d,
in the tuft of a cocoa-nut tree, smoking; and often I saw him standing up
to the waist in water, engaged in plucking out the stray hairs of his
beard, using a piece of muscle-shell for tweezers.

The noontide slumber lasted generally an hour and a half, very often
longer; and after the sleepers had arisen from their mats they again had
recourse to their pipes, and then made preparations for the most important
meal of the day.

I, however, like those gentlemen of leisure who breakfast at home and dine
at their club, almost invariably, during my intervals of health, enjoyed
the afternoon repast with the bachelor chiefs of the Ti, who were always
rejoiced to see me, and lavishly spread before me all the good things
which their larder afforded. Mehevi generally produced, among other
dainties, a baked pig, an article which, I have every reason to suppose,
was provided for my sole gratification.

The Ti was a right jovial place. It did my heart, as well as my body, good
to visit it. Secure from female intrusion, there was no restraint upon the
hilarity of the warriors, who, like the gentlemen of Europe after the
cloth is drawn, and the ladies retire, freely indulged their mirth.

After spending a considerable portion of the afternoon at the Ti, I
usually found myself, as the cool of the evening came on, either sailing
on the little lake with Fayaway, or bathing in the waters of the stream
with a number of the savages, who, at this hour, always repaired thither.
As the shadows of night approached, Marheyo's household were once more
assembled under his roof; tapers were lit, long and curious chants were
raised, interminable stories were told (for which one present was little
the wiser), and all sorts of social festivities served to while away the
time.

The young girls very often danced by moonlight in front of their
dwellings. There are a great variety of these dances, in which, however, I
never saw the men take part. They all consist of active, romping,
mischievous evolutions, in which every limb is brought into requisition.
Indeed, the Marquesan girls dance all over, as it were; not only do their
feet dance, but their arms, hands, fingers, ay, their very eyes seem to
dance in their heads.

The damsels wear nothing but flowers and their compendious gala tunics;
and when they plume themselves for the dance, one would almost think that
they were about to take wing.

Unless some particular festivity was going forward,