worst light, and confirmed all my horrible suspicions
respecting their alleged cannibalism.
The New Zealanders have been long
charged with cannibalism ; but as no person
of importance or celebrity had actually been
a witness to the disgusting act, in pity to our
nature such relations have been universally
rejected, and much has been written to prove
the non-existence of so hideous a propensity.
It was my lot to behold it in all its horrors!
One morning, about eleven o’clock, after I
had just returned from a long walk, Captain
Duke informed me he had heard, from very
good authority, (though the natives wished it
to be kept a profound secret,) that in the adjoining
village a female slave, named Matowe,
had been put to death, and that the people
were at that very time preparing her flesh for
cooking. At the same time he reminded me
of a circumstance which had taken place the
evening before. Atoi had been paying us a
visit, and, when going away, he recognised a
girl whom he said was a slave that had run
away from him ; he immediately seized hold
of her, and gave her in charge to some of his
people. The girl had been employed in carrying
wood for us; Atoi’s laying claim to her
had caused us no alarm for her life, and we had
^fought no more on the subject; but now, to
my surprise and horror, I heard this poor girl
was the victim they were preparing for the
oven! Captain Duke and myself were resolved
to witness this dreadful scene. We
therefore kept our information as secret as
possible, well knowing that if we had manifested
our wishes they would have denied the
whole affair. We set out, taking a circuitous
route towards the village; and, being well
acquainted with the road, we came upon
them suddenly, and found them in the midst
of their abominable ceremonies.
On a spot of rising ground, just outside
the village, we saw a man preparing a native
oven, which is done in the following simple
manner:—A hole is made in the ground, and
hot stones are put within it, and then all is
covered up close. As we approached, we
saw evident signs of the murder which had
been perpetrated; bloody mats were strewed
around, and a boy was standing by them