Meheviactedassupremelordovertheplace，spendingthegreaterportionofhistimethere:andoftenwhen，atparticularhoursoftheday，itwasdesertedbynearlyeveryoneelseexcepttheverd-antiquelookingcentenarians，whowerefixturesinthebuilding，thechiefhimselfwassuretobefoundenjoyinghis“otiumcumdignitate“upontheluxuriousmatswhichcoveredthefloor。
　　WheneverImademyappearanceheinvariablyrose，and，likeagentlemandoingthehonoursofhismansion，invitedmetoreposemyselfwhereverIpleased，andcallingout“tammaree！“boy，alittlefellowwouldappear，andthenretiringforaninstant，returnwithsomesavourymess，fromwhichthechiefwouldpressmetoregalemyself。Totellthetruth，Meheviwasindebtedtotheexcellenceofhisviandsforthehonourofmyrepeatedvisits，-amatterwhichcannotappearsingular，whenitisborneinmindthatbachelors，alltheworldover，arefamousforservingupunexceptionalrepasts。
　　Oneday，ondrawingneartotheTi，Iobservedthatextensivepreparationsweregoingforward，plainlybetokeningsomeapproachingfestival。Someofthesymptomsremindedmeofthestirproducedamongthescullionsofalargehotel，whereagrandjubileedinnerisabouttobegiven。Thenativeswerehurryingabouthitherandthither，engagedinvariousduties；someluggingofftothestreamenormoushollowbamboos，forthepurposeoffillingthemwithwater；
　　otherschasingfurious-lookinghogsthroughthebushes，intheirendeavourstocapturethem；andnumbersemployedinkneadinggreatmountainsofpoee-poeeheapedupinhugewoodenvessels。
　　Afterobservingtheselivelyindicationsforawhile，IwasattractedtoaneighbouringgrovebyaprodigioussqueakingwhichI
　　heardthere。OnreachingthespotIfounditproceededfromalargehogwhichanumberofnativeswereforciblyholdingtotheearth，whileamuscularfellow，armedwithabludgeon，wasineffectuallyaimingmurderousblowsattheskulloftheunfortunateporker。Againandagainhemissedhiswrithingandstrugglingvictim，butthoughpuffingandpantingwithhisexertions，hestillcontinuedthem；andafterstrikingasufficientnumberofblowstohavedemolishedanentiredroveofoxen，withonecrashingstrokehelaidhimdeadathisfeet。
　　Withoutlettinganybloodfromthebody，itwasimmediatelycarriedtoafirewhichhadbeenkindlednearathand，andfoursavagestakingholdofthecarcassbyitslegs，passeditrapidlytoandfrointheflames。Inamomentthesmellofburningbristlesbetrayedtheobjectofthisprocedure。Havinggotthusfarinthematter，thebodywasremovedtoalittledistance；and，beingdisembowelled，theentrailswerelaidasideaschoiceparts，andthewholecarcassthoroughlywashedwithwater。Anamplethickgreencloth，composedofthelongthickleavesofaspeciesofpalmtree，ingeniouslytackedtogetherwithlittlepinsofbamboo，wasnowwasnowspreadupontheground，inwhichthebodybeingcarefullyrolled，itwasbornetoanovenpreviouslypreparedtoreceiveit。
　　Hereitwasatoncelaidupontheheatedstonesatthebottom，andcoveredwiththicklayersofleaves，thewholebeingquicklyhiddenfromsightbyamoundofearthraisedoverit。
　　SuchisthesummarystyleinwhichtheTypeesconvertperverse-mindedandrebellioushogsintothemostdocileandamiablepork；amorselofwhichplacedonthetonguemeltslikeasoftsmilefromthelipsofbeauty。
　　Icommendtheirpeculiarmodeofproceedingtotheconsiderationofallbutchers，cooks，andhousewives。ThehaplessporkerwhosefateIhavejustrehearsed，wasnottheonlyonewhosufferedonthatmemorableday。Manyadismalgrunt，manyanimploringsqueak，proclaimedwhatwasgoingonthroughoutthewholeextentofthevalley:andIverilybelievethefirst-bornofeverylitterperishedbeforethesettingofthatfatalsun。
