538 CAPTAIN COOK’S FIRST VOYAGE.

verfing with him, the others returned. They found, by the provifions of this family,that they were cannibals, here being feveral human bones that had been lately dreffedqnd picked ; and it appeared, that a Ihort time before, fix of their enemies having falleninto their hands, they had killed four and eaten them, and that the other two weredrowned in endeavouring to make their efcape. They made no fecret of this abomi-nable cuftom, but anfwered Tupia, who was defirous to afcertain the faCt , with greateompofure, that his conjectures were juft, that they were the bones of a man, andteftified by figns that they thought human flefti delicious food. Upon being afked,why they had not eaten the body of the woman that had been feen floating upon thewater ? They replied, lhe had died of a diforder, and that moreover lhe was related tothem, and they never ate any but their enemies. Upon Mr. Banks ’s ftill teftifyingfome doubts concerning the fact, one of the Indians drew the bone of a man’s armthrough his mouth, and this gentleman had the curiofity to bring it away with him.There was a woman in this family whofe arms and legs were cut in a fhocking manner,and it appeared (he had thus wounded herfelf, becaufe her hufband had lately beenkilled and eaten by the enemy.

Some of the Indians brought four fkulls one day to fell, which they rated at a veryhigh price. The brains had been taken out, and probably eaten, but the fcalp and hairremained. They feemed to have been dried by fire, in order to preferve them fromputrefaction. The gentlemen likewife faw the bail of a canoe, which was made of ahuman fkull. In a word, their ideas were fo horrid and brutal, that they feemed topride themfelves upon their cruelty and barbarity, and took a peculiar pleafure infhewing the manner in which they killed their enemies, it being confidered as verymeritorious to be expert at this deftruCtion. The method ufed was to knock themdown with their patoo-patoos, and then rip up their bellies.

An amazing number of birds ufually began their melody about two o’clock inthe morning, and ferenaded the gentlemen till the time of their rifing. This har-mony was very agreeable, as the Ihip lay at a convenient diftance from the fhore tohear it. Thefe feathered chorifters, like the Englilh nightingales, never fing in theday time.

On the 20th, Mr. Banks purchafed of the old Indian a man’s head, which hefeemed very unwilling to part with ; the fkull had been fractured by a blow, and thebrains were extracted, and like the others, it was preferved from putrefaction. Fromthe care with which tfiey kept thefe fkulls, and the reluctance with which they barteredany, it was imagined they were confidered as trophies of war, and teftimonials of theirvalour. Some of the company, in their excurfions, met with fortifications that had notthe advantage of an elevated fituation, but were furrounded by two or three wideditches, with a draw-bridge, which, though firnple in its ftruCture, is capable 0anfwering every purpofe againft the arms of the natives. Not only thofe who arekilled, but the prisoners likewife are devoured by the victors. From what has beenrelated by fuch unqueftionable authority, there can remain no doubt with the u11 "prejudiced reader, that the inhabitants of this part of the globe are cannibals.

The 22d was employed by Mr. Banks and Dr. Solander in collecting of pla nts 'On the 24th they vifited a hippah, which was fituated on a very high rock, hollo^underneath, forming a fine natural arch, one fide of which joined to the land, andtother rofe out of the fea. This hippah was partly furrounded with a pallifade. U er ®they met with a crofs refembling a crucifix, which was ornamented with feathers, anwhich was ereCted as a monument for a deceafed perfon ; but they could not learn hohis body was difpofed of.

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