



Produced by Dianne Bean





TYPEE

A ROMANCE OF THE SOUTH SEAS


By Herman Melville




PREFACE

MORE than three years have elapsed since the occurrence of the events
recorded in this volume. The interval, with the exception of the last
few months, has been chiefly spent by the author tossing about on
the wide ocean. Sailors are the only class of men who now-a-days see
anything like stirring adventure; and many things which to fire-side
people appear strange and romantic, to them seem as common-place as a
jacket out at elbows. Yet, notwithstanding the familiarity of sailors
with all sorts of curious adventure, the incidents recorded in the
following pages have often served, when'spun as a yarn,' not only to
relieve the weariness of many a night-watch at sea, but to excite the
warmest sympathies of the author's shipmates. He has been, therefore,
led to think that his story could scarcely fail to interest those who
are less familiar than the sailor with a life of adventure.

In his account of the singular and interesting people among whom he was
thrown, it will be observed that he chiefly treats of their more obvious
peculiarities; and, in describing their customs, refrains in most cases
from entering into explanations concerning their origin and purposes.
As writers of travels among barbarous communities are generally very
diffuse on these subjects, he deems it right to advert to what may be
considered a culpable omission. No one can be more sensible than the
author of his deficiencies in this and many other respects; but when the
very peculiar circumstances in which he was placed are understood, he
feels assured that all these omissions will be excused.

In very many published narratives no little degree of attention is
bestowed upon dates; but as the author lost all knowledge of the days of
the week, during the occurrence of the scenes herein related, he hopes
that the reader will charitably pass over his shortcomings in this
particular.

In the Polynesian words used in this volume,--except in those cases
where the spelling has been previously determined by others,--that form
of orthography has been employed, which might be supposed most easily
to convey their sound to a stranger. In several works descriptive of the
islands in the Pacific, many of the most beautiful combinations of
vocal sounds have been altogether lost to the ear of the reader by an
over-attention to the ordinary rules of spelling.

There are a few passages in the ensuing chapters which may be thought
to bear rather hard upon a reverend order of men, the account of whose
proceedings in different quarters of the globe--transmitted to us
through their own hands--very generally, and often very deservedly,
receives high commendation. Such passages will be found, however, to
be based upon facts admitting of no contradiction, and which have come
immediately under the writer's cognizance. The conclusions deduced from
these facts are unavoidable, and in stating them the author has been
influenced by no feeling of animosity, either to the individuals
themselves, or to that glorious cause which has not always been served
by the proceedings of some of its advocates.

The great interest with which the important events lately occurring
at the Sandwich, Marquesas, and Society Islands, have been regarded in
America and England, and indeed throughout the world, will, he trusts,
justify a few otherwise unwarrantable digressions.

There are some things related in the narrative which will be sure to
appear strange, or perhaps entirely incomprehensible, to the reader;
but they cannot appear more so to him than they did to the author at the
time. He has stated such matters just as they occurred, and leaves every
one to form his own opinion concerning them; trusting that his anxious
desire to speak the unvarnished truth will gain for him the confidence
of his readers. 1846.




INTRODUCTION TO THE EDITION OF 1892

By Arthur Stedman

OF the trinity of American authors whose births made the year 1819 a
notable one in our literary history,--Lowell, Whitman, and Melville,--it
is interesting to observe that the two latter were both descended, on
the fathers' and mothers' sides respectively, from have