Series 03: Joseph Banks - Endeavour journal, 25 August 1768 - 12 July 1771 (vol. 2) - No. 0307
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[Page 307]
203.
June 1760 Endeavours River
under water; nobody had warnd me of this danger which had never once enterd into my head the mischeif was however now done so I set to work to remedy it to the best of my power the day was scarce long enough to get them all shifted &c. many were savd but some intirely lost & spoild
27. Some of the Gentlemen who had been out in the woods Yesterday brought home the leaves of a plant which I took to be (Arum Esculentum) the same I beleive as is calld Coccos in the West Indies in consequence of this I went to the place & found plenty on tryal however the roots were found to be too acrid to be eat the leaves however when boild were little inferior to spinage in the same place grew plenty of Cabbage trees a kind of Wild Plantain whose fruit was so full of stones that it was scarce eatable another fruit about as large as a small golden pippin but flatter of a deep purple colour these when gatherd off from the tree were very hard & disagreable but after being kept a few days became soft & tasted much like indiferent Damsons
28. Tupia by Roasting his Coccos very much in his Oven made them lose intirely their acridity