下载辰思小说免费APP
haddiscoveredenoughtofillme，inmypresentstateofmind，withthemostbitterreflections。ItwasplainthatIhadseenthelastrelicofsomeunfortunatewretch，whomusthavebeenmassacredonthebeachbythesavages，inoneofthoseperiloustradingadventureswhichIhavebeforedescribed。
Itwasnot，however，alonethemurderofthestrangerthatovercamemewithgloom。Ishudderedattheideaofthesubsequentfatehisinanimatebodymighthavemetwith。Wasthesamedoomreservedforme？WasIdestinedtoperishlikehim-likehim，perhaps，tobedevoured，andmyheadtobepreservedasafearfulmementooftheevent？Myimaginationranriotinthesehorridspeculations，andI
feltcertainthattheworstpossibleevilswouldbefallme。Butwhateverweremymisgivings，Istudiouslyconcealedthemfromtheislanders，aswellasthefullextentofthediscoveryIhadmade。
AlthoughtheassuranceswhichtheTypeeshadoftengivenme，thattheyneveratehumanflesh，hadnotconvincedmethatsuchwasthecase，yet，havingbeensolongatimeinthevalleywithoutwitnessinganythingwhichindicatedtheexistenceofthepractice，I
begantohopethatitwasaneventofveryrareoccurrence，andthatI
shouldbesparedthehorrorofwitnessingitduringmystayamongthem:but，alas！thesehopesweresoondestroyed。
Itisasingularfact，thatinallouraccountsofcannibaltribeswehaveseldomreceivedthetestimonyofaneyewitnesstotherevoltingpractice。Thehorribleconclusionhasalmostalwaysbeenderivedeitherfromthesecond-handevidenceofEuropeans，orelsefromtheadmissionsofthesavagesthemselves，aftertheyhaveinsomedegreebecomecivilized。ThePolynesiansareawareofthedetestationinwhichEuropeansholdthiscustom，andthereforeinvariablydenyitsexistence，and，withthecraftpeculiartosavages，endeavourtoconcealeverytraceofit。
Buttomystory。
Aboutaweekaftermydiscoveryofthecontentsofthemysteriouspackages，IhappenedtobeattheTi，whenanotherwar-alarmwassounded，andthenatives，rushingtotheirarms，salliedouttoresistasecondincursionoftheHapparinvaders。Thesamescenewasagainrepeated，onlythatonthisoccasionIheardatleastfifteenreportsofmusketsfromthemountainsduringthetimethattheskirmishlasted。Anhourortwoafteritstermination，loudpaeanschantedthroughthevalleyannouncedtheapproachofthevictors。IstoodwithKory-Koryleaningagainsttherailingofthepi-pi，awaitingtheiradvance，whenatumultuouscrowdofislandersemergedwithwildclamoursfromtheneighbouringgroves。Inthemidstofthemmarchedfourmen，oneprecedingtheotheratregularintervalsofeightortenfeet，withpolesofacorrespondinglength，extendingfromshouldertoshoulder，towhichwerelashedwiththongsofbarkthreelongnarrowbundles，carefullywrappedinamplecoveringsoffreshlypluckedpalm-leaves，tackedtogetherwithsliversofbamboo。Hereandthereuponthesegreenwinding-sheetsmightbeseenthestainsofblood，whilethewarriorswhocarriedthefrightfulburdensdisplayedupontheirnakedlimbssimilarsanguinarymarks。Theshavenheadoftheforemosthadadeepgashuponit，andtheclottedgorewhichhadflowedfromthewoundremainedindrypatchesaroundit。Thesavageseemedtobesinkingundertheweighthebore。Thebrighttattooinguponhisbodywascoveredwithbloodanddust；hisinflamedeyesrolledintheirsockets，andhiswholeappearancedenotedextraordinarysufferingandexertion；yet，sustainedbysomepowerfulimpulse，hecontinuedtoadvance，whilethethrongaroundhimwithwildcheerssoughttoencouragehim。Theotherthreemenweremarkedaboutthearmsandbreastswithseveralslightwounds，wh
