Typee Chapter 21

In which a secluded mountain spring, esteemed by the islanders despite its disagreeable taste, reveals a fragment of the natural charm and mystery enfolding the valley, while the narrator's wanderings uncover vast, ancient stone terraces shrouded in dense jungle, evoking both awe and speculation about a forgotten civilisation. These monumental remains stand silent and inscrutable, prompting reflections on the island's venerable age and the enigmatic origins of the pi-pis, upon which native dwellings rest and bear testament to the bygone craftsmanship and customs of these distant inhabitants.