Typee by Herman Melville

My narration of Herman Melville’s first novel, Typee, is available free through Librivox.

Typee is Herman Melville’s first book, recounting his escape from his own ship in the Marquesas Islands in 1842, and becoming a captive of a cannibal island tribe. It was an immediate success in America and England, and was Melville’s most popular work during his lifetime. It was not until the end of the 1930’s that it was surpassed in popularity by Moby Dick, more than thirty years after his death.

Illustrations are by Miguel Covarrubias, from Typee: a romance of the South seas. New York: Limited Editions Club, 1935. Source: https://book-graphics.blogspot.com/2014/05/typee.html

The text below links directly to chapter audio files.

1. The Sea – longings for shore – a land-sick ship – destination of the voyagers – the Marquesas – adventure of a missionary’s wife among the savages – characteristic anecdote of the Queen of Nukuheva

2. Passage from the cruising ground to the Marquesas – sleepy times aboard ship – South Sea scenery – land ho – the French squadron discovered at anchor in the bay of Nukuheva – strange pilot – escort of canoes – a flotilla of coconuts – swimming visitors – the Dolly boarded by them – state of affairs that ensue

3. Some account of the late operations of the French at the Marquesas – prudent conduct of the admiral – sensation produced by the arrival of the strangers – the first horse seen by the islanders – reflections – miserable subterfuge of the French – digression concerning Tahiti – seizure of the island by the admiral – spirited conduct of an English lady

4. State of affairs aboard the ship – contents of her larder – length of South Seamen’s voyages – account of a flying whale-man – determination to leave the vessel – the bay of Nukuheva – the Typees – invasion of their valley by Porter – reflections – glen of Tior – interview between the old king and the French admiral

5. Thoughts previous to attempting an escape – Toby, a fellow sailor, agrees to share the adventure – last night aboard the ship

6. A specimen of nautical oratory – criticisms of the sailors – the starboard watch are given a holiday – the escape to the mountains

7. The other side of the mountain – disappointment – inventory of articles brought from the ship – division of the stock of bread – appearance of the interior of the island – a discovery – a ravine and waterfalls – a sleepless night – further discoveries – my illness – a Marquesan landscape

8. The important question, Typee or Happar? – a wild goose chase – my sufferings – disheartening situation – a night in a ravine – morning meal – happy idea of Toby – journey towards the valley

9. Perilous passage of the ravine – descent into the valley

10. The head of the valley – cautious advance – a path – fruit – discovery of two of the natives – their singular conduct – approach towards the inhabited parts of the vale – sensation produced by our appearance – reception at the house of one of the natives

11. Midnight reflections – morning visitors – a warrior in costume – a savage Aesculapius – practice of the healing art – body servant – a dwelling-house of the valley described – portraits of its inmates

12. Officiousness of Kory-Kory – his devotion – a bath in the stream – want of refinement of the Typee damsels – stroll with Mehevi – a Typee highway – the taboo groves – the hoolah hoolah ground – the ti – timeworn savages – hospitality of Mehevi – midnight musings – adventures in the dark – distinguished honours paid to the visitors – strange procession and return to the house of Marheyo

13. Attempt to procure relief from Nukuheva – perilous adventure of Toby in the Happar mountains – eloquence of Kory-Kory

14. A great event happens in the valley – the island telegraph – something befalls Toby – Fayaway displays a tender heart – melancholy reflections – mysterious conduct of the islanders – devotion of Kory-Kory – a rural couch – a luxury – Kory-Kory strikes a light a la Typee

15. Kindness of Marheyo and the rest of the islanders – a full description of the bread-fruit tree – different modes of preparing the fruit

16. Melancholy condition – occurrence at the ti – anecdote of Marheyo – shaving the head of a warrior

17. Improvement in health and spirits – felicity of the Typees – their enjoyments compared with those of more enlightened communities – comparative wickedness of civilized and unenlightened people – a skirmish in the mountain with the warriors of Happar

18. Swimming in company with the girls of the valley – a canoe – effects of the taboo – a pleasure excursion on the pond – beautiful freak of Fayaway – mantua-making – a stranger arrives in the valley – his mysterious conduct – native oratory – the interview – its results – departure of the stranger

19. Reflections after Marnoo’s departure – battle of the pop-guns – strange conceit of Marheyo – process of making tappa

20. History of a day as usually spent in the Typee valley – dances of the Marquesan girls

21. The spring of Arva Wai – remarkable monumental remains – some ideas with regard to the history of the pi-pis found in the valley

22. Preparations for a grand festival in the valley – strange doings in the taboo groves – monument of calabashes – gala costume of the Typee damsels – departure for the festival

23. The feast of calabashes

24. Ideas suggested by the feast of calabashes – inaccuracy of certain published accounts of the islands – a reason – neglected state of heathenism in the valley – effigy of a dead warrior – a singular superstition – the priest Kolory and the god Moa Artua – amazing religious observance – a dilapidated shrine – Kory-Kory and the idol – an inference

25. General information gathered at the festival – personal beauty of the Typees – their superiority over the inhabitants of the other islands – diversity of complexion – a vegetable cosmetic and ointment – testimony of voyagers to the uncommon beauty of the Marquesans – few evidences of intercourse with civilized beings – dilapidated musket – primitive simplicity of government – regal dignity of Mehevi

26. King Mehevi – allusion to his Hawiian majesty – conduct of Marheyo and Mehevi in certain delicate matters – peculiar system of marriage – number of population – uniformity – embalming – places of sepulture – funeral obsequies at Nukuheva – number of inhabitants in Typee – location of the dwellings – happiness enjoyed in the valley – a warning – some ideas with regard to the civilization of the islands – reference to the present state of the Hawiians – story of a missionary’s wife – fashionable equipages at Oahu – reflections

27. The social condition and general character of the Typees

28. Fishing parties – mode of distributing the fish – midnight banquet – timekeeping tapers – unceremonious style of eating the fish

29. Natural history of the valley – golden lizards – tameness of the birds – mosquitoes – flies – dogs – a solitary cat – the climate – the coconut tree – singular modes of climbing it – an agile young chief – fearlessness of the children – Too-Too and the coconut tree – the birds of the valley

30. A professor of the fine arts – his persecutions – something about tattooing and tabooing – two anecdotes in illustration of the latter – a few thoughts on the Typee dialect

31. Strange custom of the islanders – their chanting, and the peculiarity of their voice – rapture of the King at first hearing a song – a new dignity conferred on the author – musical instruments in the valley – admiration of the savages at beholding a pugilistic performance – swimming infant – beautiful tresses of the girls – ointment for the hair

32. Apprehensions of evil – frightful discovery – some remarks on cannibalism – second battle with the Happars – savage spectacle – mysterious feast – subsequent disclosures

33. The stranger again arrives in the valley – singular interview with him – attempt to escape – failure – melancholy situation – sympathy of Marheyo

34. The escape

35. Provisional cession to Lord George Paulet of the Sandwich Islands

36. The story of Toby