presents took place, as well as an exchange of names. The natives were
extremely respectful to Cook; in fact, they paid him a sort of
adoration, prostrating themselves before him; and a society of priests
furnished the ships with a constant supply of hogs and vegetables,
without requiring any return. On February 3, the day previous to the
ships sailing, the King presented them with a quantity of cloth, many
boat-loads of vegetables, and a whole herd of hogs. The ships sailed on
the following day, but on the 6th encountered a very heavy gale, in
which, on the night of the 7th, the _Resolution_ sprung the head of her
foremast in such a dangerous manner, that they were forced to put back
to Karakakooa Bay, in order to get it repaired. Here they anchored on
the morning of the 11th, and everything for a time promised to go well
in their intercourse with the natives. The friendliness manifested by
the chiefs, however, was far from solid. They were savages at a low
point of cultivation, and theft and murder were not considered by them
in the light of crimes. Cook, aware of the nature of these barbarians,
was anxious to avoid any collision, and it was with no small regret that
he found that an affray had taken place between some seamen and the
natives. The cause of the disturbance was the seizure of the cutter of
the _Discovery_ as it lay at anchor. The boats of both ships were sent
in search of her, and Captain Cook went on shore to prosecute the
inquiry, and, if necessary, to seize the person of the King, who had
sanctioned the theft.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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