of the common origin of those tribes.”  An objection to this reasoning instantly rises from a denial of the notion, that any thing can be arbitrary, in which such a limited being as man is concerned.  A skilful opponent, in other words, will move the previous question respecting man’s free agency, and will not move a step in consequences, till it be decided.  Nay, even if it were so, in favour of the highest claims which have ever been put in on the side of liberty, still he might demur, and with good reason indeed, till the fact of arbitrariness in any case, or cases, was ascertained.  Obviously, would he say, we are not entitled to make inferences from the nature of things, till we are acquainted with it.  But who, he would ask, can with propriety say, his acquaintance with nature is so complete, that he can at once, and without possibility of mistake, determine, what does and what does not belong to it?  It is to be feared, that a man has but a bad case in hand, who, in order to establish its truth, must first prove his own infallibility.  Such an objection, therefore, as has been now stated, is evidently not destitute of strength.  But on the whole, a careful examination will convince any unprejudiced person, that the reasoning alluded to, is entitled to considerable regard, and yields very probable deductions.  Only let us not urge it too far, and let us by all means recollect, that things which to lookers-on seem altogether arbitrary, may nevertheless be accounted for by the agents themselves, on principles which have their foundation in the common nature of our species, independent of any casual communication or intercourse between us.—­E.]

Now that I am again led to speak of cannibals, let me ask those who maintain, that the want of food first brings men to feed on human flesh, what is it that induces the Feejee people to keep it up in the midst of plenty?  This practice is detested very much by those of Tongataboo, who cultivate the friendship of their savage neighbours of Feejee, apparently out of fear, though they sometimes venture to skirmish with them on their own ground, and carry off red feathers as their booty, which are in great plenty there, and, as has been frequently mentioned, are in great estimation amongst our Friendly Islanders.  When the two islands are at peace, the intercourse between them seems to be pretty frequent, though they have, doubtless, been but lately known to each other; or we may suppose that Tongataboo, and its adjoining islands, would have been supplied before this with a breed of dogs, which abound at Feejee, and had not been introduced at Tongataboo so late as 1773, when I first visited it.  The natives of Feejee, whom we met with here, were of a colour that was a full shade darker than that of the inhabitants of the Friendly Islands in general.  One of them had his left ear slit, and the lobe was so distended, that it almost reached his shoulder, which singularity I had met with at other islands of the South Sea, during my second voyage.