at once paddled off, and much against the wishes of his
people, an old chief from one of them came on board. He was received
with all possible friendship, and after some time was dismissed, with
many expressions of kindness, to his companions. This treatment had a
beneficial effect, though some of the natives showed an inclination to
try how far they might go with the strangers. On one occasion they
pursued the long-boat as it was going on shore with casks; but some
small shot quickly made them desist.

The bay where they were at anchor was found to be about fifteen miles
south of one visited by Tasman, though none of the people among whom
Tupia made inquiries had any tradition of his having been on the coast.
The commander, with Mr Banks, Dr Solander, and others, on their way
one day to visit a cove two miles off, saw the body of a woman floating,
having apparently been dead for some days. Immediately on landing they
found a family who seemed greatly alarmed at their approach, and ran
away. In a short time, however, they were induced to return, and
confidence being established, became very communicative. The body of
the woman was that of a relation whom they had buried at sea fastened to
a stone, from which they supposed it had broken. The family were
dressing some provisions, and as the gentlemen cast their eyes into one
of the baskets which stood near, two bones were perceived, which, upon
nearer examination, were found to be those of a human body. The
natives, on being questioned by Tupia, acknowledged, without the
slightest hesitation, that they were the bones of a man whom they had
eaten; that a canoe belonging to their enemies had come into the bay
five days before; that seven persons in her had been killed, and that
this man was one of them. On Tupia asking why they did not eat the body
of the woman, they replied that she was a relation, and that they only
eat the bodies of their enemies killed in battle. One of the natives
took hold of his own forearm, and intimated that the bone Mr Banks held
in his hand had belonged to that part of the human body; he also bit and
gnawed the bone which Mr Banks had taken, drawing it through his mouth,
and showing by signs that it had afforded a delicious repast. A woman
of this family of cannibals had her arms, legs, and thighs frightfully
cut, in token of her grief for the loss of her husband, who had lately
been killed and eaten by their enemies.

Mr Banks and Dr