Captain Cook's Journal During His First Voyage Round the World: Made in H. M. Bark "Endeavour", 1768-71Cook, James
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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
When one Considers the Tools these people have one cannot help but
admiring their workmanship; these are Adzes and small Hatchets made of a
hard Stone, Chizels and Gouges made of human bones, generally the bones
of the Forearm, but Spike Nails have pretty well supplyd the place of
these. With these ordinary Tools, that a European would expect to break
the first stroke, I have seen them work surprisingly fast. To plain or
polish their work they rub upon it, with a small stone, Coral Beat small
and Mixed with Water; this is done sometimes by scraping it with Shells,
with which alone they perform most of their Small wood work.
Their Proes or Canoes, large and Small, are row'd and Steer'd with
Paddles, and, notwithstanding the large ones appear to be very unweildy,
they manage them very dexterously, and I believe perform long and distant
Voyages in them, otherwise they could not have the knowledge of the
Islands in these Seas they seem to have. They wear for Shew or Ornament
at the Mast Head of most of their Sailing Canoes Pendants made of
Feathers.
Having described their fighting Canoes I shall next describe their Arms
with which they attack their Enemys, both by Sea and Land. These are
Clubs, Spears or Lances, Slings and Stones which they throw by hand. The
Clubs are made of a hard wood, and are about 8 or 9 feet long; the one
half is made flatish with 2 Edges, and the other half is round and not
thicker than to be easily grasped by the hand. The Lances are of various
lengths, some from 12, 20 or 30 feet, and are generally Arm'd at the
Small end with the Stings of Sting-rays, which makes them very dangerous
weapons. Altho' these people have Bows and Arrows--and those none of the
worst--we are told that they never use them in their wars, which
doubtless is very extraordinary and not easily accounted for. They have
very Curious breastplates, made of small wickers, pieces of Matting,
etc., and neatly Cover'd with Sharks' teeth, Pearl Oyster shells, birds'
feathers, and dogs' hair. Thus much for their Arms, etc.
[Tahitian Cloth.]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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