Series 03: Joseph Banks - Endeavour journal, 25 August 1768 - 12 July 1771 (vol. 2) - No. 0056
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[Page 56]
52.
Tegadu Bay
by some but the greater number of people spit them out for which purpose they had a basket standing under them to receive their chewd morsels in shape and colour not unlike Chaws of Tobacco
Tho at this time of the year this most homely fare was their principal diet yet in the proper seasons they certainly have plenty of excellent vegetables tho we have seen no sign of tame animals among them except doggs, very small & ugly their plantations were now hardly finishd but so well was the ground tilld that I have seldom seen even in the gardens of curious people land better broke down in them were planted sweet potatoes, Yamms Cocos & some one of the cucumber kind as we Judgd from the seed leaves which just appeard above ground the first of these were planted in small hills some rangd in rows other in quincunx all laid by a line most regularly the Cocos were planted on flat land & were not yet appeard above ground the Cucumbers were set in small hollows or dishes much as we do in England these plantations were from 1 or 2 to 8 or 10 acres each in the bay might be 150 or 200 acres in cultivation tho we did not see 100 people in all Each distinct patch was fencd