　　ThescenearoundtheTiwasnowmostanimated。Hogsandpoee-poeewerebakinginnumerousovens，which，heapedupwithfreshearthintoslightelevations，lookedlikesomanyant-hills。Scoresofthesavageswerevigorouslyplyingtheirstonepestlesinpreparingmassesofpoee-poee，andnumbersweregatheringgreenbread-fruitandyoungcocoa-nutsinthesurroundinggroves；whileanexceedinggreatmultitude，withaviewofencouragingtherestintheirlabours，stoodstill，andkeptshoutingmostlustilywithoutintermission。
　　Itisapeculiarityamongthesepeople，thatwhenengagedinanyemploymenttheyalwaysmakeaprodigiousfussaboutit。Soseldomdotheyeverexertthemselves，thatwhentheydoworktheyseemdeterminedthatsomeritoriousanactionshallnotescapetheobservationofthosearound。If，forexample，theyhaveoccasiontoremoveastonetoalittledistance，whichperhapsmightbecarriedbytwoablebodiedmen，awholeswarmgatheraboutit，and，afteravastdealofpalavering，liftitupamongthem，everyonestrugglingtogetholdofit，andbearitoffyellingandpantingasifaccomplishingsomemightyachievement。Seeingthemontheseoccasions，oneisremindedofaninfinityofblackantsclusteringaboutanddraggingawaytosomeholethelegofadeceasedfly。
　　Havingforsometimeattentivelyobservedthesedemonstrationsofgoodcheer，IenteredtheTi，whereMehevisatcomplacentlylookingoutuponthebusyscene，andoccasionallyissuinghisorders。Thechiefappearedtobeinanextraordinaryflowofspirits，andgavemetounderstandthatonthemorrowtherewouldbegranddoingsinthegrovesgenerally，andattheTiinparticular；andurgedmebynomeanstoabsentmyself。Incommemorationofwhatevent，however，orinhonourofwhatdistinguishedpersonage，thefeastwastobegiven，altogetherpassedmycomprehension。Mehevisoughttoenlightenmyignorance，buthefailedassignallyaswhenhehadendeavouredtoinitiatemeintotheperplexingarcanaofthetaboo。
　　OnleavingtheTi，Kory-Kory，whohad，asamatterofcourse，accompaniedme，observingthatmycuriosityremainedunabated，resolvedtomakeeverythingplainandsatisfactory。Withthisintent，heescortedmethroughtheTabooGroves，pointingouttomynoticeavarietyofobjects，andendeavouredtoexplaintheminsuchanindescribablejargonofwords，thatitalmostputmeinbodilypaintolistentohim。Inparticular，heledmetoaremarkablepyramidicalstructuresomethreeyardssquareatthebase，andperhapstenfeetinheight，whichhadlatelybeenthrownup，andoccupiedaveryconspicuousposition。Itwascomposedprincipallyoflargeemptycalabashes，withafewpolishedcocoa-nutshells，andlookednotunlikeacenotaphofskulls。MyciceroneperceivedtheastonishmentwithwhichIgazedatthismonumentofsavagecrockery，andimmediatelyaddressedhimselftothetaskofenlighteningme:butallinvain；andtothishourthenatureofthemonumentremainsacompletemysterytome。As，however，itformedsoprominentafeatureintheapproachingrevels，Ibestoweduponthelatter，inmyownmind，thetitleofthe“FeastofCalabashes。“
　　Thefollowingmorning，awakingratherlate，IperceivedthewholeofMarheyo’sfamilybusilyengagedinpreparingforthefestival。Theoldwarriorhimselfwasarranginginroundballsthetwogreylocksofhairthatweresufferedtogrowfromthecrownofhishead；hisearringsandspear，bothwellpolished，laybesidehim，whilethehighlydecorativepairofshoeshungsuspendedfromaprojectingcaneagainstthesideofthehouse。Theyoungmenweresimilarlyemployed；andthefairdamsels，includingFayaway，wereanointingthemselveswith“aka，“arrangingtheirlongtresses，andperformingothermattersconnectedwiththedutiesofthetoilet。
