Melville Herman. Typee

Webster’s Thesaurus Edition for PSAT, SAT, GRE, LSAT, GMAT, and AP English Test Preparation.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