Chapter Twenty-three

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

THE FEAST OF CALABASHES

THE whole population of the valley seemed to be gathered within
the precincts of the grove. In the distance could be seen the
long front of the Ti, its immense piazza swarming with men,
arrayed in every variety of fantastic costume, and all
vociferating with animated gestures; while the whole interval
between it and the place where I stood was enlivened by groups of
females fancifully decorated, dancing, capering, and uttering
wild exclamations. As soon as they descried me they set up a
shout of welcome; and a band of them came dancing towards me,
chanting as they approached some wild recitative. The change in
my garb seemed to transport them with delight, and clustering
about me on all sides, they accompanied me towards the Ti. When
however we drew near it these joyous nymphs paused in their
career, and parting on either side, permitted me to pass on to
the now densely thronged building.

So soon as I mounted to the pi-pi I saw at a glance that the
revels were fairly under way.

What lavish plenty reigned around?--Warwick feasting his
retainers with beef and ale, was a niggard to the noble
Mehevi!--All along the piazza of the Ti were arranged elaborately
carved canoe-shaped vessels, some twenty feet in length, tied
with newly made poee-poee, and sheltered from the sun by the
broad leaves of the banana. At intervals were heaps of green
bread-fruit, raised in pyramidical stacks, resembling the regular
piles of heavy shot to be seen in the yard of an arsenal.
Inserted into the interstices of the huge stones which formed the
pi-pi were large boughs of trees; hanging from the branches of
which, and screened from the sun by their foliage, were
innumerable little packages with leafy coverings, containing the
meat of the numerous hogs which had been slain, done up in this
manner to make it more accessible to the crowd. Leaning against
the railing on the piazza were an immense number of long, heavy
bamboos, plugged at the lower end, and with their projecting
muzzles stuffed with a wad of leaves. These were filled with
water from the stream, and each of them might hold from four to
five gallons.

The banquet being thus spread, naught remained but for everyone
to help himself at his pleasure. Accordingly not a moment passed
but the transplanted boughs I have mentioned were rifled by the
throng of the fruit they certainly had never borne before.
Calabashes of poee-poee were continually being replenished from
the extensive receptacle in which that article was stored, and
multitudes of little fires were kindled about the Ti for the
purpose of roasting the bread-fruit.

Within the building itself was presented a most