Calm or light airs from the north all day on the 23d, hindered us from putting to sea as intended.[7] In the afternoon, some of the officers went on shore to amuse themselves among the natives, where they saw the head and bowels of a youth, who had lately been killed, lying on the beach; and the heart stuck on a forked stick, which was fixed to the head of one of the largest canoes.  One of the gentlemen bought the head, and brought it on board, where a piece of the flesh was broiled and eaten by one of the natives, before all the officers and most of the men.  I was on shore at this time, but soon after returning on board, was informed of the above circumstances; and found the quarter-deck crowded with the natives, and the mangled head, or rather part of it, (for the under-jaw and lip were wanting) lying on the tafferal.  The skull had been broken on the left side, just above the temples; and the remains of the face had all the appearance of a youth under twenty.[8]

The sight of the head, and the relation of the above circumstances, struck me with horror, and filled my mind with indignation against these cannibals.  Curiosity, however, got the better of my indignation, especially when I considered that it would avail but little; and being desirous of becoming an eye-witness of a fact which many doubted, I ordered a piece of the flesh to be broiled and brought to the quarter-deck, where one of these cannibals eat it with surprising avidity.  This had such an effect on some of our people as to make them sick.  Oedidee (who came on board with me) was so affected with the sight as to become perfectly motionless, and seemed as if metamorphosed into the statue of horror.  It is utterly impossible for art to describe that passion with half the force that it appeared in his countenance.  When roused from this state by some of us, he burst into tears; continued to weep and scold by turns; told them they were vile men; and that he neither was, nor would be any longer their friend.  He even would not suffer them to touch him; he used the same language to one of the gentlemen who cut off the flesh; and refused to accept, or even touch the knife with which it was done.  Such was Oedidee’s indignation against the vile custom; and worthy of imitation by every rational being.

I was not able to find out the reason for their undertaking this expedition; all I could understand for certain was, that they went from hence into Admiralty Bay (the next inlet to the west), and there fought with their enemies, many of whom they killed.  They counted to me fifty; a number which exceeded probability, as they were not more, if so many, themselves.  I think I understood them clearly, that this youth was killed there; and not brought away prisoner, and afterwards killed.  Nor could I learn that they had brought away any more than this one; which increased the improbability of their having killed so many.  We had also reason to think that they did not come off without loss; for a young woman was seen, more than once, to cut herself, as is the custom when they lose a friend or relation.