Joseph Banks - Endeavour Journal, 25 August 1768 - 12 July 1771 - No. 0368
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[Page 368]
Ulhietea
or god houses which appeard were made to be moveable carried on poles one of these I examind by putting my hand into it within was a parsel about 5 feet long & one thick wrappd up in matts these I tore with my fingers till I came to a covering of mat made of platted Cocoa nut fibres which it was impossible to get through so I was obligd to desist especialy as what I had already done gave much offence to our new freinds. From hence we went to an adjoining long house where among several things such as rolls of cloth &c. was standing a model of a Canoe about 3 feet long upon which were tied 8 under jaw bones of men Tupia told us that it was the custom of these Islanders to cut off the Jaw bones of those who they had killd in war these were he said the jaw bones of Ulhietea people but how they came here or why tied thus to a canoe we could not understand we were therefore contented to conjecture that they were plac'd there as a trophy won back from the men of Bola Bola their mortal enemies night now came on apace but Dr Solander & myself walkd along shore a little way & saw an Ewharre no Eatua the under part of which was lind with a row of Jaw bones which we were also told were those of Ulhietea