12 May 1769

James Cook's Journal: Daily Entries

Table of Contents On this day ... 12 May 1769 Endeavour Voyage Maps James Cook's Journal Ms 1, National Library of Australia Joseph Banks's Journal Sydney Parkinson's Journal The authorised published account of Cook's Voyage by John Hawkesworth 1769 References Index Search Contact us Search for Nautical Term in Falconer's Dictionary of the Marine...

12 May 1769 Friday 12th Clowdy weather with Showers of Rain — This Morning a Man and two young women ^ with some others came to the Fort whom we had not seen before: and as their manner ^ of introduceing themselves was a little uncommon I shall insert it: Mr Banks was as usual at the gate of the Fort trading with the people, when he was told that some Strangers were coming and therefore stood to receive them, the compney had with them about a Dozn young Plantains Trees and some other small Plants these they laid down about 20 feet from Mr Banks, the people then made a lane between him and them, when this was done, the Man the Man / who appear'd to be only a Servant to the 2 Women / brought the young Plantains singley, together with some of the other Plants and gave them to Mr Banks, and at the delivery of each pronounce'd a Short sentence, which we understood not, after he had thus dispose'd of all his Plantain trees he took several peices of Cloth and spread them on the ground, one of the Young Women then step'd upon the Cloth and with as much Innocency as one could possibly conceve, expose'd herself intirely naked from the waist downwards, in this manner she turn'd her Self once or twice round, I am not certain which, then step'd of the Cloth and drop'd down her clothes, more Cloth was then spread upon the Former and she again perform'd the same ceremony; the Cloth was then rowled up and given to Mr Banks and the two young women went and embraced him which ended the Ceremoney — Voyaging Accounts © Transcription by Paul Turnbull of National Library of Australia, Manuscript 1 page 63, 2004 Published by kind permission of the Library To cite this page use: https://paulturnbull.org/project/southseas/journals/cook/17690512.html