subsequentlylearned-thatalltheislandsofPolynesiaenjoythereputation，incommonwiththeHibernianisle，ofbeingfreefromthepresenceofanyvipers；thoughwhetherSaintPatrickevervisitedthem，isaquestionIshallnotattempttodecide。
AsthefeverishsensationincreaseduponmeItossedabout，stillunwillingtodisturbmyslumberingcompanion，fromwhosesideIremovedtwoorthreeyards。Ichancedtopushasideabranch，andbysodoingsuddenlydisclosedtomyviewascenewhichevennowIcanrecallwithallthevividnessofthefirstimpression。HadaglimpseofthegardensofParadisebeenrevealedtome，Icouldscarcelyhavebeenmoreravishedwiththesight。
FromthespotwhereIlaytransfixedwithsurpriseanddelight，Ilookedstraightdownintothebosomofavalley，whichsweptawayinlongwavyundulationstothebluewatersinthedistance。Midwaytowardsthesea，andpeeringhereandthereamidstthefoliage，mightbeseenthepalmetto-thatchedhousesofitsinhabitants，glisteninginthesunthathadbleachedthemtoadazzlingwhiteness。Thevalewasmorethanthreeleaguesinlength，andaboutamileacrossatitsgreatestwidth。
Oneithersideitappearedhemmedinbysteepandgreenacclivities，which，unitingnearthespotwhereIlay，formedanabruptandsemicircularterminationofgrassycliffsandprecipiceshundredsoffeetinheight，overwhichflowednumberlesssmallcascades。Butthecrowningbeautyoftheprospectwasitsuniversalverdure；andinthisindeedconsists，Ibelieve，thepeculiarcharmofeveryPolynesianlandscape。Everywherebelowme，fromthebaseoftheprecipiceuponwhoseveryvergeIhadbeenunconsciouslyreposing，thesurfaceofthevalepresentedamassoffoliage，spreadwithsuchrichprofusionthatitwasimpossibletodetermineofwhatdescriptionoftreesitconsisted。
ButperhapstherewasnothingaboutthesceneryIbeheldmoreimpressivethanthosesilentcascades，whoseslenderthreadsofwater，afterleapingdownthesteepcliffs，werelostamidsttherichherbageofthevalley。
Overallthelandscapetherereignedthemosthushedrepose，whichIalmostfearedtobreak，lest，liketheenchantinggardensinthefairytale，asinglesyllablemightdissolvethespell。Foralongtime，forgetfulalikeofmyownsituation，andthevicinityofmystillslumberingcompanion，Iremainedgazingaroundme，hardlyabletocomprehendbywhatmeansIhadthussuddenlybeenmadeaspectatorofsuchascene。
RECOVERINGfrommyastonishmentatthebeautifulscenebeforeme，IquicklyawakenedToby，andinformedhimofthediscoveryIhadmade。Togetherwenowrepairedtotheborderoftheprecipice，andmycompanion’sadmirationwasequaltomyown。Alittlereflection，however，abatedoursurpriseatcomingsounexpectedlyuponthisvalley，sincethelargevalesofHapparandTypee，lyinguponthissideofNukuheva，andextendingaconsiderabledistancefromtheseatowardstheinterior，mustnecessarilyterminatesomewhereaboutthispoint。
Thequestionnowwasastowhichofthosetwoplaceswewerelookingdownupon。TobyinsistedthatitwastheabodeoftheHappars，andIthatitwastenantedbytheirenemies，theferociousTypees。
TobesureIwasnotentirelyconvincedbymyownarguments，butToby’spropositiontodescendatonceintothevalley，andpartakeofthehospitalityofitsinmates，seemedtometoberiskingsomuchuponthestrengthofameresupposition，thatIresolvedtoopposeituntilwehadmoreevidencetoproceedupon。
Thepointwasoneofvitalimportance，asthenativesofHapparwerenotonlyatpeacewithNukuheva，butcultivatedwithitsinhabitantsthemostfriendlyrelations，andenjoyedareputationforgentlenessandhumanitywhichledustoexpectfromthem，ifnotacordialreception，atleastashelterduringtheshortperiodweshouldremainintheirterritory。
