TYPEE

第38章

AmongthenumerousafflictionswhichtheEuropeanshaveentaileduponsomeofthenativesoftheSouthSeas,istheaccidentalintroductionamongthemofthatenemyofallreposeandrufflerofeventempers-themosquito。AttheSandwichIslands,andattwoorthreeoftheSocietygroup,therearenowthrivingcoloniesoftheseinsects,whopromiseerelongtosupplantaltogethertheaboriginalsand-flies。Theysting,buzz,andtorment,fromoneendoftheyeartotheother,andbyincessantlyexasperatingthenatives,materiallyobstructthebenevolentlaboursofthemissionaries。

Fromthisgrievousvisitation,however,theTypeesareasyetwhollyexempt;butitsplaceisunfortunatelyinsomedegreesuppliedbytheoccasionalpresenceofaminutespeciesoffly,which,withoutstinging,isneverthelessproductiveofnolittleannoyance。

Thetamenessofthebirdsandlizardsisasnothingwhencomparedtothefearlessconfidenceofthisinsect。Hewillperchupononeofyoureye-lashes,andgotoroostthere,ifyoudonotdisturbhim,orforcehiswaythroughyourhair,oralongthecavityofthenostril,tillyoualmostfancyheisresolvedtoexploretheverybrainitself。OnoneoccasionIwassoinconsiderateastoyawnwhileanumberofthemwerehoveringaroundme。Ineverrepeatedtheact。Somehalf-dozendartedintotheopenapartment,andbeganwalkingaboutitsceiling;thesensationwasdreadful。Iinvoluntarilyclosedmymouth,andthepoorcreatures,beingenvelopedininnerdarkness,mustintheirconsternationhavestumbledovermypalate,andbeenprecipitatedintothegulfbeneath。Atanyrate,thoughIafterwardscharitablyheldmymouthopenforatleastfiveminutes,withaviewofaffordingegresstothestragglers,ofthemeveravailedthemselvesoftheopportunity。

Therearenowildanimalsofanykindontheisland,unlessitbedecidedthatthenativesthemselvesaresuch。Themountainsandtheinteriorpresenttotheeyenothingbutsilentsolitudes,unbrokenbytheroarofbeastsofprey,andenlivenedbyfewtokensevenofminuteanimatedexistence。Therearenovenomousreptiles,andnosnakesofanydescriptiontobefoundinanyofthevalleys。

InacompanyofMarquesannativestheweatheraffordsnotopicofconversation。Itcanhardlybesaidtohaveanyvicissitudes。Therainyseason,itistrue,bringsfrequentshowers,buttheyareintermittingandrefreshing。Whenanislander,boundonsomeexpedition,risesfromhiscouchinthemorning,heisneversolicitoustopeepoutandseehowtheskylooks,orascertainfromwhatquarterthewindblows。Heisalwayssureofa“fineday,“andthepromiseofafewgenialshowershehailswithpleasure。Thereisneveranyofthat“remarkableweather“ontheislandswhichfromtimeimmemorialhasbeenexperiencedinAmerica,andstillcontinuestocallforththewonderingconversationalexclamationsofitselderlycitizens。Nordothereevenoccuranyofthoseeccentricmeteorologicalchangeswhichelsewheresurpriseus。InthevalleyofTypeeice-creamswouldneverberenderedlessacceptablebysuddenfrosts,norwouldpicnicpartiesbedeferredonaccountofinauspicioussnowstorms:fortheredayfollowsdayinoneunvaryingroundofsummerandsunshine,andthewholeyearisonelongtropicalmonthofJunejustmeltingintoJuly。

Itisthisgenialclimatewhichcausesthecocoa-nutstoflourishastheydo。Thisinvaluablefruit,broughttoperfectionbytherichsoiloftheMarquesas,andbornealoftonastatelycolumnmorethanahundredfeetfromtheground,wouldseematfirs

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