OF LA PEROUSE. 



199 



pofleiTed us fo flrongly in their favour, that wc 

 yet required farther evidence to deftroy the 

 good opinion which we entertained of the mild- 

 nefs of their difpofition ; but we had foon in- 

 conteftable proofs of their ferocioufnefs. One of 

 them having in his hand a bone newly broiled, 

 and devouring the remains of the fleili which 

 was ftill upon it, advanced towards Citizen 

 Piron, and invited him to partake of his meal. 

 The latter, fuppofing that the favage was offer- 

 ing him a piece of fome quadruped, accepted 

 the bone, which was then covered only with 

 tendinous parts ; and having fliewn it to me, I 

 perceived that it belonged to the ojja innominata 

 of a youth of fourteen or fifteen years of age. 

 The natives, who furrounded us, pointed out on 

 a child the lituation of thefe bones ; they made 

 no fcruple to avow^ that the flefh which had 

 covered them, had ferved as a meal to fome 

 iflander ; and they gave us to underffand 

 that they coniidered it as a very choice 

 dim. 



This difcovery threw us into the greateft 

 uneafinefs refpecling the fate of our people, 

 who were ilill in the woods ; however, wc had 

 fome time after the pleafure to fee ourfclvcs all 

 aflembled in the fame place, and we had no 

 longer the fmalleft fear that any of us lliould 

 fall a victim to the barbarity of thefe favages, 



o 4 We 



