THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 
69 
the priefts, to be made ufe of in fome religious ceremony; , 779 . 
and that he had fent it as a proof of his innocence and at- l j ?ebr _ uary> 
tachment to us. 
This afforded an opportunity of informing ourfelves 
whether they were cannibals; and we did not negleff it. 
We firft tried, by many indireff queftions, put to each of 
them apart, to learn in what manner the reft of the bodies 
had been difpofed of; and finding them very conftant in 
one ftory, that, after the flefh had been cut off, it was all 
burnt; we at laft put the direct queftion, Whether they 
had not eat fome of it ? They immediately fhewed as much 
horror at the idea, as any European would have done; 
and afked, very naturally, if that was the cuftom amongft 
us ? They afterward afked us, with great earneftnefs and 
apparent apprehenfion, “ When the Orono would come 
again ? and what he would do to them on his return ?” The 
fame inquiry was frequently made afterward by others; 
and this idea agrees with the general tenour of their con- 
duff toward him, which fhewed, that they confidered him 
as a being of a fuperior nature. 
We preffed our two friendly vifiters to remain on board till 
morning; but in vain. They told us, that, if this tranfac- 
tion fliould come to the knowledge of the king, or Chiefs, 
it might be attended with the moft fatal confequences to 
their whole fociety; in order to prevent which, they had 
been obliged to come off to us in the dark; and that the 
fame precaution would be neceffary in returning on fhore. 
They informed us farther, that the Chiefs were eager to 
revenge the death of their countrymen; and, particularly, 
cautioned us againft trailing Koah, who, they faid, was our 
mortal and implacable enemy; and defired nothing more 
ardently, than an opportunity of fighting us; to which the 
blowing 
