下载辰思小说免费APP
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