66 CAPTAIN COOK'S VOYAGES 



the shore to hear it. These feathered choristers never 

 sing in the day time. 



Some of the company in their excursion met with fortifica- 

 tions that had not the advantage of an elevated situation, 

 but were surrounded by two or three wide ditches, with a 

 drawbridge, which though simple in its structure, was cap- 

 able of answering every purpose against the arms of the 

 natives. 



On the 24th, they visited a hippah, which was situated 

 on a high rock, hollow underneath, forming a fine natural 

 arch, one side of which joined to the land, and the other 

 rose out of the sea. This hippah was partly surrounded 

 with a palisade. Here they met with a cross resembling a 

 crucifix, which was ornamented with feathers, and which 

 was erected as a monument for a deceased person ; but 

 they could not learn how his body was disposed of. 



Some of the people who had been sent out to gather 

 celery, met with several natives, among whom were some 

 women, whose husbands had lately fallen into the hands of 

 the enemy, and they were cutting many parts of their body 

 in the most shocking manner with sharp stones, in testimony 

 of their excessive grief. What made this ceremony appear 

 ridiculous, as well as shocking was, that the male Indians, 

 who were with them, paid not the least attention to it, 

 but, with the greatest unconcern imaginable, employed 

 themselves in repairing some empty huts upon the spot. 



On the 30th, two posts were erected, inscribed with the 

 ship's name, etc., as usual ; one was placed at the watering- 

 place, with the Union flag upon it, and the other, in the 

 same manner, on the island of Motuara ; and the inhabi- 

 tants, being informed that these posts were meant as 

 memorials of the Endeavour having touched at this place, 

 promised never to destroy them. The Captain then named 

 this inlet Queen Charlotte's Sound, and took possession of 

 it in the name, and for the use of his majesty, and a bottle 

 of wine was drank to the queen's health. 



On the 6th February, in the morning, the Endeavour 

 sailed out of the bay, which the ship's company, from an 

 abhorrence of the brutal custom that prevails here of eating 

 men, called Cannibal Bay. The natives about this sound 

 are not above four hundred in number ; they are scattered 

 along the coast, and live upon fern-root and fish ; the 

 latter of which was the only commodity they traded in. 



The Endeavour having left the sound, steered eastward, 

 and about six o'clock in the evening they were greatly 

 alarmed at being carried, by the rapidity of the current, 

 very close to one of the two islands which lie off Cape 

 Koamaroo, at the entrance of the sound. The ship was 



