{"id":"01KG8AKNPZNM6VB7ANSPRHWW94","cid":"bafkreiebsww5fjmqc4do2evwubugkqz2y4ansjelfclv7tbqvblljbm2qe","type":"chunk","properties":{"end_line":3107,"extracted_at":"2026-01-30T20:48:09.927Z","extracted_by":"structure-extraction-lambda","label":"Chunk 1","source_file":"01KG89J1954N2G0NAERBNJXEX9","start_line":3037,"text":"CHAPTER XXIII.\r\nWhat Manner Of Men The Tapparians Were\r\n\r\n\r\nThe canoes sailed on. But we leave them awhile. For our visit to Jiji,\r\nthe last visit we made, suggests some further revelations concerning\r\nthe dental money of Mardi.\r\n\r\nEre this, it should have been mentioned, that throughout the\r\nArchipelago, there was a restriction concerning incisors and molars, as\r\nornaments for the person; none but great chiefs, brave warriors, and\r\nmen distinguished by rare intellectual endowments, orators, romancers,\r\nphilosophers, and poets, being permitted to sport them as jewels.\r\nThough, as it happened, among the poets there were many who had never a\r\ntooth, save those employed at their repasts; which, coming but seldom,\r\ntheir teeth almost corroded in their mouths. Hence, in commerce, poets’\r\nteeth were at a discount.\r\n\r\nFor these reasons, then, many mortals blent with the promiscuous mob of\r\nMardians, who, by any means, accumulated teeth, were fain to assert\r\ntheir dental claims to distinction, by clumsily carrying their\r\ntreasures in pelican pouches slung over their shoulders; which pouches\r\nwere a huge burden to carry about, and defend. Though, in good truth,\r\nfrom any of these porters, it was harder to wrench his pouches, than\r\nhis limbs. It was also a curious circumstance that at the slightest\r\ncasual touch, these bags seemed to convey a simultaneous thrill to the\r\nowners.\r\n\r\nBesides these porters, there were others, who exchanged their teeth for\r\nrichly stained calabashes, elaborately carved canoes, and more\r\nespecially, for costly robes, and turbans; in which last, many outshone\r\nthe noblest-born nobles. Nevertheless, this answered not the end they\r\nhad in view; some of the crowd only admiring what they wore, and not\r\nthem; breaking out into laudation of the inimitable handiwork of the\r\nartisans of Mardi.\r\n\r\nAnd strange to relate, these artisans themselves often came to be men\r\nof teeth and turbans, sporting their bravery with the best. A\r\ncircumstance, which accounted for the fact, that many of the class\r\nabove alluded to, were considered capital judges of tappa and\r\ntailoring.\r\n\r\nHence, as a general designation, the whole tribe went by the name of\r\nTapparians; otherwise, Men of Tappa.\r\n\r\nNow, many moons ago, according to Braid-Beard, the Tapparians of a\r\ncertain cluster of islands, seeing themselves hopelessly confounded\r\nwith the plebeian race of mortals; such as artificers, honest men,\r\nbread-fruit bakers, and the like; seeing, in short, that nature had\r\ndenied them every inborn mark of distinction; and furthermore, that\r\ntheir external assumptions were derided by so many in Mardi, these\r\nselfsame Tapparians, poor devils, resolved to secede from the rabble;\r\nform themselves into a community of their own; and conventionally pay\r\nthat homage to each other, which universal Mardi could not be prevailed\r\nupon to render to them.\r\n\r\nJointly, they purchased an island, called Pimminee, toward the extreme\r\nwest of the lagoon; and thither they went; and framing a code of laws-\r\n-amazingly arbitrary, considering they themselves were the framers—\r\nsolemnly took the oath of allegiance to the commonwealth thus\r\nestablished. Regarded section by section, this code of laws seemed\r\nexceedingly trivial; but taken together, made a somewhat imposing\r\naggregation of particles.\r\n\r\nBy this code, the minutest things in life were all ordered after a\r\nspecific fashion. More especially one’s dress was legislated upon, to\r\nthe last warp and woof. All girdles must be so many inches in length,\r\nand with such a number of tassels in front. For a violation of this\r\nordinance, before the face of all Mardi, the most dutiful of sons would\r\ncut the most affectionate of fathers.\r\n\r","title":"Chunk 1"},"relationships":[{"peer":"01KG8AJQT1H10JBDG2GRQS3M7Y","peer_type":"chapter","predicate":"in"},{"peer":"01KG89J1954N2G0NAERBNJXEX9","peer_type":"file","predicate":"extractedFrom"},{"peer":"01KG89HMDZKNY753EZE1CJ8HZW","peer_type":"collection","predicate":"collection"},{"peer":"01KG8AKNPZGWGJY96ZNE422EYV","peer_type":"chunk","predicate":"next"}],"ver":2,"created_at":"2026-01-30T20:48:11.999Z","ts":"2026-01-30T20:48:21.281Z","edited_by":{"method":"manual","user_id":"01KFF0H3YRP9ZSM033AM0QJ47H"}}