Series 03: Joseph Banks - Endeavour journal, 25 August 1768 - 12 July 1771 (vol. 2) - No. 0177
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[Page 177]
173.
Some account of New Zealand
But of all the plants we have seen among these people that which is the most excellent in its kind & which realy excells most if not all that are put to the Same uses in other Countries is the plant which serves them instead of Hemp & flax of this there are two sorts the leaves of Both much resemble those of flags the flowers are smaller & grow many more together in one sort they are Yellowish in the other of a deep red of the leaves of these plants with very little preparation all their common wearing apparel are made & all Strings, lines, & Cordage for every purpose & that of a strengh so much superior to hemp as scarce to bear a comparison with it from the same leaves also by another preparation a kind of snow white fibres are drawn shining almost as silk & likewise surprizingly strong of which all their finer cloaths are made & of the leaves without any other preparation than splitting them into proper breadths & tying those strips together are made their fishing nets. so usefull a plant would doubless be a great acquisition to England especialy as one might hope that it would thrive there with little trouble as it seems hardy & affects no particular soil being found equaly on hills & in Valleys in dry soil & the deepest