ThiswasanoperationIhadfrequentlywitnessed，andhadhandledthebarkinallthevariousstagesofitspreparation。Onthepresentoccasionthefemaleswereintentupontheiroccupation，andafterlookingupandtalkinggailytomeforafewmoments，theyresumedtheiremployment。Iregardedthemforawhileinsilence，andthen，carelesslypickingupahandfulofthematerialthatlayaround，proceededunconsciouslytopickitapart。Whilethusengaged，Iwassuddenlystartledbyascream，likethatofawholeboarding-schoolofyoungladiesjustonthepointofgoingintohysterics。LeapingupwiththeideaofseeingascoreofHapparwarriorsabouttoperformanewtheSabineatrocity，Ifoundmyselfconfrontedbythecompanyofgirls，who，havingdroppedtheirwork，stoodbeforemewithstartingeyes，swellingbosoms，andfingerspointedinhorrortowardsme。
ThinkingthatsomevenomousreptilemustbeconcealedinthebarkwhichIheldinmyhand，Ibegancautiouslytoseparateandexamineit。WhilstIdidsothehorrifiedgirlsredoubledtheirshrieks。Theirwildcriesandfrightenedmotionsactuallyalarmedme，andthrowingdownthetappa，Iwasabouttorushfromthehouse，wheninthesameinstanttheirclamoursceased，andoneofthem，seizingmebythearm，pointedtothebrokenfibresthathadjustfallenfrommygrasp，andscreamedinmyearsthefatalword“Taboo！“
Isubsequentlyfoundoutthatthefabrictheywereengagedinmakingwasofapeculiarkind，destinedtobewornontheheadsofthefemales，andthrougheverystageofitsmanufacturewasguardedbyavigoroustaboo，whichinterdictedthewholemasculinegenderfromevensomuchastouchingit。
FrequentlyinwalkingthroughthegrovesIobservedbread-fruitandcocoa-nuttrees，withawreathofleavestwinedinapeculiarfashionabouttheirtrunks。Thiswasthemarkofthetaboo。Thetreesthemselves，theirfruit，andeventheshadowstheycastupontheground，wereconsecratedbyitspresence。Inthesamewayapipe，whichthekinghadbestoweduponme，wasrenderedsacredintheeyesofthenatives，noneofwhomcouldIeverprevailupontosmokefromit。Thebowlwasencircledbyawovenbandofgrass，somewhatresemblingthoseTurks’headsoccasionallyworkedinthehandlesofourwhip-stalks。
AsimilarbadgewasoncebraidedaboutmywristbytheroyalhandofMehevihimself，who，assoonashehadconcludedtheoperation，pronouncedme“Taboo。“ThisoccurredshortlyafterToby’sdisappearance；andwereitnotthatfromthefirstmomentIhadenteredthevalleythenativeshadtreatedmewithuniformkindness，I