THEPACIFICOCEAN. 169 



their deities. She did not eat human flefli, as the men; ^^"77- 



December. 



but, from the fize of her teeth, the natives dill call any 

 animal that has a fierce appearance, or is reprefented with 

 large tufks, Taheeai. 



Every one muft allow, that this ftory is juft as natural as 

 that of Hercules deftroying the Hydra, or the more modern 

 one of Jack the giant-killer. But I do not find, that there 

 is any moral touched under it, any more than under mod 

 old fables of the fame kind, which have been received as 

 truths only during the prevalence of the fame ignorance 

 that marked the character of the ages in which they were 

 invented. It, however, has not been improperly introduced, 

 as ferving to esprefs the horror and deteflation entertained 

 here, againfl; thofe who feed upon human flefh. And yet, 

 from fome circumflances, I have been led to think, that the 

 natives of thefe illes were formerly cannibals. Upon aflcing 

 Omai, he denied it ftoutly; yet mentioned a fadt, within his 

 own knowledge, which almoft confirms fuch an opinion. 

 When the people of Bolabola, one time, defeated thofe of 

 Huaheine, a great number of his kinfmen were flain. But 

 one of his relations had, afterward, an opportunity of re- 

 venging himfelf, when the Bolabola men were worfted in 

 •their turn, and cutting a piece out of the thigh of one of 

 his enemies, he broiled and eat it. I have, alfo, frequently 

 confidcred the offering of the perfon's eye, who is facrificed, 

 to the Chief, as a veflige of a cuftom which once really ex- 

 ifled to a greater extent, and is flill commemorated by this 

 emblematical ceremony. 



The being inverted with the niaro, and the prcfiding at 

 human facrifices, feem to be the peculiar characflerillics of 

 the fovcreign. To theie, perhaps, may be added tlie blow- 



VoL. II. Z ing 



