An Historical Journal of the Transactions at Port Jackson and Norfolk IslandHunter, John
History
An Historical Journal of the Transactions at Port Jackson and Norfolk Island
Hunter, John
New South Wales -- History -- Sources
The islands lie about five leagues south, from the southern
point of Mindanao: the road where we anchored is on the
north-east side of Hummock Island, and is in latitude 5 deg. 27'
north, longitude 125 deg. 12' east: there appeared to be a
passage between this island and the next to it, lying in a north
and south direction, but there is a long rocky spit, which runs
from a low point on Hummock Island, and seems to throw the
channel through upon the other shore: we had not an opportunity
to examine it, but we found here a regular tide, which was high
at full and change of the moon at seven o'clock, and rose by the
shore six or seven feet. There were several inlets or openings on
the west shore of the other island, which may be probably
convenient and well sheltered coves.
The articles, which seemed of most value here in exchange for
stock, were light cloathing of white or printed linens, or
cottons, such as loose gowns or jackets, coloured handkerchiefs,
clasp knives, razors, and bar iron; metal buttons had for some
time a good run, which a stranger on board here would soon have
perceived, as there was scarcely a coat or jacket to-be seen upon
deck with a button on it. The natives on these islands are the
same sort of people, and speak the same language, as people on
Mindanao; they have a great deal of the Malay both in appearance
and disposition; they are nearly the same size, make, and colour,
and have many of their features; they wore in general jackets and
trousers, but the lower orders had seldom any thing but a wrapper
round the waist; they commonly wore a handkerchief, or other
piece of linen round the head, in the manner of a turban. In the
sash or wrapper, which all wear round the waist, they had their
cress or dagger stuck, the scabbard of which was a case of wood.
Many of these natives were troubled with a disease much
resembling the leprosy; their skins were covered with a dry
scurf, like the scales of a fish, which had a very disagreeable
appearance.
Their canoes were of various sizes; the bottom is hollowed out
of the trunk of a tree, and they were generally raised with an
upper work of split bamboo, which was set very close and light;
they had an outrigger on each side to balance them; they had also
a larger boat on which they mounted three small pieces of cannon,
of brass; these pieces, I was told, were of their own
manufactory, which I could readily believe, as they were of a
very different make to any I had ever seen; they were very long,
and of narrow bore, and were mounted with a swivel, upon posts,
placed one at each end, and one in the center of the boat; they
had a long wooden tail fixed to them, by which they turn about
and point them.
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