218 Mr. Bennett on the Mode of preparing 



which exploits are considered among them as highly honour- 

 able. During an engagement, he was first shot in the abdo- 

 men by a chief named Warrinhu Eringa (who related to me 

 some of this account), and, on falling, was finally dispatched 

 by a blow on the head with a tomahawk ; on an examination 

 of the side of the head, the fracture is very visible, and is of 

 some extent. 



The New Zealanders care not to conceal that they are can- 

 nibals ; they relate the atrocities connected with the practice 

 without any appearance of shame or remorse ; they only eat, 

 however, of the bodies of their enemies. If an enemy of rank 

 is slain, the eyes, hands, and feet are presented to the highest 

 chief of the conquering party, as they observe, that e with the 

 eyes their enemy saw his adversaries, with his hands he fought, 

 and with his feet he invaded their territory they bore him to 

 the combat.' There was a chief of a district in the vicinity of 

 the river Thames, who was pointed out to me as the one who 

 killed the noted chief named Atoi, or Pomari, and who was 

 said, in their style of expression, to have ' eaten of his eyes, 

 and drank of his blood."* Respecting the eating of the eyes, 

 there formerly existed a somewhat similar custom at the island 

 of Tahiti, from which it has been inferred, that the natives of 

 that island were formerly addicted to the horrible custom of 

 cannibalism : the coincidence is curious, and Captain Cook 

 makes the following observations respecting it. ' We have 

 great reason to believe,' he observes, ' that there was a time 

 when they were cannibals. We were told (and, indeed, partly 

 saw it) that it is a necessary ceremony when a poor wretch is 

 sacrificed, for the priest to take out the left eye; this he presents 

 to the king, holding it to his mouth, which he desires him to 

 open ; but instead of putting it in, immediately withdraws it. 

 This they call " eating the man, 1 ' or " food for the chief;" and, 

 perhaps, we may observe here some traces of former times, 

 when the dead body was really feasted on.' Ellis observes, 

 however, in a more recent publication (Polynesian Re- 

 searches, vol. i. pp. 35, 357,8), that < It has been supposed 

 that the circumstance of the priests offering the eye, the 

 most precious part of the victim, to the king, who appeared to 

 eat it, indicated their having formerly devoured the men they 



