Series 03: Joseph Banks - Endeavour journal, 25 August 1768 - 12 July 1771 (vol. 2) - No. 0289
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[Page 289]
285.
June 1770 Palm Islands.
7. Sailing between the main & Islands the main rose steep from the Water rocky & barren just about sun rise a shoal of fish about the size of & much like flounders but perfectly white went by the ship. at noon the Islands had mended their appearance & people were seen upon them the Main as barren as Ever with several fires upon it one vastly large after dinner an appearance very much like Cocoa nut trees tempted us to hoist out a boat & go ashore where we found our supposd Cocoa nut trees to be no more than bad Cabbage trees the Countrey about them was very stoney & barren & it was almost dark when we got ashore we made a shift however to gather 14 or 15 new plants after which we repaird to our boats but scarce were they put off from the shore when an Indian came very near it & shouted to us very loud it was so dark that we could not see him, we however turnd towards the shore by way of seeing what he wanted with us but he I suppose ran away or hid himself immediately for we could not get a sight of him
8. Still sailing between the Main & Islands the former rocky & high lookd rather less barren than usual & by the number of fires seemd