Series 03: Joseph Banks - Endeavour journal, 25 August 1768 - 12 July 1771 (vol. 2) - No. 0194
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[Page 194]
190.
Some account of New Zealand
I cannot in my own opinion Debase human nature so much as to imagine that they relish as a dainty or even look upon it as a part of common food tho Thirst of Revenge may drive men to great lenghs when the Passions are allowd to take their full swing Yet nature through all the superior part of the creation shews how much she recoils at the thought of any species preying upon itself dogs & cats instead of shew visible signs of disgust at the very sight of a dead carcass of their species even Wolves or Bears were never heard sayd to eat their own species one another except in cases of absolute nescessity when the stings of hunger have overcome the precepts of nature in which case the same has been done by the inhabitants of the most civilizd nations
Among fish & insects indeed there are many instances which prove that those who live by prey regard little whither what they take is of their own or any other species but any one who considers the admirable chain of nature in which Man, alone Endowd with reason, justly claims the highest place rank & next to him are placd the half reasoning Elephant, the sagacious dog, the architect Beaver, &c. in Whoom instinct so nearly resembles reason as to have been mistaken for it by men of no mean