A General History and Collection of Voyages and Travels — Volume 13Kerr, Robert
History
A General History and Collection of Voyages and Travels — Volume 13
Kerr, Robert
Voyages and travels
In the morning of the 20th, our old man kept his promise, and brought
on board four of the heads of the seven people who had been so much the
subject of our enquiries: The hair and flesh were entire, but we
perceived that the brains had been extracted; the flesh was soft, but
had by some method been preserved from putrefaction, for it had no
disagreeable smell. Mr Banks purchased one of them, but they sold it
with great reluctance, and could not by any means be prevailed upon to
part with a second; probably they may be preserved as trophies, like the
scalps in America, and the jaw-bones in the islands of the South Seas.
Upon examining the head which had been bought by Mr Banks, we perceived
that it had received a blow upon the temples, which had fractured the
skull. This day we made another excursion in the pinnace, to survey the
bay, but we found no flat large enough for a potatoe garden, nor could
we discover the least appearance of cultivation: We met not a single
Indian, but found an excellent harbour, and about eight o'clock in the
evening returned on board the ship.
On the 21st, Mr Banks and Dr Solander went a-fishing with hook and line,
and caught an immense quantity every where upon the rocks, in between
four and five fathom water: The seine was hauled every night, and seldom
failed to supply the whole ship's company with as much fish as they
could eat. This day all the people had leave to go on shore at the
watering-place, and divert themselves as they should think proper.
In the morning of the 22d, I set out again in the pinnace, accompanied
by Mr Banks and Dr Solander, with a design to examine the head of the
inlet, but after rowing about four or five leagues without so much as
coming in sight of it, the wind being contrary, and the day half spent,
we went on shore on the south-east side, to try what might be discovered
from the hills.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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