56 cook's second voyage august, 



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 ; other- 

 wise 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. 



When I got on board, I learnt that, when the 

 launch was on the west side of the harbour taking in 

 ballast, one of the men employed on this work had 

 scalded his fingers in taking a stone up out of some 

 water. This circumstance produced the discovery 

 of several hot springs at the foot of the cliff, and 

 rather below high water mark. 



This day Mr. Wales and two or three of the 

 officers advanced a little, for the first time, into the 

 island. They met with a straggling village, the 

 inhabitants of which treated them with great civility ; 

 and the next morning, Mr. Forster and his party, and 

 some others, made another excursion inland. They 

 met with several fine plantations of plantains, sugar- 

 canes, yams, &c. ; and the natives were courteous and 

 civil. Indeed, by this time, the people, especially 

 those in our neighbourhood, were so well reconciled 

 to us, that they showed not the least dislike at our 

 rambling about in the skirts of the woods, shooting, 

 &c. In the afternoon, some boys having got behind 

 thickets, and having thrown two or three stones at 

 our people, who were cutting wood, they were fired 

 at by the petty officers present on duty. Being ashore 

 at the time, I was alarmed at hearing the report of 

 the muskets, and seeing two or three boys run out 

 of the wood. When I knew the cause, I was much 



