R O U N D T H E WO R L D . 319
On the 25th, Mr. Banks and Dr. Solander went again on
fhore; and while they were fearching for plants, Tupia Raid »
with the waterers : among other Indians who came down to
them, was a prieft, with whom Tupia entered into a very
learned converfation. In their notions of religion they
feemed to agree very well, which is not often the cafe between
learned divines on our fide of the ocean : Tupia, however,
feemed to have the mod knowlege, and he was liflened
to with great deference and attention by the other. In the
courfe of this converfation, after the important points of divinity
had been fettled, Tupia enquired if it was their practice
to eat men, to which they anfwered in the affirmative ;
but faid that they eat only their enemies who were flain in
battle.
On the 26th, it rained all day, fo that none of us could go Thurfday *3.
affiore ; and very few of the Indians came either to the watering
place or the ffiip.
On the 27th, I went with Dr. Solander to examine the bot- Friday 27.-
tom of the bay; but though we went affiore at two places,
we met with litri'e worth notice. The people behaved very
civilly, ffiewing us-every thing that we expreffed a defire to
fee: Among other trifling curiofities which Dr. Solander
purchafed of them, was a b o y \ top, ffiaped exadtly like,
thofe which children play with in England ; and they made-
liens, that to make it fpin it was to be whipped. Mr. Banks-
in the mean time went affiore at the watering-place, and:
climbed a hill which flood at a little diftance to fée a fence o f
poles, which we had obferved from the ffiip, and which had:
been'much the fubjeft of fpeculation. The hill'was extremely
fteep, and rendered almoft inaoceffible by wood ; yet
he reached the place; near which he found many houfes
that for fome reafon had been deferted by their inhabitants.
The