Captain Cook's Journal During His First Voyage Round the World: Made in H. M. Bark "Endeavour", 1768-71Cook, James
History
Captain Cook's Journal During His First Voyage Round the World: Made in H. M. Bark "Endeavour", 1768-71
Cook, James
Oceania -- Discovery and exploration -- Early works to 1800; Voyages around the world -- Early works to 1800
This day one of the Natives, who appeared to be a Chief, dined with us,
as he had done some days before; but then there were always some Women
present, and one or another of them put the Victuals into his Mouth, but
this day there hapned to be none to Perform that Office. When he was
help'd to victuals and desir'd to eat, he sat in the Chair like a
Statute, without once attempting to put a Morsel to his mouth, and would
certainly have gone without his dinner if one of the Servants had not fed
him. We have often found the women very officious in feeding us, from
which it would seem that it is the Custom on some occasions for them to
feed the Chiefs. However, this is the only instance of that kind we have
seen, or that they could not help themselves as well as any of us.
This afternoon we set up the Observatory and took the Astronomical
Quadrant ashore for the first time, together with some other Instruments,
the fort being now finished and made as Tenantable as the time, Nature,
and situation of the Ground and Materials we had to work upon would admit
of. The North and South parts consisted of a Bank of Earth 4 1/2 feet
high on the inside, and a Ditch without, 10 feet broad and 6 feet deep;
on the West side facing the Bay a Bank of Earth 4 feet high, and
Palisades upon that, but no Ditch, the works being at high-water mark. On
the East side upon the Bank of the river was placed a double row of
Casks, and, as this was the weakest side, the 2 four Pounders were
planted there, and the whole was defended, beside these 2 Guns, with 6
Swivels, and generally about 45 Men with small Arms, including the
Officers and Gentlemen who resided ashore. I now thought myself perfectly
secure from anything these people would attempt.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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