I made him a present of a dog and a bitch, as he shewed a liking to that kind of animal.  Soon after he came on board, some of his friends followed in a canoe, and enquired for him, probably doubtful of his safety.  He looked out of the quarter gallery, and having spoken to them, they went ashore, and quickly returned with a cock, a little sugar-cane, and a few cocoa-nuts, as a present to me.  Though he sat down with us, he did but just taste our salt pork, but eat pretty heartily of yam, and drank a glass of wine.  After dinner I made him presents, and then conducted him, ashore.

As soon as we landed, the youth and some of his friends took me by the hand, with a view, as I understood, to conduct me to their habitations.  We had not gone far, before some of them, for what reason I know not, were unwilling I should proceed; in consequence of which the whole company stopped; and, if I was not mistaken, a person was dispatched for something or other to give me; for I was desired to sit down and wait, which I accordingly did.  During this interval, several of our gentlemen passed us, at which they shewed great uneasiness, and importuned me so much to order them back, that I was at last obliged to comply.  They were jealous of our going up the country, or even along the shore of the harbour.  While I was waiting here, our friend Paowang came with a present of fruit and roots, carried by about twenty men; in order, as I supposed, to make it appear the greater.  One had a small bunch of plantains, another a yam, a third a cocoa-nut, etc.; but two men might have carried the whole with ease.  This present was in return for something I had given him in the morning; however, I thought the least I could do now, was to pay the porters.

After I had dispatched Paowang, I returned to Wha-a-gou and his friends, who were still for detaining me.  They seemed to wait with great impatience for something, and to be unwilling and ashamed to take away the two dogs, without making me a return.  As night was approaching, I pressed to be gone; with which they complied, and so we parted.

The preceding day, Mr Forster learnt from the people the proper name of the island, which they call Tanna; and this day I learnt from them the names of those in the neighbourhood.  The one we touched at last is called Erromango; the small isle, which we discovered the morning we landed here, Immer; the Table island to the east, discovered at the same time, Erronan or Footoona; and an island which lies to the S.E.  Annattom.  All these islands are to be seen from Tanna.

They gave us to understand, in a manner which I thought admitted of no doubt, that they eat human flesh, and that circumcision was practised among them.  They began the subject of eating human flesh, of their own accord, by asking us if we did; otherwise I should never have thought of asking them such a question.  I have heard people argue, that no nation could be cannibals, if they had other flesh to eat, or did not want food; thus deriving the custom from necessity.  The people of this island can be under no such necessity; they have fine pork and fowls, and plenty of roots and fruits.  But since we have not actually seen them eat human flesh, it will admit of doubt with some, whether they are cannibals.