilthatitcontainsisexhaustedinabouttenminutes。
Asoneburnsdown，thenextbecomesignited，andtheashesoftheformerareknockedintoacocoa-nutshellkeptforthepurpose。Thisprimitivecandlerequirescontinualattention，andmustbeconstantlyheldinthehand。Thepersonsoemployedmarksthelapseoftimebythenumberofnutsconsumed，whichiseasilylearnedbycountingthebitsoftappadistributedatregularintervalsalongthestring。
Igrievetostatesodistressingafact，buttheinhabitantsofTypeewereinthehabitofdevouringfishmuchinthesamewaythatacivilizedbeingwouldeataradish，andwithoutanymorepreviouspreparation。Theyeatitraw；scales，bones，gills，andalltheinside。Thefishisheldbythetail，andtheheadbeingintroducedintothemouth，theanimaldisappearswitharapiditythatwouldatfirstnearlyleadonetoimagineithadbeenlaunchedbodilydownthethroat。
Rawfish！ShallIeverforgetmysensationswhenIfirstsawmyislandbeautydevourone？Oh，heavens！Fayaway，howcouldyoueverhavecontractedsovileahabit？However，afterthefirstshockhadsubsided，thecustomgrewlessodiousinmyeyes，andIsoonaccustomedmyselftothesight。Letnooneimagine，however，thatthelovelyFayawaywasinthehabitofswallowinggreatvulgar-lookingfishes:oh，no；withherbeautifulsmallhand，shewouldclaspadelicate，little，golden-huedloveofafish，andeatitaselegantlyandasinnocentlyasthoughitwereaNaplesbiscuit。But，alas！itwasafterallarawfish；andallIcansayis，thatFayawayateitinamoreladylikemannerthananyothergirlofthevalley。
WhenatRomedoastheRomansdo，Iheldtobesogoodaproverb，thatbeinginTypee，ImadeapointofdoingastheTypeesdid。ThusIatepoee-poeeastheydid；Iwalkedaboutinagarbstrikingforitssimplicity；andIreposedonacommunityofcouches；besidesdoingmanyotherthingsinconformitywiththeirpeculiarhabits；butthefarthestIeverwentinthewayofconformity，wasonseveraloccasionstoregalemyselfwithrawfish。
Thesebeingremarkablytender，andquitesmall，theundertakingwasnotsodisagreeableinthemain，andafterafewtrialsIpositivelybegantorelishthem:however，Isubjectedthemtoaslightoperationwithmyknifepreviouslytomakingmyrepast。
THEREweresomecurious-lookingdogsinthevalley。Dogs！-big，hairlessratsrather；allwithsmooth，shining，speckledhides-fatsides，andverydisagreeablefaces。Whencecouldtheyhavecome？
Thattheywerenottheindigenousproductionoftheregion，Iamfirmlyconvinced。Indeed，theyseemedawareoftheirbeinginterlopers，lookingfairlyashamed，andalwaystryingtohidethemselvesinsomedarkcorner。Itwasplainenoughtheydidnotfeelathomeinthevale-thattheywishedthemselveswelloutofit，andbacktotheuglycountryfromwhichtheymusthavecome。
Scurvycurs！theyweremyabhorrence；Ishouldhavelikednothingbetterthantohavebeenthedeathofeveryoneofthem。Infact，ononeoccasion，IintimatedtheproprietyofacaninecrusadetoMehevi，butthebenevolentkingwouldnotconsenttoit。Heheardmeverypatiently；butwhenIhadfinished，shookhishead，andtoldmeinconfidence，thattheywere“taboo。“
AsfortheanimalthatmadethefortuneofmylordmayorWhittington，IshallneverforgetthedaythatIwaslyinginthehouseaboutnoon，everybodyelsebeingfastasleep；andhappeningtoraisemyeyes，metthoseofabigblackspectralcat，whichsaterectinthedoorway，lookingatmewithitsfrightfulgogglinggreenorbs，likeoneofthosemonstrousimpsthattormentedsomeoftheoldensaints！Iamoneofthoseunfortunatepersons，towhomthesightoftheseanimalsisatanytimeaninsufferableannoyance。
Thusconstitutionallyaversetocatsingeneral，theunexpectedapparitionofthisoneinparticularutterlyconfoundedme。WhenIhadalittlerecoveredfromthefascinationofitsglance，Istartedup；
thecatfled，andemboldenedbythis，Irushedoutofthehouseinpursuit；butithaddisappeared。ItwastheonlytimeIeversawoneinthevalley，andhowitgotthereIcannotimagine。ItisjustpossiblethatitmighthaveescapedfromoneoftheshipsatNukuheva。
Itwasinvaintoseekinformationonthesubjectfromthenatives，sincenoneofthemhadseentheanimal，theappearanceofwhichremainsamysterytometothisday。
AmongthefewanimalswhicharetobemetwithinTypee，therewasnonewhichIlookeduponwithmoreinterestthanabeautifulgolden-huedspeciesoflizard。Itmeasuredperhapsfiveinchesfromheadtotail，andwasmostgracefullyproportioned。Numbersofthosecreaturesweretobeseenbaskinginthesunshineuponthethatchingofthehouses，andmultitudesatallhoursofthedayshowedtheirglitteringsidesastheyranfrolickingbetweenthespearsofgrass，orracedintroopsupanddownthetallshaftsofthecocoa-nuttrees。
Buttheremarkablebeautyoftheselittleanimalsandtheirlivelywayswerenottheironlyclaimsuponmyadmiration。Theywereperfectlytameandinsensibletofear。Frequently，afterseatingmyselfuponthegroundinsomeshadyplaceduringtheheatoftheday，Iwouldbecompletelyoverrunwiththem。IfIbrushedoneoffmyarm，itwouldleapperhapsintomyhair；whenItriedtofrightenitawaybygentlypinchingitsleg，itwouldturnforprotectiontotheveryhandthatattackedit。
Thebirdsarealsoremarkablytame。Ifyouhappenedtoseeonepercheduponabranchwithinreachofyourarm，andadvancedtowardsit，itdidnotflyawayimmediately，butwaitedquietlylookingatyou，untilyoucouldalmosttouchit，andthentookwingslowly，lessalarmedatyourpresence，itwouldseem，thandesirousofremovingitselffromyourpath。Hadsaltbeenlessscarceinthevalleythanitwas，thiswastheveryplacetohavegonebirdingwithit。
Irememberthatonce，onanuninhabitedislandoftheGallipagos，abirdalightedonmyoutstretchedarm，whileitsmatechirpedfromanadjoiningtree。Itstameness，farfromshockingme，asasimilaroccurrencedidSelkirk，impartedtomethemostexquisitethrillofdelightIeverexperienced；andwithsomewhatofthesamepleasuredidIafterwardsbeholdthebirdsandlizardsofthevalleyshowtheirconfidenceinthekindlinessofman。