, the next
becomes ignited, and the ashes of the former are knocked into a cocoa-nut shell
kept for the purpose. This primitive candle requires continual attention, and
must be constantly held in the hand. The person so employed marks the lapse of
time by the number of nuts consumed, which is easily learned by counting the
bits of tappa distributed at regular intervals along the string.
    I grieve to state so distressing a fact, but the inhabitants of Typee were
in the habit of devouring fish much in the same way that a civilised being would
eat a radish, and without any more previous preparation. They eat it raw;
scales, bones, gills, and all the inside. The fish is held by the tail, and the
head being introduced into the mouth, the animal disappears with a rapidity that
would at first nearly lead one to imagine it had been launched bodily down the
throat.
    Raw fish! Shall I ever forget my sensations when I first saw my island
beauty devour one? Oh, heavens! Fayaway, how could you ever have contracted so
vile a habit? However, after the first shock had subsided, the custom grew less
odious in my eyes, and I soon accustomed myself to the sight. Let no one
imagine, however, that the lovely Fayaway was in the habit of swallowing great
vulgar-looking fishes: oh, no; with her beautiful small hand she would clasp a
delicate, little, golden-hued love of a fish, and eat it as elegantly and as
innocently as though it were a Naples biscuit. But, alas! it was after all a raw
fish; and all I can say is, that Fayaway ate it in a more ladylike manner than
any other girl of the valley.
    When at Rome do as the Romans do, I held to be so good a proverb, that being
in Typee, I made a point of doing as the Typees did. Thus I ate poee-poee as
they did; I walked about in a garb striking for its simplicity; and I reposed on
a community of couches; besides doing many other things in conformity with their
peculiar habits; but the farthest I ever went in the way of conformity, was on
several occasions to regale myself with raw fish. These being remarkably tender,
and quite small, the undertaking was not so disagreeable in the main, and after
a few trials I positively began to relish them: however, I subjected them to a
slight operation with my knife previously to making my repast.
 

                                  Chapter XXIX

    Natural History of the Valley - Golden Lizards - Tameness of the Birds
