THE POSITION AND EXTENT OF THE WEST SIDE OF NORTH AMERICA; ITS DISTANCE FROM ASIA; AND THE PRACTICABILITY OF A NORTHERN PASSAGE TO EUROPE. PERFORMED UNDER THE DIRECTION OF CAPTAINS COOK, CLERKE, AND GORE, IN HIS MAJESTY’S SHIPS THE RESOLUTION AND DISCOVERY, IN THE YEARS 1776, 1777, 1778, 1779, and 1780. --------------------- VOL. III. WRITTEN BY CAPTAIN JAMES KING, LL. D. AND F. R. S. [Illustration: _Town & Harbour of S^t Peter & S^t Paul in Kamtschatka._] A VOYAGE TO THE PACIFIC OCEAN. --------------------- BOOK V. CAPTAIN KING’S JOURNAL OF THE TRANSACTIONS ON RETURNING TO THE SANDWICH ISLANDS. CHAP. I. DESCRIPTION OF KARAKAKOOA BAY.—VAST CONCOURSE OF THE NATIVES.—POWER OF THE CHIEFS OVER THE INFERIOR PEOPLE.—VISIT FROM KOAH, A PRIEST AND WARRIOR.—THE MORAI AT KAKOOA DESCRIBED.—CEREMONIES AT THE LANDING OF CAPTAIN COOK.—OBSERVATORIES ERECTED.—POWERFUL OPERATION OF THE TABOO.— METHOD OF SALTING PORK IN TROPICAL CLIMATES.—SOCIETY OF PRIESTS DISCOVERED.—THEIR HOSPITALITY AND MUNIFICENCE.—RECEPTION OF CAPTAIN COOK.—ARTIFICE OF KOAH.—ARRIVAL OF TERREEOBOO, KING OF THE ISLAND.— SINGULAR CEREMONY.—VISIT FROM THE KING.—RETURNED BY CAPTAIN COOK. Karakakooa Bay is situated on the west side of the island of Owhyhee, in a district called Akona. It is about a mile in depth, and bounded by two low points of land, at the distance of half a league, and bearing south south-east and north north-west from each other. On the north point, which is flat and barren, stands the village of Kowrowa; and in the bottom of the bay, near a grove of tall cocoa-nut trees, there is another village of a more considerable size, called Kakooa: between them, runs a high rocky cliff, inaccessible from the sea shore. On the south side, the coast, for about a mile inland, has a rugged appearance; beyond which the country rises with a gradual ascent, and is overspread with cultivated inclosures and groves of cocoa-nut trees, where the habitations of the natives are scattered in great numbers. The shore, all around the bay, is covered with a black coral rock, which makes the landing very dangerous in rough weather; except at the village of Kakooa, where there is a fine sandy beach, with a _Morai_, or burying-place, at one extremity, and a small well of fresh water at the other. This bay appearing to Captain Cook a proper place to refit the ships, and lay in an additional supply of water and provisions, we moored on the north side, about a quarter of a mile from the shore, Kowrowa bearing north-west.