Ontheotherhand，theverynameofTypeestruckapanicintomyheartwhichIdidnotattempttodisguise。Thethoughtofvoluntarilythrowingourselvesintothehandsofthesecruelsavages，seemedtomeanactofmeremadness；andalmostequallysotheideaofventuringintothevalley，uncertainbywhichofthesetwotribesitwasinhabited。Thatthevaleatourfeetwastenantedbyoneofthem，wasapointthatappearedtouspastalldoubt，sinceweknewthattheyresidedinthisquarter，althoughourinformationdidnotenlightenusfurther。
Mycompanion，however，incapableofresistingthetemptingprospectwhichtheplaceheldoutofanabundantsupplyoffoodandothermeansofenjoyment，stillclungtohisowninconsiderateviewofthesubject，norcouldallmyreasoningshakeit。WhenIremindedhimthatitwasimpossibleforeitherofustoknowanythingwithcertainty，andwhenIdweltuponthehorriblefateweshouldencounterwerewerashlytodescendintothevalley，anddiscovertoolatetheerrorwehadcommitted，herepliedbydetailingalltheevilsofourpresentcondition，andthesufferingswemustundergoshouldwecontinuetoremainwherewethenwere。
Anxioustodrawhimawayfromthesubject，ifpossible-forI
sawthatitwouldbeinvaintoattemptchanginghismind-I
directedhisattentiontoalongbrightunwoodedtractoflandwhich，sweepingdownfromtheelevationsintheinterior，descendedintothevalleybeforeus。Ithensuggestedtohimthatbeyondthisridgemightlieacapaciousanduntenantedvalley，aboundingwithallmannerofdeliciousfruits；forIhadheardthattherewereseveralsuchupontheisland，andproposedthatweshouldendeavourtoreachit，andifwefoundourexpectationsrealizedweshouldatoncetakerefugeinitandremainthereaslongaswepleased。
Heacquiescedinthesuggestion；andweimmediately，therefore，begansurveyingthecountrylyingbeforeus，withaviewofdetermininguponthebestrouteforustopursue；butitpresentedlittlechoice，thewholeintervalbeingbrokenintosteepridges，dividedbydarkravines，extendinginparallellinesatrightanglestoourdirectcourse。Allthesewewouldbeobligedtocrossbeforewecouldhopetoarriveatourdestination。
Awearyjourney！Butwedecidedtoundertakeit，though，formyownpart，Ifeltlittlepreparedtoencounteritsfatigues，shiveringandburningbyturnswiththeagueandfever；forIknownothowelsetodescribethealternatesensationsIexperienced，andsufferingnotalittlefromthelamenesswhichafflictedme。Addedtothiswasthefaintnessconsequentonourmeagrediet-acalamityinwhichTobyparticipatedtothesameextentasmyself。
Thesecircumstances，however，onlyaugmentedmyanxietytoreachaplacewhichpromisedusplentyandrepose，beforeIshouldbereducedtoastatewhichwouldrendermealtogetherunabletoperformthejourney。Accordinglywenowcommenceditbydescendingthealmostperpendicularsideofasteepandnarrowgorge，bristlingwithathickgrowthofreeds。Heretherewasbutonemodeforustoadopt。Weseatedourselvesupontheground，andguidedourdescentbycatchingatthecanesinourpath。Thevelocitywithwhichwethussliddownthesideoftheravinesoonbroughtustoapointwherewecoulduseourfeet，andinashorttimewearrivedattheedgeofthetorrent，whichrolledimpetuouslyalongthebedofthechasm。
Aftertakingarefreshingdraughtfromthewaterofthestream，weaddressedourselvestoamuchmoredifficultundertakingthanthelast。Everyfootofourlatedescenthadtoberegainedinascendingtheoppositesideofthegorge-anoperationrenderedthelessagreeablefromtheconsiderationthatintheseperpendicularepisodeswedidnotprogressahundredyardsonourjourney。But，ungratefulasthetaskwas，wesetaboutitwithexemplarypatience，andafterasnail-likeprogressofanhourormore，hadscaledperhapsonehalfofthedistance，whenthefeverwhichhadleftmeforawhilereturnedwithsuchviolence，andaccompaniedbysoragingathirst，thatitrequiredalltheentreatiesofTobytopreventmefromlosingallthefruitsofmylateexertion，byprecipitatingmyselfmadlydownthecliffswehadjustclimbed，inquestofthewaterwhichflowedsotemptinglyattheirbase。Atthemomentallmyhopesandfearsappearedtobemergedinthisonedesire，carelessoftheconsequencesthatmightresultfromitsgratification。Iamawareofnofeeling，eitherofpleasureorofpain，thatsocompletelydeprivesoneofallpowertoresistitsimpulses，asthissameragingthirst。
