122 cook's voyage to march, 



vet it is extremely probable, that it was originally 

 prevalent in them all. The sacrificing human victims, 

 which seems evidently to be a relic of this horrid 

 practice, still obtains universally amongst these islan- 

 ders; and it is easy to conceive, why the NewZealand- 

 ers should retain the repast, which was probably the 

 last act of these shocking rites, longer than the rest of 

 their tribe, who were situated in more mild and fruit- 

 ful climates. As the inhabitants of the Sandwich 

 Islands certainly bear a nearer resemblance to those 

 of New Zealand, both in their persons and dispositions 

 than to any other people of this family, so it was 

 strongly suspected, by Mr. Anderson, that, like them, 

 they still continue to feast on human flesh. The 

 evidence on which he founds this opinion, has been 

 stated very fully in the tenth chapter of the third 

 book* ; but, as I always entertained great doubts of 

 the justice of his conclusions, it may not be improper 

 to take this occasion of mentioning the grounds on 

 which I venture to differ from him. With respect to 

 the information derived from the natives themselves, 

 I shall only observe, that great pains were taken, by 

 almost every officer on board, to come at the know- 

 ledge of so curious a circumstance; and that, except 

 in the two instances mentioned by Mr. Anderson, 

 we found them invariably denying the existence of any 

 such custom amongst them. It must be allowed, 

 that Mr. Anderson's knowledge of their language, 

 which was superior to that of any other person in 

 either ship, ought certainly to give his opinion great 

 weight; at the same time, I must beg leave to remark, 

 that, being present when he examined the man who 

 had the small piece of salted flesh wrapped in cloth, 

 it struck me very forcibly, that the signs he made use 

 of meant nothing more, than that it was intended to be 

 ate, and that it was very pleasant or wholesome to the 

 stomach. In this opinion, I was confirmed by a cir- 



* See Vol. VI. 



