Series 03: Joseph Banks - Endeavour journal, 25 August 1768 - 12 July 1771 (vol. 2) - No. 0321
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[Page 321]
217.
July 1770. Endeavours River
Close round their heads it was of the same consistence with our hair by no means wooly or curld like that of Negroes their eyes were in many lively & their teeth even & good of them they had compleat setts by no means wanting two of their fore teeth as Dampiers new hollanders did they were all of them clean limn'd active & nimble. Cloaths they had none not the least rag those parts which nature willingly conceals being exposd to view compleatly uncoverd yet when they stood still they would often or almost allways with their hand or something they held in it hide them in some measure at least seemingly doing that as if by instinct they Painted themselves with white & red the first in lines & barrs on different Parts of their bodies the other in large patches their ornaments were few necklaces prettyly enough made of shells bracelets wore round the upper part of their arms consisting of strings lapd round with other strings as what we Call gymp in England a string no thicker than a packthread tied round their bodies which was sometimes made of human hair, & peice of Bark tied over their forehead, & the preposterous bone in their noses which I have before mentiond were