This post is dedicated to our new friends in Pictou, Nova Scotia -- where I have been for the past fortnight. They are renovating the Hector, a vessel not unlike the Endeavour which carried the first Scots immigrants from Scotland to New Scotland in 1773. The photograph above is therefore NOT of the Endeavour, but of the Hector at anchor in Pictou in 2012.
More information here : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hector_(ship)
[At Anchor, Endeavour River]
22nd. Fresh breezes at South-East and East-South-East. Employ'd
as Yesterday. A.M., the weather would not permit us to Sail; sent the
Turtlers out again. In opening of one to-day we found sticking thro' both
Shoulder bones a wood Harpoon, or Turtle Peg, 15 Inches long, bearded at
the end, such as we have seen among the Natives; this proves to a
Demonstration that they strike Turtle, I suppose at the Time they come
ashore to lay their Eggs, for they certainly have no boat fit to do this
at Sea, or that will carry a Turtle, and this Harpoon must have been a
good while in, as the wound was quite heal'd up.
23rd. Fresh breezes in the South-East quarter, which so long as
it continues will confine us in Port. Yesterday, A.M., I sent some people
in the Country to gather greens, one of which stragled from the rest, and
met with 4 of the Natives by a fire, on which they were broiling a Fowl,
and the hind leg of one of the Animals before spoke of. He had the
presence of mind not to run from them (being unarm'd), least they should
pursue him, but went and set down by them; and after he had set a little
while, and they had felt his hands and other parts of his body, they
suffer'd him to go away without offering the least insult, and perceiving
that he did not go right for the Ship they directed him which way to go.
24th. Winds and weather continues. The Seamen employ'd making
ropes, Caulking the Ship, Fishing, etc.
Joseph Banks Journal
22nd.
The Turtle which was killd this morn had an Indian turtle peg in it which seemd to have laid there a long time. It was in the breast across the fore finns, having enterd at the soft part near the finns but the wound it had made in going in was intirely grown up; the peg itself was about 8 inches in lengh and as thick as a mans little finger. One of our people who had been sent out to gather Indian Kale straying from his party met with three indians, two men and a boy, he came upon them as they sat down among some long grass on a sudden and before he was aware of it. At first he was much afraid and offerd them his knife, the only thing he had which he thought might be acceptable to them; they took it and after handing it from one to another return'd it to him. They kept him about half an hour behaving most civily to him, only satisfying their curiosity in examining his body, which done they made him signs that he might go away which he did very well pleasd. They had hanging on a tree by them, he said, a quarter of the wild animal and a cocatoo; but how they had been clever enough to take these animals is almost beyond my conception, as both of them are most shy especialy the Cocatoos.
23rd.
In Botanizing today on the other side of the river we accidentaly found the greatest part of the clothes which had been given to the Indians left all in a heap together, doubtless as lumber not worth carriage. May be had we lookd farther we should have found our other trinkets, for they seemd to set no value upon any thing we had except our turtle, which of all things we were the least able to spare them.
24th.
The blowing weather which had hinderd us from getting out several days still lasted, not at all to our satisfaction who had no one wish to remain longer in the place, which we had pretty well exhausted even of its natural history. The Dr and me were obligd to go very far for any thing new; to day we went several miles to a high hill where after sweating and broiling among the woods till night we were obligd to return almost empty. But the most vexatious accident imaginable befel us likewise: traveling in a deep vally, the sides of which were steep almost as a wall but coverd with trees and plenty of Brush wood, we found marking nuts (anacardium orientale) laying on the ground, and desirous as we were to find the tree on which they had grown, a thing that I beleive no European Botanist has seen, we were not with all our pains able to find it; so after cutting down 4 or 5 trees and spending much time were obligd to give over our hopes.
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment