Joseph Banks - Endeavour journal, 25 August 1768 - 12 July 1771 - No. 0307
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[Page 307]
Georges Land
May 1769
inches long were offerd for 20 Cocoa nuts accordingly this morn several came with that number so that we had plenty of them Smaller lots as well as bread fruit sold as usual for beads
Soon after breakfast Came Oborea, Obadee & Tupia bringing a hog & some breadfruit. They stayd with us till night then took away their canoe & promisd to return in 3 days we had to day 350 Cocoa nuts & more bread fruit than we would buy so that we aproach our former plenty
10. This morn Captn Cooke planted divers seeds which he had brought with him in a spot of ground turnd up for the purpose. They were all bought of Gordon at Mile End & sent in bottles seald up whether or no that method will succeed the event of this plantation will shew plenty of Bread fruit & cocoa nuts again today towards evening Tubourai & Tomio returnd from the west & seemd extreemly glad to see all of us
We have now got the Indian name of the Island Otahite so therefore for the future I shall call it as for our own names the Indians find so much dificulty in pronouncing them that we are forcd to indulge them in calling us what they please or rather what they say when they attempt to pronounce them I give here the List: Ca;tn Cooke Toote Dr Solander Torano Mr Hicks Hete Mr Gore Toarro Mr Molineux Boba from his Christian name Robert, Mr Monkhouse Mato & myself Tapane in this manner they have names for almost every man in the ship