sequel-第1章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！






　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　SEQUEL

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　CONTAINING　THE　STORY　OF　TOBY



　　　　NOTE…　The　Author　of　〃Typee〃　was　more　than　two　years　in　the　South

Seas；　after　escaping　from　the　valley；　as　recounted　in　the　last

chapter。　Some　time　after　returning　home　the　foregoing　narrative　was

published；　though　it　was　little　thought　at　the　time　that　this　would　be

the　means　of　revealing　the　existence　of　Toby；　who　had　long　been

given　up　for　lost。　But　so　it　proved。　The　story　of　his　escape

supplies　a　natural　sequel　to　the　adventure；　and　as　such　it　is　now

added　to　the　volume。　It　was　related　to　the　Author　by　Toby　himself。



　　　　THE　MORNING　my　comrade　left　me；　as　related　in　the　narrative；　he

was　accompanied　by　a　large　party　of　the　natives；　some　of　them　carrying

fruit　and　hogs　for　the　purposes　of　traffic；　as　the　report　had　spread

that　boats　had　touched　at　the　bay。

　　　　As　they　proceeded　through　the　settled　parts　of　the　valley；　numbers

joined　them　from　every　side；　running　with　animated　cries　from　every

pathway。　So　excited　were　the　whole　party；　that；　eager　as　Toby　was　to

gain　the　beach；　it　was　almost　as　much　as　he　could　do　to　keep　up　with

them。　Making　the　valley　ring　with　their　shouts；　they　hurried　along

on　a　swift　trot；　those　in　advance　pausing　now　and　then；　and

flourishing　their　weapons　to　urge　the　rest　forward。

　　　　Presently　they　came　to　a　place　where　the　path　crossed　a　bend　of

the　main　stream　of　the　valley。　Here　a　strange　sound　came　through　the

grove　beyond；　and　the　islanders　halted。　It　was　Mow…Mow；　the　one…eyed

chief；　who　had　gone　on　before；　he　was　striking　his　heavy　lance　against

the　hollow　bough　of　a　tree。

　　　　This　was　a　signal　of　alarm；…　for　nothing　was　now　heard　but

shouts　of　〃Happar！　Happar！〃…　the　warriors　tilting　with　their　spears

and　brandishing　them　in　the　air；　and　the　women　and　boys　shouting　to

each　other；　and　picking　up　the　stones　in　the　bed　of　the　stream。　In　a

moment　or　two　Mow…Mow　and　two　or　three　other　chiefs　ran　out　from　the

grove；　and　the　din　increased　tenfold。

　　　　Now；　thought　Toby；　for　a　fray；　and　being　unarmed；　he　besought

one　of　the　young　men　domiciled　with　Marheyo　for　the　loan　of　his　spear。

But　he　was　refused；　the　youth　roguishly　telling　him；　that　the　weapon

was　very　good　for　him　（the　Typee）；　but　that　a　white　man　could　fight

much　better　with　his　fists。

　　　　The　merry　humour　of　this　young　wag　seemed　to　be　shared　by　the

rest；　for　in　spite　of　their　warlike　cries　and　gestures；　everybody

was　capering　about　and　laughing；　as　if　it　was　one　of　the　funniest

things　in　the　world　to　be　awaiting　the　flight　of　a　score　or　two　of

Happar　javelins　from　an　ambush　in　the　thickets。

　　　　While　my　comrade　was　in　vain　trying　to　make　out　the　meaning　of　all

this；　a　good　number　of　the　natives　separated　themselves　from　the

rest　and　ran　off　into　the　grove　on　one　side；　the　others　now　keeping

perfectly　still；　as　if　awaiting　the　result。　After　a　little　while；

however；　Mow…Mow；　who　stood　in　advance；　motioned　them　to　come　on

stealthily；　which　they　did；　scarcely　rustling　a　leaf。　Thus　they

crept　along　for　ten　or　fifteen　minutes；　every　now　and　then　pausing

to　listen。

　　　　Toby　by　no　means　relished　this　sort　of　skulking；　if　there　was

going　to　be　a　fight　he　wanted　it　to　begin　at　once。　But　all　in　good

time；…　for　just　then；　as　they　went　prowling　into　the　thickest　of　the

wood；　terrific　howls　burst　upon　them　on　all　sides；　and　volleys　of

darts　and　stones　flew　across　the　path。　Not　an　enemy　was　to　be　seen；

and　what　was　still　more　surprising；　not　a　single　man　dropped；　though

the　pebbles　fell　among　the　leaves　like　hail。

　　　　There　was　a　moment's　pause；　when　the　Typees；　with　wild　shrieks；

flung　themselves　into　the　covert；　spear　in　hand；　nor　was　Toby

behindhand。　Coming　so　near　getting　his　skull　broken　by　the　stones；　and

animated　by　an　old　grudge　he　bore　the　Happars；　he　was　among　the

first　to　dash　at　them。　As　he　broke　his　way　through　the　underbrush；

trying；　as　he　did　so；　to　wrest　a　spear　from　a　young　chief；　the

shouts　of　battle　all　of　a　sudden　ceased；　and　the　wood　was　as　still

as　death。　The　next　moment；　the　party　who　had　left　them　so　mysteriously

rushed　out　from　behind　every　bush　and　tree；　and　united　with　the　rest

in　long　and　merry　peals　of　laughter。

　　　　It　was　all　a　sham；　and　Toby；　who　was　quite　out　of　breath　with

excitement；　was　much　incensed　at　being　made　a　fool　of。

　　　　It　afterwards　turned　out　that　the　whole　affair　had　been

concerted　for　his　particular　benefit；　though　with　what　precise　view　it

would　be　hard　to　tell。　My　comrade　was　the　more　enraged　at　this　boys'

