212 CIRCUMNAVIGATION OF NEW ZEALAND cu. Ix 
the water?”—*“ She was our relation.”——“ Whom, then, do 
you eat ?”—“ Those who are killed in war.’—‘“ And who 
was the man whose bones these are ?”—“ Five days ago a 
boat of our enemies came into this bay, and of them we 
killed seven, of whom the owner of these bones was one.” 
The horror that appeared in the countenances of the seamen 
on hearing this discourse, which was immediately trans- 
lated for the good of the company, is better conceived than 
described. For ourselves, and myself in particular, we were 
too well convinced of the existence of such a custom to be 
surprised, though we were pleased at having so strong a 
proof of a custom which human nature holds in too great 
abhorrence to give easy credit to. 
17th. I was awakened by the singing of the birds ashore, 
from whence we are distant not a quarter of a mile. Their 
numbers were certainly very great. They seemed to strain 
their throats with emulation, and made, perhaps, the most 
melodious wild music I have ever heard, almost imitating 
small bells, but with the most tunable silver sound imagin- 
able, to which, maybe, the distance was no small addition. 
On inquiring of our people, I was told that they had 
observed them ever since we had been here, and that they 
begin to sing about one or two in the morning, and continue 
till sunrise, after which they are silent all day, like our 
nightingales. 
18¢h. Among other things that the Indians told us 
yesterday, one was that they expected their enemies to come 
and revenge the death of the seven men, and some of our 
people thought that they had intelligence of their coming 
to-day, which made us observe the Indian town, where the 
people seemed more quiet than usual, not attending to their 
usual occupations of fishing, etc. No canoe attempted to 
come near the ship. 
After breakfast we went in the pinnace to explore some 
parts of the bay, which we had not seen, as it was immensely 
large, or, rather, consisted of numberless small harbours, 
coves, etc. We found the country on our side of the bay 
very well wooded everywhere, but on the opposite side very 
