Page:Voyage in search of La Perouse, volume 2 (Stockdale).djvu/212

174 flesh. It appeared to us, however, from what we learned on other occasions, that the chiefs ate it likewise: indeed, as these people eat their enemies only, and commit this savage act solely to glut their rage, it may be presumed the people of Tongataboo did not impose upon us when they assured us that the Feejee chiefs themselves were cannibals.

Unquestionably the reader will be astonished to hear, that, notwithstanding this mark of ferociousness, the arts are much farther advanced at Feejee than at the Friendly Islands; the inhabitants of which never failed to inform us that the finest articles they sold us came from Feejee, being careful to give us to understand that they were very decidedly superior to those which they fabricated themselves.

Vouacécé displayed much greater desire of acquiring knowledge than any native of the Friendly Islands, most of whom visited us solely from motives of interest, and examined all parts of our ship with the greatest attention. He was very well made, and his physiognomy was strikingly expressive of character (see Plate XXIX. Fig. 2). His hair, on the fore-part of the head, was ornamented with red powder.

The natives of Feejee are frequently at war with those of Tongataboo; but, as soon as