the Thames, and they were now returning
successful.
I had witnessed the departure of this expedition,
and considered it in the light of a
reconnoitring party. I could not make out
what the real object was they had been in
search of; but, wherever they had been, they
had been victorious: for they now returned
with quantities of plunder, human heads,
human flesh, and many prisoners! After the
dance and sham fight had been duly gone
through, they proceeded to land their cargo
of spoil. First came a group of miserable
creatures, women and children, torn by violence
from their native homes, henceforth to
be the slaves of their conquerors; some were
miserably wounded and lacerated, others
looked half-starved, but all seemed wretched
and dejected.
The women of Ko-ro-ra-di-ka, with their
usual humanity, instantly surrounded them, and
endeavoured to console them, and then shed
abundance of tears over them. I enquired of
one of the warriors what they had done with
the male prisoners: he coolly replied, they
had all been eaten, except some “ titbits,”
which had been packed up in the baskets and
brought on shore, in order to regale particular
friends and favourites!
They had also brought with them several
heads, which they have the art of preparing,
in their native ovens, so as not to disfigure
the countenance nor injure the figure tatoo’d
upon them. One of these, the skull of a
distinguished chief) seemed to afford them
amazing delight. Most of our people had
known him well, and several of his near
relations were present: but cruel war seemed
to have eradicated every ^feeling of humanity 5
for all appeared to contemplate this ghastly
object with great satisfaction. These heads
were decorated profusely with yellow and red
ribbons, and with white feathers: they were
then stuck upon short poles, and placed, with
great ceremony, in front of the old Queen
Turero’s house; who, sitting at the door,
received this token of x'espect with approval
and condescension.
The group altogether formed an interesting
picture of savage manners, in which ferocity
o 3