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This etext was prepared by Dianne Bean, Phoenix, AZ.

Typee: A Romance of the South Seas
By Herman Melville

PREFACE

MORE than three years have elapsed since the occurrence of the events
recorded in this volume. The interval, with the exception of the last few
months, has been chiefly spent by the author tossing about on the wide
ocean. Sailors are the only class of men who now-a-days see anything
like stirring adventure; and many things which to fire-side people
appear strange and romantic, to them seem as common-place as a
jacket out at elbows. Yet, notwithstanding the familiarity of sailors with
all sorts of curious adventure, the incidents recorded in the following
pages have often served, when 'spun as a yarn,' not only to relieve the
weariness of many a night-watch at sea, but to excite the warmest
sympathies of the author's shipmates. He has been, therefore, led to
think that his story could scarcely fail to interest those who are less
familiar than the sailor with a life of adventure.
In his account of the singular and interesting people among whom he
was thrown, it will be observed that he chiefly treats of their more
obvious peculiarities; and, in describing their customs, refrains in most
cases from entering into explanations concerning their origin and
purposes. As writers of travels among barbarous communities are
generally very diffuse on these subjects, he deems it right to advert to
what may be considered a culpable omission. No one can be more
sensible than the author of his deficiencies in this and many other
respects; but when the very peculiar circumstances in which he was
placed are understood, he feels assured that all these omissions will be
excused.
In very many published narratives no little degree of attention is
bestowed upon dates; but as the author lost all knowledge of the days
of the week, during the occurrence of the scenes herein related, he
hopes that the reader will charitably pass over his shortcomings in this
particular.
In the Polynesian words used in this volume,--except in those cases
where the spelling has been previously determined by others,--that
form of orthography has been employed, which might be supposed
most easily to convey their sound to a stranger. In several works
descriptive of the islands in the Pacific, many of the most beautiful

combinations of vocal sounds have been altogether lost to the ear of the
reader by an over-attention to the ordinary rules of spelling.
There are a few passages in the ensuing chapters which may be thought
to bear rather bard upon a reverend order of men, the account of whose
proceedings in different quarters of the globe-- transmitted to us
through their own hands--very generally, and often very deservedly,
receives high commendation. Such passages will be found, however, to
be based upon facts admitting of no contradiction, and which have
come immediately under the writer's cognizance. The conclusions
deduced from these facts are unavoidable, and in stating them the
author has been influenced by no feeling of animosity, either to the
individuals themselves, or to that glorious cause which has not always
been served by the proceedings of some of its advocates.
The great interest with which the important events lately occurring at
the Sandwich, Marquesas, and Society Islands, have been regarded in
America and England, and indeed throughout the world, will, he trusts,
justify a few otherwise unwarrantable digressions.
There are some things related in the narrative which will be sure to
appear strange, or perhaps entirely incomprehensible, to the reader; but
they cannot appear more so to him than they did to the author at the
time. He has stated such matters just as they occurred, and leaves every
one to form his own opinion concerning them; trusting that his anxious
desire to