Series 03: Joseph Banks - Endeavour journal, 25 August 1768 - 12 July 1771 (vol. 2) - No. 0086
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[Page 86]
82.
Opoorage
was inclosd by a pallisade about 10 feet high made of strong pales bound together with withs the weak side next the hill had also a ditch the face of which next the pallisade we measurd to be 20 1/2 feet in depth besides this over the pallisade was built a fighting stage which the call Porava which is a flat stage coverd with boughs of trees upon which they might stand to throw darts or stones at their assailants out of danger of their weapons the dimensions of it were thus the hight from the ground 20 1/2 feet breadth 6ft. 6. the lengh 43 feet upon it were laid bundles of darts & heaps of stones ready in case of an attack one of the Young men at our desire went up to shew their method of fighting & another went to the outside of the ditch to act assailant they both sung their war song & dancd with the same frighfull gesticulations as we have often seen them threatning each other with their weapons this I suppose they do in their attacks to work themselves to a sufficient fury of courage for what we call calm resolution is I beleive found in few uncivilizd people. the side next the road was also defended by a stage like this but much lower the other two were by their steepness & the