.
Burney, accompanied by Mr. Freeman, master, the corporal of marines, with
five private men, all well armed, and having plenty of ammunition and
three days' provision. They were ordered first to look into East Bay,
then to proceed to Grass Cove, and if nothing was to be seen or heard of
the cutter there, they were to go farther up the cove, and return by the
west shore. Mr. Rowe having left the ship an hour before the time
proposed for his departure, we thought his curiosity might have carried
him into East Bay, none of our people having ever been there, or that
some accident might have happened to the boat, for not the least
suspicion was entertained of the natives. Mr. Burney returned about
eleven o'clock the same night, and gave us a pointed description of a
most horrible scene, described in the following relation:--

"'On Saturday, the 18th, we left the ship about nine o'clock in the
morning. We soon got round Long Island and Long Point. We continued
sailing and rowing for East Bay, keeping close in shore, and examining
with our glasses every cove on the larboard side, till near two o'clock
in the afternoon, at which time we stopped at a beach on our left going
up East Bay, to dress our dinner.

"'About five o'clock in the afternoon, and within an hour after we had
left this place, we opened a small bay adjoining to Grass Cove, and here
we saw a large double canoe just hauled upon the beach, with two men and
a dog. The two men, on seeing us approach, instantly fled, which made us
suspect it was here we should have some tidings of the cutter. On landing
and examining the canoe, the first thing we saw therein was one of our
cutter's rowlock ports and some shoes, one of which among the latter was
known to belong to Mr. Woodhouse. A piece of flesh was found by one of
our people, which at first was thought to be some of the salt meat
belonging to the cutter's men, but, upon examination, we supposed to be
dog's flesh. A most horrid and undeniable proof soon cleared up our
doubts, and convinced us we were among no other than cannibals; for,
advancing further on the beach, we saw about twenty baskets tied up, and
a dog eating a piece of broiled flesh, which, upon examination, we
suspected to be human. We cut open the baskets, some of which were full
of roasted flesh, and others of fern root, which serves them for bread.
Searching others, we found more shoes and a hand, which was immediately
known to have belonged to Thos.