Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1868-05-27
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NIarquesas IsIands-NIelViIIe'
tFrom the London Atheneum.l

Marquesas slands-NIelviIIe,si e
gor -sw .wfl "TyPee." se1 ait ir1
~ GFrom the London Atheneuml @H
Having lately returned from trip to
the Marquesas Islands, I find among
the copies of the Atheneum which had
accumulated during my absence the
number of the 9th of April, in which,
in review of wild Life in the Pacific
Islands," you refer to Melville's ely
pee;" and it is possible those of your
readers who remember that romantic tale
may not be unwilling again to hear of SO
interesting spot. I'll. l.eat 5ai1 gol
During our voyage we had read this
narrative, and the description of the ma
tives corresponded so well with that we
saw in other islands. that we determined
tolvisit the scene of the adventure when
we touched at Nukuheva. aaf Us" i--.io
the, features of the bay (Taiohai)
where Melville deserted from the whal-
er are. of course unaltered; the amphi-
theater of green mountains still half
surround the patch of warm blue sea;
the same cascades run down the gullies;
cocoanut and bread fruit trees still line
the sunny beach; but where are the dusky
islanders2 A few houses half hidden
in the foliage, and few canoes hauled
up on the beach, are the only signs of
life except that on slight eminence,
near a long, low house, is short flag
staff, supporting board ON which the
French ensign. has been painted, but is
now half obliterated. 1t, however, de-
notes the presence of the French resi-
dent, who visited us; and the booming
of our guns, which saluted him on leav-
ing, terrified some cattle, which scam
pered up the hills. % sj'
Landing at mole, we take road to
the left, shaded by the hibiscus, sprink-
led with its yellow flowers. Houses
stand here and there; and further on,
near large tree of the banyan tribe, a
ruinous church. Among orange trees
studded with their bright yellow fruit
are other dwellings; but few of the is
landers, and no children. The mos
quitoes and sandhies are troublesome,
and we walk back to chat with our coun-
trymen, who occupy some of the houses.
From them we learn that five years ago,
when the island was still peopled, num-
Der of the Kanakas were Kidnapped by
Peruvian ship, and carried to the Chin
chas to work guano. The peremptory
demand of the French compelled the Pc
ruvians TO send them back; and many
of them suffering from smallpox, con
tracted on the infested coast, they were
mercilessly flung on shore, to carry death
into the valleys, and to extirpate the
merry, harmless people, of whom not
more than one hundred and fifty are left
in the Happar and Typee valleys to-
gether. The Sisters Of Mercy have es-
tablished themselves close by, and have
undertaken the care of all the children
in the neighborhood, so that none were
about for US to see. ,....
Melville's account of Typee (hey al
ways spoke of him as "Shore'') was we'll
known; and we are told Fa-a-wa and
daughter of Melville's were still living,
the former an old woman. The road to
Typee was difficult and dangerous, and
they strongly urged us to go by boat;
but our object was to see the hills which
Melville climbed, and. as Kanakas could
go on foot, we could do the same: four
guides were therefore engaged to start
early next morning.
Soon after sunrise we landed; and our
guides at once led the way through the
cocoa-nut and bread-fruit trees, up a
steep ravine. The path constantly
crossed the bed of the torrent, and we
were soon well wetted by the drops from
the guava- bushes which overgrew the
path. Gradually the track became
sleeper, the guaVas dwarfed. As We
neared the summit, we slipped in the
damp earth at every step, and, drag
ging ourselves up from bush to bush, we
at last, after an hour and half of hard
work. emerged breathless into the sun
light and breeze on the top. Here we
paused. Close by, to the left and above
us, were the large patches of grassy
cane through which Melville and Toby
with such difficulty made way. In
front was one of the rich Happar ravines
into which the fugitives had hoped to
escape. Beyond was the sea. Turning
we looked upon the cocoanut -fringed
beach far below, and the harbor, where
our good ship lay in solitary state; while
the ridge we had surmounted threw its
shadows into the misty green gullies
abreast. e--.
Unfortunately, one of our party was
exhausted, feverish, and i'll; the diff
Guilty of his descending was very evil
dent, and it was decided the guides
should earn their pay and carry him
A litter cushioned with ferns, was quick
ly and handily made of poles from
thicket of hibiscus; and we again set
out.
The Happar tribe had inhabited
number of ravines between the bay and
the Typee valley. Our way led across
the heads of these ravines; and at one
time descending into thick masses of
vegetation, at another ascending, and
perhaps continuing to wind along ridge,
we trudged cheerily on-the fresh. pure
breeze from the sea tempering the heat
of the sun. No birds appeared to break
the solitude, nor insects, and for long
distance but one man and woman did
we meet; they, however, looked pleased
and happy, and Hospitality pressed upon
us stick of the sugar cane they were
employed in sucking. In ra-
vine larger than usual, we halted
in perfect picture of tropical seen
cry. A roughly thatched house,
elevated on the usual stone terrace, stood
near dashing brook; around it, and
up the ravine, luxuriant bread-fruit and
orange trees were in full view, overtop-
ped by lofty cocoanuts loaded with fruit.
Across the brook, under a large tree,
nestled little church, with its wooden
cross; and below us, the stream quickly
lost itself in the teeming vegetation
AS soon as we halted, two boys dexter