220 Mr. Bennett on the Mode of preparing 



eat the bodies, however, hunger would be requisite, combined 

 with the revengeful feeling : all provision being sent away from 

 the field of battle, with the women and children, hunger 

 becomes a concomitant with the revengeful feeling, but not 

 the sole exciting cause. After a battle, it is customary to 

 collect all the dead bodies of the enemy together, and the 

 heads of those intended for preparation having been detached, 

 are delivered to the persons who are habituated to it ; the 

 bodies are then cut open, the viscera, &c. extracted, and the 

 remainder cut into pieces ; they then proceed to cook and 

 prepare the banquet in what manner they are not particular : 

 some make an oven and steam it, others roast on the fire, but 

 they seldom or never eat it in a raw state ; but it is a common 

 and general custom, on an enemy falling in battle, for his 

 adversary, excited by the demoniacal spirit of revenge, to rush 

 immediately towards him for the purpose of sucking the blood 

 from his throat, before the vital spark has fled. They also 

 dry the hands of their enemies, and fasten them near their 

 huts, the fingers having been previously dried in a contracted 

 form, so as to be used as hooks, on which to hang their baskets, 

 &c. They also preserve the fat from the buttocks, and 

 the internal fat or fare ; they melt it down by the aid of hot 

 stones, keep it in calabashes, and eat it with their potatoes: 

 this is more generally done when the person is a powerful 

 chief, and they always express it as being a mark of great 

 contempt towards him. On my asking some of those who 

 gave me information respecting this horrible custom, how they 

 would like to be eaten, the reply was, ' that it was no matter 

 what was done with them after death.' On my inquiring what 

 was done with the bones of the human bodies that were eaten, 

 I was informed that, if those of a chief, they were preserved; 

 those of the arms, legs, &c. being used for making the flutes 

 named Lehu or Bulrua, others as ear ornaments, &c. ; but the 

 bones of a common individual were thrown away. With 

 respect to the taste of this food, they describe it as being 

 superior to pork. Vessels are occasionally destroyed by the 

 natives, and the crews massacred ; at one time several heads 

 of unfortunate Europeans, who had thus been murdered, pre- 

 served in a similar manner as among themselves, were pur- 



