NOTHINGmorestronglyarousesourdisgustthancannibalism，nothingsosurelyunmortarsasociety；nothing，wemightplausiblyargue，willsohardenanddegradethemindsofthosethatpractiseit。
　　AndyetweourselvesmakemuchthesameappearanceintheeyesoftheBuddhistandthevegetarian。Weconsumethecarcassesofcreaturesoflikeappetites，passions，andorganswithourselves；
　　wefeedonbabes，thoughnotourown；andtheslaughter-houseresoundsdailywithscreamsofpainandfear。Wedistinguish，indeed；buttheunwillingnessofmanynationstoeatthedog，ananimalwithwhomweliveontermsofthenextintimacy，showshowprecariouslythedistinctionisgrounded。Thepigisthemainelementofanimalfoodamongtheislands；andIhadmanyoccasions，mymindbeingquickenedbymycannibalsurroundings，toobservehischaracterandthemannerofhisdeath。Manyislanderslivewiththeirpigsaswedowithourdogs；bothcrowdaroundthehearthwithequalfreedom；andtheislandpigisafellowofactivity，enterprise，andsense。Hehuskshisowncocoa-nuts，andIamtoldrollsthemintothesuntoburst；heistheterroroftheshepherd。Mrs。Stevenson，senior，hasseenonefleeingtothewoodswithalambinhismouth；andIsawanothercomerapidlyanderroneouslytotheconclusionthattheCASCOwasgoingdown，andswimthroughtheflushwatertotherailinsearchofanescape。
　　Itwastoldusinchildhoodthatpigscannotswim；Ihaveknownonetoleapoverboard，swimfivehundredyardstoshore，andreturntothehouseofhisoriginalowner。Iwasonce，atTautira，apig-
　　masteronaconsiderablescale；atfirst，inmypen，theutmostgoodfeelingprevailed；alittlesowwithabelly-achecameandappealedtousforhelpinthemannerofachild；andtherewasoneshapelyblackboar，whomwecalledCatholicus，forhewasaparticularpresentfromtheCatholicsofthevillage，andwhoearlydisplayedthemarksofcourageandfriendliness；nootheranimal，whetherdogorpig，wassufferedtoapproachhimathisfood，andforhumanbeingsheshowedafullmeasureofthattoadyingfondnesssocommonintheloweranimals，andpossiblytheirchieftitletothename。Oneday，onvisitingmypiggery，IwasamazedtoseeCatholicusdrawbackfrommyapproachwithcriesofterror；andifIwasamazedatthechange，IwastrulyembarrassedwhenIlearntitsreason。Oneofthepigshadbeenthatmorningkilled；
　　Catholicushadseenthemurder，hehaddiscoveredhewasdwellingintheshambles，andfromthattimehisconfidenceandhisdelightinlifewereended。Westillreservedhimalongwhile，buthecouldnotendurethesightofanytwo-leggedcreature，norcouldwe，underthecircumstances，encounterhiseyewithoutconfusion。
　　Ihaveassistedbesides，bytheear，attheactofbutcheryitself；
　　thevictim’scriesofpainIthinkIcouldhaveborne，buttheexecutionwasmismanaged，andhisexpressionofterrorwascontagious：thatsmallheartmovedtothesametunewithours。
　　Uponsuch’dreadfoundations’thelifeoftheEuropeanreposes，andyettheEuropeanisamongthelesscruelofraces。Theparaphernaliaofmurder，thepreparatorybrutalitiesofhisexistence，areallhidaway；anextremesensibilityreignsuponthesurface；andladieswillfaintattherecitalofonetitheofwhattheydailyexpectoftheirbutchers。Somewillbeevencryingoutuponmeintheirheartsforthecoarsenessofthisparagraph。Andsowiththeislandcannibals。Theywerenotcruel；apartfromthiscustom，theyarearaceofthemostkindly；rightlyspeaking，tocutaman’sfleshafterheisdeadisfarlesshatefulthantooppresshimwhilsthelives；andeventhevictimsoftheirappetiteweregentlyusedinlifeandsuddenlyandpainlesslydespatchedatlast。Inislandcirclesofrefinementitwasdoubtlessthoughtbadtastetoexpatiateonwhatwasuglyinthepractice。
　　CannibalismistracedfromendtoendofthePacific，fromtheMarquesastoNewGuinea，fromNewZealandtoHawaii，hereinthelivelyhauntofitsexercise，therebyscantybutsignificantsurvivals。Hawaiiisthemostdoubtful。WefindcannibalismchronicledinHawaii，onlyinthehistoryofasinglewar，whereitseemstohavebeenthoughtexception，asinthecaseofmountainoutlaws，suchasfellbythehandofTheseus。InTahiti，asinglecircumstancesurvived，butthatappearsconclusive。Inhistorictimes，whenhumanoblationwasmadeinthemarae，theeyesofthevictimwereformallyofferedtothechief：adelicacytotheleadingguest。AllMelanesiaappearstainted。InMicronesia，intheMarshalls，withwhichmyacquaintanceisnomorethanthatofatourist，Icouldfindnotraceatall；andevenintheGilbertzoneIlonglookedandaskedinvain。Iwastoldtalesindeedofmenwhohadbeeneateninafamine；butthesewerenothingtomypurpose，forthesamethingisdoneunderthesamestressbyallkindredsandgenerationsofmen。Atlast，insomemanuscriptnotesofDr。Turner’s，whichIwasallowedtoconsultatMalua，Icameononedamningevidence：ontheislandofOnoatoathepunishmentfortheftwastobekilledandeaten。Howshallweaccountfortheuniversalityofthepracticeoversovastanarea，amongpeopleofsuchvaryingcivilisation，and，withwhateverintermixture，ofsuchdifferentblood?Whatcircumstanceiscommontothemall，butthattheylivedonislandsdestitute，orverynearlyso，ofanimalfood?
