The Three Voyages of Captain Cook Round the World. Vol. V. Being the First of the Third VoyageCook, James
History
The Three Voyages of Captain Cook Round the World. Vol. V. Being the First of the Third Voyage
Cook, James
Cook, James, 1728-1779 -- Travel; Explorers -- Great Britain -- Biography; Voyages around the world -- History -- 18th century
Some are punctured or stained in the face with curious spiral and other
figures, of a black or deep blue colour; but it is doubtful whether this
be ornamental, or intended as a mark of particular distinction; and the
women, who are marked so, have the puncture only on their lips, or a
small spot on their chins. Both sexes often besmear their faces and
heads with a red paint, which seems to be a martial ochre mixed with
grease; and the women sometimes wear necklaces of shark’s teeth, or
bunches of long beads, which seem to be made of the leg-bones of small
birds, or a particular shell. A few also have small triangular aprons
adorned with the feathers of parrots, or bits of pearl shells, furnished
with a double or treble set of cords to fasten them about the waist. I
have sometimes seen caps or bonnets made of the feathers of birds, which
may be reckoned as ornaments; for it is not their custom to wear any
covering on their heads.
They live in the small coves formerly described, in companies of forty
or fifty, or more; and sometimes in single families, building their huts
contiguous to each other; which, in general, are miserable
lodging-places. The best I ever saw was about thirty feet long, fifteen
broad, and six high, built exactly in the manner of one of our country
barns. The inside was both strong and regularly made of supporters at
the sides, alternately large and small, well fastened by means of
withes, and painted red and black. The ridge pole was strong; and the
large bull-rushes, which composed the inner part of the thatching, were
laid with great exactness parallel to each other. At one end was a small
square hole, which served as a door to creep in at; and near it another
much smaller, seemingly for letting out the smoke, as no other vent for
it could be seen. This, however, ought to be considered as one of the
best, and the residence of some principal person; for the greatest part
of them are not half the above size, and seldom exceed four feet in
height; being, besides, indifferently built, though proof against wind
and rain.
No other furniture is to be seen in them, than a few small baskets or
bags, in which they put their fishing-hooks, and other trifles; and they
sit down in the middle round a small fire, where they also probably
sleep, without any other covering than what they wear in the day, or
perhaps without that; as such confined places must be very warm, though
inhabited but by a few persons.
They live chiefly by fishing, making use either of nets of different
kinds, or of wooden fish-hooks pointed with bone; but so oddly made,
that a stranger is at a loss to know how they can answer such a purpose.
It also appears, that they remove their habitations from one place to
another when the fish grow scarce, or for some other reason; for we
found houses now built in several parts, where there had been none when
we were here during our last voyage, and even these have been already
deserted.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account