Series 03: Joseph Banks - Endeavour journal, 25 August 1768 - 12 July 1771 (vol. 2) - No. 0128
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[Page 128]
124
Totara nue
they supposd to have been unloosd by some accident
The family were employd when we came ashore in dressing their provisions which were a dog who was at that time buried in their oven & near it were many provision baskets. looking carelessly upon one of these we by accident observd 2 bones pretty clean pickd which as apeard upon examination were undoubtedly human bones tho we had from the first of our arrival upon the coast constantly heard the Indians acknowledge the custom of eating their enemies we had never before had a proof of it but this amounted almost to demonstration the bones were clearly human upon them were evident marks of their having been dressd on the fire the meat was not intirely pickd off from them & on the grisly ends which were gnawd were evident marks of teeth & these were accidentaly found in a provision basket on asking the people what bones are these they answerd "the bones of a man" & have you eat the flesh, "Yes have you none of it left. "no why did not you eat the woman who we saw today in the water, "she was our relation" who