　　Icanneverfinditinmyappetitethatmanwasmeanttoliveonvegetablesonly。Whenourstoresranlowamongtheislands，Igrewtowearyfortherecurrentdaywheneconomyallowedustoopenanothertinofmiserablemutton。Andinatleastoneoceanlanguage，aparticularworddenotesthatamanis’hungryforfish，’havingreachedthatstagewhenvegetablescannolongersatisfy，andhissoul，likethoseoftheHebrewsinthedesert，beginstolustafterflesh-pots。Addtothistheevidencesofover-populationandimminentfaminealreadyadduced，andIthinkweseesomegroundofindulgencefortheislandcannibal。
　　Itisrighttolookatbothsidesofanyquestion；butIamfarfrommakingtheapologyofthisworsethanbestialvice。ThehigherPolynesianraces，suchastheTahitians，Hawaiians，andSamoans，hadoneandalloutgrown，andsomeofthemhadinpartforgot，thepractice，beforeCookorBougainvillehadshownatop-
　　sailintheirwaters。Itlingeredonlyinsomelowislandswherelifewasdifficulttomaintain，andamonginveteratesavagesliketheNew-ZealandersortheMarquesans。TheMarquesansintertwinedman-eatingwiththewholetextureoftheirlives；long-pigwasinasensetheircurrencyandsacrament；itformedthehireoftheartist，illustratedpublicevents，andwastheoccasionandattractionofafeast。To-daytheyarepayingthepenaltyofthisbloodycommixture。Thecivilpower，initscrusadeagainstman-
　　eating，hashadtoexamineoneafteranotherallMarquesanartsandpleasures，hasfoundthemoneafteranothertaintedwithacannibalelement，andoneafteranotherhasplacedthemontheproscriptlist。Theirartoftattooingstoodbyitself，theexecutionexquisite，thedesignsmostbeautifulandintricate；nothingmorehandsomelysetsoffahandsomeman；itmaycostsomepaininthebeginning，butIdoubtifitbenearsopainfulinthelong-run，andIamsureitisfarmorebecomingthantheignobleEuropeanpracticeoftight-lacingamongwomen。Andnowithasbeenfoundneedfultoforbidtheart。Theirsongsanddanceswerenumerousandthelawhashadtoabolishthembythedozen。Theynowfaceempty-handedthetediumoftheiruneventfuldays；andwhoshallpitythem?Theleastrigorouswillsaythattheywerejustlyserved。
　　DeathalonecouldnotsatisfyMarquesanvengeance：thefleshmustbeeaten。ThechiefwhoseizedMr。Whalonpreferredtoeathim；
　　andhethoughthehadjustifiedthewishwhenheexplaineditwasavengeance。Twoorthreeyearsago，thepeopleofavalleyseizedandslewawretchwhohadoffendedthem。Hisoffence，itistobesupposed，wasdire；theycouldnotbeartoleavetheirvengeanceincomplete，and，undertheeyesoftheFrench，theydidnotdaretoholdapublicfestival。Thebodywasaccordinglydivided；andeverymanretiredtohisownhousetoconsummatetheriteinsecret，carryinghisproportionofthedreadfulmeatinaSwedishmatch-box。ThebarbaroussubstanceofthedramaandtheEuropeanpropertiesemployedofferaseizingcontrasttotheimagination。
　　YetmorestrikingisanotherincidentoftheveryyearwhenIwastheremyself，1888。Inthespring，amanandwomanskulkedabouttheschool-houseinHiva-oatilltheyfoundaparticularchildalone。Himtheyapproachedwithhoneyedwordsandcarneyingmanners-’YouareSo-and-so，sonofSo-and-so?’theyasked；andcaressedandbeguiledhimdeeperinthewoods。Someinstinctwokeinthechild’sbosom，orsomelookbetrayedthehorridpurposeofhisdeceivers。Hesoughttobreakfromthem；hescreamed；andthey，castingoffthemask，seizedhimthemorestronglyandbegantorun。Hiscrieswereheard；hisschoolmates，playingnotfaroff，camerunningtotherescue；andthesinistercouplefledandvanishedinthewoods。Theywereneveridentified；noprosecutionfollowed；butitwascurrentlysupposedtheyhadsomegrudgeagainsttheboy’sfather，anddesignedtoeathiminrevenge。