The Works of Edgar Allan Poe — Volume 3Poe, Edgar Allan
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The Works of Edgar Allan Poe — Volume 3
Poe, Edgar Allan
American fiction -- 19th century; Fantasy fiction; Horror tales, American
To this hut we were conducted with great solemnity, and as many
of the natives crowded in after us as possible. Too-wit seated
himself on the leaves, and made signs that we should follow his
example. This we did, and presently found ourselves in a
situation peculiarly uncomfortable, if not indeed critical. We
were on the ground, twelve in number, with the savages, as many
as forty, sitting on their hams so closely around us that, if any
disturbance had arisen, we should have found it impossible to
make use of our arms, or indeed to have risen to our feet. The
pressure was not only inside the tent, but outside, where
probably was every individual on the whole island, the crowd
being prevented from trampling us to death only by the incessant
exertions and vociferations of Too-wit. Our chief security lay,
however, in the presence of Too-wit himself among us, and we
resolved to stick by him closely, as the best chance of
extricating ourselves from the dilemma, sacrificing him
immediately upon the first appearance of hostile design.
After some trouble a certain degree of quiet was restored, when
the chief addressed us in a speech of great length, and very
nearly resembling the one delivered in the canoes, with the
exception that the Anamoo-moos! were now somewhat more
strenuously insisted upon than the Lama-Lamas! We listened in
profound silence until the conclusion of this harangue, when
Captain Guy replied by assuring the chief of his eternal
friendship and goodwill, concluding what he had to say by a
present of several strings of blue beads and a knife. At the
former the monarch, much to our surprise, turned up his nose with
some expression of contempt, but the knife gave him the most
unlimited satisfaction, and he immediately ordered dinner. This
was handed into the tent over the heads of the attendants, and
consisted of the palpitating entrails of a specialis of unknown
animal, probably one of the slim-legged hogs which we had
observed in our approach to the village. Seeing us at a loss how
to proceed, he began, by way of setting us an example, to devour
yard after yard of the enticing food, until we could positively
stand it no longer, and evinced such manifest symptoms of
rebellion of stomach as inspired his majesty with a degree of
astonishment only inferior to that brought about by the
looking-glasses. We declined, however, partaking of the
delicacies before us, and endeavoured to make him understand that
we had no appetite whatever, having just finished a hearty
dejeuner.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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