THEIR STRANGE OCCUPATIONS. 237

warm them, for they had no need of that, the weather being
extremely hot, but, as [ supposed, to dress some of their barbarous
diet of human flesh, which they had brought with them, whether
alive or dead T could not know.

They had two canoes with them, which they had hauled up
upon the shore; and as it was then tide of ebb, they seemed to me
to wait for the return of the flood to go away again. It is not easy
to imagine what confusion this sight put me into, especially seeing
them como on my side the island, and so near me too; but when I
observed their coming must be always with the current of the ebb,
I began afterwards to be more sedate in my mind, being satisfied
that L might go abroad with safety all the time of the tide of flood,
if they were not on shore before. And having made this observation,
{ went abroad about my harvest-work with the more composure.

As I expected, so it proved; for as soon as the tide made to the
westward, I saw them all take boat, and row, or paddle, as we call
it, allaway. [ should have observed that for an hour and more
before they went off they went to dancing, and I could easily dis-
cern their postures and gestures by my glasses. I could not per-
ceive, by my nicest observation, but that they were stark naked,
and had not the least covering upon them ; but whether they were
men or women, that L could not distinguish.

As soon as [ saw them shipped and gone, I took two guns upon
my shoulders, and two pistols at my girdle, and my great sword
by my side, without a scabbard, and with all the speed I was able
to make, L went away to the hill where I had discovered the first
appearance of all; and as soon as I got thither, which was not less
than two hours (for IT could not go apace, being so laden with arms
as I was), L perceived there had been three canoes more of savages
on that place; and looking out further, [ saw they were all at sea
together, making over for the main,

This was a dreadful sight to me, especially when, going down to
the shore, [ could sce the marks of horror which the dismal work
they had been about had left behind it—namely, the blood, the bones,
and part of the flesh of human bodies, eaten and devoured by those
wretches with merriment and sport. I was so filled with indigna-
tion at the sight, that I began now to premeditate the destruction