Allovertheislands，asathomeamongourownancestors，itwillbeobservedthattheavengertakesnoparticularheedtostrikeanindividual。Afamily，aclass，avillage，awholevalleyorisland，awholeraceofmankind，shareequallytheguiltofanymember。So，intheabovestory，thesonwastopaythepenaltyforhisfather；soMr。Whalon，themateofanAmericanwhaler，wastobleedandbeeatenforthemisdeedsofaPeruvianslaver。IamremindedofanincidentinJaluitintheMarshallgroup，whichwastoldmebyaneye-witness，andwhichItellhereagainforthestrangenessofthescene。TwomenhadawakenedtheanimosityoftheJaluitchiefs；anditwastheirwiveswhowereselectedtobepunished。Asinglenativeservedasexecutioner。Earlyinthemorning，inthefaceofalargeconcourseofspectators，hewadedoutuponthereefbetweenhisvictims。Theseneithercomplainednorresisted；accompaniedtheirdestroyerpatiently；stoopeddown，whentheyhadwadeddeepenough，athiscommand；andhelayingonehandupontheshouldersofeachheldthemunderwatertilltheydrowned。Doubtless，althoughmyinformantdidnottellmeso，theirfamilieswouldbelamentingalouduponthebeach。
　　ItwasfromHatiheuthatIpaidmyfirstvisittoacannibalhighplace。
　　Thedaywassultryandclouded。Drenchingtropicalshowerssucceededburstsofswelteringsunshine。Thegreenpathwayoftheroadwoundsteeplyupward。Aswewent，ourlittleschoolboyguidealittleaheadofus，FatherSimeonhadhisportfolioinhishand，andnamedthetreesforme，andreadaloudfromhisnotestheabstractoftheirvirtues。Presentlytheroad，mounting，showedusthevaleofHatiheu，onalargerscale；andthepriest，withoccasionalreferencetoourguide，pointedouttheboundariesandtoldmethenamesofthelargertribesthatlivedatperpetualwarintheolddays：oneonthenorth-east，onealongthebeach，onebehinduponthemountain。WithasurvivorofthislatterclanFatherSimeonhadspoken；untilthepacificationhehadneverbeentothesea’sedge，nor，ifIrememberexactly，eatenofsea-fish。
　　Eachinitsowndistrict，theseptslivedcantonedandbeleaguered。
　　Onestepwithouttheboundarieswastoaffrontdeath。Iffaminecame，themenmustouttothewoodstogatherchestnutsandsmallfruits；evenastothisday，iftheparentsarebackwardintheirweeklydoles，schoolmustbebrokenupandthescholarssentforaging。Butintheolddays，whentherewastroubleinoneclan，therewouldbeactivityinallitsneighbours；thewoodswouldbelaidfullofambushes；andhewhowentaftervegetablesforhimselfmightremaintobeajointforhishereditaryfoes。Norwasthepointedoccasionneedful。Adozendifferentnaturalsignsandsocialjuncturescalledthispeopletothewar-pathandthecannibalhunt。Letoneofchieflyrankhavefinishedhistattooing，thewifeofonebenearuponhertime，twoofthedebauchingstreamshavedeviatedneareronthebeachofHatiheu，acertainbirdhavebeenheardtosing，acertainominousformationofcloudobservedabovethenorthernsea；andinstantlythearmswereoiled，andtheman-huntersswarmedintothewoodtolaytheirfratricidalambuscades。Itappearsbesidesthatoccasionally，perhapsinfamine，thepriestwouldshuthimselfinhishouse，wherehelayforastatedperiodlikeapersondead。Whenhecameforthitwastorunforthreedaysthroughtheterritoryoftheclan，nakedandstarving，andtosleepatnightaloneinthehighplace。Itwasnowtheturnoftheotherstokeepthehouse，fortoencounterthepriestuponhisroundswasdeath。Ontheeveofthefourthdaythetimeoftherunningwasover；thepriestreturnedtohisroof，thelaymencameforth，andinthemorningthenumberofthevictimswasannounced。Ihavethistaleofthepriestononeauthority-Ithinkagoodone，-butIsetitdownwithdiffidence。Theparticularsaresostrikingthat，hadtheybeentrue，IalmostthinkImusthaveheardthemoftenerreferredto。