Cook's Descriptions of Places, King Georges Island, page 15

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King Georges Island

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King Georges Island (continued)

It is not common for any two to eat together the better sort hardly ever and the Women never upon any account eat with the men but always by themselves. what can be the reason of so unusual a Custom it is hard to say especialy as they are a people ~~to all appearance~~ in every other instance fond of Socity and much so of their Women, they were often asked the reason but they never gave no other answer but that they did it because it was right and express'd much dislike at the custom of men and Women eating together of the Same Victuals. We have often use'd all the intreatys we were masters of to invite the Women to partake of our victuals at our tables but there never was an instance of one of them doing it. but they would offten go five or six together into the servants apartments and their eat very heartaly of what ever they could find nor were they the last disturb'd if any of us came in while they were dining and it hath some times happend that when a Woman was alone in our company she would eat with us but always took [care] that her country people should not know what she had done. so that whatever may be the reason for this custom it certainly affects their outward manners more than their principals —

With respect to their persons the men in general are tall, strong limb'd and well shaped. one of the tallest we saw measured Six feet 3 Inches and a half. the superior Women are in every respect as large as Europeans but the inferior sort are in general small owing possibbly to their early amours which they are more addicted to than their superiors. They are of various colours those of the inferior sort who are obliged to be much exposed to the sun and air are of a very dark brown the

Voyaging Accounts

© Transcribed from National Library of Australia Manuscript 1 page 81, 2004
Published by South Seas
To cite this page use: https://paulturnbull.org/project/southseas/journals/cook_remarks-015