Tobyearnestlyconjuredmetocontinuetheascent，assuringmethatalittlemoreexertionwouldbringustothesummit，andthattheninlessthanfiveminutesweshouldfindourselvesatthebrinkofthestream，whichmustnecessarilyontheothersideoftheridge。
“Donot，“heexclaimed，“turnback，nowthatwehaveproceededthusfar；forItellyouthatneitherofuswillhavethecouragetorepeattheattempt，ifoncemorewefindourselveslookinguptowherewenowarefromthebottomoftheserocks！“
Iwasnotyetsoperfectlybesidemyselfastobeheedlessoftheserepresentations，andthereforetoiledon，ineffectuallyendeavouringtoappeasethethirstwhichconsumedme，bythinkingthatinashorttimeIshouldbeabletogratifyittomyheart’scontent。
Atlastwegainedthetopofthesecondelevation，theloftiestofthoseIhavedescribedasextendinginparallellinesbetweenusandthevalleywedesiredtoreach。Itcommandedaviewofthewholeinterveningdistance；and，discouragedasIwasbyothercircumstances，thisprospectplungedmeintotheverydepthsofdespair。Nothingbutdarkandfearfulchasms，separatedbysharpcrestedandperpendicularridgesasfarastheeyecouldreach。
Couldwehavesteppedfromsummittosummitofthesesteepbutnarrowelevationswecouldeasilyhaveaccomplishedthedistance；
butwemustpenetratetothebottomofeveryyawninggulf，andscaleinsuccessioneveryoneoftheeminencesbeforeus。EvenToby，althoughnotsufferingasIdid，wasnotproofagainstthedishearteninginfluencesofthesight。
Butwedidnotlongstandtocontemplateit，impatientasIwastoreachthewatersofthetorrentwhichflowedbeneathus。WithaninsensibilitytodangerwhichIcannotcalltomindwithoutshuddering，wethrewourselvesdownthedepthsoftheravine，startlingitssavagesolitudeswiththeechoesproducedbythefallingfragmentsofrockweeverymomentdislodgedfromtheirplaces，carelessoftheinsecurityofourfooting，andrecklesswhethertheslightrootsandtwigsweclutchedatsustainedusforthewhile，ortreacherouslyyieldedtoourgrasp。Formyownpart，IscarcelyknewwhetherIwashelplesslyfallingfromtheheightsabove，orwhetherthefearfulrapiditywithwhichIdescendedwasanactofmyownvolition。
Inafewminuteswereachedthefootofthegorge，andkneelinguponasmallledgeofdrippingrocks，Ibentovertothestream。
WhatadelicioussensationwasInowtoexperience！Ipausedforasecondtoconcentrateallmycapabilitiesofenjoyment，andthenimmergedmylipsintheclearelementbeforeme。HadtheapplesofSodomturnedtoashesinmymouth，Icouldnothavefeltamorestartlingrevulsion。Asingledropofthecoldfluidseemedtofreezeeverydropofbloodinmybody；thefeverthathadbeenburninginmyveinsgaveplaceontheinstanttodeathlikechills，whichshookmeoneafteranotherlikesomanyshocksofelectricity，whiletheperspirationproducedbymylateviolentexertionscongealedinicybeadsuponmyforehead。Mythirstwasgone，andIfairlyloathedthewater。Startingtomyfeet，thesightofthosedankrocks，oozingforthmoistureateverycrevice，andthedarkstreamshootingalongitsdismalchannel，sentfreshchillsthroughmyshiveringframe，andIfeltasuncontrollableadesiretoclimbuptowardsthegenialsunlightasIbeforehadtodescendtheravine。
