Chapter Twenty-nine - Page 2

species of lizard. It measured perhaps five inches
from head to tail, and was most gracefully proportioned. Numbers
of those creatures were to be seen basking in the sunshine upon
the thatching of the houses, and multitudes at all hours of the
day showed their glittering sides as they ran frolicking between
the spears of grass or raced in troops up and down the tall
shafts of the cocoanut trees. But the remarkable beauty of these
little animals and their lively ways were not their only claims
upon my admiration. They were perfectly tame and insensible to
fear. Frequently, after seating myself upon the ground in some
shady place during the heat of the day, I would be completely
overrun with them. If I brushed one off my arm, it would leap
perhaps into my hair: when I tried to frighten it away by gently
pinching its leg, it would turn for protection to the very hand
that attacked it.

The birds are also remarkably tame. If you happened to see one
perched upon a branch within reach of your arm, and advanced
towards it, it did not fly away immediately, but waited quietly
looking at you, until you could almost touch it, and then took
wing slowly, less alarmed at your presence, it would seem, than
desirous of removing itself from your path. Had salt been less
scarce in the valley than it was, this was the very place to have
gone birding with it. I remember that once, on an uninhabited
island of the Gallipagos, a bird alighted on my outstretched arm,
while its mate chirped from an adjoining tree. Its tameness, far
from shocking me, as a similar occurrence did Selkirk, imparted
to me the most exquisite thrill of delight I ever experienced,
and with somewhat of the same pleasure did I afterwards 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