第22章

类别:其他 作者:Herman Melville字数:4564更新时间:18/12/27 09:00:37
Atacertainseasonoftheyear,whenthefruitofthehundredgrovesofthevalleyhasreacheditsmaturity,andhangsingoldenspheresfromeverybranch,theislandersassembleinharvestgroups,andgarnerintheabundancewhichsurroundsthem。Thetreesarestrippedoftheirnoddingburdens,which,easilyfreedfromtherindandcore,aregatheredtogetherincapaciouswoodenvessels,wherethepulpyfruitissoonworkedbyastonepestle,vigorouslyapplied,intoablendedmassofadoughyconsistency,calledbythenatives“Tutao。“ Thisisthendividedintoseparateparcels,which,afterbeingmadeupintostoutpackages,envelopedinsuccessivefoldsofleaves,andboundroundwiththongsofbark,arestoredawayinlargereceptacleshollowedintheearth,fromwhencetheyaredrawnasoccasionmayrequire。 InthisconditiontheTutaosometimesremainsforyears,andevenisthoughttoimprovebyage。Beforeitisfittobeeaten,however,ithastoundergoanadditionalprocess。Aprimitiveovenisscoopedintheground,anditsbottombeinglooselycoveredwithstones,alargefireiskindledwithinit。Assoonastherequisitedegreeofheatisattained,theembersareremoved,andthesurfaceofthestonesbeingcoveredwiththicklayersofleaves,oneofthelargepackagesofTutaoisdepositeduponthem,andoverspreadwithanotherlayerofleaves。Thewholeisthenquicklyheapedupwithearth,andformsaslopingmound。 TheTutaothusbakediscalled“Amar“;theactionoftheovenhavingconverteditintoanamber-colouredcakysubstance,alittletart,butnotatalldisagreeabletothetaste。 Byanotherandfinalprocessthe“Amar“ischangedinto“Poee-Poee。“Thistransitionisrapidlyeffected。Theamarisplacedinavessel,andmixedwithwateruntilitgainsaproperpudding-likeconsistency,when,withoutfurtherpreparation,itisinreadinessforuse。Thisistheforminwhichthe“Tutao“isgenerallyconsumed。 ThesingularmodeofeatingitIhavealreadydescribed。 Wereitnotthatthebread-fruitisthuscapableofbeingpreservedforalengthoftime,thenativesmightbereducedtoastateofstarvation;for,owingtosomeunknowncause,thetreessometimesfailtobearfruit;andonsuchoccasionstheislanderschieflydependuponthesuppliestheyhavebeenenabledtostoreaway。 Thisstatelytree,whichisrarelymetwithupontheSandwichIslands,andthenonlyofaveryinferiorquality,andatTahitidoesnotaboundtoadegreethatrendersitsfruittheprincipalarticleoffood,attainsitsgreatestexcellenceinthegenialclimateoftheMarquesangroup,whereitgrowstoanenormousmagnitude,andflourishesintheutmostabundance。 INlookingbacktothisperiod,andcallingtoremembrancethenumberlessproofsofkindnessandrespectwhichIreceivedfromthenativesofthevalley,Icanscarcelyunderstandhowitwasthat,inthemidstofsomanyconsolatorycircumstances,mymindshouldstillhavebeenconsumedbythemostdismalforebodings,andhaveremainedapreytotheprofoundestmelancholy。ItistruethatthesuspiciouscircumstanceswhichhadattendedthedisappearanceofTobywereenoughofthemselvestoexcitedistrustwithregardtothesavages,inwhosepowerIfeltmyselftobeentirelyplaced,especiallywhenitwascombinedwiththeknowledgethattheseverymen,kindandrespectfulastheyweretome,were,afterall,nothingbetterthanasetofcannibals。 Butmychiefsourceofanxiety,andthatwhichpoisonedeverytemporaryenjoyment,wasthemysteriousdiseaseinmyleg,whichstillremainedunabated。AlltheherbalapplicationsofTinor,unitedwiththesevererdisciplineoftheoldleech,andtheaffectionatenursingofKory-Kory,hadfailedtorelieveme。Iwasalmostacripple,andthepainIenduredatintervalswasagonizing。Theunaccountablemaladyshowednosignsofamendment;onthecontrary,itsviolenceincreaseddaybyday,andthreatenedthemostfatalresults,unlesssomepowerfulmeanswereemployedtocounteractit。ItseemedasifIweredestinedtosinkunderthisgrievousaffliction,oratleastthatitwouldhindermefromavailingmyselfofanyopportunityofescapingfromthevalley。 AnincidentwhichoccurredasnearlyasIcanestimateaboutthreeweeksafterthedisappearanceofToby,convincedmethatthenatives,fromsomereasonorother,wouldinterposeeverypossibleobstacletomyleavingthem。 Onemorningtherewasnolittleexcitementevincedbythepeoplenearmyabode,andwhichIsoondiscoveredproceededfromavaguereportthatboatshadbeenseenatagreatdistanceapproachingthebay。Immediatelyallwasbustleandanimation。ItsohappenedthatdaythatthepainIsufferedhavingsomewhatabated,andfeelinginmuchbetterspiritsthanusual,IhadcompliedwithKory-Kory’sinvitationtovisitthechiefMeheviattheplacecalledthe“Ti,“ whichIhavebeforedescribedasbeingsituatedwithintheprecinctsoftheTaboogroves。ThesesacredrecesseswereatnogreatdistancefromMarheyo’shabitation,andlaybetweenitandthesea;thepaththatconductedtothebeachpassingdirectlyinfrontoftheTi,andthenceskirtingalongtheborderofthegroves。 Iwasreposinguponthemats,withinthesacredbuilding,incompanywithMeheviandseveralotherchiefs,whentheannouncementwasfirstmade。