294 VOYAGE IN SEARCH 



much fatigued. At length, about half paft 

 four o'clock, there fprang up from the fouth- 

 eaft, a light breeze, which enabled that fhip 

 to draw off from the fhoals. Shortly after, 

 our boat returned on board, and we learnt that 

 the Efperance had been for a long time fur- 

 rounded by a great number of iflanders; that 

 about noon moft of them had pointed out to 

 her people two canoes, which were putting off 

 from two fmall iflands, and were going to meet 

 one another ; that they had given them to un- 

 derftand, that the favages who were in thefe 

 canoes would foon give battle to each other, 

 and that the fruit of the viclory would be a feaft 

 on the flefli of the vanquifhed. During this re- 

 cital, a ferocious joy had been obferved to be 

 depicted in their countenance, as if they were 

 to partake of the horrible repaft. On hearing 

 this, almoft all thofe belonging to our fhip, 

 who had in the morning eaten the pudding 

 prepared by the favages, and which I have juft 

 mentioned, were feizcd with naufea, from the 

 apprehenlioii rhar feme human fiefh might have 

 entered in:o the con.prfirion of thisdifli which 

 had feemed to be in high reoaeft among thefe 

 iflanders. 



Prefently the two canoes had come fufficiently 

 near to each cthir to bt;<rin the battle, and the 

 warriors vvcre {t'^n to afccnJ a wooden platform, 



fupported 