play；　since　it　had　consumed　so　much　time；　every　moment　of　which

might　be　precious。　Perhaps；　however；　it　was　partly　intended　for　this

very　purpose；　and　he　was　led　to　think　so；　because；　when　the　natives

started　again；　he　observed　that　they　did　not　seem　to　be　in　so　great

a　hurry　as　before。　At　last；　after　they　had　gone　some　distance；　Toby；

thinking　all　the　while　that　they　never　would　get　to　the　sea；　two　men

came　running　towards　them；　and　a　regular　halt　ensued；　followed　by　a

noisy　discussion；　during　which　Toby's　name　was　often　repeated。　All

this　made　him　more　and　more　anxious　to　learn　what　was　going　on　at

the　beach；　but　it　was　in　vain　that　he　now　tried　to　push　forward；　the

natives　held　him　back。

　　　　In　a　few　moments　the　conference　ended；　and　many　of　them　ran　down

the　path　in　the　direction　of　the　water；　the　rest　surrounding　Toby；　and

entreating　him　to　〃Moee；〃　or　sit　down　and　rest　himself。　As　an

additional　inducement；　several　calabashes　of　food；　which　had　been

brought　along；　were　now　placed　on　the　ground；　and　opened；　and　pipes

also　were　lighted。　Toby　bridled　his　impatience　awhile；　but　at　last

sprang　to　his　feet　and　dashed　forward　again。　He　was　soon　overtaken

nevertheless；　and　again　surrounded；　but　without　further　detention

was　then　permitted　to　go　down　to　the　sea。

　　　　They　came　out　upon　a　bright　green　space　between　the　groves　and　the

water；　and　close　under　the　shadow　of　the　Happar　mountain；　where　a　path

was　seen；　winding　out　of　sight　through　a　gorge。

　　　　No　sign　of　a　boat；　however；　was　beheld；　nothing　but　a　tumultuous

crowd　of　men　and　women；　and　some　one　in　their　midst；　earnestly　talking

to　them。　As　my　comrade　advanced；　this　person　came　forward；　and

proved　to　be　no　stranger。　He　was　an　old　grizzled　sailor；　whom　Toby　and

myself　had　frequently　seen　in　Nukuheva；　where　he　lived　an　easy；

devil…may…care　life；　in　the　household　of　Mowanna　the　king；　going　by

the　name　of　〃Jimmy。〃　In　fact；　he　was　the　royal　favourite；　and　had　a

good　deal　to　say　in　his　master's　councils。　He　wore　a　Manilla　hat；

and　a　sort　of　tappa　morning　gown；　sufficiently　loose　and　negligent

to　show　the　verse　of　a　song　tattooed　upon　his　chest；　and　a　variety

of　spirited　cuts　by　native　artists　in　other　parts　of　his　body。　He

sported　a　fishing…rod　in　his　hand；　and　carried　a　sooty　old　pipe

slung　about　his　neck。

　　　　This　old　rover　having　retired　from　active　life；　had　resided　in

Nukuheva　some　time…　he　could　speak　the　language；　and　for　that　reason

was　frequently　employed　by　the　French　as　an　interpreter。　He　was　an

arrant　old　gossip；　too；　for　ever　coming　off　in　his　canoe　to　the

ships　in　the　bay；　and　regaling　their　crews　with　choice　little

morsels　of　court　scandal…　such；　for　instance；　as　a　shameful　intrigue

of　his　majesty　with　a　Happar　damsel；　a　public　dancer　at　the　feasts…

and　otherwise　relating　some　incredible　tales　about　the　Marquesas

generally。　I　remember；　in　particular；　his　telling　the　Dolly's　crew

what　proved　to　be　literally　a　cock…and…bull　story；　about　two　natural

prodigies；　which　he　said　were　then　on　the　island。　One　was　an　old

monster　of　a　hermit；　having　a　marvellous　reputation　for　sanctity；

and　reputed　a　famous　sorcerer；　who　lived　away　off　in　a　den　among　the

mountains；　where　he　hid　from　the　world　a　great　pair　of　horns　that　grew

out　of　his　temples。　Notwithstanding　his　reputation　for　piety；　this

horrid　old　fellow　was　the　terror　of　all　the　island　round；　being

reported　to　come　out　from　his　retreat；　and　go　a　ma