It had hitherto been the opinion at Sydney, that the custom of losing the front tooth amongst the natives was confined to the men only, but a woman was lately seen who had lost the front tooth, and two women were met with who had the septum of the nose perforated; one of them was Barangaroo, who now visited the settlement daily, in company with her husband, and seemed to be pleased as though she thought herself drest when her nose was occasionally ornamented with a small bone or a bit of stick:  she is very strait and exceeding well made; her features are good, and though she goes entirely naked, yet there is such an air of innocence about her that cloathing scarcely appears necessary.

These people are frequently ornamented, or, to speak more properly, disfigured with broad white marks under the eyes and on the breasts; but they seem to have another motive for using this mode of ornament, besides a wish of appearing handsome, though as yet it had not been discovered.  The red earth is likewise frequently used, generally about the nose and under the eyes.

Chapter XIX

TRANSACTIONS AT PORT JACKSON

November 1790 to December 1790

-Fruits in season described.—­The manners of the natives.—­Disputes with them.—­Arrival of a vessel from Batavia.-

The new moon, in the beginning of November, brought a few hours thunder, and rain for a short time, which they still continued greatly to want.

Several fruits peculiar to the country were now in season:  that which was supposed to be the fruit Captain Cook calls a cherry, the natives call mizooboore; the taste of it is insipid, and it differs little from another fruit similar in its appearance, but something smaller, and which, as well as the former, is found in great abundance:  there is likewise a third sort which differs as little in appearance and taste.  Though there is little variety either in the shape or taste of the fruits just mentioned, yet, it is very remarkable that the trees on which they grow are of very different kinds.

The fruits, or berries, just mentioned, have so insipid a taste, that they are held in very little estimation by our colonists; but that is not the case with the acid berry, which is about the size of a currant, and grows on a tree, the leaves of which resemble the broom:  the acid of this fruit, even when ripe, is very strong, and is, perhaps, the purest in the world:  it is pleasant to the taste, and Governor Phillip found it particularly so when on a journey in hot weather:  the surgeon held it in great estimation as an antiscorbutic; and, with a large proportion of sugar, it makes excellent tarts and jellies.

There is also another fruit, which, when ripe, is of a transparent red colour, about the size of a currant, and shaped like a heart:  it has an agreeable flavour, leaving an astringency on the palate, and cannot be otherwise than wholesome, as the settlers had ate great quantities of it at times, without any pernicious consequences.