{"id":"01KG8AJMW666G10N6KKDYV2ARG","cid":"bafkreig32lmdxdq6u2sis5agqaauomdlpm5lddzi3coc5wgu3delty4aou","type":"chapter","properties":{"description":"# CHAPTER LXIV. MYSTERIOUS\n\n## Overview\n\"CHAPTER LXIV. MYSTERIOUS\" is a chapter from the novel [Omoo: Adventures in the South Seas](arke:01KG8AJ7VM7B8YZ2568YF8PQ5J). It spans lines 8747 to 8815 of its source text, [omoo.txt](arke:01KG89J1H7Y803CZ7X80F0QFHZ).\n\n## Context\nThis chapter is part of [Omoo: Adventures in the South Seas](arke:01KG8AJ7VM7B8YZ2568YF8PQ5J), a novel by Herman Melville, which is included in the larger [Melville Complete Works](arke:01KG89HMDZKNY753EZE1CJ8HZW) collection. It follows [CHAPTER LXII. TAMAI](arke:01KG8AJMW653738A199PG39GTQ) and precedes [CHAPTER LXV. THE HEGIRA, OR FLIGHT](arke:01KG8AJMW29HSTF991W8C0ZGZQ) within the novel's sequence. The text was extracted from the digital file [omoo.txt](arke:01KG89J1H7Y803CZ7X80F0QFHZ).\n\n## Contents\nThe chapter details the narrator's persistent encounters with a \"hideous\" old man in the village of Tamai. This man, described as dancing, singing, and making faces, repeatedly tries to lure the narrator and his companion away. Despite attempts to deter him, the old man persists. The narrator eventually follows him to a wretched hut, where the old man attempts to sell a musty pair of sailor trousers from a calabash. The narrator flees, resolving not to disclose the \"inglorious adventure,\" but notes that the old man subsequently ceased to trouble him, instead haunting his companion, the doctor.","description_generated_at":"2026-01-30T20:49:11.356Z","description_model":"gemini-2.5-flash-lite","description_title":"CHAPTER LXIV. MYSTERIOUS","end_line":8815,"extracted_at":"2026-01-30T20:47:33.380Z","extracted_by":"structure-extraction-lambda","label":"CHAPTER LXIV. MYSTERIOUS","source_file":"01KG89J1H7Y803CZ7X80F0QFHZ","start_line":8747,"text":"CHAPTER LXIV.\r\nMYSTERIOUS\r\n\r\n\r\nThere was a little old man of a most hideous aspect living in Tamai,\r\nwho, in a coarse mantle of tappa, went about the village, dancing, and\r\nsinging, and making faces. He followed us about wherever we went; and,\r\nwhen unobserved by others, plucked at our garments, making frightful\r\nsigns for us to go along with him somewhere, and see something.\r\n\r\nIt was in vain that we tried to get rid of him. Kicks and cuffs, even,\r\nwere at last resorted to; but, though he howled like one possessed, he\r\nwould not go away, but still haunted us. At last, we conjured the\r\nnatives to rid us of him; but they only laughed; so we were forced to\r\nendure the dispensation as well as we could.\r\n\r\nOn the fourth night of our visit, returning home late from paying a few\r\ncalls through the village, we turned a dark corner of trees, and came\r\nfull upon our goblin friend: as usual, chattering, and motioning with\r\nhis hands. The doctor, venting a curse, hurried forward; but, from some\r\nimpulse or other, I stood my ground, resolved to find out what this\r\nunaccountable object wanted of us. Seeing me pause, he crept close up\r\nto me, peered into my face, and then retreated, beckoning me to follow;\r\nwhich I did.\r\n\r\nIn a few moments the village was behind us; and with my guide in\r\nadvance, I found myself in the shadow of the heights overlooking the\r\nfarther side of the valley. Here my guide paused until I came up with\r\nhim; when, side by side, and without speaking, we ascended the hill.\r\n\r\nPresently, we came to a wretched hut, barely distinguishable in the\r\nshade cast by the neighbouring trees. Pushing aside a rude sliding\r\ndoor, held together with thongs, the goblin signed me to enter. Within,\r\nit looked dark as pitch; so I gave him to understand that he must\r\nstrike a light, and go in before me. Without replying, he disappeared\r\nin the darkness; and, after groping about, I heard two sticks rubbing\r\ntogether, and directly saw a spark. A native taper was then lighted,\r\nand I stooped, and entered.\r\n\r\nIt was a mere kennel. Foul old mats, and broken cocoa-nut shells, and\r\ncalabashes were strewn about the floor of earth; and overhead I caught\r\nglimpses of the stars through chinks in the roof. Here and there the\r\nthatch had fallen through, and hung down in wisps.\r\n\r\nI now told him to set about what he was going to do, or produce\r\nwhatever he had to show without delay. Looking round fearfully, as if\r\ndreading a surprise, he commenced turning over and over the rubbish in\r\none corner. At last, he clutched a calabash, stained black, and with\r\nthe neck broken off; on one side of it was a large hole. Something\r\nseemed to be stuffed away in the vessel; and after a deal of poking at\r\nthe aperture, a musty old pair of sailor trousers was drawn forth; and,\r\nholding them up eagerly, he inquired how many pieces of tobacco I would\r\ngive for them.\r\n\r\nWithout replying, I hurried away; the old man chasing me, and shouting\r\nas I ran, until I gained the village. Here I dodged him, and made my\r\nway home, resolved never to disclose so inglorious an adventure.\r\n\r\nTo no purpose, the next morning, my comrade besought me to enlighten\r\nhim; I preserved a mysterious silence.\r\n\r\nThe occurrence served me a good turn, however, so long as we abode in\r\nTamai; for the old clothesman never afterwards troubled me; but forever\r\nhaunted the doctor, who, in vain, supplicated Heaven to be delivered\r\nfrom him.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r","title":"CHAPTER LXIV. MYSTERIOUS"},"relationships":[{"peer":"01KG8AJ7VM7B8YZ2568YF8PQ5J","peer_type":"novel","predicate":"in"},{"peer":"01KG89J1H7Y803CZ7X80F0QFHZ","peer_type":"file","predicate":"extractedFrom"},{"peer":"01KG89HMDZKNY753EZE1CJ8HZW","peer_type":"collection","predicate":"collection"},{"peer":"01KG8AJMW653738A199PG39GTQ","peer_type":"chapter","predicate":"prev"},{"peer":"01KG8AJMW29HSTF991W8C0ZGZQ","peer_type":"chapter","predicate":"next"}],"ver":3,"created_at":"2026-01-30T20:47:38.374Z","ts":"2026-01-30T20:49:12.267Z","edited_by":{"method":"manual","user_id":"01KFF5C36SQEVDHC9CBNZZJH9K"}}