Joseph Banks - Endeavour journal, 25 August 1768 - 12 July 1771 - No. 0425
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[Page 425]
Manners & Customs of South Sea Islands
besides this they dance especialy the young girls whenever they can collect 8 or 10 together singing most indecent words using most indecent actions & setting their mouths askew in a most extrordinary manner, in the practise of which they are brought up from their earlyest childhood in doing this they keep time to a surprizing nicety I might almost say as true as any dancers I have seen in Europe tho their time is certainly much more simple This excercise is however left off as soon as they arrive at Years of maturity for as soon as ever they have formd a connection with a man they are expected to leave of Dancing Timorodee as it is calld
One amusement more I must mention tho I confess I hardly dare touch upon it as it is founded upon a custom so devilish, inhuman, & contrary to the first principles of human nature that tho the natives have repeatedly told it to me far from concealing it rather looking upon it as a branch of freedom upon which they valued themselves I can hardly bring myself to beleive it much less expect that any body Else shall it is this that more than half of the better sort of the inhabitants of the Island have like Comus in Milton enterd into a resolution of enjoying free liberty in love without a possibility of being troubled or disturbd