Typee Chapter 31 Summary

  • Tommo knows he's been going on and on, but he wants just a bit more time to talk about the customs of the Typee.
  • At Marheyo's, for instance, the whole household gathers to chant before bed, drumming with sticks.
  • While the women are melodic, the men are more guttural.
  • One night, Tommo sings an old folk song at the Ti, and Mehevi and the others are astounded by his voice, which is notable for its melody by Typee standards.
  • After this, Mehevi often calls upon Tommo to sing, and also to shadow box with an invisible opponent, for his own delight.
  • Walking by the lake one day, Tommo sees a mother dipping her infant into a stream, acclimating it to the water, teaching it to swim over several weeks.
  • Tommo then goes on to talk about how Typee gals do their hair.