Series 03: Joseph Banks - Endeavour journal, 25 August 1768 - 12 July 1771 (vol. 2) - No. 0037
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[Page 37]
33.
Octr. 1769. off Young Nicks head
of Jasper green talk of this shape [small sketch] intended doubtless for fighting hand to hand & certainly well contrivd for splitting sculls as it weighs not less than 4 or 5 pounds & has sharp edges excellently polishd
We were very anxious to know what was become of our poor boys therefore as soon as the people began to lose their first impressions of fear that we saw at first actuated disturbd them a good deal we askd after them. the man who first came on board immediately answerd that they were at home & unhurt & that the reason of his coming on board the ship with so little fear was the account they had given him of the usage they had met with among us
The people were in general of a midling size tho there was one who measurd more than 6 feet their colour dark brown their lips were staind with something put under the skin (as in the Otahite tattow) & their faces markd with deeply Engravd furrows Colourd also black & formd in regular spirals of these the oldest people had much the greatest quantity & deepest channeld in some not less than 1/16 part of an inch their hair cheifly always black was tied on the tops of their heads in a little knot in which was stuck feathers of various birds in different tastes according to the humour of