Discoveries in Australia, Volume 1.: With an Account of the Coasts and Rivers Explored and Surveyed During; The Voyage of H.M.S. Beagle, in the Years 1837-38-39-40-41-42-43.; By Command of the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty. Also a Narrative; Of Captain Owen Stanley's Visits to the Islands in the Arafura Sea.Stokes, John Lort
History
Discoveries in Australia, Volume 1.: With an Account of the Coasts and Rivers Explored and Surveyed During; The Voyage of H.M.S. Beagle, in the Years 1837-38-39-40-41-42-43.; By Command of the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty. Also a Narrative; Of Captain Owen Stanley's Visits to the Islands in the Arafura Sea.
Stokes, John Lort
Australia -- Description and travel; Australia -- Discovery and exploration; Natural history -- Australia
The natives appeared to be healthy with the exception of a sort of
leprosy, from which many of them were suffering. It gave them a most
disgusting appearance, but did not appear to cause any inconvenience, nor
were they avoided by the rest of their companions, as if the disease had
been contagious. On our first landing, very few of the natives had any
arms, but they afterwards brought down some bows and arrows, some of
which were four or five feet long, neatly headed with iron. We also saw a
few iron-headed spears, a few cresses, and some hatchets of a very rude
construction.
CANOES.
Their canoes, about thirty of which were hauled upon the beach, were from
twenty-five to thirty feet long, and very narrow, with outriggers
projecting ten or twelve feet from each side, and supporting a piece of
buoyant wood to give stability. They carried one large mat-sail, but did
not appear to sail fast.
As soon as we had satisfied our curiosity on the beach, old Lomba led the
way to the village on the crest of the hill. The ascent commenced close
to the landing place by a flight of steps rudely formed by logs of wood
laid across a narrow path cut in the hillside, which brought us to within
forty or fifty feet of the summit. After which we had to climb two
ladders, made of hard red wood richly carved, placed almost
perpendicularly against the cliff. In a recess under the upper step we
noticed four small idols that bore a strong resemblance to those of the
South Sea islanders.
VILLAGE OF OLILIET.
After reaching the top of the ladder we passed through a gateway,
evidently intended for defence, and then found ourselves in the village
of Oliliet, built on a level space of considerable extent, accessible
only from seaward by the path we had ascended, which the removal of the
ladders would render impracticable, and on the land side protected by a
wall, beyond which the jungle appeared to be very dense.
The houses, all raised on piles six or eight feet above the ground, could
only be entered by means of a ladder leading through a trapdoor in the
floor. The roofs neatly thatched with palm leaves, and formed with a very
steep pitch projected considerably beyond the low side-walls, and
surmounted at the gables by large wooden horns,* richly carved, from
which long strings of shells hung down to the ground, giving the village
a most picturesque appearance.
(*Footnote. See the view annexed.)
The houses were arranged with considerable regularity, so as to form one
wide street of considerable extent, from which narrow alleys branched on
each side.
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