answered 'Typee'. The piece of dusky statuary nodded in
approval, and then murmured 'Motarkee!' 'Motarkee,' said I,
without further hesitation 'Typee motarkee.'

What a transition! The dark figures around us leaped to their
feet, clapped their hands in transport, and shouted again and
again the talismanic syllables, the utterance of which appeared
to have settled everything.

When this commotion had a little subsided, the principal chief
squatted once more before me, and throwing himself into a sudden
rage, poured forth a string of philippics, which I was at no loss
to understand, from the frequent recurrence of the word Happar,
as being directed against the natives of the adjoining valley.
In all these denunciations my companion and I acquiesced, while
we extolled the character of the warlike Typees. To be sure our
panegyrics were somewhat laconic, consisting in the repetition of
that name, united with the potent adjective 'motarkee'. But this
was sufficient, and served to conciliate the good will of the
natives, with whom our congeniality of sentiment on this point
did more towards inspiring a friendly feeling than anything else
that could have happened.

At last the wrath of the chief evaporated, and in a few moments
he was as placid as ever. Laying his hand upon his breast, he
gave me to understand that his name was 'Mehevi', and that, in
return, he wished me to communicate my appellation. I hesitated
for an instant, thinking that it might be difficult for him to
pronounce my real name, and then with the most praiseworthy
intentions intimated that I was known as 'Tom'. But I could not