James Cook - A Journal of the proceedings of His Majesty's Bark Endeavour on a voyage round the world, by Lieutenant James Cook, Commander, commencing the 25th of May 1768 - 23 Oct. 1770: No. 288

[Page 288]

New Wales or East Coast of New Holland
July 1770 ([written in margin:] Endeavour River) this they went away & brot over the other 2 & came again alongside nearer than they had done before & took such Trifles as we gave them, after they had landed close to the Ship & all 4 went ashore carrying their Arms with them ([written in margin:] The Natives visit us) but Tupia[?] soon prevail'd upon them to lay down their Arms & come & set down by him after which most of us went to them, made them again some presents & stay'd with them until dinner time when we made them understand that we were going to eat & asked them by signs to go with us but this they declined & as soon as we left them they went away in their Canoe one of these men was something above the Middle Age, the other 3 were young none of them were above 5 1/2 feet high & all their Limbs proportionably small, they were wholy naked their skins the Colour of Wood soot & this seem'd to be their Natural Colour their Hair was black lank'd & cropt short & neither wooly nor Frizled nor did they want any of their Fore Teeth as Dampier has mentioned those did he saw on the Western side of this Country, Some part of their Bodys had been Painted with red, & one of them had his upper lip & breast painted with Streakes of white, which he called Carbanda. Their features were far from being disagreeable; their Voices were soft and Tunable, and they could easily repeat any words after us, but neither us nor Tupia could understand one word they said.
Wednesday 11th  Gentle land & Sea breezes. Empld Airing the Bread, stow'g away water, Stores, etc. in the Night the Master and Mr. Gore returned with the Long Boat, and brot with them one Turtle & a few Shell fish the Yawl Mr. Gore left upon the Shoal with 6 Men to endeavour to strike more Turtle, in the morning 4 of the Natives made us another Short Visit 3 of them had been with us the preceed'g day, the other was a Stranger one of these Men had a hole through the Bridge of his nose in which he stuck a piece of Bone as thick as my finger, seeing this we examin’d all their Noses & found that they had all holes for the same purpose, they had likewise holes in their Ears but no Ornaments hanging to them; they had bracelets on their Arms made of hair & like Hoops of small Cord, they sometimes may wear a Kind of fillet about their Heads for one of them had applied some part of an old Shirt which I had given them to this use.
Thursday 12th Winds & wear as yesterday & the Employment of the People the same at 2AM the Yawl came onbd & brot 3 Turtle & a large Skeat & as there was a Probability of Succeed'g in this kind of fishery I sent her out again after