bundle, wrapped up in cloth, which he brought under his arm; and it is impossible to describe the horror which seized us, on finding in it a piece of human flesh, about nine or ten pounds weight.  This, he said, was all that remained of the body; that the rest was cut to pieces, and burnt; but that the head and all the bones, except what belonged to the trunk, were in the possession of Terreeoboo and the other Erees; that what we saw had been allotted to Kaoo, the chief of the priests, to be made use of in some religious ceremony; and that he had sent it as a proof of his innocence and attachment to us.

This afforded an opportunity of informing ourselves whether they were cannibals; and we did not neglect it.  We first tried, by many indirect questions, put to each of them apart, to learn in what manner the rest of the bodies had been disposed of; and finding them very constant in one story, that, after the flesh had been cut off, it was all burnt, we at last put the direct question, whether they had not eat some of it?  They immediately shewed as much horror at the idea as any European would have done; and asked, very naturally, if that was the custom amongst us?  They afterward asked us, with great earnestness and apparent apprehension, “When the Orono would come again; and what he would do to them on his return?” The same enquiry was frequently made afterward by others; and this idea agrees with the general tenor of their conduct toward him, which shewed that they considered him as a being of a superior nature.

We pressed our two friendly visitors to remain on board till morning, but in vain.  They told us, that if this transaction should come to the knowledge of the king, or chiefs, it might be attended with the most fatal consequences to their whole society; in order to prevent which they had been obliged to come off to us in the dark; and that the same precaution would be necessary in returning on shore.  They informed us farther, that the chiefs were eager to revenge the death of their countrymen; and particularly cautioned us against trusting Koah, who, they said, was our mortal and implacable enemy; and desired nothing more ardently than an opportunity of fighting us; to which the blowing of the conchs, we heard in the morning, was meant as a challenge.

We learned from these men, that seventeen of their countrymen were killed in the first action at Kowrowa, of whom five were chiefs; and that Kaneena and his brother, our very particular friends, were unfortunately of that number.  Eight, they said, were killed at the observatory, three of whom were also of the first rank.

About eleven o’clock our two friends left us, and took the precaution to desire, that our guard-boat might attend them, till they had passed the Discovery, lest they should again be fired upon, which might alarm their countrymen on shore, and expose them to the danger of being discovered.  This request was complied with; and we had the satisfaction to find, that they got safe and undiscovered to land.