The Art of R. Terry Malone

The Art of R. Terry Malone Fine Art Giclee Prints Depicting the Era of the 1700 and 1800s

Descent Into Typee

Original-Vinyls on Illustration Board
Printed on canvas

The Marquesan Islands were noted for their fierce warriors. Just the mention of Taipivai Warriors of Nuku Hiva struck unspeakable terror in the other islanders. "Taipi" in Marquesan means "lover of human flesh". Their reputation was so great that in 1820, the shipwrecked crew of the Essex sailed past the islands for fear of being eaten alive, only to find themselves three weeks later cannibalizing each other.

On June 23, 1842, Herman Melville, a crew member of the Acushnet, anchored at Taiohae, a friendlier port. To the east is the village of Happaa (Happar) and further east is the village of Taipivai (taipi). After eighteen months at sea, Melville and his friend Tobias Green (Toby) had their fill of whaling and jumped ship. Their plan was to head east over the mountains into the friendly village of Happar, which was still far enough away from the cannibals of Taipi to be safe. During their trek over the mountains, they got lost and disoriented. With endless mountain ranges in front of them, the question "became Happar or Taipi"? Which one would they descend into?

But the story behind my painting is not about their unknown destination, it is about their journey and struggle between the good and evil of their surroundings. How could something so breathtakingly beautiful be so dangerous as to offer only death upon their traversing. Hopefully, my depiction of Melville's experience will serve to compliment his words:

"As far as our vision extended, not a sign of life, nor anything that denoted even the transient residence of man, could be seen. The whole landscape seemed one unbroken solitude, the interior of the island having apparently been untenanted since the morning of the creation; and as we advanced through the wilderness, our voices sounded strangely in our ears, as though human accents had never before disturbed the fearful silence of the place, interrupted only by the low murmuring of distant waterfalls.

With an intensity to danger which I cannot call to mind without shuddering, we threw ourselves down the depths of the ravine, startling it's savage solitudes with the echoes produced by the falling fragments of rock we every moment dislodged from their places, careless of the insecurity of our footing, and reckless whether the slight roots and twigs we clutched at suspended us for a while, or treacherously yielded to our grasp. For my own part, I scarcely knew whether I was helplessly falling from the heights above, or whether the fearful rapidity with which I descended was an act of my own volition."