Series 03: Joseph Banks - Endeavour journal, 25 August 1768 - 12 July 1771 (vol. 2) - No. 0055
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[Page 55]
51
Octr 1769 Tegadu Bay
with them yet they did not neglect their ordinary occupations in the morn several boats went out fishing at dinner time every one went to their respective homes & after a certain time returnd such fair appearances made Dr Solander & myself almost trust them we rangd all about the bay & were well repaid by finding many plants & shooting some most beautifull birds in doing this we visited several houses & saw a little of their customs for they were not at all shy of shewing us any thing we desird to see nor did they on our account interrupt their meals the only employment we saw them engagd in
Their food at this time of the year consisted of Fish with which instead of bread they eat the roots of a kind of Fern Pteris crenulata very like that which grows upon our commons in England these were a little roasted on the fire & then beat with a stick which took off the bark & dry outside what remaind had a sweetish clammyness in it not disagreable to the taste it might be esteemd a tolerable food was it not for the quantity of strings & fibres in it which in quantity 3 or 4 times exceeded the soft part these were swallowd