　　Havingcompletedtheirpreparations，thegirlsnowexhibitedthemselvesingalacostume；themostconspicuousfeatureofwhichwasanecklaceofbeautifulwhiteflowers，withthestemsremoved，andstrungcloselytogetheruponasinglefibreoftappa。Correspondingornamentswereinsertedintheirears，andwovengarlandsupontheirheads。Abouttheirwaisttheyworeashorttunicofspotlesswhitetappa，andsomeofthemsuperaddedtothisamantleofthesamematerial，tiedinanelaboratebowupontheleftshoulder，andfallingaboutthefigureinpicturesquefolds。
　　Thusarrayed，IwouldhavematchedthecharmingFayawayagainstanybeautyintheworld。
　　Peoplemaysaywhattheywillaboutthetasteevincedbyourfashionableladiesindress。Theirjewels，theirfeathers，theirsilks，andtheirfurbelowswouldhavesunkintoutterinsignificancebesidetheexquisitesimplicityofattireadoptedbythenymphsofthevaleonthisfestiveoccasion。Ishouldliketohaveseenagalleryofcoronationbeauties，atWestminsterAbbey，confrontedforamomentbythisbandofIslandgirls；theirstiffness，formality，andaffectationcontrastedwiththeartlessvivacityandunconcealednaturalgracesofthesesavagemaidens。ItwouldbetheVenusde’
　　Mediciplacedbesideamilliner’sdoll。
　　ItwasnotlongbeforeKory-Koryandmyselfwereleftaloneinthehouse，therestofitsinmateshavingdepartedfortheTabooGroves。
　　Myvaletwasallimpatiencetofollowthem；andwasasfidgetyaboutmydilatorymovementsasadineroutwaitinghatinhandatthebottomofthestairsforsomelaggingcompanion。Atlast，yieldingtohisimportunities，IsetoutfortheTi。Aswepassedthehousespeepingoutfromthegrovesthroughwhichourroutelay，Inoticedthattheywereentirelydesertedbytheirinhabitants。
　　Whenwereachedtherockthatabruptlyterminatedthepath，andconcealedfromusthefestivescene，wildshoutsandaconfusedblendingofvoicesassuredmethattheoccasion，whateveritmightbe，haddrawntogetheragreatmultitude。Kory-Kory，previoustomountingtheelevation，pausedforamoment，likeadandyataball-roomdoor，toputahastyfinishtohistoilet。Duringthisshortinterval，thethoughtstruckmethatIoughtmyselfperhapstobetakingsomelittlepainswithmyappearance。ButasIhadnoholidayraiment，Iwasnotalittlepuzzledtodevisesomemeansofdecoratingmyself。However，asIfeltdesiroustocreateasensation，I
　　determinedtodoallthatlayinmypower；andknowingthatIcouldnotdelightthesavagesmorethanbyconformingtotheirstyleofdress，IremovedfrommypersonthelargerobeoftappawhichIwasaccustomedtowearovermyshoulderswheneverIsalliedintotheopenair，andremainedmerelygirtaboutwithashorttunicdescendingfrommywaisttomyknees。
　　Myquick-wittedattendantfullyappreciatedthecomplimentIwaspayingtothecostumeofhisrace，andbeganmoresedulouslytoarrangethefoldsoftheoneonlygarmentwhichremainedtome。Whilsthewasdoingthis，Icaughtsightofaknotofyounggirls，whoweresittingnearusonthegrasssurroundedbyheapsofflowers，whichtheywereformingintogarlands。Imotionedtothemtobringsomeoftheirhandy-worktome；andinaninstantadozenwreathswereatmydisposal。OneofthemIputroundtheapologyforahatwhichIhadbeenforcedtoconstructformyselfoutofpalmetto-leaves，andsomeoftheothersIconvertedintoasplendidgirdle。Theseoperationsfinished，withaslowanddignifiedstepofafull-dressedbeauascendedtherock。