Series 03: Joseph Banks - Endeavour journal, 25 August 1768 - 12 July 1771 (vol. 2) - No. 0625
Primary tabs
Transcription
[Page 625]
521.
Some account of Princes Island
Plenty; some water melons, pine apples, Jaccas, Pumkins, also Rice cheifly of the mountain sort which grows on dry land, Yams & several other vegetables all which are sold reasonably enough.
The inhabitants are Javans whose Radja is subject to the Sultan of Bantam from whoom they receive orders & to whoom they possibly pay a tribute but of that particular I am not certain their customs I beleive are very much like those of the Indians about Batavia only they seem much more jealous of their women so much so that I never saw one the whole time of our stay except she was running away full speed to hide herself in the woods their Religion is Mahometanism but I beleive they have not a Mosque upon the Island they were however very strict in the observance of their Fast (the same as the Ramdan of the turks) during which we hapned to come not one would touch victuals till sun set or even chew their Betele but 1/2 or an hour before all went home to cook the kettle nor would they stay for any thing but view of extrordinary profit