CANNIBALISM. 



229 



In the United States of North America, two 

 individuals of the higher ranks, had a desperate 

 row, hand to hand. The affair terminated in the 

 disgustful act of one having hitten off the greater 

 portion of the others ear. "Sir," said a person 

 who was looking on, " I presume you know that 

 you have unfortunately lost an ear in this terrible 

 scuffle." "No matter," rejoined the enraged com- 

 batant, " the fellow has got the worst of it ; for, 

 look," said he, opening his hand as he spoke the 

 word, " I have bitten off the scoundrel's nose." 



If these Christian warriors had been savages 

 in the woods, and not members of civilised life, 

 there can be no doubt, but that both the ear and the 

 nose, would have gone down into the stomachs 

 of the doughty champions. Still, in my idea, 

 they would not have been cannibals ; even if they 

 had torn off, and swallowed each other's cheeks 

 and gloried in the hideous act. 



In a word, if any traveller will step forward, and 

 positively declare, that he has undoubted intelli- 

 gence of wild men, who, without having received 

 any provocation, will kill one of their own tribe, 

 or of any other nation, and then eat him, as he 

 would eat ordinary food, — then, and in that case, 

 as our lawyers say, I will readily believe, that real 

 and genuine cannibals do exist : — and moreover, 



