O 1 T
aS t on the branches: the boys broke the h a rd s e ll between
ftones, prefenting the kernel to us on a clean frefli leaf.
They were as affiduous at prefent in offering, their fervices
as the Taheitians, and from lefs interefted motives. If we
had collected a plant, of which we could find no other fpe-
cimens, we only fhewed it them, and away they flew to
gather it for us, in places where they knew it was to be
found. They were extremely fond of feeing us fhoot,
eagerly pointed out birds on the fummits of the coco-palms,
and were overjoyed as often as we killed them.. Near every
hut we faw fome poultry, and feveral well fed hogs; and
here and there we obferved rats running over the path, of
the fame fort which is common in the other iflands of the
Pacific Ocean. They particularly frequented the fields of
fugar-cane, in which they make, great depredation. The
natives had therefore dug feveral holes all round thefe
plantations, in which they catch thefe animals. When we
came to the fea fhore, we walked to the northward along
the beach a good away, in order to come to the point,
which the natives from the other fide had repeatedly
guarded from our fight. On the fhore we obferved fome
fmall huts, which we took to be the abode of fifhermen,
and from whence we concluded that we had been formerly
miftaken, in fuppofing them unacquainted with fifiling;
however, we faw no inhabitants, no nets, nor fifh in thefe
huts, but only fome darts, which might be ufed as harpoons,
poons, or fifh-gigs. Our attending Indians were greatly a^ « .
alarmed on feeing us go on towards the point, and with
much anxious intreaty prevailed on us to give up all thoughts
of going to examine that part of the ifland. They repeated
to us thefigns of eating human flefh ; and it is not to be
doubted, but that this pra&ice ftill prevails among them.
Thofe who contend, that anthropophagy has the plea of the
moft cruel neceflity, will hardly be able to account for its
exiftence in a nation living in a rich and fertile country,
having plenty of vegetable food, and likewife well provided
with domeftic animals. The principle of revenge feems
much more likely to have produced this extraordinary
cuftom, wherever it has been obferved. Self-prefervation is
doubtlefs the firft law of nature, and the paffions are fubfer-
vient to its purpofes. In civilized communities we have
tacitly confented to laws and regulations, and delegated to
certain individuals the power to redrefs our wrongs; but
among favages every man rights himfelf, and anger and
revenge are implanted in his breaft, to reprefs the injuries
and oppreffions of Others. They are equally natural to
him as the fentiments of general philanthropy ; and how-
‘ ever diflerent and oppofite thefe two impulfes of natuie
may feem, yet they are fprings, which by afting againft
each other, keep the whole fyftem of human fociety in
conftant motion, and prevent its total fubverfion or corrup
lion. A man wholly deftitute of philanthropy is a
s s j monfter,