Series 03: Joseph Banks - Endeavour journal, 25 August 1768 - 12 July 1771 (vol. 2) - No. 0400
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[Page 400]
296
Some account of New Holland
he had left it this we afterwards found was done cheifly by the infinite readyness with which every kind of rubbish sticks witherd leaves or dry grass already almost dryd to tinder by the heat of the sun & dryness of the season would take fire he took for instance when he set off a small bit of fire & wrapping it up in dry grass ran on this soon blazd he then layd it down on the most convenient place for his purpose that he could find & taking up a small part of it wrappd that in part of the dry rubbish in which he had layd it in this manner proceeding as long as he thought proper
[Margin note] Weapons
Their Weapons offensive at Least were precisely the same where ever we saw them except that at the very last view we had of the countrey we saw through our glasses a man who carried a Bow & arrows in this we might but I beleive we were not mistaken they consisted of one only species a Pike or Lance from 8 to 14 feet in lengh this they threw short distances with their hands & for longer 40 or more yards with an instrument made for the purpose the upper part of these Lances were made either of Cane