Itsentathrillofjoythroughmywholeframe;- perhapsTobywasabouttoreturn。Iroseatoncetomyfeet,andmyinstinctiveimpulsewastohurrydowntothebeach,equallyregardlessofthedistancethatseparatedmefromit,andofmydisabledcondition。AssoonasMehevinoticedtheeffecttheintelligencehadproduceduponme,andtheimpatienceIbetrayedtoreachthesea,hiscountenanceassumedthatinflexiblerigidityofexpressionwhichhadsoawedmeontheafternoonofourarrivalatthehouseofMarheyo。AsIwasproceedingtoleavetheTi,helaidhishanduponmyshoulder,andsaidgravely,“abo,abo“(wait,wait)。Solelyintentupontheonethoughtthatoccupiedmymind,andheedlessofhisrequest,Iwasbrushingpasthim,whensuddenlyheassumedatoneofauthority,andtoldmeto“moee“(sitdown)。Thoughstruckbythealterationinhisdemeanour,theexcitementunderwhichIlabouredwastoostrongtopermitmetoobeytheunexpectedcommand,andIwasstilllimpingtowardstheedgeofthepi-piwithKory-Koryclingingtoonearminhiseffortstorestrainme,whenthenativesaroundstartedtotheirfeet,rangedthemselvesalongtheopenfrontofthebuilding,whileMehevilookedatmescowlingly,andreiteratedhiscommandsstillmoresternly。 Itwasatthismoment,whenfiftysavagecountenanceswereglaringuponme,thatIfirsttrulyexperiencedIwasindeedacaptiveinthevalley。Theconvictionrusheduponmewithstaggeringforce,andI wasoverwhelmedbythisconfirmationofmyworstfears。Isawatoncethatitwasuselessformetoresist,andsickatheart,I reseatedmyselfuponthemats,andforthemomentabandonedmyselftodespair。 InowperceivedthenativesoneaftertheotherhurryingpasttheTiandpursuingtheroutethatconductedtothesea。Thesesavages,thoughtI,willsoonbeholdingcommunicationwithsomeofmyowncountrymenperhaps,whowitheasecouldrestoremetolibertydidtheyknowofthesituationIwasin。NolanguagecandescribethewretchednesswhichIfelt;andinthebitternessofmysoulI imprecatedathousandcursesontheperfidiousToby,whohadthusabandonedmetodestruction。ItwasinvainthatKory-Korytemptedmewithfood,orlightedmypipe,orsoughttoattractmyattentionbyperformingtheuncouthanticsthathadsometimesdivertedme。Iwasfairlyknockeddownbythislastmisfortune,which,muchasIhadfearedit,Ihadneverbeforehadthecouragecalmlytocontemplate。 Regardlessofeverythingbutmyownsorrow,IremainedintheTiforseveralhours,untilshoutsproceedingatintervalsfromthegrovesbeyondthehouseproclaimedthereturnofthenativesfromthebeach。 Whetheranyboatsvisitedthebaythatmorningornot,Inevercouldascertain。Thesavagesassuredmethattherehadnot-butI wasinclinedtobelievethatbydeceivingmeinthisparticulartheysoughttoallaytheviolenceofmygrief。Howeverthatmightbe,thisincidentshowedplainlythattheTypeesintendedtoholdmeaprisoner。Astheystilltreatedmewiththesamesedulousattentionasbefore,Iwasutterlyatalosshowtoaccountfortheirsingularconduct。HadIbeeninasituationtoinstructtheminanyoftherudimentsofthemechanicarts,orhadImanifestedadispositiontorendermyselfinanywayusefulamongthem,theirconductmighthavebeenattributedtosomeadequatemotive,butasitwas,thematterseemedtomeinexplicable。 Duringmywholestayontheislandthereoccurredbuttwoorthreeinstanceswherethenativesappliedtomewiththeviewofavailingthemselvesofmysuperiorinformation;andthesenowappearsoludicrousthatIcannotforbearrelatingthem。 ThefewthingswehadbroughtfromNukuhevahadbeendoneupintoasmallbundlewhichwehadcarriedwithusinourdescenttothevalley。Thisbundle,theofourarrival,Ihadusedasapillow,butonthesucceedingmorning,openingitfortheinspectionofthenatives,theygazeduponthemiscellaneouscontentsasthoughIhadjustrevealedtothemacasketofdiamonds,andtheyinsistedthatsopreciousatreasureshouldbeproperlysecured。Alinewasaccordinglyattachedtoit,andtheotherendbeingpassedovertheridge-poleofthehouse,itwashoisteduptotheapexoftheroof,whereithungsuspendeddirectlyoverthematswhereIusuallyreclined。WhenIdesiredanythingfromitImerelyraisedmyfingertobamboobesideme,andtakingholdofthestringwhichwastherefastened,loweredthepackage。Thiswasexceedinglyhandy,andI tookcaretoletthenativesunderstandhowmuchIapplaudedtheinvention。Ofthispackagethechiefcontentswerearazorwithitscase,asupplyofneedlesandthread,apoundortwooftobacco,andafewyardsofabright-colouredcalico。 Ishouldhavementioned,thatshortlyafterToby’sdisappearance,perceivingtheuncertaintyofthetimeImightbeobligedtoremaininthevalley,-if,indeed,Ievershouldescapefromit,-andconsideringthatmywholewardrobeconsistedofashirtandapairoftrousers,Iresolvedtodoffthesegarmentsatonce,inordertopreservetheminasuitableconditionforwear,shouldIagainappearamongcivilizedbeings。IwasconsequentlyobligedtoassumetheTypeecostume,alittlealtered,however,tosuitmyownviewsofpropriety,andinwhichIhavenodoubtI