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upon the ancient hiflory of Taheitee is very ftriking ; but
Ihall we conclude, that a fet of canibals have by fome accident
made a defcent upon the ifland, and committed depredations
upon the indigenous people! or is it not rather evident,
that the original Rate of the whole nation is concealed
in this tradition, and that all the Taheitians were anthropophagi,
before they arrived at that Rate of civilization, which
the excellence of the country and climate, and the profufion
of vegetables and animal food, has introduced! It is a
faff no lefs furprifing than certain, that the more we examine
the hiRory of almoR every nation, the more we find
this cufiom prevalent in the firfi periods of their exiflence.
Traces of anthropophagy are Rill extant at Taheitee. Captain
Cook faw fifteen recent jaw-bones hanging in one
houfe *. Might they not be preferved as trophies taken
from their enemies ?
The next morning one o f the natives, who had attempted
to Real a water-calk from our tents, was apprehended and
confined. O-Too and Towhah coming on board fomewhat
early, being made acquainted with his offence, accompanied
captain Cook on Ihore to fee him punilhed. He was tied to
a pole, and, with their confent, received two dozen of very
fevere ladies. A great croud of natives, who were fpecla-
tors of this aft, were fo much terrified, that they began to
run
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A V O Y A G E R OUND THE WORLD.
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run o f f ; but Towhah called them back, and, in a fpeech
•which laRed about four or five minutes, pointed out the o
equity of our condudt, and the neceffity of punilhing thefts.
He reprefented, that though our power was infinitely fupe-
rior to theirs, yet we neither Role any thing, nor ufed any
violence, but honeflly paid a proper price for every thing we
received, and frequently gave prefents where we expefted no
return. That we had Ihewn ourfelves their befi friends,
and that to Real from friends was a fhameful action, which
highly deferved to be punilhed. The good fenfe and fin-
glenefs of heart of this excellent old man, endeared him to
us, and his harangue carried perfuafion among his audience.
In the afternoon Towhah came along fide with his
wife, an elderly woman, who feemed to have the fame excellent
charafter as her hulband. They were in a large double
canoe, with a roof built over the flern, and had eight
rowers. The old couple invited Mr. Hodges and myfelf to
come into the canoe, and we accompanied them to Parre.
Towhah alked us a variety of queflions during the time we
were on the water, chiefly relating to the nature and confli-
tution of the country from whence we came. As he had
never feen any of our perfons of high rank, he concluded
that Mr. Banks could be no lefs than the king s brother,
and that captain Cook was high admiral. The information;
which we gave him was received with the greatefl marks of
furprize and' attention; but when we told him we had neither