rds
behold the birds and lizards of the valley show their confidence in the
kindliness of man.

Among the numerous afflictions which the Europeans have entailed upon some
of the natives of the South Seas, is the accidental introduction among
them of that enemy of all repose and ruffler of even tempers--the mosquito.
At the Sandwich Islands, and at two or three of the Society group, there
are now thriving colonies of these insects, who promise ere long to
supplant altogether the aboriginal sand-flies. They sting, buzz, and
torment, from one end of the year to the other, and by incessantly
exasperating the natives, materially obstruct the benevolent labours of
the missionaries.

From this grievous visitation, however, the Typees are as yet wholly
exempt; but its place is unfortunately in some degree supplied by the
occasional presence of a minute species of fly, which, without stinging,
is nevertheless productive of no little annoyance. The tameness of the
birds and lizards is as nothing when compared to the fearless confidence
of this insect. He will perch upon one of your eye-lashes, and go to roost
there, if you do not disturb him, or force his way through your hair, or
along the cavity of the nostril, till you almost fancy he is resolved to
explore the very brain itself. On one occasion I was so inconsiderate as
to yawn while a number of them were hovering around me. I never repeated
the act. Some half-dozen darted into the open compartment, and began
walking about its ceiling; the sensation was dreadful. I involuntarily
closed my mouth, and the poor creatures, being enveloped in inner
darkness, must in their consternation have stumbled over my palate, and
been precipitated into the gulf beneath. At any rate, though I afterwards
charitably held my mouth open for at least five minutes, with a view of
affording egress to the stragglers, none of them ever availed themselves
of the opportunity.

There are no wild animals of any kind on the island, unless it be decided
that the natives themselves are such. The mountains and the interior
present to the eye nothing but silent solitudes, unbroken by the roar of
beasts of prey, and enlivened by few tokens even of minute animated
existence. There are no venomous reptiles, and no snakes of any
description to be found in any of the valleys.

In a company of Marquesan natives the weather affords no topic of
conversation. It can hardly be said to have any vicissitudes. The rain