Series 03: Joseph Banks - Endeavour journal, 25 August 1768 - 12 July 1771 (vol. 2) - No. 0208
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[Page 208]
204.
Some account of New Zealand
sharpned but intended cheifly for the defence of their forts where they have the advantage of throwing them from a hight down upon their enemy they often brought them out in their boats when they meant to attack us but so little were they able to make use of them against us who were by reason of the hight of the ship above them that they never but once attempted it & that dart tho thrown with the utmost effort of the man who held it barely fell on board sometimes I have seen them pointed with the stings of stingrays but very seldom why they do not oftener use them I do not know nothing is more terrible to a Europæn than the sharp Jagged beards of those bones but I beleive they seldom cause death tho the wounds made by them must be most troublesome & painfull
Stones however they use much more dextrouly, tho ignorant of the use of Slings they throw by hand a considerable distance when they have pelted us with them on board the ship I have seen our people attempt to throw them back & not be able to reach the Canoes tho they had so manifest an advantage in the hight of their situation
These are all that can properly be calld arms but besides these the cheifs when they came