My companion listened to me in silence, and at first did not
appear to relish the idea. The truth was, he felt impatient to
escape from the place, and wished to avail himself of our present
high favour with the natives to make good our retreat, before we
should experience some sudden alteration in their behaviour. As
he could not think of leaving me in my helpless condition, he
implored me to be of good cheer; assured me that I should soon be
better, and enabled in a few days to return with him to Nukuheva.

Added to this, he could not bear the idea of again returning to
this dangerous place; and as for the expectation of persuading
the Frenchmen to detach a boat's crew for the purpose of rescuing
me from the Typees, he looked upon it as idle; and with arguments
that I could not answer, urged the improbability of their
provoking the hostilities of the clan by any such measure;
especially, as for the purpose of quieting its apprehensions,
they had as yet refrained from making any visit to the bay. 'And
even should they consent,' said Toby, 'they would only produce a
commotion in the valley, in which we might both be sacrificed by
these ferocious islanders.' This was unanswerable; but still I
clung to the belief that he might succeed in accomplishing the
other part of my plan; and at last I overcame his scruples, and
he agreed to make the attempt.

As soon as we succeeded in making the natives understand our
intention, they broke out into the most vehement opposition to
the measure, and for a while I almost despaired of obtaining
their consent. At the bare thought of one of us leaving them,
they manifested the most lively concern. The grief and