Series 03: Joseph Banks - Endeavour journal, 25 August 1768 - 12 July 1771 (vol. 2) - No. 0457
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[Page 457]
353
Some account of Savu
I have ever seen
[Margin note] Dogs & Cats
Besides these animals here are vast plenty of dogs some cats & rats & a few Pidgeons I saw 3 or 4 pair nor are any of these animals exempted from furnishing their part towards the support of Polyphagous man except the Rats which alone they do not eat
Fish appeard to us to be scarce indeed it was but little valued by these Islanders none but the very inferior people ever eating it & these only at the times when their duty or business requird them to be down upon the sea beach in this case every man was furnishd with a light Casting net which was girt round him &servd for a part of his dress with this he took any small fish that might happen to come into his way
[Margin note] Turtle
Turtles are scarce they are esteemd a good food but are taken only seldom
Of the vegetables most are well known
[Margin note] Fruit
the custard apple sweet Sop is a delicious pleasant fruit well known to the West Indians. Blimbi alone is not mentioned by any voyage writer I have met with it is a small oval fruit thickest in the middle & tapering a little to each end 3 or 4 inches in