Joseph Banks - Endeavour journal, 25 August 1768 - 12 July 1771 - No. 0289
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[Page 289]
Georges Land
April 1769
account of having seen the body of the man who was shot on the 15th it was placd on a kind of Bier supported by stakes & coverd by a small hut which seemd to have been built for the purpose the body was wrappd up in cloth & near it were plac'd war instruments a hatchet some hair a cocoa nut & a cup of water farther he did not examine on account of the stench of the body which was intolerable they also two more huts of the same kind in one of which they saw the bones of the person who had lain there quite dry a custom so new as this appears to be surprized us all very much but whether all who die are thus disposd of or it is a peculiar honour shewn to those who dye in war is to be cleard up by future observation
20. Raind hard all this day at intervals so much so that we could not stir at all the people however went on briskly with the fortification in spite of weather. Lycurgus dind with us he imitates our manners in every instance already holding a knife & fork more handily than a frenchman could learn to do in years notwistanding the rain some provisions are brought to the market which is kept just without the lines indeed ever since we have been here we have had more breadfruit every day than both the people & hogs can eat but in the pork way we have been so poorly supplyd that I beleive fresh pork has not