{"id":"01KG8AKKWWY6SFYTY50FMEZEEK","cid":"bafkreiaakgr2a4zjpup2rbmeml6rkl4gfu4w364fo6sqncpuzs6g2sw5ji","type":"chunk","properties":{"end_line":514,"extracted_at":"2026-01-30T20:48:09.927Z","extracted_by":"structure-extraction-lambda","label":"Chunk 1","source_file":"01KG89J1954N2G0NAERBNJXEX9","start_line":442,"text":"CHAPTER IV.\r\nHivohitee MDCCCXLVIII\r\n\r\n\r\nNow, those doleful woodlands passed, straightway converse was renewed,\r\nand much discourse took place, concerning Hivohitee, Pontiff of the\r\nisle.\r\n\r\nFor, during our first friendly conversation with Pani, Media had\r\ninquired for Hivohitee, and sought to know in what part of the island\r\nhe abode.\r\n\r\nWhereto Pani had replied, that the Pontiff would be invisible for\r\nseveral days to come; being engaged with particular company.\r\n\r\nAnd upon further inquiry, as to who were the personages monopolizing\r\nhis hospitalities, Media was dumb when informed, that they were no\r\nother than certain incorporeal deities from above, passing the\r\nCapricorn Solstice at Maramma.\r\n\r\nAs on we journeyed, much curiosity being expressed to know more of the\r\nPontiff and his guests, old Mohi, familiar with these things, was\r\ncommanded to enlighten the company. He complied; and his recital was\r\nnot a little significant, of the occasional credulity of chroniclers.\r\n\r\nAccording to his statement, the deities entertained by Hivohitee\r\nbelonged to the third class of immortals. These, however, were far\r\nelevated above the corporeal demi-gods of Mardi. Indeed, in Hivohitee’s\r\neyes, the greatest demi-gods were as gourds. Little wonder, then, that\r\ntheir superiors were accounted the most genteel characters on his\r\nvisiting list.\r\n\r\nThese immortals were wonderfully fastidious and dainty as to the\r\natmosphere they breathed; inhaling no sublunary air, but that of the\r\nelevated interior; where the Pontiff had a rural lodge, for the special\r\naccommodation of impalpable guests; who were entertained at very small\r\ncost; dinners being unnecessary, and dormitories superfluous.\r\n\r\nBut Hivohitee permitted not the presence of these celestial grandees,\r\nto interfere with his own solid comfort. Passing his mornings in highly\r\nintensified chat, he thrice reclined at his ease; partaking of a fine\r\nplantain-pudding, and pouring out from a calabash of celestial old\r\nwine; meanwhile, carrying on the flow of soul with his guests. And\r\ntruly, the sight of their entertainer thus enjoying himself in the\r\nflesh, while they themselves starved on the ether, must have been\r\nexceedingly provoking to these aristocratic and aerial strangers.\r\n\r\nIt was reported, furthermore, that Hivohitee, one of the haughtiest of\r\nPontiffs, purposely treated his angelical guests thus cavalierly; in\r\norder to convince them, that though a denizen of earth; a sublunarian;\r\nand in respect of heaven, a mere provincial; he (Hivohitee) accounted\r\nhimself full as good as seraphim from the capital; and that too at the\r\nCapricorn Solstice, or any other time of the year. Strongly bent was\r\nHivohitee upon humbling their supercilious pretensions.\r\n\r\nBesides, was he not accounted a great god in the land? supreme? having\r\npower of life and death? essaying the deposition of kings? and dwelling\r\nin moody state, all by himself, in the goodliest island of Mardi?\r\nThough here, be it said, that his assumptions of temporal supremacy\r\nwere but seldom made good by express interference with the secular\r\nconcerns of the neighboring monarchs; who, by force of arms, were too\r\napt to argue against his claims to authority; however, in theory, they\r\nbowed to it. And now, for the genealogy of Hivohitee; for eighteen\r\nhundred and forty-seven Hivohitees were alleged to have gone before\r\nhim. He came in a right line from the divine Hivohitee I.: the original\r\ngrantee of the empire of men’s souls and the first swayer of a crosier.\r\nThe present Pontiff’s descent was unquestionable; his dignity having\r\nbeen transmitted through none but heirs male; the whole procession of\r\nHigh Priests being the fruit of successive marriages between uterine\r\nbrother and sister. A conjunction deemed incestuous in some lands; but,\r\nhere, held the only fit channel for the pure transmission of elevated\r\nrank.\r\n\r","title":"Chunk 1"},"relationships":[{"peer":"01KG8AJNJQG7DNZHZCMC33X85F","peer_type":"chapter","predicate":"in"},{"peer":"01KG89J1954N2G0NAERBNJXEX9","peer_type":"file","predicate":"extractedFrom"},{"peer":"01KG89HMDZKNY753EZE1CJ8HZW","peer_type":"collection","predicate":"collection"},{"peer":"01KG8AKKX2C2TSF67F02G5XC89","peer_type":"chunk","predicate":"next"}],"ver":2,"created_at":"2026-01-30T20:48:10.140Z","ts":"2026-01-30T20:48:19.560Z","edited_by":{"method":"manual","user_id":"01KFF0H3YRP9ZSM033AM0QJ47H"}}