fate of De Langle and his companions; they appeared unarmed, but
had artfully concealed clubs and short lances in their canoes.

A very few of them, whom we permitted to remain on deck, behaved as
impudently as if they had been masters of the ship; they snatched from
my hands some little presents I was about to distribute among them,
exhibiting them to their companions in the canoes below. This excited
amongst the latter a terrific rage, and, with noise and gestures
resembling madness, they endeavoured to frighten us into compliance with
their desire to come on board. Only one among them received the presents
we made him, with any appearance of modesty or thankfulness; the others
seemed to consider them as a tribute due to them. This more decorous
personage bowed towards me in almost an European fashion, pressed the
articles given him several times to his forehead, and then, turning to
me, rubbed the point of his nose pretty roughly against mine. This young
savage was probably a person of rank, who had received a particularly
good education; he was of a cheerful temper, examined every thing very
closely, and made many remarks to those in the canoes, which were
apparently considered extremely witty, for he was always answered by
bursts of laughter. The rest of his countrymen who remained on board,
became very troublesome; like the beasts of the deserts, scarcely more
wild than themselves, they tried to seize by main force whatever we
would not willingly give them. One of them was so tempted by the
accidental display of a sailor's bare arm, that he could not help
expressing his horrible appetite for human flesh;--he snapt at it with
his teeth, giving us to understand by unequivocal signs, that such food
would be very palatable to him. This proof that we were in communication
with cannibals, needed not the picture presently conjured up by our
imagination, of the detestable meal which the unfortunate Frenchmen had
doubtlessly afforded to their murderers, to complete our disgust and
aversion, and to accelerate the expulsion of the remaining savages from
our vessel.

The inhabitants of many of the South Sea islands are still cannibals,
and most of them, even where this abominable propensity does not
prevail, are of so artful and treacherous a character, that none should
venture among them without the greatest precaution. Their friendliness
arises from fear, and soon vanishes when they think themselves the
strongest, and are