Series 03: Joseph Banks - Endeavour journal, 25 August 1768 - 12 July 1771 (vol. 2) - No. 0464
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[Page 464]
360.
Some account of Savu
clumsey are far from hansome & have a kind of sameness of features among them which
[Margin note] Chastity
might well account for the chastity of the men for which virtue this Island is said to be remarkable. the Hair of Both sexes is universaly Black & lank the men wear it long & fastned upon the tops of their heads with a comb the women have theirs also long & tied behind into a kind of club, not very becomeing
[Margin note] Dress
Both men & women dress in a kind of Blew & white clouded cotton cloth which they manufacture themselves of this two peices about 2 yards long each serve for a dress one of these is worn round the middle this the men wear pretty tight it covering no lower than their backsides but above making a kind of loose belt in which they carry their knives &c. & often many other things so that it serves intirely the purpose of Pockets the other peice is tuckd into this girdle & reaching over the shoulders passes down to the girdle on the other side so that by opening or folding it they can cover more or less of their bodies as they please the arms legs & feet of both sexes are constantly bare as are the heads of the women which is their cheif distinction by which at once they are known from the men who always wear something wrap'd round